02/08/08
The sports world was granted a gem on Sunday when the undefeated New England Patriots and underdog New York Giants took the field.
The entire Super Bowl experience was of high quality in all actuality. At halftime, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers reaffirmed their place in rock ‘n’ roll’s elite, and in the end, the Giants established themselves as heroes in the greatest underdog story of quite some time.
The Giants’ defense took on the tough task of slowing an incredible Patriot offensive attack with swagger. The G-men put pressure on Tom Brady many times, and this had tremendous effects. Brady was never completely comfortable, and that explains the lack of accuracy that is usually so consistent.
Unlike his brother, who didn’t complete a pass in the fourth quarter in last year’s Super Bowl, Eli Manning did deserve to be MVP of the game. New York had several players make huge contributions, including defensive ends Michael Strahan and Justin Tuck and wide receivers Steve Smith and David Tyree, who possibly made the greatest catch of all-time, but Manning’s composure and ability to avoid being sacked was really impressive.
Seriously though, Tyree’s mid-air catch by trapping the ball on his helmet was an “Angels in the Outfield,” how-did-he-do-that moment that will never be forgotten.
It was announced that this Super Bowl was the most watched of all time. People tuned in at an amount that compared to the “M*A*S*H” television show finale. Are you kidding me? A football fan simply can’t ask for much more, except for next season to get here.