SUPER BOWL XLII

SUPER BOWL XLII

We are on the eve of the biggest sporting event in the Western world, the Super Bowl. If you’ve watched TV for more than 5 minutes in the past two weeks, you know the story line. Undefeated vs. Cinderella. Brady vs. Manning. Moss. Plax. Coughlin. Spygate. Belichick. The story lines are there. The football world is abuzz in Glendale, Arizona, patiently awaiting the 6:30 pm eastern kickoff of the greatest spectacle in American sports.

Even if you despise the Patriots or Giants, you will probably be watching. Americans treat this day as if it were a national holiday. On this day, we celebrate the manhood and artistry of the country’s favorite sport. Lets break down the need-to-know’s and figure out who will be champion of the NFL this season.

Offense: Pretty much self-explanatory if you have been paying attention to the NFL this season. The Patriots have broken so many records, it's just unfair. Their offense is a well-oiled machine, and it can strike at anytime, anywhere. They have an assortment of playmakers like Moss, Welker, Gaffney, Watson, and Maroney. Everyone plays a part. It’s obvious that this is Tom Brady’s team. If he can pull out a victory tomorrow, he will have placed himself in the upper reaches of football history. Brady will most certainly be the greatest quarterback to ever live. He has already established himself as the new James Dean of our generation, but with this win, he will be the ultimate athlete, spoken in the same breath as Gretzky, Jordan, and Tiger. Lets not sleep on the G-Men, however. They come with firepower of their own. Eli Manning will never be mistaken for his brother, but he has the tools to manage this team methodically, allowing them to be in a position to succeed. However, the Patriots are still head and shoulders above New York. EDGE PATRIOTS.

Defense: The Giants D is made up of a furious front four and a decent secondary that can make life hell for the Patriot offense. They led the NFL in sacks this season with 53. They do give up their fair share of points, however. They showed they were game in the shootout week 17 against New England, but the Patriots offense showed just how special they were. The Patriots D is nothing to shake a stick at either. They were second in the league in sacks with 47. They are aging, but they still seem to have a cohesiveness that teams only dream about. They have elderly linebackers and a decent front four. It will come down to which defense bends, but does not totally break. This is too close to call, as both teams have their positives, but there are also some worries on this side of the ball EDGE GIANTS

Coaching: Bill Belichick can be thought of as prickly, unhappy little man who speaks few words to the media, afraid to give any sort of edge. Creepy perhaps. But the guy can coach. There are now more “Spygate” revelations rearing their ugly head on this week of madness, and the Pats of course refute them all. What we do know is that with the information at hand, we see Belichick as a coaching genius. An Einstein of the Gridiron. The Plato of the Pigskin. He won’t be mistaken for a great public speaker like Martin Luther King, but he gets his ideas across to his players, which is what he cares about. Tom Coughlin, on the other hand, has been on rocky ground with the Giants in the past, but seems to have mended the fences and brought his team to the promised land. He is a brash coach, a no-nonsense leader who typifies the hard-nosed coach of yesteryear. However, he has learned to calm his emotions and has done so at a great time. Belichick has the overall coaching edge though. He prepares for games unlike any other and his record speaks for itself. Rarely will there be a mistake on his watch. EDGE PATRIOTS

We will have a wild game on our hands, and if it’s anything like the last match up of these two teams, this will be one of the greatest Super Bowl games ever seen. It will only add to the lure of the history of this fine game.

In the end though, how can one bet against a team that hasn’t lost all season. The Patriots are an absolute juggernaut and if they play their game like they have been all year, the Dynasty will continue. The Giants will spill their blood and guts out on the field to show that they are a worthy opponent. They have already shocked many by finding themselves in the greatest game of all. But it may be too much to handle. Brady will do his thing and find the open man. The Giants D will show up big, but not enough in the end. There is something far to special about this Patriots team. The Dynasty will continue.

Patriots 33, Giants 27

Everyone have a safe and happy Super Bowl Sunday.