Sports

January 28, 2008
Garth McLennan

supergarth@ hotmail.com

 

 

A Super Bowl That Will Go Down In History?

By Vik Binning

Ww ell, it’s that time of the year

again. We are into our second month of
the year, and probably broken almost
all of our New Years’ resolutions, but I
guess that’s to be expected, since some
things never change. The Super Bowl
is no different. Mark February
3 on your calendars because |
Super Bowl XLII promises |
to be a match-up of historical |
proportions.

On one hand, you have |
the brother of last year’s MVP
Peyton Manning, Eli Manning,
and his “shocked-the-world”
Giants, who have broken a
record of their own, winning
10 consecutive road games.
Not only did they manage that
ridiculous feat, but they got to
where they are by beating the
number 1, and 2 teams in the
NFC in the Dallas Cowboys,
and the Green Bay Packers on
the 19" in dramatic fashion
respectively. Eli on his way to
the Super Bowl has quieted all of
his critics, overcoming what has
seemed to be his Achilles Heel
and winning a game in the cold.

On the other hand, you
have the New England Patriots
heading to Glendale, Arizona, §
for their chance at a fourth Super
Bowl victory since 2002. If that
doesn’t spell dynasty, I honestly
have no idea what does. The
Pats have broken a few records
of their own, becoming the
first team to ever go 16-0 in the
regular season, and first since
the 1972 Dolphins to remain
undefeated in the regular season.
The Pats also broke the NFL ge
scoring record with 588 total
points scored on the season.
After an off-season in which
the Patriots had a wide-receiver
overhaul and acquired, Wes Welker,
Donte Stallworth, Kelley Washington,
and the most controversial of the group,
Randy Moss; and a tumultuous start to
the season brought upon by the “Spy-
gate” scandal, the Patriot’s quieted all
the critics, proving that it wasn’t due to
video-taping opponent’s sidelines that
they won all of those previous Super
Bowls, and this so-far 18-0 season has
maintained their integrity in the eyes of
any of their doubter’s and Naysayers.

A recap of the Conference
Championship weekend starts off in
New England as the Patriots looked at
continuing their run of perfection against
the rejuvenated San Diego Chargers.
The Patriots explosive through-the-
air offense was somehow stymied by
the fleet-footed San-Diego secondary,
and that was clearly articulated in Tom

 

Brady’s stats. Having by far his worst
game of the season, Tom Brady completed
22-33 of his passes for a completion
percentage of 66 per cent, throwing
only two touchdowns, while throwing
a mind-boggling three interceptions.
The San Diego Chargers secondary had

Tom Brady’s number as Tom couldn’t
really seem to get into the groove. The
offensive slack was doubly picked up by
Laurence Maroney running the ball, as
well as the spectacular red-zone defense
of the Patriots. Maroney for the second
straight game had a fantastic second half,
and ran for 122
yards on 25 carries
while scoring one
touchdown. After
ending the first
quarter down 3-0,
the Patriots and their defense took control,
heading into half-time with a 14-to-9
lead. The next two quarters were pretty
uneventful as the chargers managed the
only score in the third quarter on a field-
goal, and the fourth quarter showed the
Patriots pulling away with a touchdown
and changing the score from 14-12 to

“Take it from me, Super
Bowl XLII promises to be a
real special treat.”

21-12, and punching their ticket to Super
Bowl XLII. The spectacular defense
of the Patriots allowed only four field-
goals, while shutting down the Chargers
on each of their red-zone trips.

The second game of the day,
“TIce-Bowl II” was held in Green Bay in

 
   

-15 C weather. The Green Bay Packers
and their leader Brett Favre looked to
continue their phenomenal season with a
trip to the Super Bowl. A year ago when
it looked as if Favre’s career was over, he
made the decision to come back for maybe
one more year, and boy did he make
an amazing
decision. The
New York
Giants looked
to continue their
domination of
road teams and head to the Super Bowl,
and the first of their young leader, Eli
Manning’s career. The Giants took an
early 3-0 lead, and neither team seemed
very capable of moving the ball very far.
The Packers stepped it up in the second
quarter scoring a touchdown and a field-
goal, and heading into the half with

a 10-6 lead, capped off by a 90 yard
catch and run by Donald Driver. That
was the only offensive play the Packers
could really muster up in the first half.

The Giants struck back in the
third quarter scoring two touchdowns on
runs by Ahmad Bradshaw, and Brandon
Jacobs, and Brett Favre threw
for a touchdown to Donald Lee.
The Packers got an early field-
goal in the fourth quarter, and
the game was tied. The Packers
weren't moving the ball at all,
and it looked like the Giants
would end it. With 6:53 left in
the fourth, kicker Lawrence
Tynes looked to take the lead
on a 43 yard field-goal. He had
a good snap, good hold, and
the kick sailed wide-left as the
Packers took over the ball again
to no avail. After a_ terrible
punt by the Packers, the Giants
got the ball with 2:15 left and
excellent field-position. After
a couple of plays, Eli Manning
spiked the ball with only four
seconds left in the game. A 36
yard chip-shot field-goal try.
Tynes lines up for the kick, it
sailed up and WHAT! WIDE-
* LEFT! We’re going to overtime
., ladies and gentleman!
The overtime period
began with the Packers winning
the coin toss, and Lawrence
Tynes couldn’t believe how
quickly his life was falling apart.
The Packers started off with
Ryan Grant running the ball
for a measly two yards. Next
play, Favre gets under center,
takes the snap and throws it to a
seemingly open Donald Driver,
but no! Wait! It’s intercepted by
Webster! After taking over the
ball, the G-Men don’t do much
with it, and before they know it,
it’s fourth down, and Lawrence
Tynes has a 47 yard field-goal to look
forward to, but could he get redemption?
Here we go, a good snap from the center,
good hold, and the ball looks wide-right,
but wait! Through the uprights, it’s good!
Giants win, Giants win!

Take it from me, Super Bowl
XLII promises to be a real special treat to
all fans of football because of the chances
to see a dynasty in full form, hopefully
capping off their perfect season with a
Super Bowl victory, while the Giants
look to stop my Pats from doing so. If
you’re not into football, watch it for the
half-time show with Tom Petty. I mean
he and his band are no Justin Timberlake
and Whitney Houston, but what can you
do? If none of that appeals to you, there’s
always the commercials!

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