This Week in Jewish Sports – BAGELS & JOCKS Monday, February 6, 2012

Created by Matthew J. Goldberg, tipofthegoldberg.com

As you no doubt know by now, the New York Giants came from behind and then held on for dear life to upset the New England Patriots 21-17 in Super Bowl XLVI. Given the fact that the Super Bowl trumps all in American sports and pop culture, Bagels and Jocks will break from tradition and list 46 Points about the Super Bowl.

Let us start with the game itself.

 GIANTS 21, PATRIOTS 17

1.   The Giants’ win meant that Patriots’ owner Robert Kraft (featured in last week’s Bagels and Jocks) would not be victorious once again.

2.   The Patriots paid tribute to the late Myra Hiatt Kraft all season long. Quarterback Tom Brady patted the “MHK” patch on his jersey and then pointed skyward after throwing the touchdown pass to give the Pats a 17-9 lead.

3.   Do-everything kick returner, running back and defensive back Julian Edelman had a quiet Super Bowl, returning three kickoffs for 73 yards but merited no other mention in the box score (no carries, receptions or tackles).

4.   The Giants are now the sixth franchise to win at least four Super Bowls.

5.    Four-and-a-half years ago, how many Giants fans would have gladly traded Eli Manning or jettisoned head coach Tom Coughlin? You know who you are.

6.    Did Tom Coughlin even crack a smile or two? Remarkable for the gruff, often nauseated (looking) taskmaster.

7.    Pats receiver Wes Welker is a smallish, wide receiver who led the NFL in receptions this year. He is small, tough, quick and extremely sure-handed. His inability to haul in a tricky but relatively easy catch late in the game was, unfortunately, a key reason the Giants won. This fate was kind of unfair to the overachieving, and classy, Welker.

8.    Manning to Manningham: amazing throw and catch.

9.    So, Kraft, Edelman and company may have been prepared to lose to a Manning, but how about the “ham.” Hmmm…

10. Sorry, Giants fans, but with a healthy Rob Gronkowki, the Patriots win.

11. Having said that, who knows? Every four years or so, the Giants get on these insane, hot rolls where they beat everybody. But still…

12. The Giants’ game-winning, six-yard touchdown run by Ahmad Bradshaw was very strange. With 58 seconds remaining, many fans wanted him to fall down short of the end zone and kill the clock instead.

13. Does anyone else remember when Super Bowls used to be one-sided snooze-fests?

14. One has to feel good for the family of superb, second-year defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul. His father, who lost his vision early in life, was in the stands to root for his son. For the first time in his son’s playing career.

15. “JPP” just turned 23, and barring injuries should be an absolute force for years to come.

16. Speaking of families, Peyton Manning seems like a classy man and a very good big brother, but how does he really feel deep inside? (Let’s explore).

17. This year, Peyton has made headlines because of his injury and uncertain future with Indianapolis; Eli, of course, won the Super Bowl.

18. Eli’s career regular season stats don’t approach Peyton’s, but as you probably know, Eli has now won two Super Bowls to Peyton’s one.

19. Eli is 8-3 in his playoff career; Peyton is 9-10.

20. Eli won Super Bowl XLVI on Peyton’s home field. Oy!

21. Proposed rule change, regardless of which team you root for. The Giants actually benefitted from being penalized for having 12 men on the field. Yes, they lost five yards but the clock ran down from 17 seconds to nine seconds left in the game. That gave the Pats one, maybe two fewer precious plays left.

22. Yes, the rule should be changed to restore the clock to 17 seconds (in this case).

23. Complete this sentence: Eli Manning should now be considered the greatest Giants quarterback since: a) Fran Tarkenton;  b) Phil Simms; c) the late, great Benny Friedman (see last Thursday’s Top 10 piece);  d) “nobody”; he’s taken the top spot.

HALFTIME/DIVERSIONS

24. Speaking of halftime, how about Madonna?

25.  No, Madonna’s not Jewish, just because she famously once talked about studying Kabbalah.

26. As far as Madonna Louise Ciccone’s performance, well, she still looks good. Performance? About a 7 out of 10, which is about as good as these halftime shows get.

27. Not to be agist or sexist, but Madonna is 53…

28. …which makes her old enough to be my…wife? Let’s move back to the game, but first…

29. Another commercial? The game actually moved pretty quickly for a Super Bowl.

30. What was the last Super Bowl commercial that was either witty or otherwise groundbreaking? I barely notice them, other than the intrusions. I mean, how many Danica Patrick commercials…well, how many Pepsi commercials can one watch?

BACK TO THE GAME

31. All props to Eli, but if starting a team for one season, I’d still take Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady and Drew Brees ahead of him. But Eli may be my next choice—not too shabby.

32. There was only one turnover in the game: an unbelievable interception by Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn.

33. Chase Who? Blackburn, a seventh-year player from Akron University, only played in five games all season.

34. For his career, Blackburn had only three interceptions and one-and-a-half sacks. Yesterday? Second on the team with five solo tackles and that huge, gave-turning pick deep in coverage versus Rob Gronkowski.

35. Bye, bye, Blackburn. (Hey, you come up with XLVI nuggets at 2:49 in the morning.)

36. On Tom Brady’s very first play, he was called for intentional grounding from his own end zone, which game the Giants a safety and a 2-0 lead.

37.  Was that the right call? Very debatable. I’ve rarely, if ever, seen intentional grounding called on a ball thrown 40 or so yards downfield, and in the middle of the field.

38. My verdict: bad ruling. No, I’m not a Patriots fan; I’m a lifelong Eagles fan…laugh if you must.

39. Stop laughing, please, even if the Eagles have yet to win a single Bowl, and their NFC East rivals have 12 between them.

40. The Giants were just 9-7 in the regular season this year; nine NFL teams (the Pats were 13-3) had better records this season.

41. In 2007, the Giants won the Super Bowl, despite a 10-6 record. Seven teams had better records, including the Patriots (16-0).

42. What does this all mean? Every team that qualifies for the playoffs has a shot at winning it all. Major League Baseball has been the same way for years.

43. Question: When was the last dud of a Super Bowl? Perhaps, the 2003 Tampa Bay 48, Oakland 21 affair?

44. Ahmad Bradshaw, who wears Number 44, was the game’s leading rusher with 72 yards on 17 carries.

45. Hakeem Nicks, the Giants’ terrific, third-year receiver from North Carolina is listed at 6’1”, but seemed to play at around 6’6” or so. How many times did he effortlessly leap to snare Manning’s (purposely) high throws, and bring them in with those huge meat hooks of his? He didn’t find the end zone like Victor Cruz, or make the big sideline catch like Mario Manningham; he was the best receiver on the field yesterday.

46. Yes, I really do think Tom Coughlin cracked a smile. Bill Belichick?    Not so much.

On that Super note, it is time to sign off from today’s edition of Bagels and Jocks. See you next Monday right here. Please feel free to share some dialogue below.  If you would like to bring another Jewish athlete or mover-and-shaker to my attention, please contact me via this site or by e-mail.

Matthew J. (call him Matt) Goldberg will be taking a look at “This Week in Jewish Sports”) every Monday on www.jewocity.com. Please send feedback or suggestions to Matt@tipofthegoldberg.com.

For information about Matt’s books, sports columns, speaking events and requests for appearances and custom writing, please visit www.tipofthegoldberg.com, or contact him via email.