Tom Brady’s game-winning 82-yard touchdown pass to Troy Brown that beat Miami 19-13 in overtime Sunday was just what New England sports fans needed in the wake of the Red Sox’s 6-5 11-inning loss to the New York Yankees in the seventh game of the American League Championship series.

Brady’s pass to Brown, after the Dolphins had missed a couple of potential game-winning field goals, was like an aspirin taking the edge off a throbbing headache. It didn’t cure the ailment, but it provided temporary relief.

The fact it was the Patriots’ first-ever win at Miami in the months of September and October and catapulted them into first place in the AFC East made the aspirin extra-strength.

The New England sports fan also would have received some satisfaction from two stirring wins by the Boston Bruins over the weekend as they overcame a 3-0 deficit to beat the Los Angeles Kings 4-3 on Saturday and then a 3-1 deficit to top the Anaheim Mighty Ducks 4-3 in overtime on Sunday.

On Monday, there was the trade of Boston Celtics All-Star Antoine Walker to the Dallas Mavericks. And, perhaps, that was good news to Celtics fans. But the bottom line here is that the Red Sox mean more to us.

The underdog Patriots’ marvelous Super Bowl win over St. Louis in 2002 was a great source of jubilation across the region.

Patriot players and representatives were greeted by large crowds, including one at Bangor’s Bass Park, when they toured with the Lombardi (NFL championship) Trophy.

So was the Boston Bruins’ last Stanley Cup championship in 1972 or the Boston Celtics’ last title in 1986.

Baby Boomers vividly remember the Big Bad Bruins and their brawling style of play.

Just as people remember the wizardry of Larry Bird and the inside games of Kevin McHale and Robert Parish in 1986.

But it’s not the same. The Red Sox are like our lovable longtime neighbors.

When we head to the beach, we take a radio just so we can follow the Sox. They’re on when we paint the house.

So what keeps this hold on us? Why are we still reliving Game 7 against the Yankees?

The Yankees, themselves, are one reason.

They are the hated rivals of the Red Sox and always will be. There are two teams we cheer for: the Red Sox and anyone playing the Yankees.

The Patriots, Bruins, and Celtics don’t have any archrivals these days.

The Patriots have their division rivals (Buffalo, the New York Jets, and Miami), but Patriot fans don’t circle any of those games on the calendar.

I suppose the games against Buffalo and former Patriot quarterback Drew Bledsoe and defensive back Lawyer Milloy have replaced the games against the Jets, when former Patriots coach Bill Parcells coached them and several ex-Pats were with them, as the closest thing to a rivalry game now.

The 1972 Bruins had great battles with the rival New York Rangers, but that eventually fizzled out.

And, of course, the Celtics-Lakers rivalry was thriving in the 1980s.

But Bird, McHale, and Parish retired and the Celtics took a prolonged nosedive.

The fact the Red Sox haven’t won a World Series since 1918 is another reason they rule the roost.

Misery loves company and, in this case, company loves misery.

Larry Mahoney can be reached at 990-8231, 1-800-310-8600 or by email at lmahoney@bangordailynews.net.