Go Giants! Go Virginia Tech! Go Pittsburgh Pengins!

[MikeK]

I thought it was smart of Tiki to leave while the getting was good and he wasn't a cripple, and it worked out for the Giants too. Sometimes no matter how good a guy is he's still a detriment to the group.

Meanwhile...

[Bill Glasheen]

The Dolphins have bragging rights, but nobody can (yet) claim a 19-0 season. The fact that it's never been done before says it all.

The 18 game New England run was great and a first, but... Nobody will acknowledge it without the ring.

I agree about the team chemistry thing. You just never know... There's no way to run the controlled trial, and see what it would have been like with Tiki. But sometimes when one strong achiever/personality leaves, another "also ran" rises to the occasion. Eli grew a bit outside the shadow of Tiki.

A better coach might have handled all that a bit better. Part of the job of the coach is to keep the egos in check and remind everyone that it's a team sport. Take a look at the "ego problems" of the past few years, and how they suddenly disappeared with the personalities going to other teams. That says a lot. Randy Moss was just another player on New England this year - mostly due to the coach and the management. T.O. was cooperative, and even stuck up for his QB when they lost. TO?? Sticking up for his QB??? Yep... There's a good coach there somewhere.

In the case of the Giants, I still think it was their defense that got them to the prize. Mike Golick was talking about this yesterday. (Remember, Mike K, Golick is more than a commentator. He played the game.) As he said, their amazing run in the post season was distinguished (in the end) by LEADING THE LEAGUE in sacks. Eli's no-interception run fell early in the Super Bowl, although I thought it wasn't particularly his fault. The New England defense made him look ordinary. But the Giants defense kept getting the ball back to him for one more try. And another... And yet another... Eventually even a blind squirrel can find a nut.

Don't look just at the one game. Look at the run. Look at the incredible streak of away game wins. The common thread was a defense that - in the words of Van - shut their opponents down. Winning isn't just about scoring; it's the scoring differential. Few teams go scoreless in a game. Thus if you're keeping the opposition below the number of points you typically score, then your defense has given you the opportunity to win. And that's what they did every single game of their run after the home loss to New England.

- Bill

[Gene DeMambro]

Eli Maning had two scoring drives down the end of 80+ yards each. That is MVP material.

As much as I'd like to see the Patriots win, I'm happy for former BC standout Chris Snee


and former BC head coach Tom Coughlin


for their Super Bowl win.

But just wait until next year!

Gene

[Bill Glasheen]

But just wait until next year!

Yea, yea... Get in line.

Eli Maning had two scoring drives down the end of 80+ yards each. That is MVP material.

One of 80, and one of 83. Those were his only two touchdowns. That's hardly MVP material.

Tom Brady had more completions (29 vs. 19), more total yards (266 vs. 255) and fewer interceptions (0 vs. 1). That's pretty impressive given how much time he spent on his butt. The difference in the game comes down to a decision (probably from the sidelines) to go for it on 4th and 13 rather than kick a field goal. Have a do-over and who knows how the rest of the game would have played out? Woulda, coulda, shoulda...

Eli is MVP because you have to give the award to somebody, the Giants won, he's a Manning (dad Archie, brother Peyton), brother won it last year, people like Eli as a person, he's lived his NFL career as an underdog, and... he's the QB. That's a great story. People love to embellish a great story.

There are worse reasons to pick someone for MVP.

- Bill

[Gene DeMambro]

Again, you are assuming facts not in evidence, Bill. The voters could give a damn Eli's last name. They care about the ball game - period.

But, something else to add to the New York-Boston Athens-Sparta rivalry....

[Bill Glasheen]

Sorry... You're missing the point.

Do you want to know the most amazing thing? Tom Brady got sacked 5 times, and yet nobody got pregnant!

- Jay Leno

[f.Channell]

The Manning sux t-shirts have already hit the stores at the mall here in New England.

F.

[Bill Glasheen]

That's funny, Fred. Probably not going to be a big seller.

The Mannings (Archie, Peyton, or Eli) are professional athletes. They are all basically good people trying to win for their teams.

They aren't the Evil Empire (a.k.a. the Yankees, Steinbrenner, steroids/HGH city, et al)

They aren't Alex Rodriguez (a.k.a. A-Rod, E-Rod, Mr. April, Miss October, etc., etc.)

They aren't Johnny "I'll never be a Yankee" Damon

IMNSHO, the Patriots have nobody but themselves to blame.

