The Philly Phanatics

Well, I guess I wouldn't be a real sports fan if I didn't write something about the Super Bowl...

I have never been a huge Patriots fan. I think it has something to do with the fact that I have not seen a major sports team win a championship in my lifetime and the Patriots being the last team to deny me that dream in a championship game. But I think I have to cheer for them tonight for two major reasons.

First, I am a Philadelphian, which means that I despise all inter-divisional New York sports teams. It will be painful to me to see the Giants win a Super Bowl. But even worse will be my misery if I have to see Michael Strahan holding that Lombardi Trophy in the air smiling with that gap in his teeth so wide that even the wildly-inaccurate Lawrence Tynes could put a field goal through them. Furthermore, I'll have to hear endless drivel about how Strahan was convinced to come back to the Giants this season and finally they won him his Super Bowl ring to complete a tremendous career. Thankfully, Brady and the Patriots will not give this one to Strahan like Farve handed him the single-season sack record in 2001 by taking a dive.

Secondly, the Patriots are a game from completing one of the most miraculous seasons in NFL history. In an era of free agency and salary caps, how many teams can actually put together the roster that New England has and play at such a high level for 19 consecutive games. It is a feat that deserves tremendous applause and admiration. It may not be repeated for a long time, so watch it and think about how dominant this team is.

Beyond my rooting interests comes a level of understanding that just because I want New England to thump the Giants, doesn't mean it will happen. But luckily for me, I think that the Pats will come away with the win tonight.

I've seen Eli Manning play. See him at twice a year when he plays the Eagles, but usually way more than that. Frankly, he sucks. A lot. He is not even in the same category as his brother Peyton. He was tied for the league-lead with 20 interceptions this season, and the two players he was tied with (Kitna and Palmer) both had more attempts than Eli. By the law of averages, Eli has to come back falling back to normalcy this postseason. There is no way that he can maintain a 99.1 QB rating for the entire postseason with four touchdowns and zero interceptions, when he is only an average quarterback. Look for Eli to come back to normality against the Pats tonight.

I expect a fairly close game tonight (by comparison to the games the Pats are used to playing this season). I don't think this will be a blowout to the proportions of that laid upon the Giants in their last Super Bowl appearance against the Ravens in 2000, but I expect the Patriots to win by around two touchdowns over the Giants.