SportsGirl

Well, we’re less than a week away from Super Bowl XLII and I’m starting to get nervous. Really nervous. Everyone, it seems, has already etched the 2007 Patriots names onto the Lombardi Trophy. It seems to be a foregone conclusion that they will win. Most of the debate centers on whether or not the points spread, currently set at 12 points, is too high. And really, by all accounts, this does seem like the Pats should be the clear-cut winners. But that reminds me of the hype surrounding Super Bowl XXXVI, which also involved the Patriots, and that’s not a good thing.

I remember watching Super Bowl XXXVI, remember watching the pre-game analysis and remember thinking “Seriously, why has everyone decided that the Patriots don’t stand a chance?!” Every announcer had written them off before kick off even took place. I know the Rams were great that year, but all bets are off in a game like this. I just had a gut feeling that Belichick and Co. could rise to the occasion. (and before you say I’m making that up, let me state unequivocally that I actually had a feeling that the Patriots would win that game) So the fact that almost every guest I’ve listened to on Mike and Mike this week has laughed when asked who they’re predicting to win this year’s contest is quite unsettling. I’m seeing “Shades of 2001″, except this time it’s working against the Pats and that’s not a great sign. Because the Giants are a talented squad. Yes, the Patriots beat them at the end of the regular season. And true, the path to the Super Bowl in the NFC may not be quite the test that it is in the AFC. But any given Sunday…

So is this me being paranoid? Possibly. The one factor that calms my fears the most is this two-week hiatus in between the Championship game and the Super Bowl. As we know, the Giants had been trading heavily on the hot streak they had going. But that came to a halt when the seconds ticked off the clock in Green Bay. Now they have had 2 weeks to rest. We saw what that did for the Cowboys…Granted, the Patriots have had the same amount of time to rest, but they haven’t relied on being able to play the M card–momentum.

What does seem to motivate New England, however, is the “it’s us against the world” thinking. I realize they have been heavy favorites in every game they’ve played this season so they’ve some how managed to create that sense of a chip on their shoulder in spite of the odds being in their favor. But when Kurt Warner skirts the issue on Mike and Mike by saying, basically, “come on, I think we all know who is going to win…” it makes a nervous nelly. Couldn’t the Patriots pay some people to pretend that the Giants are going to knock everyone’s socks off and take the game? Or would that “tarnish the legacy” too?

I’m sticking with my prediction that the Patriots will win. I think Eli started to find a nice rhythm this post-season and it seems like he’s finally getting the other guys in the huddle to believe in him. I think next season he’ll likely keep on that path. But he lacks the experience that Brady has in big games and that will play a prominent role in Sunday’s contest. But mark my words, it will be a contest. I don’t see this as a gimmee game. What it should be is a great game to watch. The New England offensive line is finally starting to get the credit it deserves and I think the match-up against the Giants D will be a great one. And as long as the Patriots come out on top, a great game is all I want to see!!

It’s become quite a routine for me. Another Monday morning, another week to re-cap a Patriots victory. 18-0 now, and counting hopefully. It’s a routine I won’t give up without some sadness. Because, win or lose, in two weeks this football season comes to an official close. Thank goodness for the impending draft! But the season is not done yet. The Christmas morning of football games, Super Bowl XLII, has yet to be played. (it’s 10x cooler to write XLII instead of 42)

So, ho hum, the Patriots won their game yesterday. Not necessarily in decisive fashion, but they won. After the game, Bill Belichick showed a rare display of emotion by conceding through those tight lips that this team loves each other. He used the L word! For Belichick, he was positively giddy. I know people knock this franchise for their reluctance to boogie down and celebrate the win, but I can’t blame them. In all honesty, none of this means anything unless they win in two weeks. If they lose in the SB, the sounds of the champagne being uncorked on the other side of the locker room will be echoed by the sound of the ‘72 Dolphins players uncorking their own bubbly. So I applaud Bill for keeping his players focused on the ultimate goal and for not thinking that it’s downhill from here. Because the Giants played them tough in the last week of the regular season and have arguably only improved (especially in terms of Manning’s confidence) since then.

So, the win yesterday wasn’t spectacular for the Pats. Brady was picked three times, including being intercepted once by Antonio Cromartie. Seriously, Cromartie may be replacing Randy Moss for the designation of “freak of nature”. He is so good! The good news from yesterday’s game is that we were reminded that Brady’s strong suit (as well as Belichick’s) is being able to adapt and change up who’s getting the ball in order to maximize the offense’s time on the field. Kevin Faulk had a great game and Laurence Maroney continues to show that he rivals Marion Barber as the hardest runner in the game. They even kind of look alike with those dreads flowing out of their helmets as they power past 3 defenders to gain 15 yards on a play.

