A Sad End

The Leafs are bad. Just plain bad. No surprise there. Not much to say about it either. There will be no playoffs this year - just a sad shuffle towards the golf season as die-hard buds fans try desperately to look for a silver lining.

Sorry folks, there is none.

Because this week, the Leafs illustrated once again just how little regard they have for their fans, their players and the Leaf legacy.

I've never been a big Sundin girl. But even I can't deny that the big guy has given his life to Toronto - has taken every hit dished out on the ice and in the media. Is he a rah-rah captain? Absolutely not. But he plays hard every time he's on the ice, bravely faces the media crush after every game, and how much more can we really ask than that?

Well, we can ask him to waive his no-trade clause - negotiated in good faith - and ask him to give up the notion of retiring as a Leaf. Thanks for all the hard work, Mats, now get the hell out.

Can you imagine the Detroit Red Wings having asked Steve Yzerman to accept a late-season trade in the twilight of his career? It would never happen. Because the Wings are a classy organization - an organization that treats their players with respect and realizes that trading a beloved captain is about as big an F-U to the fans as you can give.

The Leafs haven't been classy since Ballard. This is a city that scrutinizes every move by its hockey players and that venerates the guy wearing the C above all else. It's been noted that you are never as good or as bad as Toronto fans make you, and for no one is that more true than the captain of the Leafs. It started with Ballard treating Dave Keon as a commodity and, time after time, we've screwed around, pissed off and traded the likes of Sittler, Clark, Gilmore and now Sundin. Want to know why we haven't won since 1967? This kind of disdain goes a long way to explaining it.

It's a wonder anyone is willing to wear the C in this city at all.

My New Hero

It's Andy Petitte. I'm his new biggest fan. Never thought I'd cheer for a Yankee, but here I am, and here's why:

“I have to tell you the truth. I have to live with myself. And one day I have to give an account to God and not to nobody else of what I’ve done in my life. And that’s why I’ve said and shared the stuff that I’ve shared today that I wouldn’t like to share.”

OK, his version had a whole bunch of y'all's in it. But it is the substance of Petitte's deposition to the congressional hearings into baseball dirty little steroid secret that matters. Here it is: I lied. I took steroids. I saw my friends take them. And I lied about that. But now, because some things matter more than standing behind an old lie, I am going to tell the truth.

So unlike Barry Bonds and Mark McGuire and, heaven help him, Roger Clemens, Petitte admitted to what we all knew to be true and took one of the hardest steps imaginable. He chose to stop lying. Even if it meant he removed all legal doubt about his use of performance enhancers. Even if it meant making his good friend Clemens look like an ass (or a bigger ass, as the case may be).

Sounds like Hall of Fame material to me.

Aw, so sad...

In case you missed the game on Sunday, and don't have time to read the massively long live blog, here's all you need to know:

The Super Blog - Second Half

Man, Tom Petty is old. But at least I don't worry he'll be electrocuted, as with Prince's rain-soaked set last year. Freeeeeeee fallin'.

I really didn't see a 7-3 first half coming. Let's see what Belichick and Coughlin have up their (cut-off) sleeves in the way of half-time adjustments...

Q3

We're out of chicken wings and into the pecan butter tarts. One of the tarts has exactly one pecan on it. That's some serious quality control right there.

First drive - the Pats are looking more effective than in the second quarter - they got a few first downs - but the Giants D is still bringing it. Time for a punt.

Or perhaps for a too-many-men penalty. John Madden feels for you, Coughlin. That could be a big momentum shifter. Ouch.

Massive hold for the Giants defence there - and for Strahan in particular.

Wow, those Patriots cheerleaders really aren't wearing much, are they? Even for cheerleaders, that's a lot of skin. It must be Belichick's attempt to distract Strahan.

You don't hear much about star punters - but Feagles downs the ball inside the 15 pretty much every time. Special teams haven't been much of a factor so far today, except for Feagles - who has kept the Pats pinned back mighty effectively. I'm so ready for a safety.

