How Did That Happen??

How Did That Happen?

Well it happened. Not many of us saw it coming, but it did. One of the great upsets in Super Bowl History came to fruition last night as the Giants defeated the Patriots 17-14. Super Bowl 42 started off as just your average game, but evolved into something much more in the end.

It marked the first loss for New England, who was trying to become the second undefeated team in the history of the great game. It marked the coming out party for Eli Manning, who now can be called something other than Peyton’s little bro. Manning was the Most Valuable player, a year after his brother did it. It marked the smack down of one of the greatest offenses ever assembled by a Giant defense that absolutely dominated and outplayed the opposition. The game really took off later in the second half, as both teams sensed the urgency of the game. A touchdown throw from Manning to David Tyree made it a 10-7 Giants lead early on in the 4th. Tom Brady connected with Randy Moss in the endzone for a 6-yarder, made easy when Giants defensive back Corey Webster fell down. But the comeback drive for the G-men came to when Manning hit Plaxico Buress on a 13-yard pass over Ellis Hobbs, who seemed to be fooled on the play. That drive was one that will be fresh in the minds of Giants fans for years to come.

Taking nothing away from Eli, the real MVP’s of this game were the Giants front four on defense, who made it hell for Brady all night. They blew past the O-line on several occasions, and destroyed any continuity on offense for the Patriots. The only player who could get going was Wes Welker, who did what he does, and that’s catch passes. He finished with a record 11 catched on the evening. Even still, Tom Brady was bashed all night. Randy Moss was kept in check for the most part. The running game was suffocated.

But above all of this, Eli Manning became a man, showing loads of poise and discretion in the pocket. The throw to David Tyree (the one where Manning slithered his way out of the oncoming New England D, only to scramble away and heave an up-for-grabs jump ball to Tyree, who somehow used his helmet as a third hand and made the catch with Rodney Harrison hacking and whacking away) was one of the greatest in Super Bowl history, and will be replayed for years to come. The Giants did everything they needed to do to win.

So no more undefeated season for the Pats. They went into this game trying to become another piece of the NFL record books. They failed, but we will never forget the amazing season that they had. So many records broken, so many games won. I still believe that this Patriots team is the best ever assembled. I might be crazy for writing this, but it has to be true. The competition in today’s NFL is amazing, and the Pats ran off 18 straight. They lost a nail biter in the final seconds of the Super Bowl, their only blemish in an otherwise immaculate campaign. This does not mean I am taking anything away from the Giants. They played a hell of a football game, and are now world champs. However, I still believe that this Patriots club may be the best we have ever seen.

On a side note, jeers go out to Bill Belichick, the sore loser who left the field with time still on the clock, and that smug, annoying look on his face. The Patriots talk about sportsmanship and "humble pie", yet Belichick couldn't stick around for the extra second. Shame on him.

Congratulations to the Giants and the fans, as much as that hurts me to say being from Philadelphia. The off-season will bring uncertainty for both clubs, as it usually does for teams following a Super Bowl season. The Patriots are getting older; can they continue this amazing streak? The Giants will now be the hunted. Can they make next year just as special? All of those questions will be answered 365 days from now. Have fun at the parade tomorrow if you are attending, and soak this all in.

Now that football is over we can all quickly shed a tear.

‘Cause here comes baseball, baby!

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.

NFC and AFC Championships

Well here we are. It seems like yesterday when most of us believed that the 49ers were a chic pick to make it to the playoffs, along with countless other underdog teams like the Lions, Cardinals and Texans. Most figured that the Saints were ready for the next step. Others gushed that Brett Favre was too old, the Patriots were stupid for bringing in a cancer like Randy Moss, and that Norv Turner couldn't succeed in the playoffs. And the Giants? Seriously?