But the Patriots defense deserves a lot of credit for this win. Yes, the same defense that is aging and needs revamping according to those who know things. True, they are an older unit. But who cares when you stop a team like the Chargers from ever scoring a touch down when they’ve reached the red zone? I know LaDainian was on the bench but he’s not the only guy on the team. You could tell even in the second quarter that Rivers was getting frustrated and was trying to force some throws. That’s not a good thing when you’re still in the first half. Part of me wishes that Brady would have openly taunted him when Asante Samuel made that pick, but you know, that would be classless so good thing Brady didn’t do it. I know Rivers was playing with a sprained knee and that’s gutty, but to have Luis Castillo say after the game that Rivers is one of the most courageous players Castillo has ever played with made me want to puke. Even as Rivers was conceding defeat in the post-game press conference, I couldn’t help but think, in more ways than one, he’s the loser.

I didn’t get to see all of the second half of the Pats game but was holding my breath until the last seconds ticked off the clock. That’s how good Belichick is–he has his fan based convinced that it’s not a sure thing until the fourth quarter is completely over, even with a 21-12 lead! I just hope they keep that focus and see this thing through to completion.

After the overtime finish in last night’s Green Bay-Giants match-up, we now know who the Patriots will face in Super Bowl Forty-Two. (nah, XLII still wins) The G-Men of New York will represent the NFC, though how well they will represent remains to be seen. This is the part in my weekend re-cap where I have to eat my words–a least-favorite activity of the SportsGirl. I said the Packers would crush the Giants and that Ryan Grant would have a great day. Um, hmm, that didn’t exactly happen. Let’s be clear. Eli Manning still isn’t an “elite” quarterback as I’ve seen some fans posting on espn.com. Green Bay was able to hang around more than they should have based almost solely on the 90-yard TD play to Donald Driver. And let’s not forget Sam Madison’s generous 15-yard personal foul penalty on Vernand Morency after the Giants had stopped Green Bay on a third down in the second half. That kind of kept them afloat longer than they should have been. Oh and the Giants’ kicker couldn’t get it through the uprights when it mattered in regulation. So let me get this straight. I’m supposed to believe the Giants stand a chance against New England after that less-than-inspiring performance? Yes, I know, it was cold. Colder than it was in Moscow, my thanks to Fox for pointing that out. And it should be much warmer in Glendale, so that will be different. And far be it from me to get confident about the Patriots chances to win because on any given Sunday…let’s move on.

Speaking of things that Fox pointed out, someone needs to tell Joe Buck that no one watching the game cares how many time the lead has changed hands. If we’ve been watching the whole game, we know such a fact. If we are just tuning in, it has no bearing on the game that the lead has flip-flopped multiple times. While we’re at it, that same person needs to tell Tom Coughlin to wear some protective gear on his face next time he’s standing in sub-zero weather for hours on end. He looked like his nose was going to fall off. Everyone else had the good sense to cover up a bit, be it in a helmet or one of those ski cap things. I thought someone was going to have to stick some leaches on Coughlin’s face at the end of the game to get that blood circulating once again. Task #3 for this information-distributing person? Tell Terry Bradshaw to either cut his remaining hair or shave it off entirely. His “overall snow pants and greasy wisps of hair grazing the collar” look wasn’t really my favorite. I think that completes the list of things that the people in last night’s game needed to be told.

I will be intrigued to hear how these two teams approach the upcoming game. We know the Patriots should be able to suck any excitement out of their chances to win, and I’m ok with that. How will little Manning handle the pressure of such a big game? His brother needed a few years to get that under his belt. I guess the better question is how will Archie handle the pressure? He looked like he was going to throw up before that game ended last night! I suppose we’re at the point where my picking the Patriots to win the Super Bowl is no longer jumping the gun–I actually have to make a prediction and they happen to be one of the participants. Even knowing that? I hate putting this in writing. But I just don’t think the Giants will gel enough to best the Pats. Knowing the Patriots penchant for permitting the score to remain close til the end, I’m predicting a final score of 31-28. No Vinatieri to win the game for them this time, but it won’t matter. Patriots win. Now let’s stop talking about it before I jinx the whole thing.

