This just in from The Monroe Times sports desk...Tom Brady's ankle hurts.
This is what the world has learned - and that's all that's been learned - after 11 days of watching game film and paparazzi footage of the Patriots' captain with the intensity of Oliver Stone watching the Zapruder film.
Come 5:17 p.m. Sunday evening, all those man hours are going to be a waste because Brady will show the world that he's the greatest quarterback - on the greatest team - ever in the National Football League. Sorry Eli Manning and the New York Giants, you're going to be a Trivial Pursuit answer in the next few years.
It's been well-documented that Brady had the single best season statistically than any other quarterback in history. But, to do that while leading a team to a perfect record is nothing short of magnificent. Since Spygate broke after Week 1, opponents threw everything and the kitchen sink at New England and, 18 games later, the Patriots remain unblemished. When teams like Baltimore, Philadelphia and, yes, these Giants got within striking distance, Brady showed them who was boss.
Brady is about to play in his fourth Super Bowl. He understands pressure and how to handle all the hoopla that comes with two weeks of intense media coverage. So why after one poor performance against the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship are we supposed to buy that Brady isn't going to be able to perform at the level he has during the 2007 season? Every single reporter and television talking head is going to feel foolish when Brady hooks up with Randy Moss, or Donte Stallworth, or Wes Welker, or Ben Watson for that first of many New England touchdowns.
Just in case rewriting football's history books wasn't enough motivation for Brady and New England, the Patriots got a little extra bulletin board material courtesy of Giants wideout Plaxico Burress. Manning's lanky No. 1 option said Tuesday that the Giants would walk off the University of Phoenix field 23-17 winners.
There's nothing wrong with confidence and Burress has never lacked in that department, but did he not see what Brady does when challenged? Pittsburgh safety Anthony Smith made a (brief) name for himself in the week leading up to the Steelers-Patriots Week 14 matchup by guaranteeing victory. Brady then took it upon himself to own Smith on more than one occasion during the Pats' 34-13 steamrolling.
New England's offense can score 17 points in sleep mode. Owner Robert Kraft and his disciples have surrounded Brady with so much talent, most importantly a motivated Moss. Brady and Moss haven't even been on the same roster for 12 months and they already have gone down as one of the greatest combos ever to walk the gridiron. Moss might not see the end zone Sunday, considering he'll be double covered by the Giants' average secondary. That's fine, slot receiver specialist Welker will find pay dirt on Brady's checkdowns.
Brady has excelled like so few before him and he should - and does - thank the demented genius that is Bill Belichick. The Patriots' head coach gets under everyone's skin and is the best at what he does in this era. Belichick hasn't revolutionized the game this season, but he's shown what a team can do under the right tutelage and with the perfect inspiration. Not to mention the perfect leader.
- John McNally is a sports reporter for The Monroe Times.
He can be reached at jmcnally@themonroetimes.com
This is what the world has learned - and that's all that's been learned - after 11 days of watching game film and paparazzi footage of the Patriots' captain with the intensity of Oliver Stone watching the Zapruder film.
Come 5:17 p.m. Sunday evening, all those man hours are going to be a waste because Brady will show the world that he's the greatest quarterback - on the greatest team - ever in the National Football League. Sorry Eli Manning and the New York Giants, you're going to be a Trivial Pursuit answer in the next few years.
It's been well-documented that Brady had the single best season statistically than any other quarterback in history. But, to do that while leading a team to a perfect record is nothing short of magnificent. Since Spygate broke after Week 1, opponents threw everything and the kitchen sink at New England and, 18 games later, the Patriots remain unblemished. When teams like Baltimore, Philadelphia and, yes, these Giants got within striking distance, Brady showed them who was boss.
Brady is about to play in his fourth Super Bowl. He understands pressure and how to handle all the hoopla that comes with two weeks of intense media coverage. So why after one poor performance against the San Diego Chargers in the AFC Championship are we supposed to buy that Brady isn't going to be able to perform at the level he has during the 2007 season? Every single reporter and television talking head is going to feel foolish when Brady hooks up with Randy Moss, or Donte Stallworth, or Wes Welker, or Ben Watson for that first of many New England touchdowns.
Just in case rewriting football's history books wasn't enough motivation for Brady and New England, the Patriots got a little extra bulletin board material courtesy of Giants wideout Plaxico Burress. Manning's lanky No. 1 option said Tuesday that the Giants would walk off the University of Phoenix field 23-17 winners.
There's nothing wrong with confidence and Burress has never lacked in that department, but did he not see what Brady does when challenged? Pittsburgh safety Anthony Smith made a (brief) name for himself in the week leading up to the Steelers-Patriots Week 14 matchup by guaranteeing victory. Brady then took it upon himself to own Smith on more than one occasion during the Pats' 34-13 steamrolling.
New England's offense can score 17 points in sleep mode. Owner Robert Kraft and his disciples have surrounded Brady with so much talent, most importantly a motivated Moss. Brady and Moss haven't even been on the same roster for 12 months and they already have gone down as one of the greatest combos ever to walk the gridiron. Moss might not see the end zone Sunday, considering he'll be double covered by the Giants' average secondary. That's fine, slot receiver specialist Welker will find pay dirt on Brady's checkdowns.
Brady has excelled like so few before him and he should - and does - thank the demented genius that is Bill Belichick. The Patriots' head coach gets under everyone's skin and is the best at what he does in this era. Belichick hasn't revolutionized the game this season, but he's shown what a team can do under the right tutelage and with the perfect inspiration. Not to mention the perfect leader.
- John McNally is a sports reporter for The Monroe Times.
He can be reached at jmcnally@themonroetimes.com
