Congratulations to the Giants

Perhaps yesterday's premature proclamation on the New York Giants' website served as a harbinger. But omen or not, here are the Super Bowl XLVI champions, the New York Giants. 

Eli Manning holds the Vince Lombardi trophy
after the Giants won Super Bowl XLVI.

Congratulations to Eli Manning for winning Super Bowl MVP, and congratulations also to Victor Cruz, Ahmad Bradshaw, Hakeem Nicks, Mario Manningham, Jason Pierre-Paul, Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Deon Grant, Antrel Rolle, Lawrence Tynes and coach Tom Coughlin for a job well done.

The New England Patriots may have fell short, but they leave Indianapolis with no heads bowed. Kudos to Tom Brady, Aaron Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Julian Edelman, Wes Welker, Deion Branch, Vince Wilfork, Rob Ninkovich, Matt Light, Shaun Ellis, Logan Mankins, Stephen Gostkowski and coach Bill Belichick for a great fight.

Till next September. For now, though, enjoy the ongoing hockey and basketball seasons, as well as wait for baseball to begin in late March. 

Super Bowl XLVI: Patriots vs. Giants

The sporting world is finally waiting. The rematch of Super Bowl XLII is upon us. Both the New York Giants and New England Patriots are seeking for their fourth Super Bowl title, where only the Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Dallas Cowboys and Pittsburgh Steelers have accomplished this feat before. But more than just seeking the Vince Lombardi trophy, it's all about bragging rights in two of sports' biggest hotspots, Boston and New York City, where it was all rooted from the battles between baseball's Red Sox and Yankees.

Tom Brady and Eli Manning after their
regular season meeting last November 6, 2011
at Gillette Stadium,where the
Giants won 24-20. 

Coach Tom Coughlin will rely on experience, with 15 players retained from the Super Bowl XLII championship team, including quarterback Eli Manning. The Giants' resiliency will once again be tested, after overcoming the Falcons, the Packers and the 49ers in the playoffs. Offensively, Coughlin will have Manning, wide receivers Victor Cruz, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks, and running backs Ahmad Bradshaw, DJ Ware and Brandon Jacobs. The defense will be anchored by linemen Jason Pierre-Paul, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, and defensive backs Antrel Rolle and Deon Grant. And there's always Lawrence Tynes for fourth down or point after situations. 

Three Super Bowl rings for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick were a stuff of legend, but they head into Super Bowl XLVI seeking retribution for lost opportunity in Super Bowl XLII. Only eight remain from the 2007 squad. The Patriots were known for their dominating offense led by Brady, and they used that again to win 13 games and beat the Broncos and the Ravens in the playoffs. That offense was led by Brady, tight ends David Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski (provided he plays tomorrow), running backs BenJarvus Green-Ellis and Kevin Faulk, and wide receivers Wes Welker, Deion Branch and Julian Edelman. The Patriots hope their defense, anchored by linemen Vince Wilfork and Shaun Ellis, and defensive backs Rob Ninkovich and Jerod Mayo, will hold up against the Giants. That defense was ranked 31st in the NFL, so if the Giants blew this game open, it'll mean trouble. Kicker Stephen Gostkowski will be relied on in late game plays, fourth down field goals, and point after conversions. 

Super Bowl XLVI will be held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, where Eli's older brother Peyton of the Colts called it home. Like every Super Bowl, there will be pre-game and half-time performances, with Kelly Clarkson singing 'The Star-Spangled Banner' before the game and Madonna performing at the half. Las Vegas casinos are betting the Patriots to win by 3 1/2, but then again, let's hope their money's all worth it.

The game will be this Sunday evening, 6:30 ET on NBC.

The 1990 Giants vs. the 2007 Giants

The New York Giants have been around since 1925, and have won seven league titles. However, the more recent Giants teams in the Super Bowl era have caught the imagination of not only New York fans, but global fans as well. Two such Giants teams we'll feature have won the Super Bowl: the 1990 Giants and the 2007 Giants. Both won the Super Bowl in close fashion, though in opposite ways, and were recognized as one of the best Giants teams in recent memory.

1990 New York Giants

Record: 13-3 (1st in NFC East)

Head Coach: Bill Parcells

Starting QB: Phil Simms (Wk 1-15), Jeff Hostelier

Key Figures: Lawrence Taylor (LB), Ottis Anderson (RB)

Won Super Bowl XXV vs. Buffalo 20-19

Jeff Hostelier started the
remaining five games,
including Super Bowl XXV,
after Phil Simms broke his
foot against the Bills.

Phil Simms started at quarterback for the first 15 weeks before breaking his foot against their future Super Bowl opponents. Jeff Hostelier would take over the rest of the way. The Giants finished 13-3 and won the NFC East in what eventually became Bill Parcells' final season. After defeating the Chicago Bears 31-3 in an dominating divisional playoff game, they face the defending Super Bowl champions San Francisco 49ers in yet another chapter in their storied rivalry. After trailing 13-6 in the 3rd on a John Taylor TD, the Giants rallied with a pair of field goals, before kicker Matt Bahr nailed the game-winning field goal for a 15-13 score and sent them into Super Bowl XXV in Tampa. 