I was already planning on blogging about the NFL playoffs this weekend, but was trying to find the time to not give short shrift to the topic. However, since my dad (and possibly other readers?) is growing impatient, here we go. My thoughts on the action from the weekend.

Where to start? I confess that I didn’t watch too much of the Green Bay-Seattle game. I’ve been on record before stating that I’m not honestly sure who even likes Seattle. The curse of that city is that their fan base, while I’m sure passionate at home games, is not extensive enough to really create a presence for their pro teams. Hence the reason the new owners are looking to move the Supersonics to Oklahoma City. How low does the interest threshold have to be when OKC is the more attractive location for your professional basketball team? And my gut told me that Green Bay was going to win. Seattle is so blah, and Brett Farve has magically turned back the clock on his game so it seemed like an inevitable outcome.

What wasn’t predictable was the Giants-Cowboys match-up. Sure, there was a lot of chatter as the game day drew near about how the G-Men had the momentum. And there there was that run for the border that Romo and Jessica Simpson made. If ever a headline could garner attention, this was it. And boy, did the media have fun with it! Did that actually contribute to Romo’s mindset on game day? We won’t ever know. If you were dating Jessica Simpson, would you publicly blame her for your lack of production on offense? Personally, I think that Romo’s own belief in his ability is what contributed to the poor performance on Sunday. He has enough talent that often times, when his protection is breaking down, he can hang onto the ball and make a huge play. But he lacks the experience to do this consistently so he makes bad decisions in the pocket, like not throwing the ball away when you’re about to be sacked. As for the decision to head south for a quick trip, I blame Wade Phillips for not having a tighter leash on the team. I know, it’s a balancing act of keeping your players happy and keeping them prepared. But you’re the coach; you function much like a parent in this regard. Phillips’ team did not show up ready to play. The defense looked awful. When you can’t stop the pass, and you can’t stop the run, you’re pretty much done. The receivers just didn’t look sharp on the field, and no, Romo didn’t appear to have “it” that day. Maybe his “it” was still in Mexico, sunning “it”self on the beach. Who knows. But one thing we do know is that Bill Parcells was basically shown the door in Big D after failing to win a playoff game. Lord knows, TO has been on record numerous times this season spouting off about how much better of a coach Wade Phillips is and how much happier of a player TO is to play for someone who knows how to use him in the offense. Fat lot of good that did! It does no good to lock up the home-field advantage throughout the playoffs when you lose in your first game. So that’s great that the players like the coach better and feel like maybe they can all knit some lovely sweaters together in the off-season. But when it comes down to it, they still lost.

So what now? You overhauled the coaching staff last year, and your roster needs some tweaking but probably doesn’t need a Jones-esque face lift. It’s looking more and more likely that Jason Garrett at a minimum will be offered a head coaching position in either Baltimore or Atlanta. Personally, I think he ought to take a pass at this time and come back to hone his skills. He will get the most recognition out of helping develop Tony Romo and Romo will make progress in the off-season this year. So if I were Garrett, I’d definitely hang around and watch my stock rise a bit more before accepting the position down in ATL. The Ravens is an interesting proposition because their offense could use some work and Garrett has a knack with the quarterbacks, so it might be a good fit.

Oh, and yada, yada, yada, Eli Manning didn’t have a great game but they did enough to squeak out the win and now they have all the mo’ heading into the contest at Lambeau Field this weekend. I think Green Bay crushes them. I know Ryan Grant had a few fumbles early in the game last weekend but once he regained his composure–and kudos to him for being able to do that–he had a great game, even in the snow. That was the piece that the Green Bay offense had been missing to take some of the pressure off Farve and since then Farve has stopped trying to force every throw into triple coverage. I’m predicting a score of 31-20 in this weekend’s game.

So let’s talk a bit about the Colts game. Let me start by stating that I think Philip Rivers is completely classless. Not only did he taunt fellow newbie QB Jay Cutler in the Broncos-Chargers game, he also taunted the home crowd during the playoff match at Indy. Does he realize he’s not that great of a QB? He’s not bad, mind you, but he’s certainly not Peyton Manning. Frankly, these days I would take Eli Manning over him, which the Chargers technically did in his draft class. So note to Phil, rack up some more wins before you try the whole taunting thing.

