This Sunday is the big game. It is without question the largest sporting event of the year. Come Sunday evening, most of our country will come to a stand still as millions upon millions of people load up on snack food of all kinds and root on their favored team while personally rating some of the highest priced commercials ever to be shown on national television. No wonder it has been dubbed “Super Sunday” and well is should be.
Now to add even more to the pomp and circumstances of this year’s game, the New England Patriots are looking to not just win the Lombardi Trophy, but in doing so, they are looking to do what no team has ever done in the history of the National Football League…to have a perfect season with 19 straight combined regular season and post season victories against no losses. If they can pull it off, they will without question go down as arguably one of the best teams in football history.
Standing in the way of all of this greatness stands a surprise team from the Meadowlands with a young leader at quarterback who may always be destined to live in his brother’s shadow. Somehow, after having a dismal start to the regular season, they rebounded to grab a wild card entry into the playoffs. The post season path to the Super Bowl for the New York Giants included tough road games at Tampa Bay, Dallas and at Green Bay. In doing so, the Giants set an NFL record with 10 consecutive road victories. Luckily for them, this Sunday’s Super Bowl is in Arizona…a long way from the Meadowlands.
So the big question everyone is asking of anyone one is simple…“Who are you rooting for?” When the final gun sounds, who is it that you want to see hoisting the trophy among all the streaming confetti? Are you going for the Patriots and a chance to witness history and a season that is likely to never be repeated by any team ever again? Or are you going for the underdog and hoping the Giants can spoil the coronation of the Pats?
For me, the answer to that question is clear, but in giving it, I must admit that I feel very much like a traitor. You see, as a die-hard fan of the Cleveland Browns I have always been very loyal to the AFC. Since the New England Patriots are the team who will be representing the AFC in this Sunday’s Super Bowl, loyalty and logic would lead me to pledge my allegiance behind the Pats. Yet, I just can’t bring myself to do that. In fact, throughout the whole post season my motto has been, “Anyone but the Patriots!”
Why? First, I just don’t want to see any team be perfect (unless, of course, it is my team). Second, when it comes to head football coaches, Bill Bellichek is far from my favorite. Maybe that goes back to his inability to do much when he coached the Browns. Maybe it’s the fact that he was caught cheating earlier in the season (and who knows how many times he wasn’t caught). Third, I just think it would be really cool for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time (Archie Manning, who unfortunately spent his career with the Saints when the franchise stunk) to have his two sons (Payton Manning of the Colts and Eli Manning of the Giants) lead their teams to Super Bowl victories in consecutive seasons. So, go Giants…beat the Patriots!
Now to add even more to the pomp and circumstances of this year’s game, the New England Patriots are looking to not just win the Lombardi Trophy, but in doing so, they are looking to do what no team has ever done in the history of the National Football League…to have a perfect season with 19 straight combined regular season and post season victories against no losses. If they can pull it off, they will without question go down as arguably one of the best teams in football history.
Standing in the way of all of this greatness stands a surprise team from the Meadowlands with a young leader at quarterback who may always be destined to live in his brother’s shadow. Somehow, after having a dismal start to the regular season, they rebounded to grab a wild card entry into the playoffs. The post season path to the Super Bowl for the New York Giants included tough road games at Tampa Bay, Dallas and at Green Bay. In doing so, the Giants set an NFL record with 10 consecutive road victories. Luckily for them, this Sunday’s Super Bowl is in Arizona…a long way from the Meadowlands.
So the big question everyone is asking of anyone one is simple…“Who are you rooting for?” When the final gun sounds, who is it that you want to see hoisting the trophy among all the streaming confetti? Are you going for the Patriots and a chance to witness history and a season that is likely to never be repeated by any team ever again? Or are you going for the underdog and hoping the Giants can spoil the coronation of the Pats?
For me, the answer to that question is clear, but in giving it, I must admit that I feel very much like a traitor. You see, as a die-hard fan of the Cleveland Browns I have always been very loyal to the AFC. Since the New England Patriots are the team who will be representing the AFC in this Sunday’s Super Bowl, loyalty and logic would lead me to pledge my allegiance behind the Pats. Yet, I just can’t bring myself to do that. In fact, throughout the whole post season my motto has been, “Anyone but the Patriots!”
Why? First, I just don’t want to see any team be perfect (unless, of course, it is my team). Second, when it comes to head football coaches, Bill Bellichek is far from my favorite. Maybe that goes back to his inability to do much when he coached the Browns. Maybe it’s the fact that he was caught cheating earlier in the season (and who knows how many times he wasn’t caught). Third, I just think it would be really cool for one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time (Archie Manning, who unfortunately spent his career with the Saints when the franchise stunk) to have his two sons (Payton Manning of the Colts and Eli Manning of the Giants) lead their teams to Super Bowl victories in consecutive seasons. So, go Giants…beat the Patriots!
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