Archive for the ‘Eli Manning’ Category

h1

Super Bowl Post – Mortem that is …Ouch, Pat’s get spanked!

February 4, 2008

I wasn’t quite sure what to title this post. Post mortem maybe? All I can say is that now you see why they actually have to go onto the field and play the game. You can’t be crowned the King or called the Champ based on what you did yesterday or what you did 18 straight games prior to the only game that really matters. The Super Bowl. All the clippings, headlines and record setting performances accumulated over the course of this past season didn’t and don’t mean a damn thing. The Super Bowl was won fair and square by the better team yesterday. My dear friends , The New York Football Giants earned their rings by outplaying, out hustling and out coaching the New England Patriots. Rather than break down each and every play I will just say simply that the Patriots were flat. In fact I noticed that Tom Brady over the last few weeks has been a little down. Maybe his ankle was bothering him , maybe his personal life is carrying over onto the field. I am not sure but he just didn’t play well, didn’t slide and glide in the pocket. Well of course the Giants defense especialy the line was terrific and put alot of pressure on Brady, maybe that was it. I don’t think that the Patriots were outwardly cocky but it seems that they were a bit over confident. And as a followup to last weeks post I might add that Eli Manning sure looked good. Some quarterbacks have more talent perhaps but football is in his bloodlines and he has developed into a real leader. Did you notice Payton up in the booth..hmm I wonder if he was suggesting some plays….Football is such an emotionally charged physical game and the Giants took it to the Patriots and made the big plays. Congratulations. And congratulations are in order also to the Patriots too, remember there are 32 teams and they were better than 30 of them and mark my words they will be back next year as good as ever, fully loaded as usual , and highly likely to be  back in the Super Bowl.

I also want to point out something here that noone that I am aware of has mentioned. The Giants and the Patriots played an exhibition game this year and if my memory is correct they usually run a dual camp for a week or so which gives the players a little taste of someone other than going against a teammate in practice. They also played a whale of a game to end the regular season and my conclusion is the Giants were not intimidated at all by the Patriots , that they in fact new that they were as good athletically, as well coached and prepared as could be and in fact were quite confident that they could compete and win this game. Plaxico was right!  Kudos to Tom Coughlin for finally “getting it”. Everyone learns over time and makes adjustments to their style of coaching based on the particular personnel on your team. He has a reputation for being a stickler for details and a disciplinarian. This year he seemed to be more in tune and in harmony of the inner needs of his players and how to motivate them. He displayed flexibility and showed his human side and the players responded. I have nothing but good things to say about Belichik too, he is an all-time great coach and the Patriots had an awesome season but Coughlin won the big game yesterday and he’s now the man.

So Boston you still have the Celtics leading the NBA, the Bruins on the verge of making the NHL playoffs and of course the

countdown to spring training

Red Sox pitchers and catchers report in …
9 days : 16 hrs : 23 mins : 24 secsFans get your tickets to all MLB games at www.Nationalticketagency.com

Get your tickets to the the NBA, The NHL, The NCAA March Madness and Final Four,

The Daytona 500, Kentucky Derby and every other sporting event at NTA.

h1

Here we go, on to the Super Bowl: Patriots vs Giants

January 24, 2008

  Well I was wrong. Eli Manning is better than I  thought, way better in fact. He displayed poise and threw the ball like it was just another ho hum winters day, though the reality was that it was hellishly cold if I may allow myself that literary mismatch. The Giants, affectionately known as the G men, thanks Chris Berman, opened up at 14 point underdogs but since common sense has prevailed and Tom Brady was seen with das boot the line is now an almost as ridiculous 12 points. This is the Super Bowl folks…It’s going to be a close game. These are the two best teams left standing. Granted on a dry field in warm weather the Patriots may revert back to the dominance offensively that they had displayed for most of the season. Randy Moss ought to line up 3 steps back to get a running start and avoid getting chucked at the line. (That’s my tip to Mr Bill , you saw it here first.) I just feel that the Giants are on a roll have alot of confidence with their late season streak. Hey they almost shoulda coulda beat the Patriots in the regular season finale. Of course they didn’t and the Pats are underfeated. And let’s face it the Pats are better. Better personel on both sides of the ball overall and they have that X factor , that been there before, done that before factor. They also have the Bradychick factor. No not that chick wise guy, but Belichick. The killer B’s. Two certain Hall of Famers at the two spots you need it most. So why don’t I predict that Patriots to beat the spread,  butter em up and wipe them out. Because in football you never know. There is no sure thing. The ball bounces funny sometimes. a pass gets tipped at the line. The quarterback goes down. A guy coughs it up. And oh ya these Giants are tough. Tom Coughlin demands that. You might not like him as a player but you respect him as a coach and you play 110 % or you are out on your ars. Most of the better coaches are like that. In fact that’s how Belichick can get a guy that has a spotty past to play hard, (well that and some choice words from the veterans like Bruschi in the locker room..) Parcels is like that too. You give him lip and he may give you like a few hours to pack your stuff or maybe not even. I could it break it all down for you Maroney stepping it up the last few games, looking like a little Corey Dillon putting his head down and sticking his shoulder pads in a cornerbacks gut for the extra 2 yards. Rodney Harrison just smelling out the plays etc As well Hobbs and Cobbs shaky on the corner, the line bending a little too much. And on the Giants side the reemergence of Plaxico Burresss as an absolute stud, Jacobs pounding it up the middle and Bradshaw almost making everyone forget about Tiki what’s his name, and obviously Manning coming of age etc I could go on and on and on and on    OK OK enough already I know that your over media hyped and saturated allready and you wish the game was this Sunday , me too! MY PREDICTION  drum roll Ringo…..Patriots win 33-23!

Tickets for the Super Bowl are going for record prices. The fans from the frigid northeast are shelling out outrageous prices to bask in the desert sun and soak up the essense of Americana. The Super Bowl has taken on a mythical status as the event of the year in the USA.  Average price is $4500. The cheapest seats are $3200 for upper end zone. Good sideline seats are in the $10,000 range.  A ticket broker can make a years salary on this one game alone. Of course my friends at National Ticket Agency are humble and understanding. They understand the average mans plight. They will be watching at Bru’s room in Boynton Beach. Big screen , lot’s of beer and wings..see ya all there and take care , drive safe..

And for goodness sakes bring on the baseball season..Spring training countdown as of this second  courtesy of the Boston Globe 21 days : 10 hrs : 12 mins : 11 secs