Myths About Super Bowl XLII

BobbyStompy talks pigskin, cold weather, stupid commercials.

If I have any math skills at all, I think we're less than 48 hours away from the Super Bowl, right?

It's so difficult to try and get a word out regarding the game without feeling like a broken record, so I figured I'd use this space to debunk a few myths about the big game.

Week 17 gave us a good indication of how these two teams match-up...Well, not really. For maybe the first week of Super Bowl hype, I really started to buy into this claim. But thinking more into it, I realized it's not totally true. You look at the box score, see a three point Pats victory, and think, "wow, these teams match up really well."

Wrong.

The Giants needed a late touchdown just to make it look respectable, and this was after blowing a double-digit second half lead. On top of this, one of the G-Men touchdowns was from a kickoff return. It was the only Giants kickoff return touchdown this season (including playoffs). It was also the only time the Patriots gave up a kickoff return touchdown this season (including playoffs). Just seems pretty flukey, you know?

There's at least a small chance Tom Brady might be hurt...Listen closely: Tom Brady is not hurt. Other than his record breaking right shoulder, which has been a mainstay on the injury report for years, the Golden Boy should be ready to go. Even as a Patriots fan, with absolutely everything invested into this game, I have no concern about the health of QB1.

It's actually pretty cold in Arizona...Really? Let's review my 'Winter sucks in the Midwest' checklist:
Is it snowing? Nopes.
Below zero? Please.
Below 32 degrees? Hah.
Are cars covered in weird salt-dirt? Don't think so.
Can you stand outside and be relatively comfortable? Seen plenty of people pull it off.

You're in Glendale for America's biggest sporting spectacle. Stop bitching.

The New York Giants will hoist the Lombardi Trophy...Did I miss something? Are the Patriots not 18-0? Did they not set a gazillion offensive records? I really don't get sports, sometimes. I feel like I've seen more Giants upset picks than I saw Patriots upset picks back when they played the Rams in '02. There were less people taking the Rockies in the World Series. Jesus, did the Rockies really play in the World Series? Man.

The Eagles game was close, yes. The Ravens practically beat them, I know. But this is the playoffs. It means ultra-preparation. Every little detail scrutinized, analyzed, and processed. This isn't the five-day layoff both teams had last time. Two full weeks to scheme, design, and come up with a plan. Against Eli Manning.

Bottom line: the Patriots are not invincible, and it's sports, so anything could happen. And yes, that includes a Giants win. But, to paraphrase Aaron Schatz from the Bill Simmons Super Bowl Podcast, picking the Giants is saying you think they have a greater than 50% chance to win.

I just don't think that's possible to say.


Other items of note:

• There's some dumb local commercial here in Iowa City where a car dealership is advertising some Super Bowl related sale, but since the game is trademarked, the commercial says, "Come down for our Super (BLEEP) sale!" Seriously. The bleep is really loud, too. And they do it three or four times. One of the stupidest, tackiest things I've ever seen in advertising.
• Pau Gasol to the Lakers. Aargh. Luckily for Bulls fans, firearm purchases have waiting periods.
• Props to the immortal Johan $antana for finally cashing in, leaving the AL Central, and setting himself up for what could be a monster year. The only thing left to do is the obligatory lighting cigars with hundred dollar bills ritual.