Super Bowl
Being a sports fan is fun, especially if your team wins. Tonight, my beloved New York Giants won Super Bowl XLII. It was a great game and I was on the edge of my seat pretty much the entire game.
The Giants took me on an awesome playoff journey. However, only the wild card win against Tampa was a comfortable victory. The Dallas game was a nailbiter, with the defense making some great plays to beat a very talented Cowboys offense. I had expected Dallas to win going in, but once the Giants took the lead in the 4th quarter I was anxious the whole fourth quarter. Then there's the NFC Championship against Green Bay. A close game that ended up going to overtime where the Giants triumphed by kicking an oblong ball made of pigskin through a big 'H.' It was a most ripping victory, but my heart was in my throat the whole 4th quarter of that one, especially after Tynes missed those two field goals.
Then there's tonight. The whole game I was on the edge of my seat. I predicted the Pats would win, but that it would be close. But it's the Super Bowl, my team is in it, and damn it, I want them to win. How often do you get to see your team play in the big game? I was nervous from the coin toss on. I was actually rooting for the Patriots to win that, so the Giants could go on defense first and instead get the ball to start the 2nd half.
The game kicks off and the Giants gain 5 yards on the first two plays and are faced with a 3rd down. Fuck, can't go 3 and out. Burress catches it to get past the 40 for a nice gain, whew. Two plays later, another 3rd down, 6 yards to go this time. 8 yard pass to Steve Smith, move the chains. I calm down a little as the Giants get into field goal range, but can't be completely calm as I'm always worried about a possible turnover. Giants get it inside the 20 and can't convert on a 3rd and 11, but that's ok, they take 10 minutes off the clock and score the first 3 points of the game.
Can't stay calm for long however as Maroney returns the kickoff to the 44. Pats march down the field as they've done all season long and get inside the 20. Hold them to 3. A pass interference call puts them at the 1 and after a failed run by Maroney, gives them 2nd and goal as the quarter ends. It's going to be 7-3 in one or two plays. It takes until 3rd down, but Maroney punches it in. Sigh, but alright still have ourselves a game.
Giants get it at the 40 thanks to the kick going out of bounds. On 3rd and 7, Eli hit Toomer for 38 yards. Get it inside the 20, and then it happens. Eli throws a pass to Steve Smith, he can't handle it, and Ellis Hobbs picks it off. I fear the worst, another NE touchdown and I get a sick feeling in my stomach. However, the Giants D steps up and forces a 3 and out despite a Maroney 8 yard run on first down. I'm sucked back into the game as the teams trade punts the next few possessions.
Get down close to halftime and it looks like the Patriots are going to score again. They started at the 11 and got to midfield thanks to 2 18 yard completions, one to Stallworth and another to Moss with a few plays in between. However, the Giants force a fumble from Brady and the 7-3 score is preserved going into the locker room.
At halftime I wonder how long the Giants could hang in there. I figured the Pats coaches would make the adjustments and the Patriots offensive line would play better and they would be able to have more successful drives. They start out well getting into Giants territory, but the GMen get a stop on 3rd down. 4th and 2, Pats punt, but oops, Giants player who's name escapes me at the moment (which is good because this turned out to be unimportant) can't get off the field and it's an illegal substitution penalty that results in a first down. There's that awful feeling in my stomach again. We know how this is going to end. However, Michael Strahan sacks Brady on a 3rd down and the Pats are faced with a 4th and 13. They go for it. No way. I say to myself, they can do this because they're the fuckin Patriots. They're going to make it. But a Brady incomplete pass into the end zone gives the Giants decent field position. New life.
Giants end up punting, then the Pats punt as we enter the 4th quarter. I applaud this defensive effort but wonder if the Giants are going to score. Then on first down Eli goes to TE Kevin Boss which results in a 45 yard gain. In business. A few plays later Steve Smith gets an 17 yard reception, and the Giants are marching. I'm as nervous and excited as ever. A 7 yard Bradshaw run gets them to the 5, and I'm thinking keep it on the ground, but a perfect pass to David Tyree in the end zone gives the Giants the lead. 10-7 after the extra point. Oh Boy!
Teams trade punts after that, which included a missed opportunity on the Giants possession for Eli to connect with a wide open Burress after evading a sack. So the Pats get it back after the punt goes into the end zone with just under 8:00 to go. Pats march down the field. Brady's completing passes mixed in with the occasional run. They look unstoppable as the Giants D looks gassed. They get it in the red zone and the Giants force a 3rd and goal from the 6. Brady finds Moss in the end zone and the Pats regain the lead, 14-10.
