The Super Bowl Blog

Pre-game

I’m sitting in the newsroom getting ready to watch the big game. I’m wearing the same thing I wear every week during football season: Kellen Winslow jersey, Brown’s hoody, backwards Kent State hat and blue jeans.

I can’t tell you how sad I am that this is the final game of the year. I watched old football highlights all week on ESPN because this is the last time until August that I will get to watch another NFL game (No, the Pro Bowl does not count).

I love LeBron, I love the Cleveland Indians, but you cannot get any better than the NFL. There isn’t a single game that doesn’t matter. I already miss the Browns.

6:00-We get the first NASCAR ad of the day. To me, NASCAR is like that long-term relationship that suddenly gets boring. You realize you waste entire days with it, and it is time to move on.

The best the NFL’s best, current and former, are reading the Declaration of Independence. Don’t forget to vote.

6:05-Welcome in with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman. I love Joe Buck. He’s a great football announcer. He keeps the pace of the game, he’s intelligent, uses good grammar and he’s funny.

But every night I go to bed dreaming that Gus Johnson will be the announcer for the Super Bowl someday. I mean, could you imagine the enthusiasm he brings to the first two rounds of March Madness and low-level NFL games transferring over to the biggest sporting event of the year. Someday, a network executive will realize that the same guys who announced in the 1980s should not announce in 2008.

I just saw the commercial for the new MAC computer. I love that song, apparently her name is Yaelnail, and what gets you pumped up more for NFL football than cute female songs.

6:13 OK, so the teams are doing the whole enter as a team garbage. I hate that. It kills that part of me that is my childhood. I’ll never forget my brother and I booing the players we hated (John Elway, anyone on the Cowboys, Go Bills). What I’m saying is, stop ruining future generations of children from writing a live blog about booing players when they were kids because of your stupid mentalities. With that said, why does the pregame still take forever even when the players come out as a team.

6:15 This might be embarrassing, but I defiantly thought Jordan Sparks was a boy. Maybe I should watch more reality shows and less classic NFL games.

6;17 Matt Hasselback’s NFL Super Bowl commercial is on, I voted for the Josh Cribbs commercial.

6:19 OK, Jordan Sparks did a good job, boy or girl.

6:20 Either the computer clock is four minutes slow or the clock on this wall is four minutes fast.

6:22 Commercials, cannot get the Yaelnail song out of my head. The Pro Bowl next week. You already know my opinion on it, but it is awesome to have three Golden Flashes going.

6:24 The roof is going to stay closed. I hate this stadium. If was the NFL commissioner, the first thing I would do is make roofs over football stadiums illegal. It’s ARIZONA! Why do they need a roof, to cover the rain and snow that never happens. These stadiums: Arizona, Detriot and Houston, are terrible. It is so unfriendly and it is not a place for fans to develop a great atmosphere. Give me Quest Field in Seattle any day.

6:27 The Giants won the toss and will receive. A lot of people just started losing a lot of money.

The one thing I hate about Super Bowl Sunday is that stupid square game. I always had to explain to grandma the seven ways that the team could get a six on the second number in the second quarter.

6:30 It’s kickoff, come back at the end of the first to get more insight.

First Quarter

So far, Eli Manning looks good, the Giants get a Field Goal. Umm.hasn’t that failed every time it happened in the playoffs. You cannot match this team field goal for touchdown.

Troy Aikman agreed after commercial. Speaking of which, the Bud Light and NFL Sunday commercials were kind of lame.

There is something about this Steve Spagnola that just says, “hire me to be your head coach.” Him and Josh McDaniels. (Note: Josh McDaniels went to the same high school as me and played quarterback when I was in elementary school dreaming of being a QB.

The Pats are going to score. God, I love Wes Welker and Tom Brady. I think the three of us should hang out, wear matching scarfs and try to pick up chicks some Kent State weekend. I wonder how much money I would have to pay them.

The Patriots are driving, incomplete on third down, but wait, pass interference. I am originally convinced the fix is in, but after looking at the replay, it was interference.

So, will the blog include a first-quarter touchdown? No!, no it will not.

So far I don’t like the commercials or the Giants defense, will the route be on, will we have to look at Akron, I don’t know yet, but come back at halftime to find out.

Second Quarter

OK, so there is the U of Akron. What’s worse, Bellichick getting another ring or having to look at Akron promote itself.

Touchdown Pats! Maroney. Remember when the Pats didn’t have a running game, me neither.

Derek Jeter commercial. When I watch Jeter now, I feel bad for hating him while the Yankees won the World Series. He is probably one of the top baseball players we have to watch, and I am going to miss him a lot when he is gone.

14:40 left-Pats kick it out of bounds, and John Kasay has a terrible flashback.

A few minutes later, Kasay is in the psych ward.

There is Giesel, Jenny McCartney and Pam Anderson. Now why would FOX, during something that all the men in the world watch, cut to those three ladies?

I’m not sure what channel the Pro Bowl is on? Could someone please tell me?

14:04 left- Is the Toomer catch going to be the game’s best play.watching the replay I’d say yes.

Watching another replay, I’d still say yes.

The Giants need to get a touchdown now. But wait, a delay of game, it’s not like they had two weeks to figure this out.

Interception! The Pats get the ball back, maybe you can start on your homework early tonight kids.

The Patriots punt, sorry for the blowout prediction.

Somebody just asked me who I wanted to win. I thought about, and as long as the Browns are not playing I don’t care. Unless, of course, if the Steelers, Bengals or Ravens are playing, then I want their opponent to win.

Patriots have the ball again, and Brady goes down. I love Justin Tuck, he’s such an unusual player who can play any position on the front four.

