![](\"http:\/\/d.yimg.com\/us.yimg.com\/p\/ap\/20080201\/capt.c5463b0147df4682a68053305e54ba4b.super_bowl_patriots_football_azmg128.jpg\")
\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\nThe Patriots\u00a0loss ruined what would have been an uber-historical event. The Giants win (as a 5-seed from the NFC) was the latest and most startling evidence of parity in the NFL. The result of this game may have monumental effects on both of its participants in 2008. The intolerably obnoxious and awful Boston sports fans had their “shining star” of a franchise embarrassed in front of 105 million people. \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The nearly-equally intolerable New York fans get to celebrate a Super Bowl championship that they\u00a0did not even expect to have until the game ended.\u00a0 In fact, I do not think they even believe it happened now. Mercury Morris and company popped the champagne. The Giants\u00a0began a Super Bowl\u00a0run the year after\u00a0Tiki Barber retired and as soon as Jeremy Shockey\u00a0was injured. Eli Manning is a Super Bowl champion before Philip Rivers. The over-anxious media look like complete fools for pre-selling 19-0 books and pulling a complete 180 on how “great” the Patriots were because of one drive. The annoyingly over-reported Brady ankle injury may have actually been an issue after all. In the biggest stage, yet another coach pays for a stupidly arrogant decision to go for it on 4th down. Steve Spagnuolo, in throwing out one of the greatest defensive gameplans in Super Bowl history,\u00a0probably just won himself\u00a0a head coaching position with the Redskins. Peyton Manning was genuinely excited for his little brother. With this loss, Bill Belichick is 0-1 with that “Red Hoodie.” Jeff Feagles has a ring. And, last but certainly not least, Vegas took a bath on this game. Obviously the above question\u00a0is a very loaded question and where you stand depends upon where you sit.\u00a0 If you are in New York or Boston, the answer is easy.\u00a0 If you hate the Giants (like me) or the Patriots (everyone … Continue reading
\n<\/em>Is this good?<\/strong>\u00a0 As a fan (and this is my own personal opinion), I think this is not good.\u00a0 I know I am probably in the minority, but I personally respect and find real value in watching sports history, particularly dynasties.\u00a0 How many times have we heard stories of the Packers of the 60’s or the Steelers of the ’70’s?\u00a0 Are we or are we not going to tell our grandkids about the Bulls of the 90’s as they look at us in awe that we got to see them?\u00a0 If you met a baseball fan pushing 100 years old, wouldn’t your first question be:\u00a0 How great were the ’27 Yankees?\u00a0 It is an honor to watch the greatest teams in history and, yes, it might suck to see the same team dominate year after year, but in the end, we should respect what is going on and revel in the fact that we are witnesses to something special.\u00a0 This was partially taken away from us on Sunday night, and I, for one, kind of feel cheated that I did not get to see the only 19-0 team ever.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>If you are a fan of any team in the NFL, then yes, this is good.\u00a0 Personally, as an Eagles fan, this is very uplifting.\u00a0 Maybe I am a bit biased here, but I never got the sense that the 2007 Giants were all that much better than the 2007 Eagles, and the Giants are now the World Champions.\u00a0 If the Patriots had blown out the Giants on Sunday, I would have felt much <\/em>worse about my team’s chances to win a title in the near future.\u00a0 If you are a fan any of 25 or so\u00a0teams in the NFL, I do not think it is crazy to ask yourself:\u00a0 “If the Giants could do it, why can’t we?”<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>Again speaking as a fan of one of the other 30 NFL teams, that depends on what direction the effect will be on each team.\u00a0 Personally, I think this is VERY bad.\u00a0 I think that the Patriots losing means that they will be back next year with a newfound sense of vengeance and mission (though a lot will depend on their ability to resign Randy Moss<\/a>, and I am not sure what effect this loss will have on that).\u00a0 This loss will probably make them a better 2008 than they would have been had they won.\u00a0 On the other hand, the Giants winning means that they have some vindication and a heightened sense of self-belief (specifically their oft-criticized quarterback).\u00a0 I think that while a defending champion Patriots team might get fat and happy, so to speak, a defending champion Giants team is just going to be the same team with an incredible sense of confidence and trust in one another.\u00a0 And, I believe that those were the two biggest things missing with this team over the past couple of years.\u00a0 In all, I believe that\u00a0Sunday’s\u00a0result makes both conference champions better in 2008 than they would have been if the result was the opposite.\u00a0 Not good for the rest of the league.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/d.yimg.com\/us.yimg.com\/p\/ap\/20080124\/capt.026f457c38e34285a17e60a25b9620d7.super_bowl_giants_patriots_football_ny290.jpg\")
The Giants’ win brings some validation back to the NFC and, specifically, to the NFC East.
