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Fruck!
Hey, it's a family blog...I think.
If you're a New England Patriots player or fan this has to be one of the most
difficult losses in Boston's sports history. On the other hand, this
has to rank among one of New York's finest and most satisfying
improbable victories.
How do the New England Patriots family forget this one? Short of coming back next year and winning the Super Bowl, I would submit you can't. At this point, 18-1 (which truly is a remarkable accomplishment) may as well be 0-19. You know what I mean. Philosophically, it almost makes one wonder if taking a loss in Baltimore would have made this one more acceptable.
Forgetting a loss for competitive people is like asking a lion not to hunt. I still can't shake a loss my team suffered way back when I was 16 in the finals against our fiercest soccer rival. That loss stung us after going 4-0 against them during the regular season.
Imagine... and that wasn't the pros.
The Giants played a smart game. Nothing fancy. Their defense was relentlessly suffocating and the offense efficient. For their part, the Pats played like they were going to swing on a chandelier, pick up the girl and win in the last minute as Tom Brady chomped on a sandwich. Which, of course, they almost did, but the defense couldn't a) make a key interception late in the 4th quarter as the Giants marched down field with under two minutes to go and b) sack Giants QB Eli Manning when they had the chance. When one of your dude receivers catches the ball on his helmet, you pretty much have destiny on your side.
About that surreal play. Manning amazingly eluded three or four defenders and rushers then semi-lazily lobbed the ball and it magically landed on helmet of David Tyree laced with crazy glue. In fact, Manning made a couple of lousy lobs that should have been picked off. I, f I'm the Crazy Glue people (or Epoxy) I get Tyree as a spokesperson.
This clearly wasn't New England's night. Going for it on 4th and 13 call in the first half summarized the game for them nicely I think. Logically, the three points would have made more sense. If it was 4th and 6 the play makes more sense but 4th and 13?
Now everyone is talking about the Patriots legacy. Does the loss take away what the Pats pulled off this year? Absolutely not but it will for some. Their regular season ranks among the greatest in North American professional sports history.
It just so happens they ran out of gas at the end. The Giants gathered momentum towards the end of their inconsistent regular season and carried it into the post season. They say speed kills but in the case of the Giants momentum did the trick.
Last, is this the greatest upset ever? Tough one. It has to rank among some of the greatest ones even though the Giants were a very good team. No, hands down the greatest upset was the Jets over the Colts in Super Bowl III. Recall that the AFC to which the Jets belonged, was considered an inferiour football league. To go in and take down the legendary Colts was almost mythical in its plot.
Whatever.
I suspect insomnia will be a new social and psychological phenomena in New England for the next little while.
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