Ten Semi-Important Super Bowl Developments


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Ten Semi-Important Super Bowl Developments By: Aaron Fischman Ten Story Lines From Super Bowl XLII 1. Finally Bill Belichick has a reason to be grumpy. New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is unique in that his demeanor is the same whether the Patriots win or lose. This season they hadn't lost (until the Super Bowl) yet his moodiness endured. Finally he has something to be grumpy about. 2. Plaxico Burress has become a skinnier version of Broadway Joe. Three days before Super Bowl III, quarterback Joe Namath told a heckler: "We'll win the game. I guarantee you." Broadway Joe was proved correct when his squad defeated the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts 16-7. Plaxico Burress of the Giants was a bit more specific before Super Bowl XLII. "23-17" exclaimed the 6'5" receiver. He did not back down from that statement and neither did his teammates. If the Giants had lost, Plax would have looked like a more-talented version of Freddy Mitchell. 3. Eli Manning jokes are not fashionable anymore. Eli has been mocked at an alarming rate since the beginning of his career. There will always be a fair share of Eli-haters, but now they will not be as vocal. Unfortunately, this also means the bad-mouthing of the Patriots will begin. 4. There will be talk of the end of the Patriots Dynasty. Talk of the end of a Patriot Dynasty is premature. The Pats are still the most talented team, position by position. They are also the best-coached team in the league. 5. Coaching guru Bill Belichick will not be exempt from criticism. Belichick is a coaching genius; there's no denying that. But he did make a bonehead decision. Belichick's arrogance factored in when the Patriots passed the ball on 4th-and-13 from the Giants' 31-yard line with 9:26 left in the third quarter. Rather than attempt a 48-yard field goal, Belichick opted to try a 13-yard play against the best defense in the NFL. If New England had missed the field goal, the Giants' field position would not have been much different. This move by Belichick in the third quarter made absolutely no sense. 6. The Patriots' high-powered offense hurt their kicking game. Because the Patriots were so offensively accomplished this season, kicker Stephen Gostkowski led the league with 74 PATs. However, Gostkowski also attempted only 24 field goals during the season, of which he made 21. His season-long was a 45-yarder, but by all accounts he is capable of making field goals from 50 yards out. A 48-yard try would've been a tough kick for Gostkowski. He may have missed it. But the point is that he should have had the opportunity to try it. If Gostkowski had had more FG attempts during the season, Belichick may have been more comfortable letting him take the kick in the third quarter and the Patriots may have won this Super Bowl. 7. Tom Coughlin fined every single person who was not at least 5 minutes early to the victory parade. Last season Tom Coughlin was fining players for not arriving to practice five minutes early. He has eased up by leaps and bounds since then but I wouldn't be surprised if late fines for the parade actually happened. I want to hear from those who attended the parade. Did Coughlin fine the late-comers? If so, what did he do with the money? Did it go to Tiki Barber's retirement fund? Nevermind that. Those two despise each other and Tiki doesn't need the money anyway. 8. WR David Tyree definitely ate his pre-game Wheaties before the big game. Tyree had all of 4 catches all season. Then he exploded for 3 catches in the Super Bowl (two of which were crucial receptions). Tyree caught a 5-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to give the Giants a 10-7 lead. Then he made that acrobatic, over-the-head catch on 3rd-and-5 when Eli should have been sacked. That amazing catch advanced the ball to the Patriots' 24-yard line and led to the eventual game-winning score by Plaxico Burress. What I want to know is this: 1) Where was David Tyree all season? and 2) How did he catch that damn ball? 9. Jessica Simpson Curse? No. Gisele Bundchen is the biggest jinx of them all. The girlfriend jinx is completely and utterly ridiculous; I just wanted to let Jessica off the hook. Tom Brady's girlfriend Gisele was in attendance for the only game that the Patriots lost all season. Plus, unlike Gisele, Jessica Simpson is actually talented (which is another reason to give her a free pass). And no, I'm not talking about her acting skills. 10. Now Cooper Manning is expected to win a Super Bowl ring. Cooper is the oldest Manning brother and also the only one not to win a Super Bowl. But leave Cooper alone! He was a standout receiver in high school who was recruited by Texas, Virginia and Ole Miss but had to retire from football because of spinal stenosis. This rare disease is actually more common in older males (40-60 years old). But Connor is accustomed to living the disease. He is a successful business trader and gets to spend a lot more time with his family than Eli and Peyton.