Throw it all out the window. Because here we are. Giants/Packers. Chargers/Patriots. Every story line that was going to be, can now be discarded. We are down to the final four because these are the four teams that chose to play well at the right time. Here is a look into one man's preview of Championship Sunday

AFC: 3pm, Chargers @ Patriots:
- Just looking at the two words, Chargers and Patriots, it reeks of a mismatch. But lets hold on here. The Chargers are playing fierce, and it showed that they are one of the deepest teams in the league. When LT and Rivers went down, Turner and Volek came in to seal the deal for San Diego against the defending Super Bowl Champion Colts. And if there is one thing that scares Patriot fans, it's their shaky linebacker core which is a combined 224 years old. If LT can do damage, assuming he is he healthy enough, he can make the LB's pay. But on the other hand, lets be serious. The Patriots have stopped everything coming there way, at least enough so that the offense can jump back on the field and bail them out. I'm sorry, but I just do not trust Philip Rivers, even if he does play. He may not with a bum knee. But it might not matter anyway. He's incredibly overrated and there is no way that Bill Belichick under-prepares for this one. Welcome to the SB Pats.

New England, 35, San Diego 24


NFC: 630pm, Giants @ Packers:
- Cold is the word that comes to mind. Sunday will be six degrees with wind and possibly some snow (thank you weather.com). Can the G-Men deal with that? Can the Packers even deal with that? I picked the Giants to be here after they beat on Tampa (who I previously picked). However, I just don't believe they can keep up with the balance of the Packers. The Packers looked like toast after falling behind 14-0 early to the Seahawks. But their D settled in, and the offense got on track, most notably Ryan Grant, who ran for over 200 yards. It seems like a cinderella story waiting to happen with Brett Favre in the NFC Championship game after planning to retire. The Giants will beat you up with the defense they have, and they have shown that they are for real with making it this far. But Eli Manning still hasn't had to win a game himself. Granted they are 9-1 on the road this season. But they have not seen negative temperatures. I believe the Packers win this one because of the arm of Brett Favre. Should be a fun one.

Green Bay 28, NY Giants 23


Be back tomorrow with some steroids talk. And our first look at Erick Weinstein.

NFL Sunday Games, Next Week, Too

Ny Giants 24, Tampa Bay 14:
What had yet to be seen for the Giants was finally fulfilled on Sunday. Eli Manning won a playoff game. Personally, I didn't think it would come this week, but the G-Men pulled out the victory over Tampa, and did it quite easily. Their defense controlled the final three quarters, making it impossible to move the ball for the Bucs. But more importantly, Eli made people forget about the missteps earlier in his career. Now comes the hardest test of all. The Dallas Cowboys. Good luck next week Eli, good luck.

San Diego 17, Tennessee 6:
This was the ugly game of the weekend; there usually has to be one. San Diego couldnt do much offensively until later in the game, and thank god their defense was on, or the city of San Diego's collective heads would have exploded. Tennessee looked anemic on offense, led by the highly overrated Vince Young. Their D did a great job of shutting down Ladainian Tomlinson, but they caved at the end and San Diego pulled it out. A good game defensively, but that means a rather sloppy game on the other side of the football. Phillip Rivers was the one to save them in this one. And he needed this for morale. Next comes a huge game against the defending champion Colts. A great game indeed.


As for next week, some great matchups are about to take place, and we can start with Saturday

Sat. 430 pm Seattle @ Green Bay:
-This means a trip back to Lambeau for Mike Holmgren, who led the Packers to their last Super Bowl victory. Seattle played a great game, showing up when they needed to against the Redskins. However, Green Bay has Brett Favre, who is aging gracefully. Favre should exploit the secondary all game against Seattle, in what is shaping up as a shootout for two teams who love to sling it. Matt Hasselbeck is a Favre disciple, having been his protoge for a few years in GB. They both throw the ball all over the place, and are the respective leaders of their franchises. Seattle struggles mightily to run the ball, so Green Bay will load up on the secondary trying not to get beaten deep. It should work for the most part, but this will indeed be a shootout. Favre wins, but not easily.
Green Bay 38, Seattle 31

Sat. 8pm Jacksonville @ New England:
- Obviously, this very well could be the matchup of the entire playoffs. The hottest team in the league in Jacksonville against a team that was hot all season in the Patriots. If there was ever a tough matchup for the Pats, this is the one. Boston should be bracing for a possible upset. We know what the Patriots bring to the table, they have been the story of the season. Brady, Moss, Welker, Belichick. We know what they are all about. However, Jacksonville is less than well known in the public eye, but boast two pro-bowl caliber running backs in Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew that will wreak havoc on the linebackers of New England. With that said, it still remains difficult to pick against a team that has not lost yet this season. I say a FG at the end wins it for NE. A close game, and a great one as well.
New England 34, Jacksonville 31

Be back tomorrow with more useless bullshit.