Still 7-3. You gotta be impressed that the Giants have held the Patriots to one touchtown. But I don't see how long they can stay in it before the Patriots bust open a big play for another score. The Giants need to score, and soon, or they have no chance in this one.

Q4

Here we go...

Huge play to Boss - that's a rookie with some big potential...

Hey, Jeremy Shockey! I forgot he was even on this team. Team chemistry is a strange and wonderful thing - despite what Aikman says, I absolutely think the Giants are better without Shockey (and without Tiki for that matter). I wonder if Shockey and Peyton are doing shots in the luxury box.

Finally! 10-7 Giants.

Back to Brady. Another scoreless drive.

It does go to show.... back in week 17, a bunch of pundits, Jimmy Johnson of Fox included, criticized Coughlin for playing all his starters and trying for a win against the 16-0 Patriots. They said he should have rested his starters for the wildcard game the following week. Others commended Coughlin for being a good sport, for being loyal the spirit of the game and for refusing to let the Patriots back into perfection. But what few recognized at the time was how significant playing well against the Pats would be for these Giants. Forget week 3. Forget the road games. That game - week 17 - gave these Giants the confidence to really believe they could do it. That they could beat the Cowboys. That they could beat the Packers. That they had a real chance in this Superbowl, no matter what the betting line in Vegas said. Whether they win tonight or not, they have to be proud of how they ended this season. Sure, Manning or Burress or Strahan could have gotten hurt against the Pats that week, but I don't think any of them would be in the game today if they hadn't played in week 17.

Time to vote for the MVP. Hmm. It's almost always an offensive player - but in this game? Hard to say who best qualifies. Can we give it to the Giants defensive coordinator?

The Patriots look good to score on this drive. If they score here, Brady might actually get that MVP again.

Though Welker is making a case for himself. An undrafted free agent out of college, he's al of 5'9". If he wins the MVP, he should send Randy Moss a fruit basket.

First and goal. 3 minutes left. 3 timeouts a side. 3 points apart. This is good stuff, no?

The Giants defence just isn't getting the kind of pressure that they were earlier. They've got to be some kind of tired at this point.

Third and goal. 2:45. Brady to Moss.

14-10 Patriots.

This is it, Eli. This is your John Elway moment. Two minutes left in the Superbowl. One score. Do it and you're immortal. Fail and you're still Peyton's less-talented little brother. Your defence kept you in it - now you have to step up, out of Peyton's geeky shadow into your geeky own.

4th and 1. No pressure.

Jacobs looks like he's in.

No way!!!!!!!!!!!!!! How did Tyree hold onto that? How did Eli not get sacked? Man alive that was crazy.

40 seconds. No timeouts. First and 10 at the 14. Touchdown to Burress!!!!!! No way!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is the greatest game ever! Ok, maybe not ever. But that was awesomely delicious.

17-14 Giants.

Looks like Eli is the MVP. Back to back Mannings as MVP? The defence gets screwed yet again.

Back to Brady with 36 seconds and 3 timeouts. After the kick, it's 29 seconds from the 25. Good grief. This would be the biggest Super Bowl upset of all time if the Giants can hold.

The 1972 Dolphins grab some bottles of champagne... and that's the game.

Perfection remains elusive.

The Super Blog

Well, 27 hours of pre-game are mercifully drawing to an end, and we've made it through Pam Oliver's interview with the kinder, gentler Tom Coughlin - who it turns out was made into somewhat less of an ass by his wife telling him to lighten up already, through Terry Bradshaw telling Tom Brady that Giselle's kind of hot, through the worst lip-synching performance since Britney at the MTV Awards (hi Paula!), though all the pomp and circumstance and through one very wierd reading of the declaration of independence.

The Anthem:
I tend not to care for slowed-down 'soulful' renditions of the Star Spangled banner, but I gotta say, Jordin Sparks kicked it.

The Coin Flip:
In honour of the late Bill Walsh, it's his kids, plus Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice and... Steve Young. What, was Montana still busy working that dinner in the NFL Network commercials? Tails, the Giants receive.

