But before that page gets completely turned, let's put a nice bow on the NFL season.  I have to be honest...sitting there watching the postgame celebrations on television, I really just had one thought rolling through my mind endlessly: "......the f'ing Giants....."  Of course it had to be them.  Six months ago, the whole lockout process created a feeling of uncertainty across the league.  Every team would be affected in some way (positive or negative) and there was a feeling that a....curiously-flawed....team may potentially hoist the Lombardi Trophy in February.

If you were looking for a team that seemed flawed in the preseason, you looked no further than Big Blue.  Osi Umenyiora unhappy with the entire organization.  Kevin Boss gone.  Steve Smith gone.  Antrel Rolle continuously talking out of place in the media.  The Jets proclaiming ownership of New York.  The Eagles looking like they would be unstoppable in the division.  Combine these starting problems of 2011 with the ending problems of 2010, and it looked like it would be a forgettable year for the New York Football Giants.

Whoops...

Now, getting to Sunday's big game.  In terms of how the game went down, you couldn't help but notice some parallels between Giants/Pats 2012 and Giants/Pats 2008.  But the football fan's mindset while witnessing the two games was like day and night.  Rooting for the Giants in 2008, you went in with the programmed mindset of "If this game is played ten times, the Patriots will win eleven out of the ten."  Every time the Giants gained 3+ yards on a play, it seemed like 30.  Every forced Patriots punt was like a mini-miracle.  This was back in the day when Eli Manning still stirred some doubts about his play, so every clutch play he made left you slack-jawed.  And when it was over...nothing seemed to make sense.

Fast forward to 2012.  Despite being a 9-7 team that was a 3-point underdog, the Giants and their fans were confident in every way imaginable.  This time around, the Big Blue mindset for the game was more "If this game is played ten times, we'll win at least eight of 'em, and the other two will be because the refs screwed us or because the Patriots cheated." (THEIR thoughts, not mine...)  When the Pats were on offense, 'hoping and praying for a key stop' was now 'demanding and expecting a key stop.'  On offense, 'who will be able to get open for Eli?' became 'get it to the guy who's open, Eli.'  Once again, Eli Manning had a chance at the end of the game to break Brady and Belichick.  And when it was over...things just made sense.

I don't want to hunker down in a play-by-play recap of a game 110+ million people saw for themselves.  Instead, I will resort to a blog favorite....Super Bowl Bullet-Points!