Ten Story Lines From Super Bowl XLII

1. Finally Bill Belichick has a reason to be grumpy.

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick is unique in that his demeanor is the same whether the Patriots win or lose. This season they hadn't lost (until the Super Bowl) yet his moodiness endured. Finally he has something to be grumpy about.

2. Plaxico Burress has become a skinnier version of Broadway Joe.

Three days before Super Bowl III, quarterback Joe Namath told a heckler: "We'll win the game. I guarantee you." Broadway Joe was proved correct when his squad defeated the heavily-favored Baltimore Colts 16-7. Plaxico Burress of the Giants was a bit more specific before Super Bowl XLII. "23-17" exclaimed the 6'5" receiver. He did not back down from that statement and neither did his teammates. If the Giants had lost, Plax would have looked like a more-talented version of Freddy Mitchell.

3. Eli Manning jokes are not fashionable anymore.

Eli has been mocked at an alarming rate since the beginning of his career. There will always be a fair share of Eli-haters, but now they will not be as vocal. Unfortunately, this also means the bad-mouthing of the Patriots will begin.

4. There will be talk of the end of the Patriots Dynasty.

Talk of the end of a Patriot Dynasty is premature. The Pats are still the most talented team, position by position. They are also the best-coached team in the league.

5. Coaching guru Bill Belichick will not be exempt from criticism.

Belichick is a coaching genius; there's no denying that. But he did make a bonehead decision. Belichick's arrogance factored in when the Patriots passed the ball on 4th-and-13 from the Giants' 31-yard line with 9:26 left in the third quarter. Rather than attempt a 48-yard field goal, Belichick opted to try a 13-yard play against the best defense in the NFL. If New England had missed the field goal, the Giants' field position would not have been much different. This move by Belichick in the third quarter made absolutely no sense.

6. The Patriots' high-powered offense hurt their kicking game.

Because the Patriots were so offensively accomplished this season, kicker Stephen Gostkowski led the league with 74 PATs. However, Gostkowski also attempted only 24 field goals during the season, of which he made 21. His season-long was a 45-yarder, but by all accounts he is capable of making field goals from 50 yards out. A 48-yard try would've been a tough kick for Gostkowski. He may have missed it. But the point is that he should have had the opportunity to try it. If Gostkowski had had more FG attempts during the season, Belichick may have been more comfortable letting him take the kick in the third quarter and the Patriots may have won this Super Bowl.

7. Tom Coughlin fined every single person who was not at least 5 minutes early to the victory parade.

Last season Tom Coughlin was fining players for not arriving to practice five minutes early. He has eased up by leaps and bounds since then but I wouldn't be surprised if late fines for the parade actually happened. I want to hear from those who attended the parade. Did Coughlin fine the late-comers? If so, what did he do with the money? Did it go to Tiki Barber's retirement fund? Nevermind that. Those two despise each other and Tiki doesn't need the money anyway.

8. WR David Tyree definitely ate his pre-game Wheaties before the big game.

Tyree had all of 4 catches all season. Then he exploded for 3 catches in the Super Bowl (two of which were crucial receptions). Tyree caught a 5-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter to give the Giants a 10-7 lead. Then he made that acrobatic, over-the-head catch on 3rd-and-5 when Eli should have been sacked. That amazing catch advanced the ball to the Patriots' 24-yard line and led to the eventual game-winning score by Plaxico Burress. What I want to know is this: 1) Where was David Tyree all season? and 2) How did he catch that damn ball?

9. Jessica Simpson Curse? No. Gisele Bundchen is the biggest jinx of them all.

The girlfriend jinx is completely and utterly ridiculous; I just wanted to let Jessica off the hook. Tom Brady's girlfriend Gisele was in attendance for the only game that the Patriots lost all season. Plus, unlike Gisele, Jessica Simpson is actually talented (which is another reason to give her a free pass). And no, I'm not talking about her acting skills.

10. Now Cooper Manning is expected to win a Super Bowl ring.

Cooper is the oldest Manning brother and also the only one not to win a Super Bowl. But leave Cooper alone! He was a standout receiver in high school who was recruited by Texas, Virginia and Ole Miss but had to retire from football because of spinal stenosis. This rare disease is actually more common in older males (40-60 years old). But Connor is accustomed to living the disease. He is a successful business trader and gets to spend a lot more time with his family than Eli and Peyton.