Why The Giants Must Defeat The Patriots In SBXLII
- Football, Sports -
The New England Patriots were supposed to get this far; the New York Giants were not.
The Giants were expected to fall apart this season. They had more question marks surrounding them than The Riddler. We know this because ex-Giants running-back Tiki Barber told us so.
Despite getting caught with their hand in the cookie jar, absorbing a punishment of dollars and picks by the NFL for cheating, the Patriots never missed a beat all season. We have the video tapes to prove it.
On February 3, 2008, the Patriots and Giants will battle for the Super Bowl XLII (that’s 42 for you non-Roman-reading types) title and I am here now to candidly express who I am rooting wholeheartedly against — those cheatin’ Pats.
Consider SBXVII a universal anti-Patriots day. I root against them knowing these realities:
- They have the most talent-filled roster in the league.
- I could never place any money against them and call it “smart.”
- The point spread is 14 (as of today).
I assume the role of “hater” quite gladly in this case; it is out of character for me personally, but I make the exemption here.
Among my reasons to openly hate on those cheatin’ Pats:
- They were caught cheating. “Cheaters never prosper,” right?
- Their punishment was not sufficient. The NFL slapped those cheatin’ Pats on the wrist by issuing a fine easily paid by a profitable team and taking away one of two of their 1st round draft picks. Belichick should have been suspended, at the very least, and the team should have been penalized similar to NCAA teams who violate rules.
- Belichick believes league rules do not apply to him. His team videotaped opponents’ signals despite several league warnings. His injury report is constantly skewed,
- Down with dynasties. The Patriots are in the Super Bowl for the fourth time in seven years, an amazing feat. I believe in league parity, so when a team has remained atop for so long, they must fall. The rest of the league should have the perfect formula by this point, so… getcha popcorn and video cameras ready!
The league opens itself to a serious vulnerability when one of their Super Bowl-contending teams is a “convicted” cheater. And to add fuel to the fire, the cheating team’s coach and quarterback received the league’s best two player/coach awards — NFL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year (Tom Brady) and NFL Coach of the Year (Bill Belichick).
Just last year, Shawne Merriman (pictured right) was suspended for using performance enhancing drugs and was forced to miss four games; he went on to record 16 total sacks and was voted into the Pro Bowl.
The league does not appear to place many obstacles in the path of cheaters, no?
So on we move, looking forward to SBXLII, hoping the Giants can pull off the job the league could not.
Rooting against the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII means placing tremendous amounts of faith in Eli Manning’s arm. So far this playoff run, Manning has played the best among all quarterbacks still standing. Will he continue the run, or will he assume brother Peyton’s old role of falling short when the big game comes along? I doubt even Eli knows for sure.
Was ex-Giants running back Tiki Barber right in outing his Giants “pillow talk” early in the season, questioning Eli’s leadership and Coughlin’s effectiveness?
I sure hope not. I have very little invested in the upcoming Super Bowl outside wanting for the world to be fair and balanced again — as if it ever were…
If those cheatin’ Pats lose, wars, global warming, poverty, evil and starvation will cease to exist. Flowers will bloom more luminously than ever, and birds will chirp Beethoven’s best music pieces.
With that said, how could you possibly root for the Patriots?
