Off and Running…
By Blue-Blooded
Hello from sunny California! I’ve been living out here for several months now, and in doing so, can fully appreciate what winning a Super Bowl can do for a team’s notoriety. I drove here cross-country last February with a friend, donning my “official” Super Bowl XLII Champions hat the entire time, and must have conversed with people in about five or six different states about how the most recent Super Bowl was probably the greatest ever played. As an aside, how cool is the hat? I mean, obviously there’s the part in front indicating the fact that we indeed are the defending Super Bowl champions, but I mean in back. You know, where it says “We wanted it more” on the Velcro strap? We sure did.
I must have worn every piece of “Super Bowl Champion New York Giants” gear I owned over and over for months – having to constantly pinch myself was getting both painful and irritating. Not to mention I almost immediately went online last February and ordered a new subscription to Sports Illustrated, and not at all for the magazine. Don’t get me wrong – it’s a great magazine and I always get a kick out of the “this week’s sign of the apocalypse” piece – no, I did it for the commemorative hardcover season recap, the commemorative Super Bowl Champions football, the framed Super Bowl Champions SI cover, and, of course, the DVD. I’ve watched that DVD at least ten times from start to finish, and still watch it just for fun. Plus, the new “America’s Game” episode, featuring our 2007 New York Giants, recently premiered on NFL Network. Finally. It was awesome. We’re living history - not just the Giants’ history, but football history.
Now we find ourselves 1-0, heading back onto the road in the in the early stages of a fresh, new season. No Shockey, no Strahan, no Osi. No problem. Our defense looked just fine last Thursday, and, minus a couple errant passes and stalled drives, so did the offense. A few people were worried about our tight end run blocking capability with Shockey gone. Not so much. Every running back we used did great, and our most explosive weapon hasn’t even been unleashed yet out of the backfield. This terrific example of team depth only confirms my newfound philosophy - until he goes a season as our GM without winning a Super Bowl, I really don’t see how anyone can doubt the decision-making of Jerry Reese. If you’re honestly still that upset about it, go pick yourself a copy of Madden 09 – we still have Strahan, Shockey, and a healthy Osi – and play vicariously.
By the way, did anyone else think it was cool that, for a while there over the weekend, Eli Manning was leading the league in rushing touchdowns?
I have to say I was a little nervous going into the game Thursday night. Having moved to Culver City, California, the whole ritual I had going last season was obviously going to be lost. When the game began, and Eli led that near-perfect touchdown drive, I was by myself on the couch in my condo. Eventually, my roommate came back, and that’s when the drives turned into just field goals. I asked him to stand up when they were on offense (just offense, I was the one standing when they were playing defense), but he was having no part of it. I guess not everyone fully appreciates the importance of superstition. However, the defense played great, and we hung on for the win.
Last season, Eli had a four-touchdown passing game and we lost. This year, he opened up with no touchdown passes, one interception, and we won. I’ll take the win. If Giants fans can take anything from last season, they can take the fact that a win is a win, even if it’s an ugly one. All that matters is having enough W’s come playoff time.
So stop worrying, and start getting excited! Football season is once again upon us! For the next few months, we will all have an excuse to not have to do anything on Sundays except to sit in front of the TV and scream like maniacs. Well, that’s my rationale anyway. Also, and I in no way mean this in any disprespect to Tom Brady, it seems like fate has decided to keep the curse of the Super Bowl losers going for one more year. Anyway, it’s time for Big Blue to get our road game swagger back into full gear. Look out, St. Louis. Go G-MEN!
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