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DEL.ICIO.USTradition says Giants, but Patriots too good
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Furman Bisher
This begins with a confession. I’m an underdog guy. Never pick the favorite. Tiger Woods, Duke basketball, Yankees baseball, the Celtics when Red Auerbach was in the chair, or Jack Nicklaus in his prime. That’s going for the soft landing.
So I sat down to pick the winner of this Super Bowl, and there was no doubt. The Giants. I don’t like picking against the Mannings, anyway. Good family. Fine parents. Solid upbringing. No other family has ever sent three quarterbacks to the NFL, from Archie to Eli. So it was a foregone conclusion, the Giants.
I’d had some luck along this line a long time ago. I was one of five guys who picked the Jets to beat Baltimore in Super Bowl III. It’s registered in the Hall of Fame at Canton. Had nothing to do with football wisdom. Another underdog, just to be different. Not three cheers for Joe Namath.
This time, doing my usual inventory, studying the two quarterbacks, everything kept coming back to Tom Brady. Sixth-round draft choice. Not the same kind of hot-rock as Namath. More I read, more I checked, there was no getting away from Brady, or Bill Belichick. Say what you will, no Belichick, no Patriots in the Super Bowl.
Belichick was bred to coaching. His daddy, Steve, was an assistant at Vanderbilt to Bill Edwards, who became the victim of a war between two sports editors in Nashville. That’s where the baby Belichick was born. Steve eventually landed at the Naval Academy, and young Bill grew up studying football over Steve’s shoulder — scouting, offense, defense, every trick of the trade. As a player, he wasn’t much, a center and tight end at Wesleyan University in Connecticut.
Flash forward: The more I read and heard from these broadcast cats who played it, know it, and babble ceaselessly about the game, you became immersed in Tom Brady-isms. “An off-field extension of Belichick,” I read.
“Brady is playing the quarterback position right now better than anybody I’ve ever seen.” John Madden said that, big blusterer that he is, and it isn’t easy to brush it off.
Something I read of Brady himself caught my eye as well: “I remember sitting up 10 rows from the top of Candlestick Park looking down with binoculars at Joe Montana and Steve Young. I was this kid with a dream, and now, all of a sudden, I’m the one on the field.”
I read on and on until I was overwhelmed about all that supporting cast he has been provided with. Wes Welker, for instance, not 6 feet tall, out of Texas Tech, not known for producing catchers, makes 112 receptions, a “possession” guy, I guess you’d say. Vital to the offense, makes the catch while the defense double-covers Randy Moss. Jabar Gaffney, out of Florida; Kyle, the other Brady, a tight end; Ben Watson, out of Georgia; and as usual, the overlooked fullback, Heath Evans. He came up from Auburn.
You’ve heard it said of these workaholics before: First to get here, last to leave. “He’s here at 6 in the morning and sometimes he’s here until 6 or 7 at night,” Welker told a writer with the bellicose name of Jim Corbett.
I was muddled, but not as much as a writer named Nate Davis. Nate wrote a piece headlined “Why the Giants Will Win,” then on another page picked the Patriots.
You may recall that about a year or so ago, Tom Coughlin was about to get run out of New York. Too tough, a grinder, and who can remember that frostbitten face on the sideline at Green Bay, when the Giants upset Brett Favre. You’ve got to like it that he not just survived, he punched his ticket to Phoenix. This is the kind of guy you’d like to pick. Up from a count of eight, fights back and now has his chance at a knockout. Sorry, I lost my courage. My venturesome spirit has vanished. Patriots, maybe three touchdowns. Selah.
Permalink | Comments (19) | Categories: Falcons / NFL, Furman Bisher
Comments
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By OLD MAN
February 2, 2008 7:22 PM | Link to this
Furman, you had me going there for a minute. I agree with all the things you said about the Giants. Gimme them and the 12 points.
By aalan
February 2, 2008 10:58 PM | Link to this
Patriots by 25. Something like 45 to 20. Really don’t like those guys but they are clearly the best team in football — probably the best team this century.
By The Truth
February 3, 2008 1:14 AM | Link to this
The G-Men will lay down the law to the Pats. I’m watching every wimpy sportwriter pick the pats. What a bunch of lemmings.
