The Crystal Ball 2007 The Pro Bowl

Did you think I forgot about you? Did you think I fell in a hole? Worry not worry gentle readers, I did no such thing. I have been too giddy with excitement to sit down and concentrate for more than five minutes at a time. Why you ask?

Because our long national nightmare….is over. The joyous news rang out over our country, signaling the end of the torture put to us by Patriots and their arrogant and obnoxious fans. The elation of celebration rang through the land, with the call coming from the giddy sound of Giants fans chanting 18-1.

Grown men sobbed with joy and misery. Children danced in the streets, unfettered by care or worry. All raised their voices in a cacophonous roar to congratulate the heroes of the day, whose bravery and pure heart struck down Goliath.

Perhaps I’m being a bit overly dramatic, but my cup runneth over with schadenfreude. I honestly could not have been happier at the outcome. And the fact that the game itself was a close, tightly contested edge of your seat game made the results even better. It was exactly the kind of game you want to see, competitive, nail biting, two behemoths slugging it out until the final seconds tick away.

I wanted the Patriots to lose so much before this game, just to put an end to the ridiculous perfect season talk, that more often than not my ability for rational thought escaped me. At times, I probably sounded crazier than Mercury Morris. And I wonder how much champagne was drained in South Beach after the game? I’m taking the over on 1000 cases.

But I must say, watching them lose in the biggest game of the year, with everything on the line, was far more satisfying than a loss in the regular season or even an early playoff exit. Now, all of those records they set, the praise they received, the accolades that rained down upon them for months are all for naught. Well, except for one record, they are the first 18 win team to lose a Super Bowl. That means something now. Now their stellar season will only be remembered in the minds of non Patriot fans as a colossal upset, and them as merely losers and cheaters.

I found myself so excited and thrilled for the Giants it felt like Christmas and my birthday wrapped up in one. Their upset of the Patriots felt almost as good as if Pittsburgh won. Mind you, I said almost.

Boston’s claim to being the City of Champions disappeared with a beautiful fade from Manning to Burress. That distinction is still held unquestionably by one city alone. Three guesses as to which city that is, and the first two do not count.

So what have we learned from all this kids? Cheaters never win, and while New England’s offense has been the talk of the season, the old axiom still holds true. Defense wins championships.


Recap

35 seconds remaining and….18-1. Perfect for an entire season, except for 35 little seconds.

"The Giants certainly deserve it. They made more plays than us. We just didn't get it done. Fourteen points, that's our lowest total of the year. That got us beat. It isn't something that any of us prepared for. We're usually on the better side of those three-point wins.'' – Patriots quarterback Tom Brady following the game.

"It's the greatest feeling you can have in sports. We wanted to come in here and win a world championship. Our defense played phenomenal and on offense we just hung in there and tried to execute. We never got down on ourselves, never gave in even a little bit, and we made it." – Giants receiver Plaxico Burress

What did I say at the end of the regular season? The Patriots screwed themselves by not losing a game, and by doing that they ratcheted up the pressure to win exponentially. What happened to them after all this building pressure reached a head? When it mattered most, the team seized up and chocked, Brady got tight and rattled and Maroney disappeared with Moss. As a matter of fact, if it weren’t for Wes Welker, this game might not have stayed close.

Just to emphasize my point, see what happens to Moss when you pop him at the line? The Giants defensive backs did that all night. By the second half, Moss started getting lazy and disinterested. He’d run his routes half assed did terrible downfield blocking and looked sullen and out of the game most of the time. Except for the Patriots lone scoring drive in the 4th quarter, one could argue the Pats were playing with 10 men on offense from the 3rd quarter on.

Overall the Patriots came out flat and could not get into their game. They made numerous errors and looked like a horribly constructed shell of themselves. Most notably the offensive line which looked less than mortal all night due in part to losing all pro Stephen Neal for the game early in the contest.

The Giants on the other hand came out and immediately made the statement that they were not going to be the last sacrificial lamb in the Patriots quest for immortality. They started the game with a spectacular offensive drive that culminated in 3 points. While that result might not have been huge, the drive ate up just under 10 minutes of game time, and set the tone for the Patriot defense, which showed fatigue from such long drives later in the game.

The Patriots answered back by eating up the rest of the first quarter, and then punching into the end zone at the beginning of the second to make the score 7-3.

Many wondered if at this point the Patriots would assert themselves and take the game away from the Giants. But a funny thing happened on the way to Perfectville. The Giants defense stiffened considerably from their first drive. The questionable secondary covered perfectly, with the exception of finding a permanent solution to the Wes Welker problem. And the front seven took control of the game. They brought the kind of pressure that turns coal into diamonds. They ravaged the Patriots line, spooked them into uncharacteristic mistakes like false starts and finally, FINALLY, being called for holding.

And they were in Brady’s face early and often. Brady never had time to get comfortable. If he wasn’t rushing a pass, then he was picking himself up off the turf. They sacked Brady 5 times, by far the most he had gone down in any game all season. While the Giant offense was moving the ball, they had not yet found a way to put up points. None of this mattered, though. The defense was on a mission, and the mission was working well.

And the little things kept building, and it affected more than just Brady. The line falling apart was huge; it kept the Patriots not only from strafing the Giants secondary, but also from gouging the defense on the ground. Where was Lawrence Maroney, the man who carried them in the playoffs, all game? He was buried under an avalanche of Giants. On third and one, Maroney tried to string out the play, get to the edge and convert, no dice, one yard loss. And here was the really weird part. The Patriots, stung and confused, opted to punt instead of trying for the first down. Who is this team? It certainly did not look like the team that reveled in the humiliation of others all season.

These little things kept piling up as the game progressed. In the third quarter, when the Giants stopped the Patriots first drive, you started to get the feeling an upset was possible. They could move the ball against the Patriots; the Giant defense was keeping them from scoring. A feeling started emanating that soon the Giant offense would break through.

The fourth quarter brought reality to that feeling, as the Giants finally broke through with a touchdown pass from Eli to unheralded, and soon to be world famous, David Tyree. 10-7 Giants stood the score. The Giant defense held again, and Eli started to take over. But then, it all felt like it would go away in an instant.

When the Giants eschewed going for it on 4th and 1 and instead punting with over 7 minutes left, I felt like the bottom fell out. Coughlin looked like he was playing scared, and thoughts of the Ravens and Eagles choking the game away flashed before my eyes. Predictably, the Patriots made him pay for that decision. Using over 5 minutes of at this point precious game time, the Pats marched down the field to score and take a 14-10 lead, leaving only 2:45 left on the clock. More than enough time for Brady or even Peyton, but Eli, who knows? You cannot dance with the champs; you gotta punch them in the mouth. They were doing that all night, and it felt like when they decided to punt, they started to dance.

