AS THE WEALTHIER GIANTS FANS AMONG US PACK FOR A PARTY IN INDIANAPOLIS, THE REST OF US GEAR UP FOR A MOST UNLIKELY SURPRISE.
THE GIANTS WILL PLAY IN SUPERBOWL 46!
WHAT A PRO FOOTBALL SEASON THIS YEAR! AFTER MONTHS OF NOT KNOWING IF WE’D EVEN HAVE FOOTBALL DUE TO A LOCKOUT THAT SEEMED LONG (UNTIL THE NBA SHOWED US JUST HOW LONG ONE COULD GET), WE GOT A ROLLER-COASTER RIDE THAT KEPT US GUESSING EACH WEEK.
THE “SPORTING NEWS” 2011 FOOTBALL ANNUAL ACTUALLY PICKED THE NEW YORK JETS TO REPRESENT THE AFC WITH THE DALLAS COWBOYS TAKING THE NFC’S SIDE FOR THIS YEARS BIG GAME. BOTH TEAMS FOLDED RELATIVELY EARLY DESPITE HIGHLIGHTS AT VARIOUS TIMES DURING THE SEASON.
WHAT WE ENDED WITH WAS A TEAM (THE PATRIOTS) WHO COULD BE EXPECTED TO CONTEND FOR THE SUPERBOWL IN ANY RECENT YEAR. AND WE WOUND UP WITH A TEAM FEW WOULD HAVE PICKED TO BE THERE — OUR GIANTS.
THE GIANTS PLAYED THIS SEASON WITH UPS, DOWNS AND MOSLTLY UNCERTAINTY. FROM UNDERPERFORMING DEFENSIVE EFFORTS, TO RECIEVERS FEW HAD CONFIDENCE IN, THINGS SEEMED TO BE HEADED SOUTH UNTIL THE GIANTS CAUGHT FIRE JUST IN TIME TO SQEAK INTO THE PLAYOFFS. AND BY THE TIME THE 49’ERS WERE WALKING OFF THE FIELD ON JANUARY 22ND, THE GIANTS LOOKED MORE LIKE THE TEAM THE JETS WERE PICKED TO BE AT THE START OF THE SEASON.
THAT’S HOW LIFE WORKS SOMETIMES. WE STRUGGLE AND JUST WHEN THINGS LOOK UP, OTHER OBSTICLES ARISE. HOWEVER TRUE CHAMPIONS KEEP PRESSING ON, EVENTUALLY TAKING THE LEAD WHILE EVERYONE’S LOOKING ELSEWHERE. AND THIS SEASON IT SEEMED THERE WAS ALWAYS SOMEWHERE ELSE TO LOOK:
*FOOTBALL ANALYSTS AND BLOGGERS SPENT THEIR TIME TALKING ABOUT COLT PAYTON MANNING’S INJURED NECK AND MULTIPLE OPERATIONS TO CORRECT IT. ELI, OUTSIDE OF GIANTS FANS, GOT LITTLE ATTENTION UNTIL THE PLAYOFFS.
*THE BRONCOS TIM TEBOW PROVED HE “COULD” PLAY IN THE NFL AND INDEED PLAY VERY WELL. HOWEVER, HIS VERY PUBLIC AND NUMEROUS EXPRESSIONS OF HIS RELIGIOUS FAITH DREW PLNETY OF CONTROVERSY THAT EXTENDED FAR OFF THE FIELD. AMONG THE MANY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE DEBATE INCLUDED A SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE SPOOF IN WHICH JESUS CHRIST PAID A VISIT TO THE BRONCOS LOCKER ROOM DURING A GAME.
*CAM NEWTON BECAME AN NFL STAR OF THE FUTURE IN HIS DEBUT SEASON WITH THE CAROLINA PANTHERS. THE HEISMAN WINNER PUT QUESTIONS TO REST ABOUT HIS ACCURACY, COMITTMENT AND INTEGRITY, SHOWING A VERY MATURE GAME FOR A ROOKIE THAT HAS CAROLNA FANS LOOKING FORWARD TO THE FUTURE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MANY SEASONS.
*IT WAS FUN WATCHING TEAMS USED TO LOSING BEGIN GETTING WINS. MOST NOTABLE WERE THE SAN FRANCISCO 49’ERS, DETROIT LIONS, HOUSTON TEXANS AND CINCINATTI BENGALS.