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    And the Next Super Bowl Winner Is ...

    By IRA MILLER,
    AOL
    Posted: 2008-02-06 21:09:38
    Filed Under: NFL, Super Bowl XLII
    Sports Commentary

    Well, the Super Bowl certainly settled one question. We know for sure the New England Patriots are not the greatest team in NFL history.

    Photo Gallery

    Nick Laham, Getty Images

    New York Celebrates
    A Super Bowl Title

    1 of 8    

    A jubilant Michael Strahan leaps high in the air during a celebration in New York for the Giants two days after their Super Bowl victory over the Patriots.


    We also know, or certainly should know by now, that what’s important is getting hot at the right time. Ronnie Lott, the 49ers’ Hall of Fame defensive back, once observed that the season really didn’t begin until the 10th week.

    The Patriots were great until then. The Giants were never great but they were good enough after the 10th week to win the title. Which leads to these five burning questions for the first week of the offseason (notwithstanding the Pro Bowl):

    5. Will Spygate now be forgotten?

    No way. This, after all, is an election year and a certain senator from Pennsylvania has seen a way to keep his name in the paper. This controversy does not figure to die any time soon, especially after it was the focus of so many questions at Commissioner Roger Goodell’s Super Bowl press conference, and there were new allegations of another spying incident in the past.

    4. How much did the Giants miss retired running back Tiki Barber?

    Had to throw that one in for laughs. Barber produced more than 40 percent of the Giants’ offense in 2006, rushing and receiving, but was a divisive force in the locker room and seemed to set himself apart from the team with his in-season retirement announcement. Even Tom Coughlin observed after winning the Super Bowl how much more of a team the Giants really became this year.

    3. Would Adam Vinatieri have made a difference for New England?

    Have to think he would have. Have to think Bill Belichick would not have gone for it on 4th-and-13 from the Giants’ 31-yard line with a four-point lead in the third quarter if he had Vinatieri to put him ahead by seven. The guy is one of the great clutch kickers in NFL history. Belichick did not have enough trust in Stephen Gostkowski, and those three points he didn’t get were the difference in the game.

    2. Who do you like in 2008?

    The Patriots’ offense won’t perform next season like it did this year, almost certainly. It would be hard to replicate the smashing performance New England had. We don’t know if Randy Moss will return, the defense is aging at linebacker and the offensive line, as we saw, was dreadful in the Super Bowl. Look for one of the teams on the rise -- Jacksonville or Dallas, perhaps, or even San Diego if Philip Rivers continues to develop.

    1. What lesson did we learn from the Giants’ championship?

    Patience, patience, patience. The Giants, like the Steelers and a few other teams, don’t fire coaches at the drop of a hat. They weren’t sold on Tom Coughlin but they couldn’t think of anything better after back-to-back playoff appearances prior to 2007, and they were rewarded for sticking with him. Too many owners think they are only a coaching change away from greatness when what they really need is to build a solid organization and stick with it.

    Ira Miller is an award-winning sportswriter who has covered the NFL for three decades and is a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Selection Committee. He is the national columnist for The Sports Xchange and his blog can be viewed at www.mysportspage.com.

    2008 AOL LLC. All Rights Reserved.
    2008-02-06 12:29:58
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    161 comments

    ewk40895 10:04:13 PM Feb 26 2008

    Report This!

    SUPER BOWL XXIII
    NEW YORK GIANTS VS INDIANAPOLIS COLTS
    That would be awsome
    Manning vs Manning

    ewk40895 10:02:33 PM Feb 26 2008

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    THE NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS ARE THE BEST