But sometimes the most amazing things happen when we least expect them. The collective football public watched Eli grow up before our eyes, and orchestrate one of the best game winning drives in Super Bowl history.

Manning started to move the ball, and got them to the Giants 44 on a third and 5 with 1:15 left. The next play turned out to be one of the most amazing plays in the history of the Super Bowl. Manning, facing unbelievable pressure from the blitzing Patriots, pulled a Roethlisberger and escaped a sure sack, bought some time, found a receiver downfield and unleashed a huge pass.

He found David Tyree, who leapt into the air to corral the ball. Rodney Harrison was right with him, and leapt too, doing whatever he could to dislodge the ball and bring down Tyree. The two fought the whole way to the ground, Harrison desperately trying to knock the ball way and Tyree hanging onto it, one handed, pinning it against his helmet. The two landed in a pile, with Tyree on top and the ball still firmly secured in his grasp.

"I don't know that there's ever been a bigger play in the Super Bowl than that play." - Giants coach Tom Coughlin

"That play alone took a few years off my life." New York defensive end Michael Strahan

What it did was throw Tyree into Super Bowl lure and bring millions of football fans to their feet, cheering and gaping in slack jawed amazement.

Manning coolly continued the drive, including hitting rookie Steve Smith for a crucial third down conversion. Smith, and his rookie partner at tight end Kevin Boss, was stellar throughout the game making big plays and ignoring the pressure of the biggest game of their very young careers.

But their star wide receiver would cap the game for the team. Plaxico Burress, hobbled all season with injuries and garnering a fresh one that week that kept him from practicing, came through in the end. Burress did not have a big day, he only caught 2 passes, Manning’s first and last passes. But the last pass, a fade to the corner of the end zone, changed the game. Eli floated a beauty to Burress, who caught it easily thanks to broken coverage, in the end zone with 35 seconds remaining. 17-14 Giants stood the score, with the Patriots looking at one last gasp at immortality.

And they did try. You have to be scared of the Patriots, considering what they did all season, when they have 27 seconds and 3 time outs. But tonight, it was not meant to be. The first down pass resulted in an incompletion. The second down brought the 5th, and my personal favorite, Brady sack. Third and fourth downs, both incompletions on long bomb attempts from Brady to a double covered Moss. And with that, the Patriots were out of chances, 2 seconds stood on the clock, and pandemonium began to reign as the unspeakable dream became a reality.

Eli may not have had numbers for the game reminiscent of the type typically posted by his brother, but he came up huge when it mattered most and showed his big game mettle. The third down play to David Tyree, in which Manning escaped a sure sack and made the completion was the most telling of his mettle, forged under the intensity and pressure of a do or die situation in the big game. Ernie Accorsi must be feeling quite proud, and at the moment is looking like quite the genius.

And boy do I owe Tom Coughlin one huge apology, since I happily rode the dump his can bandwagon for several year now. Thankfully, I’m not the only one who should be performing a mea culpa in regards to the coach. He did a fabulous job all season, changed his style and approach toward the game and the team, and molded them into a unit that believed in their team, their system, each other and that they could overcome anything. And in the end, they did. Lucky for me, he never reads press clippings. Outstanding job coach Coughlin.

Belichick, for all his genius, once again showed us his true colors. He immediately left the field after congratulating Coughlin at least he did that much, but before the game had officially ended. In the frenzy that ensued after the Patriots failed fourth down play, 2 seconds remained on the clock. Only the officials noticed, and desperately tried to get the teams back on the sidelines for one last play to finish off the clock. Coughlin and Belichick met at mid-field congratulated each other and the referee informed them they needed to run one last play. Coughlin went to work getting his team back on the sidelines and Belichick left for the locker room. In the end, Belichick abandoned his players and walked off, leaving them fend for themselves. Real nice move there coach classy. And that little move put the final exclamation point on the end of what really was a perfect game.


NFL, the alternative Universe

There were only two possible outcomes for this game. Either we would hear about how great the 2007 Patriots were until the end of time, or we would see the Manning boys in commercials until the end of time. I’m comfortable with the outcome. As a matter of fact, I think I’ll wear a bigger shirt while I buy a Citizen watch with my MasterCard as I talk with a friend on my Sprint Mobile phone and nosh on some Double Stuffed Oreos.

Speaking of advertising, the crop of commercials for this year’s Super Bowl was, for the most part, darned entertaining. There were a few stinkers in the mix. I’m still not sure I want to live in the post apocalyptic world created by Under Armour, nor have I figured out exactly if the Salesgenie people are stupid or racist. And can we finally get a moratorium on babies being CGIed to look like they’re talking? Those commercials left cute and clever long ago and now reside in the land of creepy and disturbing.

Despite those examples, overall the gems shined on throughout the game. My favorites? The Planters ad featuring the uni-browed lady wooing gentlemen with her Planters perfume, and the Budweiser commercial, showing the Clydesdale training to make the team with the Dalmatian as his coach/trainer. Even Rocky had a montage.

Remember that book the Boston Globe was going to put out? What was the title, oh yeah, it was 19-0: The Historic Championship Season of New England’s Unbeatable Patriots. I thought I’d check the listing on Monday after the Super Bowl. Here’s what it said:


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It is to laugh.

The NFL announced over Super Bowl weekend their latest additions to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Redskins’ receiver Art Monk and cornerback Darrell Green, New England linebacker Andre Tippett, San Diego/San Francisco defensive end Fred Dean, Minnesota/Denver tackle Gary Zimmerman and senior committee choice, Kansas City cornerback Emmitt Thomas all made the cut this year. Kudos to the committee for recognizing defense and linemen this year. All these gentlemen are highly deserving of this honor, and for more than a few it is long overdue. Congratulations to all. We’ll hear more about each one when Hall of Fame time comes in August.

The Giants defeat of the Patriots made history in many ways, including garnering the top spot as the most watched Super Bowl of all time, drawing in 97.5 million viewers.

Eli Manning garnered MVP honors for the game, following in Peyton’s footsteps from the previous year. A typically predictable reaction by the media and voters to give the award to an offensive player. In my humble opinion, and in that of many others, the true MVPs of the game were the Giants defensive front 7. They should have been given the award en masse. Their work produced a forced fumble, 5 sacks, numerous knockdowns and hits on Brady and repeatedly terrorized the Patriots offensive line, whom everyone had been speaking of leading up to the game in hushed, reverent tones. No doubt in my mind they controlled the outcome of the game.

My runner up for MVP would be the Giants offensive line. They gave great protection to Eli all night, opened up holes for Jacobs and Bradshaw and picked up the Patriots blitzes with skill and deftness. This last point should not be ignored, since the Patriot defense started selling out on the blitz as the game progressed and the linemen had tons of game action already to add to their weariness and exhaustion. A stellar performance by that group that should be applauded, as they got a ton less press leading up to the game than their New England counterparts.

