Before the game:
- Indianapolis Colts - What in the world is going on with the Colts? Did Jim Irsay wake up with some of his marbles gone or what? He is firing people left and right like they were the reason for the Colts losing season, and then he just keeps rattling on about Peyton Manning and what might or might not happen. He's monitoring the situation with Peyton? That's news? Personally, I think the man has moved on already and is counting his chickens before they're hatched. He and his new offensive coordinator, recently I'm-retiring-oops-no-I'm-not Bruce Arians, act like they are planning on having a rookie quarterback lead the team next year. “I say let him grow, man, put him out there and let him play,” Arians said. “They are going to make mistakes. You have to live with it and learn from it to get better.” Yeah? Bet quite a few coaches and coordinators all thought that at one time too. And if the point is not to have a season like this year, tell me again why you would ditch Peyton for a rookie? I'd take Peyton Manning, if he is healthy, over ANY young whippersnapper.
- Peyton Manning - I don't know if the man can play or not, but I think he is determined to do so if it won't kill him. Maybe Irsay thinks this kind of pressure will make Peyton what? Want to play even if he shouldn't? Make a decision so the Colts can move on? Irsay, who supposedly loves his players and coaches, has suddenly become the death marcher pissing off Manning by firing his coaches and announcing he wants to move on. Other teams are salivating at the thought of getting Manning and praying for Irsay to make a stupid mistake by releasing Manning. And don't tell me it's about money. It's about something else and it is sure perplexing. The only reason I cheer for the Colts is because of Peyton Manning and then later because of Tony Dungy. One is already gone and if Manning is gone, I'm gone.
- Gronkowski - By the end of the week I was sick and tired of hearing about Patroits tight end Rob Gronkowski. Would he or wouldn't he play? Was he spotted at practice? Was he wearing the boot? Would he wear a specialized boot during the game? Snore. In the end he did play, his foot wasn't a factor, and the media was at a loss about what to talk about.
- Tiquan Underwood - Bill Belichick released the Patriots wide receiver hours before the Super Bowl started, instead going with another player who I don't think saw the light of play. Cold? It is Bill Belichick and football is a business. Underwood never spoke a negative word and tweeted during the bowl nice things about his former team. Of course, had the Patriots won Underwood would have been sporting one of the rings.
- Hines Ward - I thought he did a fine job sitting in with the boys of NBC. Nothing wrong with looking ahead if the Steelers don't feel like they can use the future Hall of Famer next year. How good did he look in a suit and tie? Whoo Whew!
- Bradshaw's winning touchdown - Should he or shouldn't he? The Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw seemed unsure of what to do in the final minute of the Super Bowl when a huge hole opened up for him to run into the endzone. The problem was if he scored that left plenty of time on the clock for Tom Brady. Bradshaw put down his hand on the one yard line, but no one touched him and he fell backwards, almost in slow motion, into the endzone for the touchdown. Later it was discovered that Giants quarterback Eli Manning told him not to score, but Bradshaw's nerves were all over the place and his momentum carried him in for the score.
- Did they or didn't they, should they have or shouldn't they have? - That same play will be talked about for years. Did the Patriots allow the Giants to score so they could get the ball back? Did Belichick call for that? Was not getting into the endzone a smart call by the Giants? Oh, so many questions. Personally, I understand all of it, but I say score when the scoring is there. Unless you are ahead, of course. Too many things could have gone wrong if the Giants had left it to chance by falling down on the one yard line. How bad would that have been for Giants coach Tom Coughlin if the kicker would have missed the field goal? No, I'm glad Bradshaw scored. Too nerve wracking.
- Eli Manning - Is he one of the greats or not? That's the question I kept hearing all week long, and the fact that Eli, when asked that very question, answered "yes" seemed to fuel the fire. What? You want a quarterback that is humble? Pfft. I want a quarterback who believes he is the Muhammad Ali of football to lead me down the field in the Super Bowl. And lead Manning did. He was cool under pressure, his face expressionless, as he came out on to that field at Lucas Stadium, down by two points, ready to take his team into history. Then he just flat out delivered, throwing rocket passes with an ease. That's what the greats do.