\n<\/em>Is this good?<\/strong>\u00a0 As an Eagles fan, I guess this is good because it is always nice to be considered part of, arguably, the best division in football.\u00a0 It is also probably good because it shows that, though the AFC may be superior, an NFC team can win a Super Bowl, so there is hope there.\u00a0\u00a0Maybe it is\u00a0bad\u00a0because it shows us that\u00a0the conference is not exactly a walk-in-the-park any more, but I think that was just perception (obviously, since the Giants won), so that does not really change.\u00a0 All in all, it is nice to see your conference and, specifically, your division get some respect.\u00a0 Does it change much moving forward, though?\u00a0 Probably not.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?<\/strong>\u00a0 Uh…yes!\u00a0 I have been yelling about the awfulness of the Boston sports fans ever since “Red Sox Nation” emerged in 2004 as a tumor on the American sports scene, and now it seems that\u00a0most people outside of Boston\u00a0have come around to agree with me.\u00a0 The fact that they were 18-0 and lost to an NFC wild-card team in the most-watched TV program ever<\/a> not named M*A*S*H is probably the greatest thing that happened on Sunday.\u00a0 It almost makes it all worth it.\u00a0 Almost…<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/arts\/images\/pics\/FeverPitchBallpark.jpg\")
<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>No!\u00a0 This is terrible.\u00a0 Most New Yorkers (with\u00a0exceptions) are either Yankees-Giants or Mets-Jets.\u00a0 Which means that the former group has been incessently mocking the latter for, well, forever.\u00a0 This year, with the Jets coming off a 10-win season and the Giants having a tumultuous offseason, this season looked to be a slight bit of comeuppance for the losing side of the city.\u00a0 And, now this.\u00a0 Not only do these fans get 14 straight playoff appearances by their baseball team\u00a0and 27 championships, in total, they get a completely unexpected Super Bowl title from their football team.\u00a0 Excuse me while I throw up.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>![](\"http:\/\/www.distantreplay.org\/images\/players\/MercuryMorris2.jpg\")
Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>Not even a little bit.\u00a0 I have never been so incredibly annoyed by a group of former<\/em> players than I was with the ’72 Dolphins throughout this year.\u00a0 Between Don Shula’s “asterisk” comments<\/a> and Mercury Morris’s\u00a0rap song<\/a> and just\u00a0overall awfulness<\/a>, I slowly became to loathe the ’72 Dolphins and everything for which they stood.\u00a0 Now, they will not go away.\u00a0 In fact, they may never go away now.\u00a0 I never want to hear about the “champagne on ice” or the miracle of the ’85 Dolphins beating Chicago or what.\u00a0 Hold on, time to go throw up again…<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>Aside\u00a0from sticking it to the intolerable Boston fans, this was easily my favorite result of Sunday’s game.\u00a0 I do not think I need to go into how I feel about Tiki Barber and\/or Jeremy Shockey.\u00a0 The only thing I need to say is that if Shockey does not come back and Tiki, obviously,\u00a0stays in the broadcasting booth, I may even root for a Giants repeat just for the joy of watching them win without either of those two prima donnas again…well,\u00a0probably not, but you get the point.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>No.\u00a0 This fundamentally drives at the heart of professional sports.\u00a0 Every significant professional sport has a draft, and\u00a0each of these drafts is structured to give advantages to teams that did poorly the year before.\u00a0 And, with the advent of free agency and the effects of market revenue on on-the-field performance, this structure is even more essential.\u00a0 But, when players like John Elway, Eric Lindros, J.D. Drew and Eli Manning fail to recognize or respect their fortune and choose to spit in the face ![](\"http:\/\/files.aximsite.com\/sec\/eli.jpg\")
