Hardball Heaven

Pretty weighty headline, no? Weighty being the operative word after strapping on the food bag for the last couple days. Hope everyone had a good Christmas. I know Coach Bill has to be thrilled with the latest SI cover.

We're two days away from the big game in the Meadowlands, where the Patriots of 2007 can take their place in NFL history with a victory over the Giants. All sorts of fascinating angles to this one, with the main question being the approach Tom Coughlin will take regarding his starters. The Jints are already locked into their seeding for the NFC playoffs, and truly have nothing to gain except being remembered for one titanic upset. All signs point to Coughlin playing Manning, Burress, Jacobs, etc., for at least a half, and then resting the horses. It will be verrrrry interesting, however, what they do if they're still in the ballgame at halftime. As for Bill Belichick, really, need you ask? His studs will play the whole game - barring a blowout - in pursuit not only of perfection, but also some lofty individual records (season TD's for both Brady and Moss).

Either way, it's going to be riveting TV, and the NFL announced yesterday that the entire country will have a chance to watch possible history. The game was scheduled to air only on the NFL Network, which is a pay channel on all cable systems. As each week has passed, pressure has been applied to the league and to major cable operators to reach some type of compromise that would allow more fans to see the game. Unable to do so, the league finally stepped in yesterday (after its antitrust exemption status was threatened) and announced that the game will be simulcast on NBC and CBS. It was the right move by the league, and the suits at the two networks must be positively thrilled, what with content lacking due to the ongoing writers' strike. The Patriots have been stacking up huge ratings, and this Saturday night will be the biggest.