As for the game itself, it was actually a disappointing viewing experience. Indianapolis just wasn’t clicking. It’s like bringing back Marvin Harrison, when they had been finding ways to win without him, was a bad move. And that’s not normally a move you would categorize as bad. I know the Chargers caught fire (I will avoid the obvious lightening in a bottle pun here) at the right time and maybe we’re going to start seeing a trend develop after these divisional rounds. Seems like getting a bye week heading into the playoffs isn’t always a good thing. And maybe Tony Dungy will regret once again resting his starters in the last game of the season. Maybe there’s something to the notion that you really don’t want to lose momentum by taking off that last game mentally. But how uncharacteristic is it that Manning had a chance to win the game on 4th down in the 4th quarter and the pass was incomplete? If it had been Brady…well, you know where I stand on that issue. And Billy Volek getting the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard QB sneak? Really? So let me get this straight. Antonio Gates was a hobbled version of himself when he did play and was basically a non-factor. “Big Phil” left the game with a sprained MCL and LDT left as well, and yet the Bolts still recorded the W in their column? Money says that Tony Dungy retires after this season. He won the ring and proved he had what it took. I think he’s mentally done and maybe that’s a good thing. He’s a heck of a coach and might even come back at some point but I think he’s done for now.

Now here’s something that will shock any of my semi-devout readers. I’m not going to spend any appreciable length of time discussing the New England-Jacksonville game. There’s not much to be said! It looked like it would be a contest through the first half, as New England’s defense didn’t appear to be able to stop David Garrad and the Jax offense. Side note here: does David Garrad have the thickest lower half of any quarterback in the NFL or what? Seriously, the guy is like 260 lbs and at least 200 of that has to be in his lower half. No wonder no one can tackle the guy! I watched 3 NE defenders try to bring him down on different plays with no success. What an asset, pardon the pun…

The second half of that game was much more enjoyable for me. I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. I cannot watch the Patriots lose. Luckily, things have worked out well for me in that department this season. When the 11-point lead was established in the third quarter, it was fairly clear that Jax had been worn down and wasn’t going to win. I still clutched my couch pillow until the final second ticked off the clock, but at least we had the lead and it was our game to lose. And lose we did not.

So this weeks Championship match ups are Green Bay versus New York and Patriots vs. Chargers. I’m picking Green Bay and New England for the Super Bowl. I won’t make a Super Bowl pick until I see the games themselves but I’m betting even a casual reader knows where I’m headed with that…

The good news is that my pride is intact. I fared pretty well in my bowl pick ‘em contest when LSU trounced the Buckeyes in the Championship game. (note to self: geaux back and erase any trace of support for the Tigers) The bad news is that I think University of Michigan is going to regret not hiring Les Miles. He has the passion needed to restore some of U of M’s image and bring some fire back into the program.

Maybe this is why Lloyd Carr never liked Miles. Carr is so reserved. Sure he’ll get a little feisty on the sideline if a defender misses a tackle and allows the runner to gain 40 yards. Or if the ref call pass interference on the defense when the receiver wasn’t even touched. But Carr and newly hired West Virginia coach Bill Stewart share that aw, shucks, good guy vibe. That’s not to say that I’m knocking either of them. I am thrilled to death that Bill Stewart will get to coach the Mountaineers. I have long held the belief that nice guys can  finish first. But typically, they have to discover their mean side a bit before that’s going to happen. Lloyd Carr couldn’t reflect more positively on the school if he were Bo Schembechler himself. He’s a classy guy and he ran a clean program. And that’s important. But it lacked any pizzaz, any fire. And that’s what Miles brings to the Bayou and I think we’re missing out.

It’s too early for me to decide if Rich Rodriguez was the right hire. It’s true that Bill Stewart did a hell of a good job coaching WV in their bowl game, but let’s not kid ourselves. That was Rodriguez’s team that won. However, right now it doesn’t even look like U of M knows who their quarterback is, as Ryan Mallett is gone. I’m sure they’ll recruit someone, but that someone won’t be Patrick White. Now that kid is special. He is truly a threat with his arm and his legs. I know he won’t make it in the NFL as a quarterback, but I think he’ll come out as a wide receiver, a la Antwaan Randle El, and make a nice career for himself. Never-the-less, he won’t be at U of M. Truthfully, I don’t even know who was #3 on the Wolverines depth chart this year at QB. Whoever you are, you’re about to have the chance to start! Mallett had talent but also had an attitude and I’m not sad that he’s gone. He reportedly wouldn’t have fit well into Rodriguez’s spread offense so it’s not a huge loss. Props to my dad for predicting this early on during the 2007 season. But that should be priority #1 for Rodriguez; find a QB that makes your system look as good as White did.