of\u00a0their\u00a0respective sports\u00a0by refusing to play for the teams which selected them, convention breaks down and the sport–and particularly its fans–ultimately suffer.\u00a0\u00a0Furthermore,\u00a0because of their unparalleled ability, these players will always win.\u00a0 They will always get what they want.\u00a0 John Elway ended up in Denver and played in 5 Super Bowls.\u00a0 He wears two rings.\u00a0 J.D. Drew bounced around the league, but eventually got a mega-million dollar contract (for which he blatantly underachieved) and got a big hit en route to a world championship with the Red Sox.\u00a0 He now wears a ring.\u00a0 Eric Lindros, though never winning a title (though he may have if the sport of hockey had not completely ceased to exist…wait, what?\u00a0 Hockey still exists?\u00a0 I found a little bit of proof<\/a>), did have some big-time seasons with the Flyers\u00a0(before being concussed too many times) and scored a lot of goals, or whatever that “sport” calls it when you do good things.\u00a0 And, now there is Eli Manning.\u00a0 He was supposed to be the one that messed up by\u00a0his 9-year oldish actions\u00a0on draft day.\u00a0 He could have been in San Diego, with beautiful weather, non-critical fans and a Super Bowl contender, but instead he got his “wish” and was promptly whisked away to the ruthless weather and even more ruthless fans of the Northeast and a struggling, aging non-title contender of a team.\u00a0\u00a0To make matters even worse for Baby Manning, the Chargers got THREE Pro Bowlers in exchange for Manning (Rivers, Shawn Merriman and Nate Kaeding).\u00a0 It was all working out so perfectly terrible for once.\u00a0 Then, on Sunday, it all went up in smoke.\u00a0 Now, he too\u00a0wears a ring.\u00a0 Now, he is justified in his draft day tantrum and refusal to sign with the team that selected him NUMBER ONE OVERALL!\u00a0 Now, he is a “winner” in the end.\u00a0 There is something inherently wrong with that.\u00a0 Oh, and, I will not even get into what I think about Michael Strahan and completely taking training camp off and then winning a Super Bowl.<\/p>\n![](\"http:\/\/profootballweekly.com\/NR\/rdonlyres\/ek5da3343yx3oc72jemq2o77aeas2wryl32fdkkzcvqoflyztikholkdwe5g6ya7vbg72gopxnhmmb\/CoughlinTom.jpg\")
The “classless” coach lost and the\u00a0previously “classless” coach won.
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>Well, yeah.\u00a0 Of course.\u00a0 As a sports fan, in general, it is always good to see class beat classless, even if it is only the coaches that we are talking about.\u00a0 In fact, I am extremely impressed by the coaching job of Tom Coughlin this year.\u00a0 What a turnaround.\u00a0 It was only a short 6 months ago when he had absolutely no control over a bunch of guys who did not seem to care one iota about each other.\u00a0 Then, on Sunday, they looked like more of a team than this generation’s poster child for “Team.”\u00a0 Coach Coughlin recognized he had to make an adjustment, only this adjustment was not personnel or zone defense, this adjustment was personal<\/a>–and he did it.\u00a0 Kind of impressive, if you ask me.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>On its surface, you would think that this is great, actually.\u00a0 But, in reality, the media is not going to suffer at all with all of this.\u00a0 Even the Boston Globe, the company that published the 19-0 books<\/a> (and put them on Amazon.com, before taking them off<\/a>), probably sold a ton of copies of a book that they would have sold NONE if they had waited\u00a0until after\u00a0the game, like responsible jounalists would have.\u00a0 So, as great as it seems to stick in the media’s face, their insulated resiliency is irritating.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>No.\u00a0 Again, this may be another meaningless\u00a0rant on the media, but this story was so overdone, and I was so convinced that it was a non-issue and a complete media creation.\u00a0 However, when watching the game, there seemed to be something wrong with Brady.\u00a0 I have no idea if it was the ankle, and I do not know enough to venture a guess, but there was something wrong.\u00a0 And, the media can run with this and say “See, the ankle was a big deal.”\u00a0 Again, irritating.\u00a0 (Wait, Doogan, are we part of the “irritating media” with this website?\u00a0 If so, then I take it all back.\u00a0 Media members are genuises.)<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>I think it is good, if only to bring awareness to this ridiculous trend that is developing.\u00a0 I wrote a post<\/a> earlier about how much I despise going for it on 4th down when it is not an absolute must.\u00a0 Now, I understand sometimes when it is 4th and inches and the “field position” warrants it, it\u00a0may be\u00a0justified.\u00a0 But, in this case, Belichick made the most glaring mistake of the year, in my opinion, by going for it on 4th and 13!\u00a0 The field goal was only 49 yards (coincidentally, they lost the game by 3 points).\u00a0 Okay, so the coach knows his kicker better than I do,\u00a0and maybe he did not trust him to kick the 49 yarder and did not want to give up field position.\u00a0 Fine.\u00a0 Then, PUNT THE DAMN BALL!\u00a0 I really do not get it sometimes.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>![](\"http:\/\/media3.washingtonpost.com\/wp-dyn\/content\/photo\/2008\/01\/29\/PH2008012903381.jpg\")
Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>For several reasons, in several contexts, I think\u00a0this\u00a0could\u00a0be\u00a0very good.\u00a0\u00a0Now, I know that\u00a0he has not been given the job and, despite his multiple interviews<\/a>,\u00a0many sources still believe that Jim Fassel will be the next Redskins coach, but it seems to me that\u00a0Daniel Snyder is easily swayed by “current events” and is a sucker for the “flavor of the week.”\u00a0 I kind of think this is going to happen.\u00a0 And,\u00a0this is good.\u00a0 One, it is good for Spagnuolo,\u00a0the former Eagles coach, who\u00a0did\u00a0an absolutely terrific job with that Giants defense this year.\u00a0 I\u00a0think he has been a\u00a0good coach for a long time now, so I am glad to see him getting\u00a0more opportunities at higher levels.\u00a0 But, much more importantly (because, in all honesty, do\u00a0we really care about Steve Spagnuolo, as a person?), I think this is very good for the Eagles, for two big reasons.\u00a0 First of all, if he is hired by the Redskins, he will no longer be the defensive coordinator of the Giants.\u00a0 There is no question that he made that defense better.\u00a0 Does anyone remember the 12 sacks his defense posted against McNabb<\/a> in Week 4?\u00a0 How can losing him not be good for the Eagles?\u00a0 Second of all, if he is hired by the Redskins, does anyone think that he is really ready to be a head coach?\u00a0 He has only been a defensive coordinator for ONE YEAR!\u00a0 I cannot imagine he brings immediate success to the Redskins.\u00a0 He may, down the line, be a great head coach, but probably not right away, and The Snyder Regime in Washington is never patient.\u00a0 This may be a terrible loss for the Giants and <\/em>a terrible gain for the Redskins.\u00a0 This is very good for the Eagles (and the Cowboys, ugh).\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/em>![](\"http:\/\/www.kidzworld.com\/img\/upload\/article\/a9312i0_manningsbrothers.jpg\")
Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>This may seem sappy, but I think that in this era of teams with multiple arrests, constant reports of spousal abuse and DUIs and such, it is great to see a genuinely good person so unabashedly thrilled with the success of his younger brother.\u00a0 There seemed to be no jealousy, no envy, no real competition in Peyton’s emotions.\u00a0 Granted, this may have all been different if he had not won just a year ago, but it is still nice to see brotherly ties transcend the ultra-competitive, cutthroat attitude that professional athletes must embrace to reach the highest levels.\u00a0 I think this was good to see.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>Personally, I like the gray hooded-sweatshirt, so I guess this is good.\u00a0 Why am I even bringing this up?\u00a0 I’m sorry.\u00a0 I suck.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>He is the earliest Eagles’ punter that I can remember, so I have a fondness in my heart for old “Feags.”\u00a0 Yes, I think this is good.<\/p>\n
\n<\/em>Is this good?\u00a0 <\/strong>The only people to which the Super Bowl is more important than the players in the game are the players really <\/em>in the game–those in Las Vegas.\u00a0 The reports of how much money the Super Bowl generates for bookies are astronomical.\u00a0 And, with their 12-point spread, the gambling\u00a0gurus were begging everyone to take the Giants.\u00a0 And, from what I can tell, most people were “suckered” into taking the points and betting on the Giants.\u00a0 Oops!\u00a0 Vegas\u00a0took a bath on this game<\/a>, and with all the money that they took from me this year, I could not be happier about it.\u00a0 Unfortunately, “with all the money that they took from me this year,” I was not able to personally benefit from their “sucker” line.\u00a0 Actually, on second thought, I would have taken the Pats -12.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"