• The intentional grounding.  Also known as the play that made some lunatics in Vegas very happy if they bet 'first score in the game will be NYG safety.'  Luckily, some lunatics are also philanthropists.  But back to the play.  I called this flag 'the ultimate luxury penalty.'  When the ball was thrown, it was pretty clear that no Patriots receiver was within my television screen.  Of course I wasn't screaming for the call because...well, has anyone ever seen grounding called in that context?  Quarterback has all the time in the world to throw, yet stays in the penaliz-able tackle-box.  Then when pressure finally comes, he avoids the sack not by throwing at some guy's feet that's 2 feet away from him.  Instead he launches it directly down the middle of the field?  So I questioned, but didn't expect anything to come of it.  But when that flag went up late, everyone's eyes just bulged open.  It has actually happened.  Had the play not been flagged...honestly, I don't think a big fuss would have been made by the Giants--the play was just too peculiar.  But the fact it was called just flipped everything.  How long did it take for someone on the sideline to sit down Brady and explain to him that a flag can be thrown where he's not the victim, but the culprit?  Tough to tell.  But because of this, the Patriots didn't gain a positive yard in the Super Bowl until 2:30 remained in the 1st quarter...and they were trailing 9-0.
• The 'Oh Crap' Drive.  In perhaps a "we know the grounding was a strange play...here's a bone" holding call against Kevin Boothe in the previous Giants drive, the Pats got the ball back on their own 4 yard line.  They then penalized themselves back to their own 2.  In their three first half drives, New England went safety, 10-play field goal drive, 3-and-out.  I'll admit that I was one of the fools salivating over the Giants' potential field position when the Pats punted the ball back so deep in their territory.  Big mistake.  Hernandez, Gronkowski, Welker, Woodhead.  Bang, bang, boom, bang, touchdown with seconds left in the half.  The Giants downright dominated 26 of 30 minutes in the first half.  To go into the Madonna break trailing?  It was foreboding.  Which led to.....
• The 'Ohhhhhhhhh Crap' Drive.  The first drive was scary in how long and methodical it was.  The second drive was even scarier in how quick and easy it was.  When the first play goes successfully to Chad Ochocinco for 20+ yards...you know thing's aren't ending well.  Sure enough, the Pats marched unimpeded to the tune of 80 yards in 3:40 to take a 17-9 lead.  Yes, a 9-0 deficit became a 17-9 lead.  It was a common storyline of the 2011 Patriots.  Start a little slow, come on incredibly fast.  This was around the point where another Patriots score (putting them up 2 possessions) would have the Giants flirting with doom.
• The Anti-Doomesday Recovery Button.  Pushed by the Giants in the drives following the 17-9 lead.  Efficient drive for a field goal (17-12), force a crucial 3-and-out via a Tuck sack on 3rd down, efficient drive for a field goal (17-15).  Now, it's true the Giants had 1st downs inside the 25 yard line and 15 yard line, respectively, on the two drives.  So getting 3 instead of 7 was a bit unsettling.  But in the bigger scheme of things, they stopped the avalanche.  The Pats were in full-fledged assassin mode, and things could have gotten out of hand.  By moving the chains on offense and getting the stop they needed on defense, Brady didn't get the ball back until only seconds remained in the 3rd quarter.  Perhaps feeling a little antsy to put some more points on the board...
• Deja-Brady strikes again.  After being victimized by Jimmy Smith two weeks prior, Brady once again went all Rex Grossman on us.  A first down play, in the 4th quarter, with time on their side...and Brady makes the same mistake twice.  Against the Ravens, its was throwing to his 5th receiver in double-coverage.  In the Super Bowl, it was throwing a jump-ball to the guy everybody knew couldn't really jump.  Now, it doesn't take away from Chase Blackburn's tremendous play when I call this a gaffe by Brady.  Yes, Tommy Terrific was to blame on the interception,
• But Who's to Blame on the Welker Clincher-That-Wasn't?  Well, I think I got a general consensus via a YouTube search.  In searching 'Brady misses Welker,' there is no results whatsoever, other than some nerds simulating a Madden game or something.  But when you search 'Wes Welker drop,' your screen explodes with results.  Welker's taking the blame, be it from the media, the fans, or the supermodels.  But if you look at the live video, what's the first thing Al Michaels says after the play?  That would be "the pass a little bit behind Welker."  Not "pass dropped by Welker."  You can decide for yourself who to blame.  But if you're the supposed greatest player to ever walk the planet, I'd think you'd put that one a little better in the game's biggest spot.  And if you relentlessly defend the notion that Brady is the greatest player to walk the planet, you go ahead and call Wes Welker butterfingers.  As far as what I think?  I think Mark Sanchez puts that one right on the money.  I'll gleefully leave it at that.  Leading to...
• Deja-Eli strikes again.  Now, Giants fans were confident with the ball on their own 12 yard line with 3:45 left (definitely more confident than they were when they needed a touchdown from Eli and the boys back in 2008.)  But not even the brashest of Big Blue fans saw it happening so quickly.  The video says infinitely more than I can type about the play.  But it got me thinking...the Manning-to-Tyree play in 2008 took a few days to finally get a name.  Though it's still kind of up in the air, 'The Helmet Catch' seemed to be the winner.  As for this one, the NY Sport Blog offers up its official entrant into the name-the-play contest: 'The Ham Sandwich.'  Think about it- the only thing seperating Eli's last name from Mario's last name is that silly -ham on the backend of Manningham.  Combine that nugget with the fact that Eli perfectly finessed the ball to Mario--who was sandwiched by Patriots double-coverage...and I think we're onto something.  Tom Brady and Bill Belichick's legacies have taken major hits due to things called 'The Helmet Catch' and 'The Ham Sandwich.'  Life is sweet sometimes.
• After that, it was all gravy.  The game got compelling due to the unnatural play of the Pats letting the Giants score, followed by Big Blue fans having their heart in their throats on the Patriots final drive.  The too-many-men penalty worked out wonderfully for the Giants as far as the clock went, and nobody expects a hail mary to be answered when it's being prayed by satan.
• Montauk BeverageWorks Delicious Performance of the Game: Give me Steve Weatherford!  The former Jet plays the game of his life for the cross-town Giants, pinning Brady and the Pats offense deep in their own territory.  Led to the safety, led to great Giants field position, ultimately led to a significantly-more attainable Giants championship.  Well done, Jets castoff.  Maybe next time for Ellis/Woodhead/Ihedigbo/others...

So for the second time in four years, the Giants derail the Patriots and win the Super Bowl.  Eli Manning and Tom Coughlin turn away their doubters, and the Boston-New York rivalry heats up yet again as baseball approaches.

Thanks very much for reading this post, and for reading throughout the season.  It was a blast, and I appreciate the patronage.  It's a bit of a sports lull now, with the NBA and NHL yet to hit their stretch runs.  But hey, pitchers and catchers are right around the corner.  March Madness is creeping up, and things will be wheeling and dealing again in no time.  Until then, happy watching.