Who wants to bet both Asante Samuel and Randy Moss suit up for other teams next year? Anyone? No one? Awww come on!

You know one sweet little factoid about this game? Now Jared “Rod Farva” Lorenzen has a Super Bowl ring. Farva’s #1, Farva’s # 1!

Even though he did not play a snap, and had nothing to do with either team other than being the brother of one of the starting quarterbacks, Peyton Manning still managed to grab some post game camera time in the locker room. Oh, he’s good. He’s really good!

Finally starting to see a few people state what I’ve said for weeks. The 2007 Giants are like the 2005 Steelers. Honestly, I was surprised neither Feagles nor Strahan called it a career on the podium Sunday night.

I wonder how this guy felt come Sunday night.

You know, I find this article nothing but hilarious. Especially taking into account how many people questioned Tony Romo’s focus before the Cowboy’s game against the Giants. Perhaps Tom was thinking a bit too much of things other than the game itself as well.

And the cheating news involving uber coach Bill Belichick gets deeper and more salacious!

Speaking of cheating, I got it wrong. The true scandal of the Super Bowl really was Spy Gate II. That’s the problem of posting on the Friday before the big game, the impact of the Specter/Goodell meeting and the renewed questions of cheating had not fully materialized until Friday evening/Saturday morning. Whether this cat really has some dirt on the organization has yet to be seen. But the rabbit hole does look to go much deeper.

In continuing fall out for Spy Gate II, as it has been affectionately dubbed, Arlen Specter has requested a meeting with Roger Goodell about what exactly has happened. More on the results of this meeting next week. (I can’t get into it this week, I need time to process it, plus I’m just too worked up over it.)

Ok, I found this recently and could only sputter one question, are you kidding me? Patriot fans will complain about anything, and try any desperate ploy to change the results of what happened to reflect what they want. Hey, you kiddies can bitch all you want, but you got BEAT, plain and simple. It’s called karmic payback, get used to it. Perhaps if those reports of how far back the cheating really goes are true, I’ll set up a petition to strike the results of the 2001 and 2004 AFC Championship games.


Upon Further Review

All the talk of the perfect season, the most dominant team of all time, the greatest accomplishment in professional football, all shot down the drain in 60 minutes of game time. Well, so much for that. And so much for…

Belichick equaling Noll’s Super Bowl record.

Brady being the current version of Joe Montana. Joe never lost the big game, nor did he ever scream at his teammates when things were going poorly. I think we can now take away this comparison for good. As a matter of fact, more than a few people have noted that this makes two years in a row that Brady has been bounced from the playoffs by a Manning. So Tom, who’s the big game quarterback now?

The Perfect Season

Brady becoming the first regular season passing leader to win a Super Bowl

The Patriots being the greatest NFL dynasty of all time. Granted, what they’ve done with free agency has been stellar. But by my count no dynasty team, not the 60s Packers, 70’s Steelers, 80’s 49ers or 90’s Cowboys, ever lost a championship game during their run. This is a first.


She really is a bitch

I’ve been saying, harping, begging for Karma to come back and bite the Patriots all season. I did not merely want it, but desperately needed it. I needed to know that bad deeds do go punished in our world. Now, I have the proof, and the satisfaction, I desperately craved. Going undefeated all season only to lose the last game, to be 35 seconds from the ultimate victory, must be excruciatingly painful. But it is merely karmic payback for the many misdeeds and indiscretions from the Patriots. This loss is payback for…

…Letting Super Bowl winner Adam Vinatieri walk. Did anyone else notice Gostkowski flub a kick off, or Belichick preferring to go for it on 4th and 13 rather than let his young kicker make an attempt at a 48 yard field goal?

…Treating team first guy Troy Brown like crap. Do you realize that Troy Brown, who has given his heart and soul to the team, done everything asked of him including playing defense, gone far beyond the call of duty for the team, suffered the indignity of being cut and resigned for less money, watched his position being taken over by hired guns and said nothing, was placed on the inactive list for the biggest game of any Patriots career? Why would you do that to someone who has given so much?

…Dumping team leaders because of age/skills. Everyone lauded the Patriots for years for dumping players after they deemed them too old, too expensive or of too much diminished skill. The list of former Patriots that fit this category reads like an all star team. Ty Law, Willie McGinest, Lawyer Milloy, Deion Branch, Adam Vinatieri. All of these gentlemen had key roles in the Patriots ascension to glory. And all of them were mercilessly dropped the minute they became a perceived burden. I know football is a business, and the successful businesses do whatever is needed to be done to keep winning. But there is also something to be said about leadership, loyalty and the bond of a team, and somewhere along the way the Patriots forgot that and threw away those who had it, and taught it to the younger guys. This Super Bowl featured only 9 men who had been with the team when they won their first crown. Only 9 lasted 7 years. By comparison, the Steelers 4th championship team featured 22 players that were with the team when they won their first. 22 lasted 8 years. This is what comes home to roost when you forget who brought you to the dance.

…cheating. Remember kids, cheaters never win. They may come close, but they always falter when it matters most, especially against an opponent with a tenacious defensive front.

…the smug arrogance. Who likes someone who walks around acting better than anyone they encounter? No one. Who likes someone who talks to you as though you are stupid? No one. A Patriot fan I know said before the game that everyone could hate all they want; the results will be the same. Who wants to hear that? And constantly, for five months straight? The Pats carried themselves with an air of superiority all season, and now they can carry their shattered egos home in a bucket.

…the 2004 ALCS. Typically, I avoid baseball and the whole contrived New York/Boston rivalry. But something tells me that Boston’s defeat of the Yankees in 04, and then following that with 3 straight years of taunting, had something to do with this.

Conversely, Karma rewarded the Giants for becoming a team, getting behind their coach, turning their backs on the locker room cancer that was Tiki Barber, playing their hearts out in a meaningless game at the end of the season, and ultimately rewarded two long time players, Jeff Feagles and Michael Strahan, with the ultimate prize.

Superstitious Boston fans can blame the red hoodie, the Boston Globe for anticipating the victory by pre-selling that ridiculous book, Bill Simmons for comparing the 07 Patriots with the 86 Celtics or any other omen of doom they wish to find. On this day, none of it mattered. This outcome was meant to be.


Idiot of the week

We’ll keep this short and sweet. We have co-winners, and it’s not the broadcasting crew. I became so engrossed in the game I missed a good portion of the stupidity of Joe and Troy. Not all of it, mind you, and they did work pretty hard to grab the award this week. Joe two notes for you, it ALWAYS depends on the spot of the ball and face guarding is LEGAL. Look it up. And Troy, when you’re down by 4 points with 1:40 left in the 4th quarter and you’re facing a 4th and 1 situation, of COURSE it’s a good decision to go for it. It’s the ONLY decision.

