Super Bowl Analysis

Woohoo! Victory for the New York Giants!

This year, there was division in the Cherri household. My dear husband was rooting for the New England Patriots and I was rooting for the New York Giants. Why? Well, for one, the Colts were out--Eli Manning is sort of the next best thing. Also, I've liked Tom Brady less and less with each passing year. It seems like the fame and winning has gone to his head. He always comes across as such a laid-back, team-player guy in the media. But last night he showed his true colors when he sulked, pouted and yelled at teammates after botched plays. What a whiny baby--I guess three Superbowls just aren't enough for him.

The New York Giants, on the other hand, lost teammates to injury, started the season 0-2 and had to overcome the "underdog" label in nearly every game they played this season. And last night, they were nearly flawless as a team. I was so surprised that by the 4th quarter, the scores were so low and close. I fully (sorry, Eli and the guys) expected the Patriots to get on a roll early on and just blow the Giants out the water. But I still hoped that the Giants would manage to pull out a huge upset.

The game was not won solely with stellar offense, though both teams played well. It was mostly decided by the steadfastness of both defenses. With so much attention in recent years on offensive lines, quarterbacks and star wide receivers or running backs, it was refreshing to see so much contribution to a meaningful win from the defense. In the first three quarters, neither Manning nor Brady really gave us much of a show--they kept getting rushed and sacked by determined defensive players.

Then, when it really came crunch time, it was Eli Manning and his offensive line with an amazing series that led to that final touchdown. Truly, a thing of beauty!

Congratulations, Giants! You deserve every bit of this one!