About Super Bowl 42 – Here’s a different point of view on the Giants’ upset victory to become world champions
There is a reason why the winner of the Super Bowl wins the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a symbol of excellence in the world of football. Lombardi encouraged his Green Bay Packer players to seek perfection so they could achieve excellence.
Turns out Lombardi and his players won a lot more than 5 National Football League titles and the first 2 Super Bowl titles. They developed a bond between them that lasted a lifetime for those who passed and still lives on for those who carry on the memory of Lombardi’s great leadership and work ethic.
Perhaps a few years from now, the New York Giants will experience the same kind of bond that comes with a win as big as their conquest of the New England Patriots and the NFL world this year.
There is no way the Giants have lived and played through the last 5 weeks of their season without becoming “one” with a purpose greater than the odds they were facing.
New York began by traveling to Tampa Bay and defeating the NFL’s number two defense in the Buccaneers’ home territory. The Giants then traveled to Dallas to defeat the Cowboys on their home field, becoming the first team to defeat a No. 1 seed in the NFL playoffs.
New York then played through a 23-degree wind chill in Green Bay to push back the Packers and win the National Football Conference championship, earning the right to play the Patriots in the Super Bowl. 42. After defeating New England 17-14 they walked away with the Lombardi Trophy and became the first NFC wild card team to do so.
Perhaps Vince Lombardi said it best: “If it doesn’t matter who wins or loses, then why do they keep score?” Lombardi was a winner and now the Giants are too.
New England, which won Super Bowl 36, Super Bowl 38 and Super Bowl 39, will now be remembered as the team that first went 18-0 and then lost in Super Bowl 42 to the Giants. Coach Bill Belichick’s jaw was so tight after the loss that he barely uttered 10 words.
The 1972 Miami Dolphins remain the only undefeated NFL team in its 88-year history with their 17-0 record and Super Bowl 7 victory over the Washington Redskins, 14-7.
Embedded in the hard drive of my mind 40 years from now (assuming I live to be 103) there will be two memories:
1) Eli Manning, seemingly surrounded by Patriot running backs, wriggling out of the grip of an arm that wasn’t strong enough to rip his jersey off, coming out desperate to throw an arcing pass downfield and a so far nobody named David Tyree leaping up over opponents to catch the ball over his head, falling back and holding on despite Patriots safety Rodney Harrison hitting him viciously in the arm on the way down in an attempt to free the ball. ball.
Tyree’s 32-yard catch against the odds on 3rd-and-15 with 1:15 left in New York’s game-winning drive has to be one of the greatest catches in championship football history at any level. Unbelievable is a weak description of how good the catch and hold of him was. She’ll likely never have such a great moment if he plays another 15 years in the NFL.
Almost forgotten in all of this is how close Manning came to being fired and the Patriots continued to preserve their 4-point lead and possible victory.
New England’s great run to 18-0 now becomes much shorter with their Super Bowl loss to the Giants. It’s a shame for the Patriots; the Giants couldn’t be happy.
2) Manning’s 13-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Plaxico Burress in the corner of the end zone with 35 seconds remaining happened because the 6-foot-5, 232-pound Plaxico Burress was isolated one-on-one with 5-foot . 9, cornerback Ellis Hobbs at 195 pounds. Hobbs was at least 2 steps behind Burress and in no position to compete for the ball, which would probably have been useless anyway with Plaxico’s tremendous jumping ability, kind of like a 5 foot 9 me facing me one on one against Michael Jordan. .
Don’t blame Hobbs for the loss. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, who took a beating for taking hits all afternoon from the Giants’ much faster defensive backs, made his usual last-minute drive to give New England the lead back, 14-10.
Even linebacker Teddy Bruschi, the heart of the Pats defense, had hugged teammate Junior Seau on the sideline after the Pats went ahead and before the fateful series, acknowledging that Seau was about to win his first and long-awaited Super Bowl ring. Someone forgot to stop Eli Manning and the Giants for the last 2 minutes of the game.
Burress, who had predicted a victory for the Giants to the laughter and derisive comments of almost everyone, caught the winning touchdown pass. He is a product of Michigan State University like me. I couldn’t be happy for Plaxico. It pains me to admit that Plaxico was born 11 years AFTER I graduated from MSU.
Last fall I decided to cover college football on my blog and didn’t even try to cover or comment on the NFL. Now it has proven to be an excellent decision. I can’t imagine following the New England Patriots all year, fawning over their perfect record and being so disappointed in the Super Bowl.
All hail the Giants, well at least until the first NFL start next season, then I’m going with the Seattle Seahawks. What was the name of that almost perfect team? It seems that I already forgot.
Copyright © 2008 Ed Bagley