Nfl 2011

[R_of_G]

So we've come to this, the Jets' fans least preferred Super Bowl, the hated Patriots versus the other New York football team. Truth be told, unlike many Jets fans (and much to my father's dismay), I have no hatred for the Giants, except when they're the opponent. The Giants happen to be playing some great football right now and I'm enjoying watching them work. I'm hoping Jason Pierre-Paul has many chances to introduce himself to Tom Brady during the Super Bowl.

[Beerman***]

C'mon, who really thought the Giants would be in the SB this year? Anybody?
Props to them, 2 good games yesterday but I'm still bummed about my Saints.

[marnold***]

C'mon, who really thought the Giants would be in the SB this year? Anybody?
Props to them, 2 good games yesterday but I'm still bummed about my Saints.

Of course they, along with last year's Packers, are the reason I always remind people clamoring for replacing the BCS with a playoff that the best team does not always make the championship. A playoff determines the hottest team that made the playoffs.

Did I also hear correctly that the Ravens were the first team the Pats beat with a winning record?

I'll probably be rooting for the Giants (as much as I root for any non-Detroit team, which is very little), although the Michigan man in me still has a soft spot in my heart for Brady.

[R_of_G]

Of course they, along with last year's Packers, are the reason I always remind people clamoring for replacing the BCS with a playoff that the best team does not always make the championship. A playoff determines the hottest team that made the playoffs.

I still think that's the exact point of playoffs, to crown the champion that navigated their way through the tournament. I contend there's no way to determine a "best" team since that's a subjective word. We don't need a "best" team, we need a champion. They can be the same, but they can also be exclusive.

Did I also hear correctly that the Ravens were the first team the Pats beat with a winning record?

Yup. Prior to Sunday, the winningest teams the Patriots beat were the Broncos and Jets, both 8-8.

[Spudman***]

At least it's not like the cycling World Championship. That's determined by a single event. So if the guy that won the Tour of Italy, Tour of France, Tour of Switzerland, Tour of Colorado gets knocked down during the race and some 'no-name' rookie rider crosses the line first, he's then the reigning World Champion regardless if he's won or even placed in a race all season.

At least with football the season record matters.

[R_of_G]

Interesting Spud. I had no idea cycling used such a method to determine a champion. It seems rather arbitrary, have one good day when it matters and you're the champ.

[piebaldpython***]

Interesting Spud. I had no idea cycling used such a method to determine a champion. It seems rather arbitrary, have one good day when it matters and you're the champ.

Isn't that how it is in most sports?? You kick-butt in the World Championships and you DA-MAN for a year; even if you stunk up the joint for the rest of the year.

Same thing with the Olympics......you catch fire at the right-time, you DA-MAN. Likewise, you can tear it up all year long, winning most everything in sight......yet, during the Worlds or Olympics, you have a bad 5 seconds and you're OUTTA THERE.

[R_of_G]

You're exactly right PBP. That's why I find it interesting that so many will use "championship team/athlete" and "best team/athlete" as if they meant the same thing.

[marnold***]

Super Bowl picks from Carl!

[R_of_G]

Is Eli Manning an elite QB yet?

He now has more Super Bowl wins than his brother. More than Brees. More than Rodgers. One more and he ties Brady.

I'd take him on my team in a heartbeat. For all the nonsense we had to endure all year about how Tim Tebow is such a winner and such a clutch player, Eli Manning just showed what clutch really means and he didn't have to rely on the opponent stupidly dropping into a prevent defense to do it.

I will never pass for a Giants' fan, but when it comes to any NY team taking on any Boston team, I'll pull for the hometown every time.

[marnold***]

Is Eli Manning an elite QB yet?.

I thought he was before the game. This cements it. Maybe one day my Lions can do that...

[duhvoodooman***]

[piebaldpython***]

This certainly cements it for Manning. Pretty good game........lame performance by Madonna. Another old geezer act brought in for SB. UGH! If she would have put as much energy into her singing as she did "giving the finger" and cursing, it might have been tolerable.

[marnold***]

UGH! If she would have put as much energy into her singing as she did "giving the finger" and cursing, it might have been tolerable.

Actually that was MIA (whoever that is), not Madonna who did that. Madonna was the one falling off the bleachers. If she would have brained herself it would at least have been entertaining. I suppose it is better than having Up With People again--if only barely. They might actually have don't their own singing, though.

[R_of_G]

Actually that was MIA (whoever that is), not Madonna who did that. Madonna was the one falling off the bleachers. If she would have brained herself it would at least have been entertaining. I suppose it is better than having Up With People again--if only barely. They might actually have don't their own singing, though.

The only tolerable thing to me about MIA is that she runs her own record label, which is currently the home of Sleigh Bells. Last night was the first time I'd ever heard her "perform" and she was pretty much as awful as I assumed she'd be based on the acts with whom I always hear her associated.

I think they should do away with the halftime shows altogether. Tom Coughlin commented in his post-game interview with ESPN that the length of the Super Bowl halftime is difficult for a coach to overcome when trying to motivate his team for the second half. He said he gave his rah-rah speech and then realized they still had 25 minutes to kill. If they want to have a famous act come out and lip sync a hit or two that's fine, but keep halftime to the same 15 minutes it is for every other game in the season.

[NWBasser]

I pretty much always skip the halftime show (exception was The Who because Pino Palladino was on bass).

I'll spend that time mixing drinks, playing bass, eating, or some other semi-productive endeavor.

I've found it to work out best that way. I even missed what's-her-name's wardrobe malfunction some years back.

[R_of_G]

I pretty much always skip the halftime show (exception was The Who because Pino Palladino was on bass).

I'll spend that time mixing drinks, playing bass, eating, or some other semi-productive endeavor.

I've found it to work out best that way. I even missed what's-her-name's wardrobe malfunction some years back.

I usually skip it as well, though I tuned in for Prince a few year's back because you know, it's Prince. Last night I watched it pretty much solely to live tweet jokes about how awful it was.

[sunvalleylaw]

The halftime show is not about football fans. It is to draw the people that don't care about football, but maybe want to check out the ads, etc. Thus, the mediocre, middle of the road, entertainment choices that often are made. The Prince show a couple years ago was pretty darned good though. And U2 was ok. I personally would like to see the Foo Fighters rock a real live show. I bet they could pull it off. And pick songs that would fit the demographic.

[Commodore 64***]

I expected to hate the halftime show. Instead all I could think about was how much I'd like to .....that 55 year old woman.