The Giants Win?

I think back to January 20th, 1991.

Young Sip was a gritty 8-year-old finishing 4th in the New York City chess championships. A better result may have taken place only sip was distracted. The chess geeks put their tournament on the same day as the NFC championship game.

I don't have many vivid memories.

But I will never forget the ten of us, curled around a 3 inch portable tv (remember those). The picture was black and white and very fuzzy. A miracle was in the making and we were all silent.

And then, our cute-helmeted kicker reared back his relatively unimpressive leg and from 40 yards out, sent the New York Football Giants to the Super Bowl.

15-13 was the score. The Giants beat the 49ers in Candlestick. We all went nuts. And Matt Bahr was a hero.



I was euphoric. This was sports at its purest. An 8 year old kid running around hugging his friends, his brother and his father as his favorite team won.

Fuck chess, I thought. We were going to the Super Bowl. That was my first reaction.

My second: "Oh fuck. We're going to the Super Bowl."

Earlier that Sunday the Bills had clobbered the Raiders 51-3. Jim Kelly's k-gun offense was simply unstoppable. Thurman Thomas, James Lofton, Andre Reed. It was the greatest show on grass.

Most 8-year-olds would react one way when there team earned a birth in the super bowl. They would talk about how their team would go on to win the big one.

But not Sip. Even at 8, I was a cynic. I'm pretty sure I bet one of my brother's friends that the Giants would get killed. I'm glad I was wrong, of course. That Super Bowl was one of the best sports moments of my life.

But I wanted to show you the way I see things.

Which is why I am so utterly shocked with what down Sunday.

New Yorkers were generally extremely optimistic going into Sunday's game. Of course, these are the same New Yorkers who called for Eli's head a month ago, thought the Knicks would make the playoffs two months ago and were positive the Mets would do the same 4 months ago.



To Sip, the realist, this game was very scary.

The Cowboys pretty much scored at will against the Giants in the first two meetings of the season. The game was in Texas, with the Cowboys having two weeks to prepare/ canoodle with celebutards.

I figured the Giants had a chance, just not a good one.

And early, my fears were met. Down 14-7 right before the half and having allowed the Cowboys to milk a 10 minute drive and convert on what seemed like 19 3rd and longs in a row, I thought the Giants chances were grimm.

But a late and somewhat miracle 1st half score to tie the game at half had me and the rest of the crowd at Blondies at least assured that we would be watching some real football in the second half.

Unfortunately the third quarter appeared to be much of the same. The Cowboys were moving down the field with ease and after a Nick Folk fg, led 17-14. Big Blue's attack had been slowed and Sip was panicking.

But the game changed on back to back plays.

3rd and 13 from the Dallas 17 with a little over a minute to go in the third quarter.

The Cowboys had converted this type of play every single time they had the opportunity. And this time appeared to be no different.

Tony Romo did what he does did best, scrambling around trying to buy time to eventually make a play.



And he did. He found Patrick Crayton over the middle for what would be a heart-wrenching first down and potentially a lot more. There were no Giants defenders within 20 yards of him.

The crowd yelled as Sip stood silently.

Only this time it was different. Something happened that doesn't happen to teams Sip roots for. And that something was good. Patrick Crayton dropped the ball. He dropped the ball, the game and the Cowboys season.

RW McQuarters took the ensuin punt back deep into Dallas territory, leading to the game winning td-drive.

Of course there was a lot of sweating to follow. The game didn't end till the last minute. But just like that beautiful day in January of a991, the Giants came out on top.

.....................

Three Giants have really stood out for me as difference makers over the last handful of games: Ahmad Bradshaw, Justin Tuck and Corey Webster.

Bradshaw has been the ultimate sparkplug. Shifty, crafty, gritty- pretty much any adjective that ends in ty can be used to describe the little fella that has added another dimension to the Giants offensive attack.

Justin Tuck has put the Giants D-line over the top. With Michael Strahan and Osi Omenyora the Giants have the best pass rushing tandem in the game. But throw in a third guy that can get to the quarterback and offensive lines will be simply overmatched.



Offenses have to prepare differently otherwise their QB will be killed. The Giants didn't get to Romo too much in this game, but the Cowboys were also protecting him with extra guys.

Finally Corey Webster. Last week he made Joey Galloway disappear. This week he held T.O to 4 catches and 49 yards and about 112 tears. Not much more can be said.

But the key to the engine has been Eli Manning.

New York KILLED this guy for four years. The attacks were everything that was wrong with the New York Media and its fans. But now Peyton's disappointing little brother had the last laugh. Two straight games of solid and more importantly, mistake free football.

My dad pointed out that you could have gotten pretty decent odds on Eli playing in a conference championship and Peyton not. As always, my father was pretty spot on.

I need to go back and watch this game again. When you are so sure that someone will go wrong, you kind of lose touch with what is going on.

Next week in Green Bay makes me scared. Eli is about 0 for the century in games in the cold. But I guess with this team, you never know.

Vaya Con Dios,
SM

(Pics courtesy of dailynews.com, aol.com, viewimages.com, msn.com)