Is Steve Neal hurt? Can you say difference maker.

No! No! No! No! It’s Carlos Mencia! Why would Bud Light continue with this jerk. He’s not funny and he steals joke. I’m drinking a Miller for spite now.

Under two minutes and the Giants have to punt again. If they cannot take advantage of this field position, then how are they going to win this game.

Brady has three timeouts to get at least 50 yards and three points. I think he can do it.

Incompletion and a sack, Giants take a timeout and I am starting to think I was wrong. Maybe the Giants can score.

Ok, Stallworth gets a first down. Maybe I was right the first time.

Are you ready for Tom Petty.I am.

Randy Moss playing DB on this last play is the coolest thing I’ve seen so far this game.

It’s halftime, it’s 7-3 Patriots. The fans seem to be pro-Giants through the first half, how will that affect the second half.

Halftime

When I think of Super Bowl halftimes, the one I think about is Super Bowl IV. A live elephant was on the field and it ruined the surface for the second half.

So far, so good for Tom Petty. I love Petty. I love his music. He isn’t near the top 25 most played on my iPod, but Petty is good.

I’m disappointed he hasn’t played “Last Dance with Mary Jane,” or “Roll Another Joint,” though.

I wished I would have betted. I knew “Runaway” would be the last song.

As soon as my Wendy’s chicken nuggets came I see a commercial for Kent State. Excellence in Education. My favorite Kent State commercial involves a photography major I’ve never seen inside TAYLOR HALL. We aren’t there anymore, let’s get a new commercial Kent.

Well I see players again, so the second half must be ready to start. By the way, what channel is the Pro Bowl on? I really want to watch Josh Cribbs.

Third Quarter

If you had 11 minutes left in the third, then you win the “When’s the first challenge going to happen?” poll.

Another round of lame commercials seem to be getting us through this challenge. I don’t like the near killing of Richard Simmons.

The Patriots had 12 men on the field. The Giants are leading in the challenge battle.

Third Down and Kevin Faulk gets the first. Wow, maybe this will be the best play of the game with all due respect to Amani Toomer.

With that said, Faulk is hurt and the Giants have the ball.

Tom Brady is going to hurt, a lot, after the game. It’s OK, he has a hot model girlfriend.

Doesn’t this game have that Madden feel to it. You are the best team, and some team who shouldn’t be able to beat you is playing with you. You always have a feeling the computer is going to throw that freak touchdown. When will Manning throw that freak touchdown?

Not this drive because the Patriots got the ball back.

I don’t know what you think, but this has been a boring quarter.

Brady goes deep, but Moss isn’t even close.

It’s 7-3, fourth down and the Patriots have to punt. I don’t know about you, but I have a feeling an upset is coming. Keep watching history.

O No! O No! Big play by Kevin Boss. I wish my last name was Boss. Jeff Boss.

Wait! The Giants score! The Giants score! Oh my. This is shaping up to be the best 11 minutes of football this season.

Penalty and punt. Could the Giants be playing any more alive right now.

The most fasinating thing about this Super Bowl is that, fan or not, the Patriots are not the favorite in this room. Everyone seems to be cheering for the Giants. I don’t know if it’s because of Bellichick, spygate or the pursuit of perfection, but everyone is cheering for the Giants in this room.

Ok I must buy a fiesta platter from Taco Bell right now.

Giants, hear is the thing: You are up 3 with nine minutes left, run some clock, get some points.

Not going to do that with an incompletion to Burress that would be big, big play.

Or a three-and-out.

Now let’s see if the Giants can hold the Patriots. I usually hate punting, but I like this punt right here.

And what do you know? The Patriots are moving the ball down the field.

But wait, are they stalling? It’s 3rd and 3. I don’t think I have been this excited at the end of a game in a while.

Touchdown Patriots. Doesn’t it have to end this way for Brady.

Anyway. The Giants have two-and-half minutes to make their own history. I never wanted Peyton Manning to have the ball in this scenario, but what about Eli? This is his best chance to get his own room at Archie’s house.

This is the best scenario I’ve seen in a Super Bowl in a long time.

So far, so good. A first down.

I have a question for Mike Patrick, What is Brittany doing with her life? (go on youtube to find the answer).

I want to rip on the announcers, I really do, but I can’t, Buck and Aikman have been their usual solid selves tonight.

Here we go, a Victoria’s Secret commercial. Suddenly the men in the room are silent. Let the real games begin.o yeah.

First Akron, then Carlos Mencia and now Big Ben, I’m starting to hate these commercials.

Ok, here we go. Two minutes for Manning to make history. He will never have to buy a beer in America again if they shock the Pats. The way I see it, they have two plays to make ten yards.

Well they need to go for it. I’m glad Aikman would go for it on fourth and inches under two minutes.

First down Giants, can you spell upset.

David Tyree, what else can I say. I was wrong about the Faulk and Toomer catches.

Wait a minute, wait a minute, the Giants might win this thing.

The persuit of perfection may come to an end.

Don’t give them time, don’t give them time.

Touchdown Giants Burress!

Is :35 too much.

No! It isn’t, an instant classic.

So the Giants win the Super Bowl. Would anyone believe that. I love this Giants team, even Burress. The real question: Is Tom Coughlin a hall of famer? If Bill Cowher is, maybe he is now. He’s won a Super Bowl, coached a long time and had the classic upset.

What about the Patriots? Being the worst 18-1 team is not something you put on your resume, but when I’m old, I will always tell my kids about the night the Patriots lost their first game in Super Bowl XLII.

I couldn’t have picked a better game to blog. Now, stay tuned for my House blog.