Hixon is unable to get much of a return on the kick and the Giants have it at the 17 with 2:39 to go. I still had hope, but was nervous as hell. First play, Amani Toomer for 11. Yes! Move the chains. However, 2 incompletions later the Giants faced 3rd and 10. Eli finds Toomer for 9. 4th down, must go for it. Season on the line. Jacobs gets 2 and the Giants move the chains. Next play Eli evades a sack and gains 5 yards. 2nd and 5, incomplete pass. 3rd down, Pats put pressure on Eli and it looks like it's going to be 4th and a mile. But somehow, he manages to evade the sack and get a throw off. David Tyree makes one of the greatest catches in playoff history to give the Giants new life. Still don't know how those 2 pulled that off. However, a sack and an incompletion later, Giants had a 3rd and long again. I was anxious, but hopeful. Completion to Steve Smith who gets the first down and gets out of bounds. Smart football. First down and 10 at the 13 with :45 to go. Next play Plaxico is wide open in the end zone. Unbelieveable, the Giants lead 17-14 with :35 left. I start thinking championship, but still am aware of the Pats having all 3 timeouts left.
Maroney can only get it out to the 26 with :29 to go. First down, Brady airs it out, incomplete. 2nd down, Brady goes back to pass, and is sacked by rookie Jay Alford out of Penn State. 3rd down, another long bomb incomplete. All comes down to this. I'm nervous as hell because all it takes is a lousy pass interference call to put the Patriots in FG range. Brady goes deep to Moss, and it's knocked away. The Giants are Super Bowl Champions! Unbelievable.
Great game, felt great to win it but took my heart awhile to calm down. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be on that Pokerdome show, I'd be too scared to learn (with the rest of the viewing audience) what my actual heart rate is. But there you have it. Two teams down. The Red Sox won in 2004, a postseason where I was also at the edge of my seat the entire time (same for 2003). Because of that, I didn't have that same feeling in 2007. If they had lost, I could accept it and move on. Should be the same for the Giants next year. Catch a lot of flak by the way for rooting for both of those teams but I formed my allegiances as a young child and the Giants happened to catch my eye. My first year following them was the Super Bowl win over Buffalo, and 17 wonderful years later here we are.
Can't imagine what it's like to be a Pats fan now. Sure, they've had their 3 Super Bowls, but being on the edge of the best season in NFL history and coming up short has to be gut wrenching. Even if they come back and win next year (in a non-undefeated season), it's not the same. Guess Mercury Morris and the '72 Dolphins are getting a nice night of sleep, which is something I need to do now. Later.
The Giants took me on an awesome playoff journey. However, only the wild card win against Tampa was a comfortable victory. The Dallas game was a nailbiter, with the defense making some great plays to beat a very talented Cowboys offense. I had expected Dallas to win going in, but once the Giants took the lead in the 4th quarter I was anxious the whole fourth quarter. Then there's the NFC Championship against Green Bay. A close game that ended up going to overtime where the Giants triumphed by kicking an oblong ball made of pigskin through a big 'H.' It was a most ripping victory, but my heart was in my throat the whole 4th quarter of that one, especially after Tynes missed those two field goals.
Then there's tonight. The whole game I was on the edge of my seat. I predicted the Pats would win, but that it would be close. But it's the Super Bowl, my team is in it, and damn it, I want them to win. How often do you get to see your team play in the big game? I was nervous from the coin toss on. I was actually rooting for the Patriots to win that, so the Giants could go on defense first and instead get the ball to start the 2nd half.
The game kicks off and the Giants gain 5 yards on the first two plays and are faced with a 3rd down. Fuck, can't go 3 and out. Burress catches it to get past the 40 for a nice gain, whew. Two plays later, another 3rd down, 6 yards to go this time. 8 yard pass to Steve Smith, move the chains. I calm down a little as the Giants get into field goal range, but can't be completely calm as I'm always worried about a possible turnover. Giants get it inside the 20 and can't convert on a 3rd and 11, but that's ok, they take 10 minutes off the clock and score the first 3 points of the game.
Can't stay calm for long however as Maroney returns the kickoff to the 44. Pats march down the field as they've done all season long and get inside the 20. Hold them to 3. A pass interference call puts them at the 1 and after a failed run by Maroney, gives them 2nd and goal as the quarter ends. It's going to be 7-3 in one or two plays. It takes until 3rd down, but Maroney punches it in. Sigh, but alright still have ourselves a game.
Giants get it at the 40 thanks to the kick going out of bounds. On 3rd and 7, Eli hit Toomer for 38 yards. Get it inside the 20, and then it happens. Eli throws a pass to Steve Smith, he can't handle it, and Ellis Hobbs picks it off. I fear the worst, another NE touchdown and I get a sick feeling in my stomach. However, the Giants D steps up and forces a 3 and out despite a Maroney 8 yard run on first down. I'm sucked back into the game as the teams trade punts the next few possessions.