Kick-off, baby!

The Game:

Q1

First play for 3 yards. Aikman says he was hyperventilating in the huddle in his first Superbowl. If Troy was that freaked, Eli may be truly fucked.

I'm all for third-down conversions - that's two in a row for the Giants - but how about a second-down conversion for a change?

Commercial break - Canadian commercials suck most times, but it is cruel and unusual punishment to have to watch those moronic Rogers kids when the rest of the world is getting million-dollar, Justin Timberlake-for-Pepsi spectaculars.

Hey look - there's Peyton watcing from a luxury box. Hi Peyton, enjoy the nachos.

Ohhhh - Eli throws into the endzone to Plax in double coverage. He is damn lucky Hobbs didn't come up with an interception on that one!

The weary hubby has just announced that if Brady wins, he'll be throwing things at the TV. I worry for the poor TV.

3 points Giants. They're gonna have to come up with better red zone play if they're gonna win. Field goals against the Pats mean you're going to fall behind fast. The Giants defence is going to have to work hard just to slow down Brady-Moss-Welker, and they'll need as many points behind as they can get...

3-0 Giants

Iron Man commercial. The weary hubby: "Oh, that looks pretty good!" Jen: "Meh"

First play by the Pats. Brady tastes turf. Yay. This may well be my highlight of the day Brady-wise, so I'll take it where I can get it.

There's a shot of Josh McDaniels on the sidelines. Wasn't it nice of Belichick to make his 17-year-old nephew his offensive coordinator?

Moss, where are you Moss? Double covered much? C'mon Brady - throw a few jump balls that way!

Q2

Touchdown Pats. Maroney is eating up yards today!

7-3 Pats

Didn't Will Ferrell already make Semi-Pro, but with figure skating and Napoleon Dynamite? Or have they all started blending together in my mind? And if the bobble-head Elvis on your dashboard is talking to you, perhaps getting gas shouldn't be your top priority - but rather finding a good mental health professional...

Hey, it's Giselle. And Jenny and Jim. And oh man, does Pam Anderson look like she needs a nap. Or some sunscreen. So, Eli has Peyton and his mom, Tom has Giselle. Advantage Tom.

Plax drops the ball, perhaps distracted by Pam Anderson's dayglow tan.

Ni-ice play to Toomer! Or as weary hubby said: "How the fuck...?"

Eli's too slow and runs out of time on the play clock. Peyton would never do that.

Awesome - they show Peyton signalling that Eli was too slow during the play. Hurry it up, little brother, hurry it up.

Interception. Dammit! Not Eli's fault. Dammit.

Seriously, that skinny Apple laptop freaks me out. I want my "I'm a Mac" commercials instead.

Big third down stop of Maroney followed by a good return. The interception is for naught.

Horses! Not playing football this year but instead a classic training montage! Go Hank! High five! Nice.

Narnia commercial. The weary hubby: "What the...?"

Fumble. For fuck's sake. The Pats got mugged on the recovery though.

The Giants are suddenly getting nothing. The Pats defence is stepping it up. Punt.

That's quite a jaunty red sweater that Belichick is wearing today. Is the grey hoodie in the wash?
What was that about an offensive show today? Giants blitz and take Brady down. Wait till the second half though - the Pats will light this one up before long, no matter what Michael Strahan has to say about it.

3 and out. 3 and out.

Moss looks pretty tired for a guy with no catches.

The Giants seem pretty keen on eating up the clock on offense with lots of running plays. Pretty good notion, so long as you can score at the end of it. Maybe they could try throwing to to Plaxico Burress, no?

New England is currently -19 in total yards for the half. The weary hubby suggests a raise for the Giants defensive coordinator. I suggest ice packs for Tom Brady, who is getting hit on every single play this quarter.

Hey, Moss caught the ball. That's nice for him.

Hey, Brady loses the ball. That's nice for me. Judging from the cheers, the crowd is mostly pro Giants. Screw history?

Half-time.

Tom Petty. I have to say I care not.