Super Bowl XLII Recap
“Be Humble In Victory And Gracious In Defeat”
New England -11.5 NY Giants 54
Projected Final Score: New England 31, NY Giants 27.
Actual Final Score: NY Giants 17, New England 14.

2007 Postseason To Date: (W/L 6-5) Spread (7-4) O/U (5-6)
Here’s where we’re at via the Spread relative to the “Sportsline Experts”:

Expert “H”: 8-3-0
Expert “P”: 8-3-0
Expert “S”: 7-4-0
PFN: 7-4-0
Expert “D”: 6-5-0
Expert “R”: 6-5-0
Expert “J”: 3-8-0

Super Bowl XLII Game Balls:

The “Real Genius” Award for Super Bowl XLII is awarded to Ralph D, (PFN’s Dad) who accurately predicted the final score of 17-14 Giants. Too bad Ralph doesn’t gamble (like father, like son) otherwise he’d be setting up shop next door to Jed Clampett this morning.

(It is for the most part true that sons begin to suddenly discover that their fathers are geniuses by the time they reach 21. If sons are blessed to enjoy their fathers’ company as they reach middle age, their dads reach “Mt. Rushmore” status; such is the case here).

“The Super Bowl XLII Rotten Luck” Award is hereby awarded to Diane (PFN’s sweetheart) as a result of the G-Men’s final touchdown. Had the Patriots’ final touchdown held up at 14-10, they not only would’ve won the game, she would’ve pocketed a cool $800 on picking the “correct square”. Such are the slings and arrows of fate…

The Game:
So much for those 10,001 computer simulations, no?

Congratulations to Coach Coughlin and the New York Football Giants for their victory in Super Bowl XLII. They were the better team and deserved to win. Eli Manning’s performance on the final drive was something special. The play where he escaped from the clutches of the Patriots’ defenders and fired a strike to Tyree over the middle will be gleefully replayed by New Yorkers until hell freezes over. Bully for them. Their defense was fast and quick and the Patriots did little, if anything to adjust. Big Blue peaked at the right time late in the season and rode the crest into football legend. Subtract the New York media (and their obnoxious fans who will undoubtedly torment Bostonians for the next 50 years) from the equation and there’s really not much to dislike about the Giants.

Was this a “stunning” Super Bowl III-type upset, as is now being spun in New York? No. That year, Baltimore came in as overwhelming favorites from a “superior” league who committed a number of crucial turnovers. Namath did not have an overwhelming game offensively, but he made no errors and allowed the Jet defense to steal a win for the lowly AFL. SB3 was one of the greatest upsets in the history of professional sport. SB42 wasn’t. Anyone who carefully watched the teams’ Week 17 match knew without a doubt that the Giants’ defense presented big problems for New England. Pats’ fans had confidence that the “genius” would make the necessary adjustments to counter the Giants’ strengths, but Belichick’s “genius” inexplicably failed to materialize on Sunday.

As for New England, what can be said? Tommy Boy took an absolute ass whipping from the Giants’ defensive ends. His offensive tackles played like statues, they were simply awful. But the coaching was worse. Knowing that Brady wouldn’t have time to move around in the pocket, Belichick should’ve switched to quick hitters to the running backs and tight ends. Indeed, on the fourth quarter drive that briefly put them ahead, the play calls were a mix of drops and quick hitters that kept the Giant defenders on their toes. If they had adopted this strategy early on, the Giants would not have been able to charge the quarterback at will.

The Patriots’ best player on this day was Wes Welker, who set a Super Bowl record with 11 receptions. He need not hang his head.

The Aftermath:
This is a critical time for the franchise, as it’s hard to look at a year in which the team won 18 games only to lose the championship and find a lot of areas that require change. The team gave their fans everything they had, and (save for the Giants’ final drive) it was a beautiful ride. Let’s not lose sight of how much fun it was to watch them week in and out. Will they ever accomplish the same feat again? Chances are highly unlikely. So, those cranky old farts down in South Florida can probably die in peace safe in the knowledge that their undefeated season will never be challenged again. Will the Patriots’ core group ever win another Super Bowl? Chances are better than 50/50. The best thing for them to do now is to lie low for awhile, lick their wounds, make the necessary personnel moves needed to keep the team a contender and take another crack at the title next year. Many of the marquee names integral to the success of this year’s team won’t be back in ’08. The fans need to accept this. However, the Patriots’ management team (hopefully) won’t be changing anytime soon, so there’s plenty of room for optimism.

Notwithstanding, Belichick needs some lessons about how to be a gracious loser. His boorish behavior with the Fox sideline reporter following the game did not cast him or the franchise in the most favorable light. (Note: if you’re going to be a sore loser, don’t behave that way in front of 300+ million viewers; it makes you look like an ass). Additionally, he should’ve allowed Coach Coughlin an appropriate amount of time to be carried aloft by his players before rushing across the sideline. Nobody likes to lose, but more is shown about a person by the manner in which they accept defeat than in how they celebrate victory. Belichick’s interpersonal skills with the media are abysmal, and that’s fine as he’s paid to coach a football team, not to be a politician. But there’s an arrogance about this guy that rubs even the most ardent Patriots fan the wrong way. Had he not found lightning in a bottle in 2001, his New England experience would’ve been a carbon copy of the “Cleveland years” and he’d be banished to the ranks of a semi-anonymous defensive coordinator. His toadies in the media have carried his water long enough. Maybe he ought to do some soul-searching as well.

For Patriots fans’ the memory SB42 will linger for awhile as a stinging disappointment, about 100 times more painful than last year’s AFC Championship. However, the loss is not “devastating”. The sun rose in the East this morning, so the world did not come to an end simply because the Patriots failed to win the Big Game. Sure, it’s disappointing but they’ve already won three Super Bowls in this decade. All three victories were decided in the final moments. Isn’t turnabout fair play? We have nothing over which to complain. Get over it.

People can (and will) Monday Morning Quarterback this game until next year, I’ve got more constructive things to do. It’s time to move on. Congratulations to the Giants.

“The Moving Finger writes; and, having writ,
Moves on: nor all your Piety nor Wit
Shall lure it back to cancel half a Line,
Nor all your Tears wash out a Word of it”

-- Omar Khayyam