No, this week the trophy goes to Tiki Barber and Bill Belichick. Tiki how does this feel? Despite how you threw Eli, Coughlin and others under the bus numerous times as what ails the Giants, it seems from all outward appearances that the real problem was you.

And Belichick, once again displaying how classy and noble he is, made his required march to Coughlin to congratulate the coach, then beat a hasty retreat to the locker room despite the referee telling him they had to run one last play. Did he stay till the clock showed all zeros, taking the defeat like a man? Nope, he ran like a thief into the night, abandoning class, dignity and most importantly, his poor team who suffered the most all evening. I’d feel bad for them, but hey, they had it coming. Now they know the true nature of the man who leads them.

Congratulations to both of you. You are genuine idiots.


On Tap This Week

Wow, I never knew how good it would feel to have both the win, and the satisfaction. It’s like savoring a fine wine, or hitting big in Vegas. Just an extraordinary feeling, I must say.


Last week 1-0
Playoffs to date 6-5
Season to date 173-94

One last game, one last time.

The Pro Bowl

AFC vs. NFC

Let’s be honest, this is more of a tropical vacation than a football game. Heck, some guys opt out for family commitments, lingering injuries or because they’d rather sit at home with the Xbox 360. It seems that once the announcement is made to who was selected, every week we hear of 2-3 players who will not make the game, and who will replace them. Not like we’re getting the highest level of competition. Some guys only play a short while, and hardly anyone goes all out. No one wants to start the off season with an injury. But, they play it anyway, mostly I believe for the camaraderie and the chance to hang out with the boys one last time. And since it is a game, and there must be a winner, why don’t we go with the team that will be most fired up thanks to the new Super Bowl Champions.

NFC All Stars over AFC All Stars


Editors Note: While this is being posted long after the Pro Bowl is concluded, thanks in part to some planning snafus, the author has not watched the Pro Bowl, nor seen any highlights, or even a score. So, he’s like most people outside of Hawaii. But he will make an effort to at least look up the final results before next week’s season ending blowout.

The Crystal Ball 2007 Welcome

Good day all. Our crack staff is hard at work on our season wrap up, but we wanted to take a small aside to welcome a new friend. Through a little correspondence, we now have a link to Pittsburgh Steelers Fanatic. This is a fantastic site for all kinds of Steeler information. The gentleman who runs the site provides excellent in depth analysis and keen observations to everything Steeler and the NFL at large. We are proud to have him allow us to link to this stellar site, and encourage all of our regulars, occasional readers and new visitors to check out his work. Please find a permanent link to his site listed in our links section. Welcome!

The Crystal Ball 2007 The Super Bowl

Amongst all the unbelievable amount of white noise that occurs during the two weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, predictably more than a few talking heads ramble on about how ridiculous it is to have the Big Game scheduled so far after the championship games. I’ve said so myself, specifically last year when the NFL withdrawal was hitting hard. But I came up with a better solution than just eliminating the extraneous week, see recap below.

Although I can see their point, it does seem to be rather ridiculous to make fans wait the extra week. The detractors of the extra week have reasons that are somewhat compelling, most notably that the teams lose momentum, it’s a time waster, and that there is not enough going on to fully report on the game. I find the last one the most interesting. I think this time of year is when we get some of the most fascinating, and crazy, angles of NFL reporting known. I mean, after all, if it were not for this added delay of two weeks between NFL games, would we ever really know about the following Super Bowl related topics?


There’s always the typical stuff…

Greatest Super Bowl Team of All Time
Greatest Super Bowl Coaches
Greatest Super Bowl Performances
Greatest Super Bowl Moments
Greatest Super Bowl Highlight Films
Greatest Super Bowl Commercials
All Time Super Bowl Team
Strategic Game Match ups and breakdowns
Experts Picks for Game Winner
Fabulous Super Bowl Party Menus and Recipes


And then there’s the weirder stuff…

The Sexiest NFL Quarterback in History
The Sexiest Coach in the NFL
Starting Quarterback Love Lives
Future Marketing opportunities for Eli Manning
Starting Quarterbacks Marketing potential
Ladies of the night descend on Arizona
Monastery offers lodging for Super Bowl
Giants Lineman’s very odd previous career – not for the faint of heart
Best Beer Buys for Super Bowl Parties

I’ve read multiple articles on every single one of the previous topics, and they represent merely the tip of the iceberg. I would love for the Super Bowl to be played three weeks after the Championship games. Who knows what crazy stuff would be unearthed with that much time and boredom. As it is, we’re not far from simulated match ups of how the two teams would perform on the rings of Saturn.


Recap

The Super Bust: What a stellar game! Unbelievable, far more successful than I ever thought it would be!

Ok, I need to come clean, I have nothing. My plan was to plop in my copy of Madden Football, cue up a game playing the Colts and one playing the Saints, and see what happens. I had it all worked out beautifully. And then, work took over and I found myself busy all week. The one chance I had to play Xbox, well, I found Halo 2 already loaded, and the urge to wipe out aliens and relieve some work frustration took over and by the time I had relaxed, time’s up! See, this is just yet another example of why Roger Goodell needs to get on the stick and make this game a reality. I cannot keep faking it! But, for those of you who wish to have something….

Colts 35 – Saints 27

A stunning successful start to the Super Bust was witnessed by all who jammed Las Vegas last weekend. Such action, entertainment, and big plays staged on the big fabulous backdrop that is Sin City.

The Colts started out slowly, going 3 and out in their first two possessions. They looked rusty and unsure of themselves. Perhaps their inability to overcome the Chargers in their divisional game left them with some performance anxiety.

The Saints, on the other hand, came out firing. Taking advantage of a bad pass interference call on Bob Sanders, the Saints managed to get to the Colts 15 yard line before their first drive stalled. They walked away with a field goal. Their next drive, they made up for it, with a 15 yard sweep to Reggie Bush and Drew Brees connecting for a 65 yard bomb to Marques Colston for a touchdown and a 10-0 lead early in the second quarter.

After this, the Colt offense woke up. Inspired by the return of Marvin Harrison, Peyton Manning connected on all 5 passes attempted on the drive. Mixed with some pounding rushes by Joseph Addai, Manning hit Dallas Clark in the end zone to bring the Colts within 3 with 30 seconds left in the half.

But a stellar run back on the ensuing kick off allowed New Orleans to kick a last second field goal and take a 13-7 half time lead.

The second half looked like it might be a repeat of the end of the first, but a fumble on the kickoff allowed the Colts to take the ball and move down the field. A quick dump pass to Anthony Gonzales and a stellar run through the secondary allowed the Colts to take their first lead of the game early in the second quarter.

Long drives by both teams followed, each scoring 7 and ending the third quarter with the Colts holding a 21-20 advantage.

