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The time is almost upon us. The most hyped up sporting event there is draws closer and closer. The day when companies will spend more on advertising then any other single day of the entire year. The Super Bowl. Where tickets are currently reselling at an average price of $4,300 per ticket, hitting as high as $19,446.
Is it the best sporting event in the world? That's a question for another day. Today we will look deeply into Super Bowl XLll (42 if you don't know roman numerals).
The biggest question that remains regarding this match-up is pretty simple: Do the Giants even have a chance at defeating the New England Patriots, who have a record of 18-0 this season coming into the game? The only way to answer that question is to break down some specifics. Here goes:
Comparing Tom Brady to Eli Manning is like comparing a Ferrari to a Toyota Corolla; the Corolla is a good car and all, but I think if given the option, just about everyone would go with the Ferarri. I mean no disrespect towards Eli Manning, but Tom Brady plays football at a level that hasn't been named yet. It's not elite. It's better.
This will be the Patriots 4th Super Bowl in 7 seasons. Tom Brady has been the commanding general for all four and has been superb in finding ways to get his team to win. Any thought that this boot on his foot you've seen lately will have any affect on his game next Sunday should just be dismissed now.
Advantage: Brady of course.
The running backs breakdown is not so cut and dry. Laurence Maroney, after having an abysmal season for about 3/4 of this past year, has started to come into his own on the field.
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Re: Super Bowl XLII: As I See It
By knicksfanjhb, January 30, 2008 at 12:55One thing I would like to add, however, has to do with football itself as a sport. Sports as a whole are probably the most important thing in my life. I think about them all day and want to watch them all night. It's just how I am. Being such a big fan of sports in general, I do have to disagree that american football is overrated. I find it to be the best sport being played in this country to this day. To me, there is a very strong appeal to having all of this buildup each week for one day. Each of the 16 games played is incredibly important, kind of like college football (but not AS important). There is so much to that goes into every game that the average viewer doesn't realize. It is the epitome of a team sport. The quarterback can not have time to throw if his offensive line doesn't hold back the defensive line. The wide receiver cannot catch a ball if the quarterback doesn't have time to throw it. The quarterback cannot get the ball to the receiver if he doesn't find a way to get open. This is the type of sequence of events that goes on all game. It's one large team event that is every bit of a chess match as any other sport out there. These are the reasons Americans obsess over "football"
I do happen to think that the Super Bowl itself, however, is the most overrated and over-hyped sporting event in the history of sporting events. There is too much hype. Too much build up. The game is almost ALWAYS a letdown because it can't possibly live up to the hype surrounding it. But all in all, I wouldn't trade football on Sundays for anything in the world.
Re: Super Bowl XLII: As I See It
By Brandon, January 29, 2008 at 13:25I agree with your analyses but they stop short. Secondary and defensive line mean as much as the receiving core and running games against which they defend. Here Bellichick's dominance is most prevalent.
I like Tom Coughlin; I think he faces undue criticism in NYC (who doesn't!). And I agree that the Giants can pressure Tom Brady, but I have to say that the X-Factor here is Bellichick. The man knows his football; he beat the giants in week 17 and he'll beat them again. He'll have his team ready with plays that can't be predicted, with defensive strategies that nullify Eli's existence and he'll have his secondary wrap up Burress like a fajita. The defensive line will continue to stop the run -- if Jacksonville couldn't run against them with their one-two-three running punch then what chance do the Giants have?
New England 31 - New York 17
Re: Super Bowl XLII: As I See It
By Ankenbrand, January 30, 2008 at 10:22Jürgen Ankenbrand
Not beinh American born, I feel "football" is way over rated as a sport.
Other than teh US there are only a very few countrie sthat play this sport.
Other world wide known sports like soccer, tennis and certainly the olympics receice in contrast much less coverage.
Could it be that if the US does not have many or even any participants it will not cover such events?
Could it be that teh american public really only cares about most or even any sport if Americans participate? I have a feeling that this is the case. If so, the media does not cover such events when it feels that american viewers won't watch an dtherefore cannot make any money by airing such events.
If that's the case, any sports, at least in this country, really comes down to financial gains and trhat is a crying shame. To me that indicates that teh american public is very shallow and cares little abpout the woorld and only is interested in how americvan athletes do.
I think the public, in doing so, deprives itself of many other interesting sports and shows tunnel vison n it's interests.
This fact has always boteherd me since living here, that "none-american" sports or events without american participation gets hardly any, if any at all, coverage in the US media. It's almost like sayinmg, we don't care what the rest of teh world does or care what other athlets have accopmplished iof they are not american.
These comments may niot be a popular view but I have heard them from amny other none american people living here in the US.
Jurgen Ankenbrand
Re: Super Bowl XLII: As I See It
By knicksfanjhb, January 30, 2008 at 12:50I have to completely agree with you Jurgen. I do believe that it is the tendency of the American public, or more so the American media, to ignore those sports that are not very big in the United States. As a soccer player growing up and a fan of the sport to this day, I wish that it would become more mainstream in this country. The only time soccer becomes a topic of discussion is if the US team is in the World Cup. If not, it is almost as if the sport does not exist, which is a shame. It is probably the largest or if not the second largest worldwide sport out there, and the average American wouldn't stop to watch it for 30 seconds.
I do not know what the remedy is for such close-mindedness. If there is one, I hope it comes out eventually, because it's probably safe to say it's quite laughable from the outside looking in.