This play might never get old.
How the F did Eli Manning escape three sacks? How the F did David Tyree come down with that ball? How the F did the Patriots not sack Manning and Rodney Harrison allow Tyree to catch that pass? He had good coverage, but his swat at the ball was brutal.
Oh yeah, and how the F did David Tyree come down with that ball?!
As a Cleveland fan, I know exactly what it’s like to suffer heartbreaking losses. Until recently, Boston fans had their share as well.
ESPN’s Bill Simmons is a well-known Boston fan, and he does a great job capturing the agony and bewilderment that one feels after these kinds of losses. Of course, he focuses on Eli’s big play on the last drive, which reminded me of many of John Elway’s heroics against the Browns.
With that said, I never thought the Patriots would lose. I thought they’d be tested, I thought the game would be great … but lose??? You could point out 10 different instances when the Pats blew a chance to make a monster play or put the game away, and you could point out all the different times the Giants caught a break or had a ball bounce their way, but really, everything you need to know about Super Bowl XLII happened on the Miracle Play To Be Named Later — you know, the third down on the do-or-die drive when Eli Manning ripped himself away from the entire Patriots defensive line (THEY HAD HIS JERSEY!!!!!!) and threw a pass that hung in the air forever like one of those sports movie passes, and even though David Tyree and Rodney Harrison had an equal chance of getting it, Tyree jumped a little bit higher, hauled in the football, trapped it against his helmet and somehow held on while Harrison was doing everything but performing a figure-four leg lock on him.
Here’s another great paragraph from his column.
Speaking of Brady, if the Patriots had finished 19-0, I planned to start my column with a scene from the Patriots’ postgame party. Through some mutual friends, I had arranged to hang out with Brady’s crew for what promised to be a laid-back celebration in somebody’s hotel room, probably no more than 15-20 people since Brady’s circle is surprisingly and refreshingly small. Because it was a rare chance to catch Brady in an unguarded moment — and an important moment at that — I spent most of Friday and Saturday thinking about that first paragraph and all the different ways it could start. I kept seeing Brady sitting in a chair with his right ankle encased in ice, quietly sipping a bottle of champagne with a satisfied smile on his face, and Gisele would be there, and everyone would be recapping 19-0 and remembering the incredible season. I liked the thought of a famous person celebrating a historic night in such a totally normal and relatable way. And that’s what it will remain. A thought and only a thought. It never happened.
It’s rare that the Super Bowl lives up to the hype, but this year’s game surely did. Still, we all know that the Super Bowl is about more than just football. Companies pay a pretty penny for a thirty-second commercial during the big game, knowing that it will generate a ton of business. Here are my five favorite spots from this year’s game:
5. Budweiser Clydesdale Team Commercial
That’s a great twist on the “Rocky” theme.
4. Jackie Moon for Bud Light
Once again, Will Ferrell kills.
3. Carrier Pigeons
FedEx consistently produces good Super Bowl commercials.
2. E*Trade Baby
Talking babies are usually pretty creepy, but the E*Trade baby rules.
1. Interview
That’s so simple, yet hilarious.
I, like many people, struggle with faith, spirituality and religion on a daily basis. I’m not sure what waits for us on the “other side,” or if anything waits at all.
But tonight, after the Giants denied Randy Moss a Super Bowl ring, I feel better about all of that.
Moss is supremely talented, but he sleepwalked through two seasons in Oakland, sandbagging it so hard that the Raiders eventually gave him away to the best franchise in football for a measly fourth round pick. And, for a while, it looked as if Moss was going to get a Super Bowl ring.
But a higher power…or karma…or maybe just a great Giants defense…something intervened tonight to keep that from happening.
Thank you, whatever or whomever is ultimately responsible. We are all grateful. (Well, all of us outside of New England, anyway.)
It will rank as one of the ultimate choke jobs. The Patriots go 18-0, dominating most of the way, only to lose the Super Bowl to the Giants on a touchdown drive at the end of the game. I guess the 1972 Miami Dolphins get the last laugh.
Also, I heard a lot of talk about Tom Brady being better than Joe Montana. He has more years left in his career to make that argument, but he isn’t there yet. It’s funny how mortal Tom Brady looks when a defense can put pressure on him.
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