- Eli vs. Peyton - And seriously, even after Eli wins the Super Bowl, the media still has to sneak in a Peyton question. Eli was asked what it felt like winning the Super Bowl in the stadium his brother built. Really? And Eli answered in the Manning way, calling it a team effort, blah, blah, blah, but there was a little wince there after the question was asked as if to say, "Are you kidding me?" Eli's endured this sort of stuff his whole life so he is used to it, but at some point he needs to be recognized for himself and this would have been the time.
- Dropped Passes - I'm sure Wes Welker, Deion Branch, and Aaron Hernandez didn't sleep last night replaying their dropping of balls and missing catches in the last drive. Brady threw it right where it needed to be so I say the oops is on these three. And Brady's wife Gisele agrees as well, mouthing off to reporters that Brady can't throw and catch the ball at the same time.
- Gisele Bundchen - And how about ole Tom Brady's wife sending out emails to family asking them to pray and think great thoughts for her husband during the Super Bowl? What any wife would do, huh? But then she ran after him after the lost and rubbed his face and took care of him like a child. Makes one wonder about what kind of fit he must throw at home after losing games that makes his wife want him to win, huh? Tom, Tom, there can be life besides football.
- Reporting - I hate the sideline reporting where we interview coaches and quarterbacks before, during, and in between half time of the games. Let these people do their jobs. But if Eli Manning can stand and be interviewed after the coin toss where it has been decided that his team will receive, then Bill Belichick can come out of the locker room after the defeat for a sound bite.
- Tom Coughlin - He's been voted one of the meanest coaches in the NFL by players, but the Giants coach is now the oldest coach to win a Super Bowl and it was done with a team that went 7-7 in the regular season amidst peculation that he would lose his job. Nice to see he is like his quarterback when it comes to pressure.
- Manningham - The Giants receiver Mario Manningham caught a 38 yard pass near the sidelines, keeping both feet in bounds and maintaining control of the ball. Now the buzz is that it was as good a catch as David Tyree's catch on the helmet back in the last Super Bowl won by the Giants, but I say let's not get carried away. While it was a great catch, it wasn't near the wow factor as David Tyree's catch or Steelers Santonio Holmes catch in the endzone. Those sideline catches are made all the time. Yes, it was important. Yes, it was a good'in. But the best of the best? Nah.
- Raymond Berry - Whoever came up with the idea of letting this Hall of Famer Baltimore Colts receiver walk down a makeshift aisle carrying the Lombardi trophy should have had him do a practice run. He walked like he was walking his daughter down a bridal aisle to meet her husband. He stared at the players like he didn't know what they were doing at the wedding. He let anyone and everyone kiss and touch the trophy with a vacant stare upon his face the entire time he moved. It was more than creepy.
- Biff Henderson - And speaking of kissing the trophy when you had nothing to do with winning it. How in the world did Late Show with David Letterman alum producer Biff Henderson get on to the field let alone get into the line of Giants players touching and kissing the trophy? Just shows why Dave is still the best. Jay Leno may get into a Super Bowl commercial, but Dave gets on to the field with the winning team. Can't wait to see the Late Show tonight.
- Pro Bowl - Roger Goodell is annoyed about the Pro Bowl this year? Boo hoo. How about looking at himself for the decision to move it to the week before the Super Bowl? And saying he might just eliminate it all together? Don't think anyone would really care, except maybe the people of Hawaii.
- Football tweeting - Enjoyed watching the game and reading the tweets from those NFL players that I follow. Got some interesting incite and some funnies. Was more than annoyed, however, with the Steelers players who kept tweeting how next year they wanted to be on the field winning number 7 for Steeler Nation. Yeah? That's the same shit you tweeted last year after the game. Put your ability where your mouth, or in this case, fingers are and DO it.
- Commercials - Yes, it has become a part of the Super Bowl whether you like it or not. I, for one, could careless about them. That being said I enjoyed the M&M naked commercial, the murdered cat Doritos commercial, the fat dog Volkswagon commercial, and Clint Eastwood telling us Detroit and America are back. Still none of them are the classic Mean Joe Greene commercial.
Once again, a fine recap! Thoroughly enjoyable reading!
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