If Green Bay had won, the Super Bowl would have been one of the historic games in NFL history. We would have seen a team that was attempting to go undefeated throughout the season, with a hot-shot young quarterback, against the old man who led his team to the ultimate game, and was looking to a final win and retirement on a high note.

Unfortunately, it will now be just the former. No one outside of New York will care if the Giants win. It's too bad for Eli Manning and his team, but now most of the nation will be cheering against them, because there's no compelling story on the other side.

And poor Favre. He has to decide if he wants to take one more shot. As I was watching that game, it looked to me like the foremost thought of the players on both sides was, "Damn. Goddamn this is cold. When will this [bleeping] game be over?"

My beer(s) stayed cold just WATCHING that game on TV. I'm with you Rand, Green Bay winning tonight would have made for a better game in two weeks.

But look at the bright side.. now Eli Manning gets a shot to shine outside the legacy of his father and brother.

...and it would be most ironic if the Manning family denied the Pats the title twice in a row. Bostonians might start to talk of the Curse of the Mannings.

Is it just me or has the NFL officiating really taken a turn for the worse over the last few years. I know they're just human but holy cow - even with instant replay they are not making some significant calls and then making game changing calls for ticky-tack stuff.

By the way, I'm not a Patriots fan. How in the world do you explain their offensive line not getting any holding calls all year?! I know they're good but all you have to do is watch the replays, you can call holding almost every down on any team - including the Patriots. So how come they don't get their percentage, even if it is on the low end? Something is fishy

I disagree Rand. I know a lot of people who will be rooting against the Patriots because they don't want to see them complete a perfect season. Now, I'm a Jets fan so I can't help but dislike a division rival. But I live in California where no one has that provincial basis for the dislike. The Pats seem to have encouraged a lot of dislike.

I may be making the same mistake Pauline Kael did ("No one I know voted for Nixon"). But I don't think so.

Lisa,
I said that same thing during the first game yesterday. On at least two occasions the Pats were holding right in front of an official.

If only mah boys had been able to get it together they'd handed it to GreenBay. I'm just disgusted with the way this season has ended. I can't believe that NY has managed to get into the Super Bowl twice now with perhaps one of the least exciting teams to watch of all time.

Steve,

Notice that nobody wants to discuss it ever! It's like the forbidden topic. Yea we all know that the officiating sucks but don't say anything, the NFL Gestapo might get mad.

By the way I've also heard the line "You can't complain unless you're out there doing it your self." My answer is Bull****! Then I don't want to hear anybody complain about cops, politicians, military, etc unless they've been there themselves. I say if you got something to say then say it!

I certainly wanted Favre in the Superbowl, because he looks ready to retire, and he's on top of his game still. However, Green Bay didn't move the ball for two quarters and into overtime. The botched fumble recovery might have doubled their second half total yards.

I do think Eli Manning is a story. He does have a chance to get the family another Superbowl ring with MVP. He can also deny the Patriots. However, everyone outside the northeast corridor will be disenchanted with a Boston/New York matchup.

I'll be rooting for the Giants (though I wouldn't any other time). I have no problem with the Pats going all the way, except for that they seem to have gotten a sweet ride. And then there is the cheating controversy, though that doesn't deserve an astrick. Best way to avoid footnotes is for the Giant's to defeat them in the Superbowl. Let the Pats try it again next year.

Well, I grew up in an era when the Pats stunk, and the Fabulous New York Football Giants (spoken in reverent tones like the fellow who used to do the NFL highlight films) were shoved down our throats. I guess that New England was considered Giants territory before the AFL was invented, and by 1970, I was sick of that whole guff. I lived through the whole Jim Plunkett era, when they were finally good enough to beat the Jets and the Dolphins, and thought I was in heaven when they made it into the Super Bowl. Of course, the actual game sucked (against the Bears), but 2004 and this year have been great for the Boston fan in me.

I hope that they do win it all, and then retire and let somebody else do it for while. Just not a member of the Manning Family, whose egos all qualify them for handicap parking stickers.