• The offensive line let Brady down.
• They took a chance in the first half on a 4th and 13, and lost.
• The passing defense let more than a few passes go right through their hands - one which could have ended the game in a victory.
• They let Eli out of their clutches in an almost sack in that final drive.
• Some bozo missed his assignment when Brady got sacked in that last Patriots drive. Holy cr@p! That had to hurt!
• Did Brady's ankle prevent him from scrambling? Did it explain a few perfectly horrible passes with men open? Who knows? But that's not the fault of Manning or the Giants. That's the fault of a missed assignment in the Patriots' last game.

18 and 1 is much, much better than 14 and 6. Unfortunately this year, the loss happened in the playoffs. THAT'S what sux!

They lost fair and square. Pats fans need to suk it up and deal with it.

Three Super Bowl victories out of four in recent history ain't bad at all. And they have the material to get at least one more with this cast. Can't complain. They are already the odds on favorite in Vegas for a Super Bowl win next year. And I believe the Giants are ranked 6th.

If it was guaranteed, it wouldn't be anywhere near as much fun. If an underdog can't win every once in a while, then there never would have been the Red Sox phenomenon. Of all people, New Englanders should "get" that.

You go, Eli! "It" sux, and not you.

- Bill

[Bill Glasheen]

To my point in an earlier post...

I see Virginia Tech just lost to NC State pretty convincingly. That's an un-ranked team.

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -Freshman J.J. Hickson scored 21 points to lead North Carolina State past Virginia Tech 73-63 on Tuesday night.

{snip}

N.C. State's six-game winning streak in the series is the Wolfpack's longest active streak against any ACC opponent.

Deron Washington added 12 points for the Hokies, who shot 51.6 percent in rallying from a deep first-half hole.

Early on, Virginia Tech hardly resembled the third-best team in the ACC. The Hokies missed 10 of their first 11 shots, had just four points midway through the first half and failed to get to the free-throw line in the opening 20 minutes against a middle-of-the-pack N.C. State defense.

Virginia Tech didn't crack double digits until Allen's dunk with 5:19 left before halftime. But that only made it 27-10 - the Wolfpack took their largest lead of the half moments earlier when Grant's steal and fast-break dunk made it a 19-point game.

N.C. State shot better than than 56 percent in the half and outscored Virginia Tech 16-4 to begin the game. They did it without forward Brandon Costner , who didn't play after injuring a rib during practice.

It's tough trying to prove yourself on the Tobacco Road B-ball circuit. It is what it is. A 5-4 season (so far) is not bad for a "rebuilding" year.

Gonna have to face the Tar Heels in Chapel Hill in 10 days. Good luck with that!

- Bill

[MikeK]

The Manning sux t-shirts have already hit the stores at the mall here in New England.

F.

Other t-shirts for sale:

(Picture of Tom Brady) I Won Every Game and All I Got Was This Lousy "*" !

Aw Sh&t, Not Another Curse.

Robert Kraft Presents "No, No, Nanette!" Yeah I know the timeline is wrong on the Bambino sale and NNN)

Wooo Hoooo, Only 83 Years to Go!

[f.Channell]

All I got was this lousy shirt! LOL That's a good one.

He'll drown his sorrows with a couple super models and he'll be fine.

F.

[Gene DeMambro]

I get it just fine, Bill. But thanks for your concern.

Rich, There are no QBs on any active roster in the NFL who has won more games or more Super Bowls than Tom Brady, including Ben Roethlisberger of your beloved Steelers. Add up ALL the Mannings and they still fall one short. Lots of people are only dreaming of what Tom brady has done...

But, pitchers and catchers report in 9 days!

[Bill Glasheen]

I get it just fine, Bill. But thanks for your concern.

Editorial note... Breaking away from stats or tit-for-tat and into humor is a device designed to allow all their individual points of view in a discussion where nobody has to be "right".

FYI...

I love a passionate discussion. But I am most intellectually passionate amongst friends who know how to leave it all behind and have a beer. Amongst athletes, David Ortiz is my model. Even while on base in the middle of an intense game, he can joke with the first baseman.

And yes... if I was Tom Brady and single, I'd trade that beer in for a super model. Better put a rain coat on that bad boy, Tommy.

- Bill

[chef]

...oh, be still my heart!!!

Heck, the man's just "Poetry in motion"...on or off the field.




Here's a more flattering GQ pic of our Mr. Brady:


Vic

[f.Channell]

Bringing back that Miami Vice afternoon shadow look.


F.