I know this is a golf blog but the Superbowl last night prompted me to write this article.
Unbelievable?
Destiny? Fate? Miraculous? are all words used to describe the Giants
victory. If that is the case then I guess Miracles Do Happen! From
their 0 - 2 start to Superbowl Champions, I think that says it all -
The proverbial "Season To Remember" at least for Giant fans. Some
others may choose to forget, at least the last game anyway. The
Patriots were lauded to be perhaps the best team in Football History,
but the Giants proved that the best don't always come out on top, or do
they?
New England has been playing virtually flawless football
all season and they deserve the credit for it. I think the pressure and
the hype was just too much for them at the end and their 18 - 0 record
going in had finally taken its toll. Many of the New England players
were seasoned veterans but perhaps a little too seasoned. The Giants
were written off by most and were not given much of a chance against
the supposedly invincible New England Team, and that may have made the
difference. The Giants were able to step up and rise to the occasion
and Tom Brady found himself in unfamiliar territory, on the ground in a
grass stained uniform. The Giants made sure he knew he was in a
football game and they were not to be taken lightly.
After their
last meeting, a few weeks back, where the Patriots barely came out on
top, I think the Giants set the groundwork for their triumphant play.
They may have even surprised themselves a bit, but a pleasant surprise
it was. Everything came together for them at the right time, most
especially when it counted in the playoffs and finally the defining
game of the season, The Superbowl. Eli Manning, a young quarterback
living in the shadow of his brother Payton, showed the world that he
has the talent expected from the Manning name. Eli was not alone in his
quest for Victory. The rest of the team backed his play 110 %. We have
to give credit where it is due, to the unsung heroes who stay in the
background, the defensive coordinators for the Giants.
The Giants
defense, led by the seasoned veteran, Michael Strahan played such
stellar defense in the game that they left New England without the
weapons that they used so successfully all season. Welker was pretty
pesky all game but they stopped him when they had to. They were also
able to neutralize the long pass that Brady and Moss executed so well
all year. The Giants virtual rookies also stepped up, Tyree and Boss
really made some unbelievable plays at crucial times; and lets not
forget Buress. Toomer, Jacobs and Bradshaw who all played major roles
in the Giants march to Victory! When Eli broke free when he was all but
sacked, and made that throw into the arms of his rookie receiver, I
knew New Englands fate had been sealed. The Giants victory was near.
Elis' subsequent pass to Buress ended the Patriots dreams for the
perfect season. I think 19 -0 would have lasted quite some time in the
record books but the 1972 Miami Dolphins team can rest easy for now.
The Patriots 18 -1 record is a tremendous feat, but anti - climactic
becuase they were not victorious in the most coveted game of all, The
Superbowl. The New York Giants did their city and their fans proud by
their spectacular victory! I look forward to next season and who knows,
maybe the Jets will make a run for it?
Superbowl XLII will go
down in football history as one of the most exciting and unbelievable
games ever. The Giants play in this game reminded me of another
unprecedented demise for New England fans - the New York Mets - "You
Gotta Believe" victory over the Boston Red Sox in the 1986 World
Series. It is a lesson to us all. Don't ever give up your goals and
dreams because if you have the right mindset, fortitude and
determination you can make the seemingly impossible happen! I don't
know what next season holds but this year truly was "A Season To
Remember". Hey, there's still the Pro- Bowl next week. Ah, Hawaii!
Enjoy.