But Peyton owned the fourth, playing as though to make up for a poor showing in the divisional game’s last period. The fourth started off with the Colt defense holding the Saints to a three and out, led by Bob Sanders pounding Drew Brees into the ground for a 7 yard sack. Peyton took over and marched the team down the field for a touchdown to Reggie Wayne.

Drew Brees, not to be outdone, countered with a 13 play drive that resulted in a quarterback sneak into the end zone. Eschewing a two point conversion attempt, the Saints put their hopes in their defense. But Peyton had thoughts otherwise.

Continually working in Addai, and spreading the ball to his receivers judiciously, Manning ate up the clock and moved the Colts smoothly down the field, capping the drive with a 14 yard touchdown to Marvin Harrison. The Colts drive consumed over 9 minutes of game time, and gave Brees and company only 1:30 left to produce a miracle.

And Drew did his best. Starting at their own 23 after the kick off, Brees fired two quick passes to take the team to mid field. However, time was a factor as the Saints were forced to use their last timeout after the second reception when receiver Terrance Copper could not get out of bounds. On the ensuing play, the Saints final rally died when Antoine Bethea stepped in front of a short pass from Brees, intercepting the ball and ending the game. Manning came out for a quick kneel down, and the Colts captured the first Super Bust championship.

Now, you tell me, wouldn’t that be a great game to watch? Come on, let’s all petition Goodell to get this game on the schedule!


The Big Game

Welcome one and all to Super Bowl XLII! The 42nd edition of the league championship game will kickoff Sunday February 3rd at the University of Phoenix Stadium in beautiful Glendale Arizona. This year, NFL fans worldwide could possibly witness history, as the Patriots vie to become only the second undefeated team in Super Bowl history, and the first to go 19-0. In their way stand the New York Giants who oddly enough play their home games in New Jersey. But we’re splitting hairs. Let’s just take a gander at these two franchises, shall we?


AFC Champion New England Patriots

The New England Patriots were founded in 1959, one of the original eight teams that made up the American Football League. Initially known as the Boston Patriots, the team struggled mightily during its tenure in the AFL. Although they did manage to make it to the AFL championship game in 1963, the Patriots never had a regular home during this time. Nickerson Field, Harvard Stadium, Alumni Stadium and Fenway Park all served as the home field for the young Pats at one point during their existence. The merger of the AFL and NFL helped the Pats find a home. For their first season, they were installed in the AFC, in the East division, where they still reside. As for a tangible home, the next year the Patriots moved into Foxborough Stadium, where they played for 30 years until the opening of their current residence, Gillette Stadium, in 2002.

During their existence, the Patriots have gone through numerous changes. Their first owner was Boston business executive Billy Sullivan, who owned the team until it was purchase by Victor Kiam in 1988. Kiam owned the team until 1992, when he sold it to James Orthwein. Orthwein only owned it for two years, before selling it to current owner Robert Kraft, but his tenure will long be remembered in Boston. During his short time at the helm of the franchise, Orthwein changed the look of the team with a massive uniform change, hired Coach Bill Parcells and came close to moving the team to St. Louis. Luckily for the Boston faithful, this move never materialized.

The Patriots have played to date in 5 Super Bowls, their first coming in 1986. That year, the Patriots faced off against the Chicago Bears, and were summarily destroyed by the force of nature that was the 1985 Bears. Their next appearance came during Bill Parcells’ tenure at the conclusion of the 1996 season, when they faced the Green Bay Packers. The Patriots lost this game as well, but played with much more gusto than their previous appearance. The team would not make the game again until 2002, and when they did make it they found the deck stacked against them again. Playing with a second year quarterback named Brady, who had filled in all season for the injured Drew Bledsoe; the Patriots faced the St. Louis Rams, who had set a record for most points scored in a season with their potent offense. The team showed no fear as they held the high flying Rams to 17 points, and won the game on a last second field goal to capture their first Super Bowl victory in franchise history. The Patriots have been back to the big game twice more since then, winning both games by 3 points, one of them on another last second field goal.

The 2007 Patriots will take the field for Super Bowl XLII as the designated home team. They are currently on the cusp of completing their season as the first team to go undefeated and win 19 games. Their attempt at history will be led by their record setting offense. The Patriots set records this year for most points scored by a team, most touchdowns thrown by a quarterback and most touchdowns scored by a receiver, amongst others. The key to their offense is quarterback Tom Brady, whose cool demeanor under the pressure of big games harkens back images of Joe Montana. Brady’s career exploded in 2007 with the additions of top flight receivers such as Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Known for years as a top tier quarterback, Brady had never had the kind of statistically brilliant year, one reminiscent of Peyton Manning, until this season. The Patriots passing attack and rejuvenated running game allow them to simply outscore any opponent. The weapons contained within their offense are varied and numerous. If a few of their key players are contained, others step up to fill the void and keep the machine running smoothly. While they have been stopped this season, it has been rare and mostly due to mistakes, which the Patriots do not often make. Their defense, while tough and tenacious, has shown signs of weakness down the stretch, most notably against the run. But savvy veteran leadership from players such as Mike Vrabel, Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau has kept the defense strong, working together and effective at the most crucial moments of tight games.


NFC Champion New York Giants

The New York Giants are one of the oldest and most storied teams in the NFL. Founded in 1925, the team was known for much of their early history as the New York Football Giants. This was necessary because team shared their name with one of New York’s baseball teams. The need for the distinction disappeared when the baseball Giants moved to San Francisco. The football Giants also shared their field with the baseball Giants, playing for the first 30 years of their existence at the famed Polo Grounds. After the 1955 season, the Giants moved their home games to Yankee Stadium, where they played until 1973. After that, they spent two years at Yale Stadium and one at Shea Stadium until they moved into their current home, Giants Stadium, which they share with the New York Jets. The two teams are currently building a new stadium complex for both to share near their current home.

Much like the Rooney’s and the Steelers and the Birdwell’s’ and the Cardinals, the Giants have been a family owned operation since their inception. Businessman and bookmaker Tim Mara bought the team with a $500 investment. Tim guided the team for the first five years of their existence, trying to make pro football work in a climate that saw other sports, most notably baseball, boxing and college football, far more popular than professional football. In 1930, Tim transferred ownership of the team to his sons Jack and Wellington. The two ran the team together as a family operation until 1991 when Jack sold his half of the team to Bob Tisch. Bob Tisch and Wellington Mara combined to run the team until 2005, when both men passed away. Their sons Steve and John, respectively, now carry on the family business of the New York Giants.