Can we change the roman numerals for the Super Bowl to numbers. ie 42nd I mean come on what the hell does XLII mean?
Do we live in Rome? Who the hell counts like this? I can never figure out what Super Bowl these numerals are referring too.
XXVLIIXLV … Get rid of them please
By kenny
February 3, 2008 1:37 AM | Link to this
Patriots by 1 million. I wish it was gonna be a game, as every year.
By old timer
February 3, 2008 8:13 AM | Link to this
the truth, you are right on.TO HELL WITH ROMAN NUMERALS.
By first
February 3, 2008 9:38 AM | Link to this
First!
By Chad
February 3, 2008 10:06 AM | Link to this
Whether the Giants or the Patriots win doesn’t really matter in the long run. If you want to watch football with real substance watch the movie “Facing the Giants”. God bless you all.
By Brendan
February 3, 2008 10:56 AM | Link to this
Patriots 27, Giants 24.
By Daedalus
February 3, 2008 11:52 AM | Link to this
It’s not a matter of liking. It’s a matter of understanding what is happening. After 1945 the element of speed was put to use in sports and the teams that employed it sooner than others substantially benefited. With the Patriots it’s the element of versatility in their game on both sides of the ball. Which team will you be playing? More often than not it depends upon the team that they play. They search for the weakness in the opposition and exploit it by a facet of their own game. You can’t do this unless you’re versatile.
By Gene
February 3, 2008 12:06 PM | Link to this
I was surprised when Belichick picked up Randy Moss, but the coach lost me forever with the spy issue and the way he tried to sidestep it with the press. That activity reminded me of Pat Dye or Barry Switzer. Apparently Belichick didn’t pick up any character from his dad and the Naval Academy. Occasionally emotion can win over talent—like the 91 Braves—and I hope this Superbowl is one of those times. You have got to love Manning’s shyness and sincerity compared to the bluster and trash talk from players like Randy Moss. Like Furman Bisher, I expect to be disappointed.
By Lynn
February 3, 2008 8:05 PM | Link to this
Huh? What trash talk from “players like Randy Moss”??
(sigh)….typical
By Political Foreskin
February 3, 2008 8:44 PM | Link to this
The first half of the Superbowl was exciting. The commercials are a disaster. Tom Petty was cool. 12 men on the field? Idiots.
Now, I was watching Tom Petty, and the camera showed that cool guitar riff on “Running down a dream”, so I reversed the digital box so I could see it again and I’m watching it and drumming with the remote and I accidently hit the channel button and what pops up? The fat chick on “Biggest Loser”. So I dont panic, there’s two tuners on comcast digital boxes, surely the other tuner in on Fox, so I change tuners, and…it’s the same fat chick. That’s it.
Of course, fat chicks, you realize this means war.
By Political Foreskin
February 3, 2008 9:13 PM | Link to this
manning. TOUCHDOWN!
By HOPn
February 3, 2008 11:07 PM | Link to this
18 and… OH, They LOST!!!
By Gene
February 3, 2008 11:14 PM | Link to this
We got another glimpse of Belichick’s character when he ran from the field before the game was over. I hope his dynasty has reached its appropriate ending.
By Singletary
February 4, 2008 12:53 AM | Link to this
Eli gave kudos to Tyree & Burress while receiving the MVP; that was great.
Just have to believe he shoulda/ woulda/coulda said “I’d like to thank the defense, particularly Osi, for keeping us in the game.”
By J. Louise Larson
February 4, 2008 3:51 AM | Link to this
So within three hours of the Giants’ win, major chain hawks a crystal football commemorating their 17-14 upset win of the “perfect” New England Patriots.
http://jlouiselarson.blogspot.com/
By J. Louise Larson
February 4, 2008 3:53 AM | Link to this
So within three hours of the Giants’ win, major chain hawks a crystal football commemorating their 17-14 upset win of the “perfect” New England Patriots.
text to be linked
By J. Louise Larson
February 4, 2008 3:55 AM | Link to this
So within three hours of the Giants’ win, major chain hawks a crystal football commemorating their 17-14 upset win of the “perfect” New England Patriots. [text to be linked] (http://jlouiselarson.blogspot.com/)