Sunday, February 3, 2008

I didn't think 18-1 would be so disappointing.

The New York Giants just did the unthinkable. The New England Patriots are perfect no more and the only thing I can say is un-freaking-believable!

As Mr. Stat of the Day, I have to acknowledge the many stats that went out the window a few moments ago. Tom Brady undefeated in the Super Bowl. Not anymore. Bill Belichick never losing after a bye week. That’s over with. The last four teams to win the coin toss lost the Super Bowl. Not anymore. The AFC had won the last four Super Bowls. The key word there is had.

And to think, Brady and Belichick did all that work to blow out the crap out of teams and when it came down to it they pulled the biggest choke job in the history of sports. It begs the question, what the heck happened?

Where they distracted by Brady’s boot? SpyGate II? Randy Moss’ off-the-field allegations? Seriously, this was the Patriots to win and be immortal, and they failed.

While ESPN will spend from now until the NFL Draft picking apart every aspect of this game, I can do that by using a few bullet points.

· The Patriots couldn’t stop the Giants on 3rd down.

· Bill Belichick choosing to go for it on 4th and 13 instead of going for a 49-yard field goal cost the Pats there. (I think if Vinatieri is still on the Pats he’s out there kicking).

· The Pats couldn’t stop the Giants front four.

· The Giants outplayed the Pats. Plain and simple.

You know who I feel good for? Brandon Jacobs, that’s who! The Southern Illinois product who was stuck as a third-string running back behind two top-5 picks at Auburn (Ronnie Brown and Cadillac Williams). Good ol’ #27 spent some time behind Tiki Barber and in his first year as a starter, he put up a 1,000-yard season and won a Super Bowl. While Eli Manning won Super Bowl MVP, he couldn’t have done it without Jacobs’ first-down plunge on 4th and 1.

You know who I don’t feel bad for? Tiki Barber, that’s who! Barber basically quit on his teammates for an early start as a broadcaster. He threw his coach and quarterback under the bus as he walked out the door. And now, his dream has been fulfilled by his teammates. And Tiki gets none of it!

Don’t cry Bostonians, it’s gonna be alright. You still have the World Series champs. You still have the best team in the NBA. But you lost to New York twice this week. You lost Johan Santana to the Mets, and now you lost the biggest game of your lives to the Giants. I guess you were foolish for trying to patent 19-0, huh?

Somewhere there are old men in Miami poppin’ champagne and Mercury Morris is making a new rap. Somewhere in New York, Jets fans are confused. Somewhere there’s a Giants blogger writing the headline: ‘Cheaters Never Prosper’. And somewhere in Boston, I’m sure you can hear a pin drop.

New York 17 New England 14

Un-freaking-believable!

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