The Giants have played in 13 NFL championship games, winning 4, and 3 Super Bowls, winning 2. Their most notable championship game came in 1958, a loss to the Baltimore Colts that many have called the greatest game ever played and many NFL historians look to as the turning point in the popularity of the NFL. The Giants won 2 Super Bowls, in 1986 and 1990 under head coach Bill Parcells and behind the ferocity of linebacker Lawrence Taylor. Taylor's all out play and speed rush into offensive backfields helped change the way offensive coaches looked at protection and the importance of the left tackle, the offensive lineman typically tabbed as the protector of the quarterback’s blindside. During those two championship seasons, the defensive coordinator for the Giants just happened to be current Patriot head coach Bill Belichick. Quite the interesting coincidence, no? The Giants most recent Super Bowl trip, after the 2000 season, ended in a crushing defeat from the Baltimore Ravens.

The 2007 Giants have made their way to the Super Bowl the hard way, on the road. New York has taken the wild card route, one that does not typically lead to success, the most notable exception being the 2005 Pittsburgh Steelers. The team started the season inconsistently, losing their first two games and creating a swirl of questions about the team’s potential success for 2007. The team rallied to amass a 10-6 record, which included a stunning season ending loss to the Patriots, where the Giants played far better than expected. Building off the confidence of that performance, the Giants stormed through the playoffs, beating Tampa Bay handily, knocking off the top seeded Cowboys in Dallas and outlasting the Packers in Green Bay in the 3rd coldest championship game in NFL history. The team is led by 4th year quarterback Eli Manning, who had been inconsistent and oft questioned until his current playoff run. Since the beginning of the post season, Manning has played spectacularly, minimizing mistakes and making excellent decisions. The team also has a potent running attack, led by bruiser Brandon Jacobs and speedster rookie Amhad Bradshaw. Their defense is built on speed and disrupting opponents offensive attacks. Helmed by 15 year veteran Michael Strahan, the Giants defense is fortified by young, fast talent such as Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, who are expected to play large parts in attempting to rattle the unshakable Tom Brady and put the clamps on the Patriot offensive juggernaut.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are your entrants for Super Bowl XLII. Teams, please stand and take a bow, you have earned it for making it this far. Fans pick your favorite and root them to victory. Or, pick your least favorite and root them to oblivion, since people rarely remember the losers of the Super Bowl.


NFL, the alternative Universe

Amazon.com has been accepting pre-orders all week for the book, 19-0: The Historic Championship Season of New England’s Unbeatable Patriots. A tad presumptuous, no?

Giants’ punter Jeff Feagles on Sunday will appear in his first ever Super Bowl after 20 years in the league. I’ve mentioned before the Giants are traveling the same path as the 2005 Steelers. If that is true, does that make Feagles the Giants version of Jerome Bettis?

According to a Victoria’s Secret poll of what is sexy in the NFL, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin was voted the sexiest coach in the NFL. Ok, not a Super Bowl win, but I’ll take it.

Carson Palmer’s new backup in Cincinnati will be younger brother Jordan Palmer. Maybe they should sign Jesse Palmer to make it a Palmer trio.

The NFL will host another game next season in London, pitting the New Orleans Saints against the San Diego Chargers. Now that’s an East Coast road trip.

In other NFL game expansion, the league approved the Bills petition to play one game a season in Toronto for the next 5 years. I hope they play it early in the season, it can get a might chilly in Toronto.

In an attempt to have a little fun during Media Day, Giants receiver Plaxico Burress predicted the Giants would win 23-17. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady had some fun of his own in response.

"We're only going to score 17 points? OK. Is Plax playing defense? I wish he had said 45-42 and gave us a little credit for more points."


Upon Further Review

I found this interesting little article from Jason Whitlock of the Kansas City Star and FOXSports.com. Mr. Whitlock seems to feel that true football fans should not only be rooting for the Patriots, but praying for them to win. Personally, I think prayers should be held for something a slight bit more important than for a group of grown men to win a staged competition playing a kid’s game, but that’s just me.

While glossing over and explaining away the seedier parts of their season, and stating that Patriot hatred is merely jealousy rather than based on something tangible say cheating or poor sportsmanship, Mr. Whitlock maintains the reasoning for his belief we should pray for their victory is that the Patriots are the perfect sports team.

It would be easier to just let Mr. Whitlock’s words speak for him here.

“(They are) everything we say we want in a champion. They're the ideal blend of talent, confidence, humility, hard work, intelligence and willingness to share the spotlight. They're what we all want our teams to be”

They are. They do play with an all for one, one for all motto. They have talent, no doubt about that, and the confidence you do see and want in a champion. Humility? Well, that one is up in the air. No one complains about doing the dirty little jobs that breed success, nor does anyone shirk from actually doing them. They work as hard together as you could ask a large group of differing personalities, all bent on obtaining a shared goal. You never see them try to glorify themselves, always playing for the good of the team. And they win, consistently and often. They are what many people would love for their team to be. But are they the perfect sports team?

No, I’m afraid they are not. Not because of the good parts about them, but because of the bad parts of them, and what they represent to football, team sports and ultimately to fans. The Patriots while embracing all the great things about a team and team sports also encompass many of the bad things, cheating, lying, poor sportsmanship and selfish behavior. As fans on the outside of the microcosm of the world of sports, we want our sports heroes to be stand up people, walking giants playing on elysian fields of glory, embodying every good thing we wish and hope for ourselves to be. Whether that comparison is right or wrong, or even fair to make of young men oftentimes just as flawed as the rest of us, it is what we want, need and at times demand. I do not believe the Patriots are any better or worse than any other team in terms of poor behavior or setting bad examples. One could look to any team in any sport and put a magnifying glass to their collective warts and find many things for which people could dislike them. But at this moment the Patriots stand poised to accomplish a feat rarely seen, and with that will come adjectives as the best or perfect.

And they are far from perfect. With the Patriots we do not get that warm feeling we want from a team, one who seems to be filled with mythical heroes who would run into a burning building to save a child or climb a tree to rescue a kitten on the way to the stadium. Once again, I know these comparisons are not fair, but that is how we wish to see our sports heroes, especially in a world that seems to run low on real ones. With the Patriots we get accompanying the grandiose praise of the ultimate team a reflection of our own darker nature, conniving, lying, cheating, rude, deceitful, unapologetic, vain, vindictive, immature and egomaniacal.

And we do not like to see the bad side of ourselves, nor do we like to see it reflected in such bright lights, on such a grand stage. No one likes to be reminded of their flaws, they wish to forget about them and focus on the good things. We all do, and we should focus on the good things and work to correct those bad things. But to be reminded of the darker sides of our own nature and see those traits put on a pedestal as something to emulate not only is foolish and ridiculous, but also dangerous as it reinforces the idea that it is okay to do whatever is necessary to win, no matter who it hurts how it’s done what it costs or what you sacrifice and destroy within yourself morally, as long as you emerge victorious.

