2008 Woodie Awards
The Patriots will win the Super Bowl, but they might have to work for it
Jeff Straub
Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: Sports
Ask a person what their favorite day of the year is and they might say Christmas.
Ask a sports fan the same question and they'll probably say Super Bowl Sunday.
It's the pinnacle of football. And this year, more sweet toppings have been added to this super sundae.
The New England Patriots have a chance to win it all without a blemish on their record. They could be the first team ever to win nineteen games in one year and hoist the Lombardi Trophy when it's all said and done.
It's the Pats vs. the Giants. This is Act 2 for both teams after playing a gritty game in December with clutch performances by Tom Brady and Randy Moss. That was when all the talk about achieving perfection really took off. It comes as no surprise that a strong majority of Americans have picked Brady and Co. to win.
Although, if any team out there were capable of knocking off the Pats, it's the Giants. They played them tougher the first time around than any team did all season. They also match up well with the Patriots at several positions.
Brady won MVP for the league, but Eli Manning has come a long way. He has become a cornerstone for that New York franchise. I expect him to compete at a level similar to Brady on Sunday. Both defenses are stout, and there will be guys looking to rain on both quarterback's parades.
The Pat's Adalius Thomas can be an x-factor against the Giants. He's a smart linebacker with great hands and the size of a D-lineman. On the Giant defense, there is no more dominant of a player than Osi Umenyiora. The guy's a freak. It takes him 2.5 seconds to flatten a quarterback from his three-point stance. These types of guys can help swing the momentum in their team's favor.
Both are stocked at wide receiver with Moss at the top for the Pats. Throw in guys like Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress for the G-men and the aerial excitement should rival the Blue Angels.
It sounds funny to say the name Manning for the Super Bowl and not be talking about Peyton. But it's his younger brother Eli who's making all the waves. Can little bro keep the Manning family in the win column for Super Bowls? If he's going to, the Giants have to play the game of their lives.
New England has scored 20 plus points in every game this year. Stopping them might require 20 guys on defense. They are explosive and not easy to tackle in the open field; you can thank Wes Welker for that. He led the league in receptions this year.
The glamour of Super Sunday doesn't come just from the field. The halftime show and gut-busting commercials are sometimes the only reason people tune in. Bud Light always puts out some funny ones, but the ads as a whole haven't been as good since the late nineties.
It seems the producers of the Super Bowl are always at a loss when deciding whom to feature during halftime. I've seen everyone from Prince to N*SYNC to Aretha Franklin in Detroit. It's tough to have someone perform that everyone will enjoy, but traditional rock groups like Aerosmith, Boston and The Rolling Stones are classic. This year, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will take center stage at the halftime show.
There's nothing like the Super Bowl. Everyone tries to take off work just to watch the big game with some buds. The food, friends, football and foreign beer make it special.
I jumped on the bandwagon a long time ago, so I will publicly announce that the New England Patriots will win this one and be 19-0, the only franchise ever to do so. It would be a shame if Bill Belichick didn't win Coach of the Year as well.
I'll be in the town of Imperial enjoying the game and having a beverage. If the Giants win, you will be able to hear me scream five hours away in Lincoln.
Jeff Straub is a junior broadcasting major. You can reach him at JEFFSTRAUB@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM.
Ask a sports fan the same question and they'll probably say Super Bowl Sunday.
It's the pinnacle of football. And this year, more sweet toppings have been added to this super sundae.
The New England Patriots have a chance to win it all without a blemish on their record. They could be the first team ever to win nineteen games in one year and hoist the Lombardi Trophy when it's all said and done.
It's the Pats vs. the Giants. This is Act 2 for both teams after playing a gritty game in December with clutch performances by Tom Brady and Randy Moss. That was when all the talk about achieving perfection really took off. It comes as no surprise that a strong majority of Americans have picked Brady and Co. to win.
Although, if any team out there were capable of knocking off the Pats, it's the Giants. They played them tougher the first time around than any team did all season. They also match up well with the Patriots at several positions.
Brady won MVP for the league, but Eli Manning has come a long way. He has become a cornerstone for that New York franchise. I expect him to compete at a level similar to Brady on Sunday. Both defenses are stout, and there will be guys looking to rain on both quarterback's parades.
The Pat's Adalius Thomas can be an x-factor against the Giants. He's a smart linebacker with great hands and the size of a D-lineman. On the Giant defense, there is no more dominant of a player than Osi Umenyiora. The guy's a freak. It takes him 2.5 seconds to flatten a quarterback from his three-point stance. These types of guys can help swing the momentum in their team's favor.
Both are stocked at wide receiver with Moss at the top for the Pats. Throw in guys like Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress for the G-men and the aerial excitement should rival the Blue Angels.
It sounds funny to say the name Manning for the Super Bowl and not be talking about Peyton. But it's his younger brother Eli who's making all the waves. Can little bro keep the Manning family in the win column for Super Bowls? If he's going to, the Giants have to play the game of their lives.
New England has scored 20 plus points in every game this year. Stopping them might require 20 guys on defense. They are explosive and not easy to tackle in the open field; you can thank Wes Welker for that. He led the league in receptions this year.
The glamour of Super Sunday doesn't come just from the field. The halftime show and gut-busting commercials are sometimes the only reason people tune in. Bud Light always puts out some funny ones, but the ads as a whole haven't been as good since the late nineties.
It seems the producers of the Super Bowl are always at a loss when deciding whom to feature during halftime. I've seen everyone from Prince to N*SYNC to Aretha Franklin in Detroit. It's tough to have someone perform that everyone will enjoy, but traditional rock groups like Aerosmith, Boston and The Rolling Stones are classic. This year, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers will take center stage at the halftime show.
There's nothing like the Super Bowl. Everyone tries to take off work just to watch the big game with some buds. The food, friends, football and foreign beer make it special.
I jumped on the bandwagon a long time ago, so I will publicly announce that the New England Patriots will win this one and be 19-0, the only franchise ever to do so. It would be a shame if Bill Belichick didn't win Coach of the Year as well.
I'll be in the town of Imperial enjoying the game and having a beverage. If the Giants win, you will be able to hear me scream five hours away in Lincoln.
Jeff Straub is a junior broadcasting major. You can reach him at JEFFSTRAUB@DAILYNEBRASKAN.COM.
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