Hardball Heaven

Finally, the national press is starting to come around to the notion that this two-week break thing really hurts the Giants' momentum. I've said all along that this team is on an incredible roll - ala the 2001 Super Bowl champ Patriots - and unlike that Pats team, the Giants have to take a week off and then rev up the engine again. In 2001, remember (actually, February 2002), it was only a one-week break between the championship games and the Super Bowl due to scheduling changes from the September 11 tragedy, and the Patriots just kept humming along. I'm not saying it's the sole factor why the Pats will win, but I do think it's a worthy one. Sports Illustrated's Don Banks - who makes a good case for why the Pats will go 19-0 - agrees.

Speaking of SI, which is a sad skeleton of what it once was back in the day, the increasingly irrelevant Dr. Z made his Super Bowl pick last week and went with the Giants in an upset. First of all, having Eli Manning on the cover of SI with Dr. Z's latest prediction should put smiles on all Pats' fans faces. What's not mentioned is that Dr. Z took every chance he could this year to rub it in Belichick's face about the camera thing, even though it became clear as the year went on that it was a stupid, minor infraction that many coaches commit. Just another media member with an axe to grind.

Speaking of Eli, I truly think his carriage turns back into a pumpkin next Sunday. I fully respect what he's done, and I think he may get to a few more Super Bowls, but the lights will be shining bright for this one and he's never been under that kind of glare before. Nothing - absolutely nothing - he's encountered in New York is even close. That said, it is pretty amazing to think that two brothers will be the starting QB in two consecutive Super Bowls. Not too bad, Archie. And mom, of course. But where were you when they agreed to do that ridiculously queer Oreo-licking commercial?

I understand that Junior Seau is the motivational speaker in the Pats' locker room, but he really shouldn't be allowed near a microphone. He led the fans in some sort of chant today at the Pats' Gillette Stadium send-off, and it was, ah, a little awkward.

All eyes were on Tom Brady at the send-off. He showed up looking like his typical GQ self, without the ankle boot. He looked like he was walking okay. No worries whatsoever.

I'm starting to think that Bob Kraft just sounds like he's always drunk.

Chuck Klosterman's a talented writer, but he lost me on this one... huh?

Have I mentioned how much I absolutely looove the NFL Network? Saw little highlight packages of all the Super Bowls over the past couple of days, and earlier today, they replayed the Pats-Giants season finale in its entirety. The kick return for a TD by the Giants was an anomaly, and the Brady to Moss recordbreaking pass gave me goosebumps all over again. I love how Brady went right back to Moss after he had underthrown him on the prior play. And the image of his o-linemen jumping around with Brady was pretty cool.

I know this is always a week of big hype, but something tells me this is going to be bigger than ever before. History is on the line, after all, and it's Boston vs. New York once again.

Wouldn't you love to have been a fly on the wall when Belichick was reviewing the film from the Giants' game, and formulating his strategy for the second time around? One thing's for sure - they're going to attack the weakass Giants secondary again and again.

As we do each year around this time, it's only fitting that we give thanks to Mo Lewis.

Check back for daily updates during what promises to be a fun week around here. Time for me to go see what's on the NFL Network. Hey, it's been a few hours... I'm getting twitchy.