I cannot pray, as Mr. Whitlock puts it, for the Patriots to win. We should be praying for them to lose. If those kind of traits can be defeated, even if merely using a game between two teams as a symbolic defeat of them, then we can go forth in hope to defeat them within ourselves, to control those demons and move through life and become something more than we are now, conducting ourselves with grace, dignity, fairness, even handedness, maturity, intelligence, and always looking to give a leg up instead of stomping on the throat of another. Those are the traits we should celebrate and strive to emulate. Those are the traits we profuse to be so important and vital to teach the young, but so often fail ourselves in setting a good example. Perhaps a symbolic defeat of such bad traits is all we need to help push ourselves along, to give us a rallying point from which to work and help ourselves overcome our own failures. As long as we keep striving to embody them, then perhaps we can morph into the heroes we wish for our sports teams to be. The real kind of heroes we need in this world. The kind we are running desperately low on, and of which we need more.


Celebrities; they’re better than you

For 19 years now, ESPN.com has combed the news wire for celebrity prognostications. Why? Because we love celebrities, and since they are famous and often times good looking, they MUST be smarter than the average Joe Lunchbox, and therefore their pick must hold more weight. Or perhaps it’s just an exercise in fun and silliness.

Anyway, while most of the big picks are boring, and some horribly uninformed, more than a few are downright fun. To check out ESPN.com’s complete list, visit the site here. For your reading pleasure, and to help out those who do not wish to sift through 100 picks by actors, politicians, and the pseudo-famous, we have pulled out a few of the choicest cuts below.



DAVE GROHL Musician, Foo Fighters
Patriots by 3 because I like their three-corner hats.

Et tu Dave?


OMAR EPPS Actor, "House"
Patriots, 35-24. The Patriots are on the verge of making history. What better motivation can one need?

I would have sworn Tomlin would go with the Giants, but I guess he’s backing the AFC.


JERRY MATHERS Beaver on "Leave It To Beaver"
Patriots, 30-27. I would love to see the perfect season.

Good gravy, who was bored enough to ask Jerry Mathers?


MICKEY ROONEY Actor
Patriots. Whoever is the favorite will win ... It's all a matter of percentages in every sport.

Such in depth analysis from the Mickster.


WAYNE NEWTON Singer
Patriots, 35-30. As a true patriot and devoted chairman of the Celebrity Circle of the USO, I have to side with New England.

Nice self plug there Wayne. So to be a true patriot means you have to side with convicted cheaters and liars? Hmmmm, even with that thought process, I still have no idea who to vote for on Super Tuesday.


ADAM WEST "Batman"
Patriots by 7 to 10 points. If Brady keeps his foot out of the mousetrap, he'll be able to pick apart the Giants' secondary.

He had to pick New England; he’s the mayor of Quahog. Adam Weeeeeesst, Adam Weeeeesst.


RANDY JACKSON "American Idol" judge
New England Patriots by a touchdown, trust me!

I’m only surprised he didn’t finish the sentence with trust me dog!


GORDON CLAPP Actor
Patriots, 41-10. How could I not? Plus I am from the region. They know how to win. No matter what they are up against they always come out on top.

Yes, they do know how to win in the region. Unless you discount the Celtics, and then the region had no idea how to win from 1918 to 2001, but other than that, always on top!


SEN. EDWARD KENNEDY D-Mass
Tom Brady and the Patriots are pumped for this one. They're ready for anything the Giants throw at them.

Interesting that despite the proclamations, he did not actually make a pick. Politicians are amazing creatures.


ED ASNER Actor
Giants, 7-3. I think they're due. And they've become destiny's team. May the best team win. This is not to say that I have any animosity towards the NE Patriots and Tom Brady. They're the best people in the world.

Seriously Ed, 7-3? You honestly think the Giants patchwork defensive backfield can hold the highest scoring offense in NFL history to 3 points? This makes Plaxico’s prediction downright intelligent.


CARL WEATHERS Actor
Patriots, 31-17. It's impossible not to go with New England. Congratulations to New York, but they won't win this Super Bowl.

Of course he’s picking the heavy favorite; he always played the heavy favorite that got beat by the underdog. He does not understand the underdog.


DOLPH LUNDGREN Actor/director
Giants, 21-13. This year it looks like the right Manning is in the Super Bowl.

But Dolph knows all about the underdog. DRAAAGOOOOOOO!


SCOTT ADAMS Dilbert cartoonist
Giants, 37-21. Eli Manning has more incentive to win because he's trying to make his parents love him more they love his older brother. That's a bigger incentive than Tom Brady's desire to win yet another ring and bed yet another super model. It's a question of diminishing returns.

The most logical analysis on the list. Brilliant!


Coaching Update

Redskins – spoke at one point with USC coach Pete Carroll, but he is no longer being considered as a serious candidate. Currently the only team without a head coach.

Raiders – nothing new on Al Davis’ rumblings on Lane Kiffin’s status. Perhaps it was merely gas.

Browns – signed head coach Romeo Crennel to a 2 year extension. Finally the Browns are doing something right.


Idiot of the Week

Rarely is there a week that goes by when I have to sit and think, man, where am I going to find an idiot within the NFL Universe. Even during the few weeks when we get near posting time, never once has someone failed to pop their little head out of a hole, spy their shadow and declare themselves an idiot. Luckily, I did not have to wait until the last minute this week for the idiot to stand tall.

This week we honor former Giant running back and current NBC talking head Tiki Barber. When the Giants clinched the NFC Championship, it obviously became a big story of how the Giants went to the Super Bowl one year after their star player retired. Were the Giants better off without Barber? How would he react? A potentially compelling story, no doubt.

And we got one, thanks to Ian O’Conner of FOXSports.com.

In the article, Tiki makes himself out to be the odd man out. The poor player who gave everything, body and soul, to the team that now scorns and ignores him.

"I'm Public Enemy No. 1 if you're with the Giants. With every heroic story there has to be a foil, and I'm convenient for that. I am the (expletive) foil in a Shakespearean play."

Tiki complains about the Giants not inviting him to the Super Bowl. Tiki complains about how everyone hates him and gave up on him even though he was immensely productive in his last year with the team. Of course, Tiki also conveniently forgets the fact that he is no longer a part of the team and he gave up on them after last year to do his own thing. And he announced his giving up in the middle of the season and became a huge distraction to the team throughout the second half of the season and into the playoffs. Tiki also conveniently forgets how he repeatedly blasted the coach, undermining his authority, while with the team. Tiki conveniently also forgets how Coughlin’s coaching turned him from a decent back with a fumbling problem into a weapon. He also forgets how he blasted Eli Manning, the team’s leader, at the beginning of this season. But he’s so put upon as public enemy #1.

But Tiki wants everyone to know how supportive he is of the team, and how he gave the coach the thumbs up to Giant owners on his way out last year. Interesting how you could not do that to the press during the season.