Get down close to halftime and it looks like the Patriots are going to score again. They started at the 11 and got to midfield thanks to 2 18 yard completions, one to Stallworth and another to Moss with a few plays in between. However, the Giants force a fumble from Brady and the 7-3 score is preserved going into the locker room.
At halftime I wonder how long the Giants could hang in there. I figured the Pats coaches would make the adjustments and the Patriots offensive line would play better and they would be able to have more successful drives. They start out well getting into Giants territory, but the GMen get a stop on 3rd down. 4th and 2, Pats punt, but oops, Giants player who's name escapes me at the moment (which is good because this turned out to be unimportant) can't get off the field and it's an illegal substitution penalty that results in a first down. There's that awful feeling in my stomach again. We know how this is going to end. However, Michael Strahan sacks Brady on a 3rd down and the Pats are faced with a 4th and 13. They go for it. No way. I say to myself, they can do this because they're the fuckin Patriots. They're going to make it. But a Brady incomplete pass into the end zone gives the Giants decent field position. New life.
Giants end up punting, then the Pats punt as we enter the 4th quarter. I applaud this defensive effort but wonder if the Giants are going to score. Then on first down Eli goes to TE Kevin Boss which results in a 45 yard gain. In business. A few plays later Steve Smith gets an 17 yard reception, and the Giants are marching. I'm as nervous and excited as ever. A 7 yard Bradshaw run gets them to the 5, and I'm thinking keep it on the ground, but a perfect pass to David Tyree in the end zone gives the Giants the lead. 10-7 after the extra point. Oh Boy!
Teams trade punts after that, which included a missed opportunity on the Giants possession for Eli to connect with a wide open Burress after evading a sack. So the Pats get it back after the punt goes into the end zone with just under 8:00 to go. Pats march down the field. Brady's completing passes mixed in with the occasional run. They look unstoppable as the Giants D looks gassed. They get it in the red zone and the Giants force a 3rd and goal from the 6. Brady finds Moss in the end zone and the Pats regain the lead, 14-10.
Hixon is unable to get much of a return on the kick and the Giants have it at the 17 with 2:39 to go. I still had hope, but was nervous as hell. First play, Amani Toomer for 11. Yes! Move the chains. However, 2 incompletions later the Giants faced 3rd and 10. Eli finds Toomer for 9. 4th down, must go for it. Season on the line. Jacobs gets 2 and the Giants move the chains. Next play Eli evades a sack and gains 5 yards. 2nd and 5, incomplete pass. 3rd down, Pats put pressure on Eli and it looks like it's going to be 4th and a mile. But somehow, he manages to evade the sack and get a throw off. David Tyree makes one of the greatest catches in playoff history to give the Giants new life. Still don't know how those 2 pulled that off. However, a sack and an incompletion later, Giants had a 3rd and long again. I was anxious, but hopeful. Completion to Steve Smith who gets the first down and gets out of bounds. Smart football. First down and 10 at the 13 with :45 to go. Next play Plaxico is wide open in the end zone. Unbelieveable, the Giants lead 17-14 with :35 left. I start thinking championship, but still am aware of the Pats having all 3 timeouts left.
Maroney can only get it out to the 26 with :29 to go. First down, Brady airs it out, incomplete. 2nd down, Brady goes back to pass, and is sacked by rookie Jay Alford out of Penn State. 3rd down, another long bomb incomplete. All comes down to this. I'm nervous as hell because all it takes is a lousy pass interference call to put the Patriots in FG range. Brady goes deep to Moss, and it's knocked away. The Giants are Super Bowl Champions! Unbelievable.
Great game, felt great to win it but took my heart awhile to calm down. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be on that Pokerdome show, I'd be too scared to learn (with the rest of the viewing audience) what my actual heart rate is. But there you have it. Two teams down. The Red Sox won in 2004, a postseason where I was also at the edge of my seat the entire time (same for 2003). Because of that, I didn't have that same feeling in 2007. If they had lost, I could accept it and move on. Should be the same for the Giants next year. Catch a lot of flak by the way for rooting for both of those teams but I formed my allegiances as a young child and the Giants happened to catch my eye. My first year following them was the Super Bowl win over Buffalo, and 17 wonderful years later here we are.
Can't imagine what it's like to be a Pats fan now. Sure, they've had their 3 Super Bowls, but being on the edge of the best season in NFL history and coming up short has to be gut wrenching. Even if they come back and win next year (in a non-undefeated season), it's not the same. Guess Mercury Morris and the '72 Dolphins are getting a nice night of sleep, which is something I need to do now. Later.
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