Not only is Michigan losing both of their QB’s, they’re losing seniors Mike Hart, Jake Long and Shawn Crable and they’re potentially losing juniors Mario Manningham and Adrian Arrington. Oh, and Rodriguez’s first move at U of M? Firing all of the incumbent staff save for the running back’s coach. I’m not saying it was the wrong move, but I’m also not thinking that he falls asleep each night reading Dale Carnegie’s How to Win Friends and Influence People. Once Richie Rich hires his new staff and sets out to solve that QB quandary, I might be able to evaluate his tenure a little better. I don’t think he was a bad hire; certainly a better fit than some of the names still being tossed around like Terry Bowden. And I, unlike some, don’t begrudge Rodriguez for leaving West Va for this opportunity. There aren’t too many opportunities bigger than coaching in the Big House. I just can’t help but wonder if Miles was Michigan’s perfect mate and they missed out by not stealing him away from the swamp.

There’s a certain sense of sadness in the air this weekend. The college football bowl season is nearing a close, signaling the impending end of all football in the not-so-distant future. The NFL playoffs are under way and the BCS Championship Game is being played tomorrow. I’m not sure that I’m ready for the football season to be done. I can’t get into the NBA much yet, and college basketball hasn’t yet gotten going. I suppose around February I start paying more attention the NCAA basketball in preparation for March Madness so it’s not all bleak, but I’m still not happy. As if Christmas ending wasn’t enough to dampen the spirit…

That being said, let’s take a look at the playoff games that have been decided. As I write this, San Diego is leading Tennessee in the fourth quarter and it’s beginning to look like the game is over. Even though they apparently can’t block for the NFL’s leading rusher on his team, they’re still winning. Oh wait, that’s right, LaDainian is on our team, maybe we should have him take an active role!

The Seahawks, Jaguars, and Giants are officially moving onto the next round of the playoffs. If San Diego wins today, the Jags will play New England and the Chargers will get Indy. From that standpoint, I hope Tennessee comes back somehow and plays the Pats next weekend. I worry about the Jacksonville match-up against my Patriots. That’s a gritty team and David Garrad has been playing really well (save for the two picks last night). I don’t think Tennessee has what it takes to beat New England, but I could see Jax upsetting them. Truthfully, though, there’s probably not a match-up possible that I wouldn’t be nervous about because playoff football is different than regular football. I’m just glad that Big Ben will be going home. I like Mike Tomlin and would have loved to see him win his first playoff game as a coach but I’m over Big Ben and his reconstructed face. I think he gets too much credit for what is a run-first team’s success.

I was glad to see Tom Coughlin get a win today. I think he’s a good coach and has really done a 180 by all accounts and has earned the respect of his players. I still haven’t given up all hope on Little Manning and I keep thinking that maybe this is the season where he makes the leap. We’ll see…I think Dallas might whoop up on them, but maybe it’s wishful thinking. The G-Men have momentum and Dallas sort of stumbled into the playoffs battling injuries and the malaise that comes from locking up your division at an early stage. If TO is healthy, it certainly is a much greater likelihood that Dallas will come out on top. I’m not thinking Terry Glenn or Sam Hurd will be the ticket to the NFC Championship game.

It’s a disappointment that, of all teams, the Seattle Seahawks were the team that ended Washington’s emotional run to the Super Bowl. The Seahawks are so mediocre that I just can’t ever believe that they were actually in the Super Bowl. They’re not a great defensive team, nor will their offense inspire any confidence. I had admittedly jumped on the Redskins bandwagon after seeing how they rallied following the horrible death of Sean Taylor. That shows their character and it’s telling of Joe Gibbs’ ability to re-focus a team after tragedy. Now, if somehow it had been Redskins-Cowboys in this first game, then ok, maybe I’d be ok with the loss. But the Seahawks? Who even likes them outside of the Pacific Northwest?!

I’m wondering if Antonio Cromartie is part chameleon. Does his jersey color change to the opposing team’s sideline? Because quite a few teams this season have gotten confused and have thrown the ball right to him. Or is he just that good?

Monday night is a big night for me. I’ve got some pride on the line as I did a bowl pick ‘em and it all comes down to whether or not LSU wins and covers. I felt great about that pick when I made it. That was before Michigan played spectacularly against Florida in the Capital One Bowl. The Big Ten never plays against the SEC with that kind of speed! I haven’t liked LSU all season and have been quite critical of the praise that they’ve received. My fear is that they let teams hang around too much and that they will win but won’t cover. Let me just say, I need this win. So, while I will regret that this is in print and I might delete it after the season ends, Geaux Tigers!!