At Super Bowl XXV, they face the Bills, who were starting a string of four straight Super Bowl berths. Led by quarterback Jim Kelly and wide receiver Andre Reed, the Bills also finished 13-3 to lead the AFC East, then defeated the Miami Dolphins and Los Angeles Raiders to advance. 

Kicker Scott Norwood's missed
field goal won the Super Bowl
for the Giants. 

Before the game, singer Whitney Houston sang a memorable rendition of 'The Star Spangled Banner', in honor of the U.S. Armed Forces serving in Iraq during the Persian Gulf War. The game would live up to its billing, as it became one of the NFL's greatest games ever. The final moment of the game saw Bills kicker Scott Norwood attempting a game-winning field goal. However, the ball sailed out of the post, and as Norwood bowed his head in disappointment, the Giants were celebrating yet another Super Bowl win, a 20-19 score. Ottis Anderson would be named the MVP, after which Bill Parcells retired. However, Parcells would later coach the New England Patriots, the New York Jets and the Dallas Cowboys, but was unable to replicate his success with the Giants. 

2007 New York Giants

Record: 10-6 (2nd in NFC East, 1st in NFC Wildcard)

Head Coach: Tom Coughlin

Starting QB: Eli Manning

Key Figures: Brandon Jacobs (RB), Plaxico Burress (WR), David Tyree (WR)

Won Super Bowl XLII vs. New England 17-14

Eli Manning won MVP for
his Super Bowl XLII
performance.

One of Bill Parcells' proteges, Tom Coughlin, took over the Giants in 2004, while the team was still in a rebuilding process. Coughlin then brought Eli Manning to his wing and in their fourth season together, led the team to a 10-6 season and a place in the Wildcard playoff, despite starting 0-2. After wins over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Dallas Cowboys, they faced Brett Favre and the Green Bay Packers. Tied 20-20 in overtime, and following some stops by the Giants defense, kicker Lawrence Tynes nailed the game-winning field goal for a 23-20 score and sent the Giants to Super Bowl XLII, where another Parcells protege awaits.

The Giants faced a juggernaut in the Bill Belichick-led New England Patriots, who had been unbeaten in 18 contests. Their Week 17 meeting would see a sign of things to come, even though the Patriots won 38-35 while setting new offensive records during the game. 

David Tyree's 'helmet catch'
for a touchdown started a myriad
of lead changes before Plaxico
Burress scored the game-winning
touchdown in Super Bowl XLII.

Super Bowl XLII was held in the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. The Patriots seek to become the first team to go undefeated all season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins, while the Giants look to spoil the moment. After a Tynes field goal and a Laurence Maroney TD, they head into the fourth quarter with the Pats up 7-3. The scoring began with the now-famous 'helmet catch' by David Tyree to put the Giants up 10-7. After Randy Moss responded with a TD, Plaxico Burress then scored a touchdown of his own late to put the Giants up 17-14. The Giants defense then choked the Patriots offense to preserve the win. Eli Manning would win the game's MVP, while adding a third Super Bowl for the Giants franchise.

If you'll ask me, which Giants team played better in a Super Bowl: the 1990 Giants or the 2007 Giants? The 2007 Giants would be a better choice, because while the 1990 Giants relied on luck to win Super Bowl XXV, the 2007 Giants won because of scoring opportunities,  and some instincts too. So my verdict goes to the: 2007 Giants.

Check out the prelude to Super Bowl XLVI in tomorrow's post. 

The Road to Indianapolis

The NFL playoffs has reached the conference championship, with the AFC and NFC champions facing off in Indianapolis's Lucas Oil Stadium in two weeks' time. But before all the fireworks, we look at the four teams participating in their respective conference championships.

AFC Championship

Baltimore Ravens @ New England Patriots

The Patriots have owned the Ravens all-time (6-1), but their lone playoff meeting saw the Ravens win 33-14 in the 2009 Wild Card playoff at Gillette Stadium. This time, the stakes are higher with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line. Once again, the Patriots will rely on their experienced QB Tom Brady and improving tight end combination of Aaron Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski. However, they are about to face one of the NFL'S stingiest defenses led by Ed Reed and Ray Lewis. At the other end, Joe Flacco is hoping to take advantage of the porous Patriot defense and find receivers such as Ray Rice, while Matt Light, Rob Ninkovich and Vince Wilfork are hoping to stop Flacco and Rice's every move.

NFC Championship

New York Giants @ San Francisco 49ers

Not since Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Bill Walsh's glory days has 49ers fans see a lot of heightened playoff excitement in Candlestick Park. The Giants and 49ers are meeting for the eighth time in the playoffs, with the 49ers leading 4-3 all-time. And rightfully so, having toppled two of the NFL's most prolific offenses and the past two Super Bowl champions in the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints, respectively. Again this will be an offense-defense matchup. The Giants will rely offensively on Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and Hakeem Nicks, and defensively on Jason Pierre-Paul and Justin Tuck, while the 49ers will play their offensive cards on Alex Smith, Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree, while the defense will rely on Carlos Rogers and Justin Smith.

A lot of storylines will occur in the upcoming Super Bowl XLVI. Will it be a 'Harbaugh Bowl', a Super Bowl XLII rematch, or the first Super Bowl meetings between the Patriots and 49ers or the Ravens and Giants? We'll find out as kickoff dawns this Sunday, with the Super Bowl trip on the line.