The Curse of Arizona

I guess you really can’t win them all, especially in Glendale, Arizona. Last night the Patriots joined a list of teams that have been upset in Arizona the last few years. The 2007 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #9 Boise St Broncos defeat #8 Oklahoma Sooners: 43-42. The 2007 BCS Championship Game: #2 Florida Gators defeat #1 Ohio State Buckeyes: 41-14. The 2008 Tostitos Fiesta Bowl: #9 West Virginia Mountaineers defeat #3 Oklahoma Sooners: 48-28. Even the New York Yankees were upset in the desert by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2001 World Series.

And now Super Bowl XLII: New York Giants (12-6) defeat New England Patriots (18-0): 17-14. You knew the Giants were destined for victory when Eli Manning dodged a sack in the last minute of the game and got off a pass to unknown receiver David Tyree who then caught it on his helmet for a first down, but in all honesty, it should never have gotten to that point. The Patriots play calling was bad and their Pro bowl Offensive line was worse. Brady was sacked five times and never truly got into a rhythm. Finally, when the Patriots scored the go ahead touchdown to Randy Moss they made the one mistake that has cost other teams in the past. They left to much time on the clock.

To see Brady and the Patriots not score the last points and walk-off the field of a Super bowl in defeat was surreal. To add insult to injury, now we will probably see the Manning brothers whore themselves out for even more National TV commercials. Worse yet, we have to hear Mercury Morris and the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins beat their chest for another year.

Between Spygate, Randy Moss, Giselle, and the undefeated record, it was a long exhausting season for both Patriot players and fans. It will be interesting to see how the organization handles this defeat. What moves they make and what happens to Samuel, Seau, Moss, Stallworth and Troy Brown next season, but no more football for now.

The Celtics still have the best record in the NBA and Spring Training starts in less than 10 days, so it’s time to move on from this GIANT letdown and put the long Pats' season behind us.

Notes from the Coast:

You've got to love all the hype leading up to a SuperBowl. Especially when a team from New York is involved. Tom Brady is seen in a walking cast, then in cowboy boots. He is injured and now maybe he isn't? Better yet, it's a big hoax being put on the conspiracy starved New York media by Brady and Belichick. Give me a break!
As reported, Brady probably does have a mild high ankle sprain. Yes, it probably did hinder him (along with a possible flu) in the game against the Chargers. No, it won't keep him out of the SuperBowl. And no, there isn't any conspiracy. Unlike a sneaker, which Brady often wears, a cowboy boot can provide support similar to a walking brace.

• Congrats to Eli Manning for coming through against the Pack. Even though I wanted a Patriots-Packers rematch in SuperBowl XLII, I found myself rooting for the kid and the upset during last Sunday's game. They thought Steve Young had a monkey on his back before he finally led the San Francisco 49'ers to a championship after Joe Montana left town. How about having a Heisman Trophy winning father and an MVP brother who both play the same position as you? Then, you tell the world that you won't play in San Diego and instead end up in the media craze of New York City. Eli had a lot to live up to and he may have come close with those two road play-off wins against the Packers and Cowboys.
• Norm Chow is back in LA and back in college football, but not with USC. The offensive guru will be the new coordinator under Rick Neuheisel at UCLA. Before Trojan fans get all worked-up about cross-town loyalty, it was Pete Carroll and his admiration for Lane Kiflin that forced Chow out of USC and to the NFL. Now with Chow on board and Karl Dorrell back at Receivers' coach, the Bruins have an opportunity to create an in-state rivalry similar to Miami and Florida State in the 1990's.
• MLB Trade Rumors blog has a great piece on 'What Might Have Been' had the Red Sox and Florida Marlins not made the Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell for Hanley Ramirez, Anibal Sanchez, et al. deal.
• Weird coincidence that Bruins' Goalie Tim Thomas gets added to the NHL All-Star team on Monday and then lets in 4 goals in 2 periods against the Canadiens that same night. Fortunately he didn't look as bad as the B's Goalie he replaced. Alex Auld gave up a goal within the first 14 seconds of the game and 4 goals in the first period of a ugly 8-2 loss to the Habs.
• With a strong running game, a Quarterback that is finally putting it all together, and upset wins on the road in the play-offs, people are comparing this 2007 Giants team to the Patriots team that went to the Superbowl 20 years ago. Unfortunately that Patriots team got killed by the Bears in SuperBowl XX 46-10 and if all goes well, the same outcome will happen to the Giants again this year.
• Also, for those who want to compare this Giants team with the squad that upset the Bills and their vaunted offense in Superbowl XXV; remember Bill Belichick was with that Giants team in 1990 but he's not with them now in 2007.

Bolts upset Colts - God Bless Billy Voleck

What a stunner or as we say in Boston…'a shockah'! With many of their top players out in the second half, the San Diego Chargers still managed to comeback and beat the Colts yesterday in Indy 28-24.

The Chargers must have Indy’s number because with All-Pro RB LaDainian Tomlinson, QB Philip Rivers, FB Lorenzo Neal all out of the game and trailing 24-21 in the 4th quarter, San Diego back-up QB Billy Volek came through and led the Chargers on a 78 yard drive to put them back on top and eventually defeat the favored Colts.

Not sure why Tomlinson and Rivers didn’t come back into the game. They both looked fine walking around the sidelines but seemed more interested in jawing with each other and the Colts’ fans than playing in what could have been their final game of the season. Watching the game with two friends who are lifelong San Diego fans, it seemed like the chances for a Charger upset were vanishing. However, journeyman QB Billy Volek and 5’ 6’’ back-up running back Darren Sproles kept the dream alive.

I don’t want to hear any excuses about the Colts injuries to Dwight Freeney or Marvin Harrison. The Chargers were more depleted. San Diego also had All-Pro TE Antonio Gates banged up, had more sloppy plays and penalties, barely pressured Peyton Manning, and even missed a FG during the game. Besides, let us not forget that last year the Patriots had Rodney Harrison, Richard Seymour, Junior Seau, Lawrence Maroney, and others out when the Colts came back to beat the Pats and go on to win the Superbowl. On top of that, much of the rest of the team had the flu and in the second half they had the inexperienced backfield of Sanders, Hawkins, Baker going up against the vaunted pass attack of the Manning and the Colts. Yet, if Reche Caldwell doesn’t drop a pass in the 4th quarter, the Patriots still hang on to win that game.

Now the Chargers come to Foxboro next Sunday as 15 point underdogs with a chance to go to their first Superbowl and avenge last season’s play-off loss to the Pats in the process. If you’re a Pats’ fan, this is the best news ever! This year Indy was a bigger and faster team than the one that beat the Pats last year in the Championship game and by far the biggest hurdle in getting to back to the Superbowl. Instead, we now host a warm weather team in San Diego that is extremely banged-up and not nearly the threat they were last year when the Pats squeaked by them in the playoffs.

On the NFC side, the New York ‘football’ Giants upset the Dallas Cowboys thus eliminating yet another major Superbowl threat for the Patriots. So now it’s Eli Manning in a Championship game next week and not his brother Peyton.

What a shockah!