It just amazes me how Tiki still makes it all about him. Current Giant players, staff and coaches have all said how much better team chemistry has been without Tiki and his me first attitude. And if you doubt it has not had an effect, look where they were this time last year and look at where they are now. Last year, I defended Tiki and his decision to leave football and get on with his life. Many rode him for leaving with still plenty in the tank, but I figured a man has to make his own way. But I cannot defend how selfish he is to interject himself into a situation that no longer concerns him. For his bad attitude and selfish behavior, Tiki you are an Idiot.


Scandalous!

If anyone may recall, last year I put forth my time tested formula for determining the Super Bowl winner. All you have to do is look to the latest scandal sheet. To put it succinctly, I determine Super Bowl winners based on who has a scandal, started a scandal, is embroiled in a scandal or on the cusp of one. And by my definition, a scandal is anything off the field that takes away from the team itself, puts all the focus on one player or anything that may disrupt a team from properly preparing for the game.

It does not even have to happen on the eve of the game, one can blow up during media day, which is a great way to determine the scandal of the Super Bowl. If it happens beforehand, even better determination, since that is all anyone will want to talk about during media day, especially to the player in question and to all of his teammates. This kind of distraction can impair preparation and even cause disharmony in the locker room, which is exactly the kind of thing that a team looking to win it all does not need leading up to the game.

Apparently, I’m not the only one who has clued in on this determining factor, as SI.com recently ran this photo montage of the top Super Bowl scandals.

Last year, my methodology worked like a dream. I figured the Bears had more scandal nonsense flying around their locker room thanks to Tank Johnson and his legal woes. The Bears did not let me down either, and lost to the Colts.

So who steps up this year? Who will provide the scandal that determines the outcome of the Super Bowl? Let’s look at the contenders.

Spygate – an excellent scandal, but two things go against it. One, it was at the beginning of the season. And two, the Patriots have thrived after the scandal broke. If anything, it made them more powerful. Although the recent inquiries regarding the destruction of the evidence could fan the flames and blow it back into a full blown controversy that might be big enough to eclipse everything. But I still do not believe this to be the one. However, I reserve the right to be very wrong on this one.

Tom Brady’s ankle – has potential. It’s before the game, an injury to the key to the offense and it did cause him to miss practice. But, there’s nothing there. He’s had time to rest and heal, and it’s not like he ever has to scramble anyway. Close, but no cigar for this one.

Seymour and Harrison’s Bogus Journey – Could there be meat in this sandwich? Seymour has been called out as a dirty player and repeatedly fined, while Harrison started off the season on the bench for using HGH. Alas, no, nothing here. Harrison’s embarrassing stain is long ago, and Seymour cares not about what anyone thinks of him. All filler, no killer in this one.

Randy Moss and the Order of the Judge – Ok, now we get to some good stuff. Randy Moss had a restraining order issued against him before the Patriots first playoff game. This came as a shining beacon to many, including myself, who thought Moss would invariably self destruct and become a locker room cancer. He never did, until this moment. So far, the Patriots have coped with it nicely, but Moss has been all but absent in the playoffs. This one is the prohibitive favorite to win.

Plaxico Running his Mouth – in years past, this could have made an impact. Anytime a team predicts victory over their opponent it tends to end up as bulletin board material. But like the Patriots care what the other team yammers about. Never have all season, why start now? Nope, nothing but hot air this one.

Tiki makes it all about Tiki – Showing his true colors once again, Tiki moaned that he was public enemy #1 to the Giants, who had not even invited him to Arizona. An excellent distraction to a team trying to do something no one has been able to all season. There is only one small problem here; no one on the Giants cares. In fact, I’d bet half of them would go, Tiki who? This one has legs, but can it run?

So, by analyzing all the factors involved, I see Moss, his restraining order and subsequent absent play slightly overshadowing Tiki and his continued selfish behavior. Will this be enough of a push to get the Giants over the top and slay the dragon? Only Sunday will tell.


On Tap This Week

Another week in the playoffs, another split in the win/loss column.

Last week 1-1
Playoffs to date 5-5
Season to date 172-94

If I get this week wrong, I may have a losing playoff record! The horror….

This week, well, just one game, I’m not sure but you might have heard something about it.


New York Giants (13-6) vs. New England Patriots (18-0)

Seriously, I’ve had two weeks and still cannot wrap my head around having to root for Eli Manning to derail the Patriot train.

The Patriots are attempting to complete the first perfect season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, and to become the first team to win 19 games. They are also attempting to win 4 Super Bowls this decade. Tom Brady will be attempting to become just the third quarterback to win 4 Super Bowls, joining Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw in that highly exclusive club. Bill Belichick will attempt to become just the second coach to win 4 Super Bowls and tie the record held by Chuck Noll. I’m going for a record amount of alcohol consumed if such things come to pass.

The Giants for their part are attempting to win the Super Bowl as a 5th seed and only the second wildcard team to accomplish such a feat, matching the 2005 Steelers. Now that’s a record I will be more than happy to share. They are also attempting to become the first team to beat New England this year.

The Patriots are currently 12 point favorites. Everyone and their grandmother started out picking the Giants and then thought, wait, this is too easy and switched to the Patriots. Kind of like how everyone picked the 2001 Rams over the Patriots. Hmmm, that could bode well.

But on the other side is the Giant’s patchwork secondary, Plaxico running his yapper, and Tiki Barber working hard to become a distraction for a team for whom he no longer plays. Me thinks that does not bode well.

As for my pick, all season I’ve said concerning the Patriots I want either the win or the satisfaction, either is fine with me. Now, it is not enough. Much like the Patriots themselves, I want it all. I’m not talking myself into the Giants; I know realistically they have little hope. No matter how vulnerable the Patriots have looked over the past month, they still have managed to win. You think they will not have enough left in the tank to finish things off? Their mantra all season has been “60 Minutes”. They’ve played every snap of every game the same, all out, much to the embarrassment of several teams. You think they’ll let off the gas now, with the finish line so close? I think there’s a better chance of Al Davis replacing Lane Kiffin with John Madden than the Patriots suddenly taking it easy. They’ve been here before, and won 3 times in 3 tight games. They are not going to choke. They need to be beaten, manhandled, and crushed. It’s the only way to do it. Are the Giants the team to do that? There’s a chance, they played them tough at the season’s end. But I doubt it. Of course there is always the saying of Any Given Sunday, but unless Brady’s ankle snaps and Belichick gets food poisoning, it’s highly doubtful that highly touted saying will have any play come Sunday evening. But, since most of my feelings toward the Patriots tend to lean in the arena of the irrational anyway, why not grab at that golden ring. It only passes by once more.

Giants over Patriots


If the Giants win, I’ll see you all next week. If the Patriots win, well, I’ll be in Las Vegas with Elizabeth Shue and a Beverages & More discount card.