Most Funest Teams to Watch in Sports

If funest was a word, it would describe these few teams who play the way we would want to play on the diamond, or on the court or field. The criteria for basketball is an uptempo style with alot of flair, but also with a crowd that plays behind you. In baseball, chicks dig the long ball, so teams that smash the ball, and have a good time doing it, are part of the list. In football, scoring points and smashing opponents is a must. In hockey, though few watch anymore, you have to be fast paced, but also rugged. Because we all like a good fight. Here is one man's look at the Funest Teams around.

7. Ottawa Senators: Possibly the most fast-paced team in the league along with Detroit, the Sens can blow past you on the wings, and the punch you in the mouth. With three of the most entertaining players in the league with Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson, and Jason Spezza, the Sens are just a ball of fun. Chris Neil, the right winger who leads the team with nearly 100 penalty minutes, has no teeth in his bio pic on ESPN.com. Enough said. Watch the Sens and enjoy.

6. Indianapolis Colts: Why wouldnt it be fun to play with one of the greatest QB's to ever step on the turf. Peyton Manning doesn't always look like he's having a blast, but the rest of the team does when he is slinging the ball around. Reggie Wayne must have a great time becoming one of the greatest Wide Recievers in the game due to Manning's timing and incredible work ethic. Marvin Harrison is already there. On the defensive side, Bob Sanders will run right through you and then laugh about it. He is a monster, and fun(est) to watch. Go Colts.

5. Philadelphia Phillies: This team showed grit and determination, and had a blast doing it during the '07 season. They caught up to the failing Mets in the final week of the season, led by Ryan Howard and Chase Utley, to clinch a playoff berth for the first time in 14 years. It didn't go so well once they got there, but who cares, it was a blast just arriving. Chase Utley is a balls-out player, and Ryan Howard always has a smile on his face. Shane Victorino is the class clown, maybe one of the best in MLB in that category. Brett Myers is wild, even sometimes a little bit too much. But all in all, this team has fun. Which is what you should have when playing America's Pasttime.

4. Portland Trail Blazers: Now, they may not play the fast paced style that we have become accustomed to when talking about fun teams. However, I include them because of the blast they seem to have as a young group of kids that know how to win. They have a relatively young coach, a few young up and coming stars in Brandon Roy, Greg Oden, and LaMarcus Aldridge. They look like a team who is built to win in a few years, but in doing so, keeping up the fun level as well.

3. Phoenix Suns: These guys would normally be at the top of every fun list when putting together a group of sports teams that play fast paced, run and gun stuff. But, we are kind of used to them by now. Everyone knows about the Suns. Steve Nash is a two-time MVP, Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion are perennial all-stars too. They still play the way we all play at the gym. Run it, and gun it.

2. New England Patriots: I have fun watching, and imagine what its like to play for them. Randy Moss is probably doing Tom Brady's laundry, walking is dog, and giving him a back massage after every win for pulling him out of Oakland. I doubt that Bill Belichick brought him in withouth Brady's consent. But that's neither here nor there. What is important is the spread offense that they use to run up the scoreboard. They can also play a little bit of defense too, which gives them the ball back, which puts more points on the board. Fun, fun, for everyone.

1. Golden State Warriors: The new gold-standard for fun. Don Nelson once said "A bad shot is one that doesn't go in." He also drank beer during post-game conferences. But the fun factor soars because of the whole package that the Warriors bring. The Oracle is a high energy, blow-the-roof-off type of atmosphere that suits the team perfectly. They can put up nearly 50 points in one quarter, and do it with style. Baron Davis leads the pack of grown up kids who look like they actually enjoy playing the game. Stephen Jackson is a head case, but he is the heart and soul of the cohesive unit. All other parts seem to fit perfectly in the scheme that Nelson has provided from his days with RUN-TMC (Tim, Mitch, Chris). Its a blast, but probably better in person. Go if you have the opportunity.

Some would probably disagree that fun means running up the score and not playing defense. But the fact remains that most people would rather watch a 140-130 NBA game then a 78-72 game. It's human nature. The faster, the funer, the funest.