    sopranos1968 10:38:42 AM Feb 20 2008

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    I HAVE OVER 200 EMAIL FROM SPORTS FAN I WAS RIGHT ABOUT THE PATRIOTS FANS AND THEY TALK ABOUT OPINION ! ABOUT SUPER BOWL !! I HOPE GIANTS WONT MAKE SUPER BOWL IN 20 YEARS AND SO WE RE ALL HAPPY !! THE GIANTS IS THE LOWEST MARKET PAYROLL IN NFL !!! LOOK THE PATRIOTS HAVE ALL THOSE PRO BOWL PLAYERS AND EXPENSES LOTS OF MONEY !! WHO S RIGHT !! ASK EVERYONE !! THE PATRIOTS PLAYED 9 WEAK SCHEDULE WITH AWFUL DEFENSE TEAM, PATRIOTS RUNS THE SCORE HIGHEST POINT, PLEASE PLEASE STUDY ON THE VIDEO TAPE, !! LOOK THE COLTS AT 2006 THEY PLAYED LOTS OF WEAK SCHEDULE BUT THEY WON SUPER BOWL COZ OF DEFENSE, ITS DIFFERENT OF TALE OF 2 TEAMS ABOUT PATRIOTS AND COLTS, THE COLTS ARE BETTER THAN PATRIOTS OVERALL TEAMS ,! THE PATRIOTS WONT COME BACK THE SUPER BOWL NEXT YEAR, YOU WATHC AND SEE, HOPE PATRITOS GET ZACH THOMAS, ITS WOULDNT MAKE ANY DIFFERENCE, PICK UP ALLL OLDER PLAYER AND SLOW !! THE GIANTS BEAT THE PATRIOTS WITH 11 ROOKIES, HAHAHAH THAT TOTALLY EMBARRASSED AND SHOCK THE WORLD !!!!!

    sopranos1968 09:33:36 PM Feb 18 2008

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    HEY EVERYONE

    IGNORE POOKIEMANG169, , HE S REALLY STUPID MESSAGE, LIKE GIANTS WERE SO LUCKY !! WATCH THE VIDEO TAPE, GOOD
    STAY SOBER WHILE YOU WATCH THE GAME !!

    sopranos1968 09:25:38 PM Feb 18 2008

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    REPORT THIS REPORT THIS HEY POOKIEMMANG169, IF NEW YORK GIANTS LOST SUPER BOWL IM HAPPY, DO YOU KNOW !I DONT TALK TRASH TALKER AND I DONT WHINER AND CRY BABIES LIKE THE REST OF MASSACHUSSETT, SH-- T_E _UCK UP ! EVERYONE IS LAUGHING, AGREE WITH ME, POOKIE S TRYING TO REVENGE MY CONVERSATION, HE S SUCK A IMMATURE !!! REPORT THIS, REPORT THIS

    pookiemang169 01:24:50 PM Feb 13 2008

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    slidernkmc I don't know how you think you are an expert at Pat's fans. Not all fans are the same. You know like the good Giants fans I know and the half wit jerk offs like your self. Apples and oranges.

    thoelschen 01:05:57 PM Feb 13 2008

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    I think the Colts will be very danagerous next year, they draft well, fans will like the new stadium, and that they have a better defense than the team that won the Super Bowl in 2007. As long as Addai and Bob Sanders stay healthy, they can be very danagerous. Of course, they still need to fend off Jacksonville. If not the Colts, then maybe someone in the AFC South even if the Colts win the division.

    tscooch68 07:14:58 AM Feb 13 2008

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    The chargers can't win with a ***** running back.The cowboys have about 44 ******* on that so called team. Can't wait to see the NFL deal with the Giants as thier trophy holders.

    boltman57 07:25:12 PM Feb 12 2008

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    You dummies, Chargers all the way in 08.

    tracksgil 09:34:34 AM Feb 12 2008

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    It's all about how THE TEAM plays on that particular day. Congrats to the Giants on winning 'the game'. Who'd -a -thunk?! But how about the Packers? Who knew they would be one game from being in the big game? I think my hat goes off to Favre and his crew for what I thought was another MVP season! ( Next time practice in the cold!! It seemed to get to everyone out there.) It's too early to for my preditions for this next season, and it depends if Favre comes back. Please come back!!!

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