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It's Super Bowl Sunday, the biggest sports day of the year. Here at BC Interruption, the writers usually keep their professional allegiances to themselves, and prefer to keep a BC-centric mind frame towards their writing. But today is different. Today I can no longer speak to Brian, because when he isn't rooting for the Eagles, he supports the New York Giants. On the other hand I have lived in the Boston area my entire life, and live and breathe the New England Patriots. It's a Civil War here at BCI, and only one of the writers will be left standing.
Let's start off with some fluff. Favorite Super Bowl Food
AJ Black- I can not get enough buffalo wings. Yes, I know they were created in NY but it would be blasphemy to go an entire Super Bowl without eating a dozen of these. When I was younger I loved to make these as spicy as humanly possible, but as I've aged, so has my digestive system. If I want to make it to work on Monday morning, I better make sure the wings aren't too spicy.
Brian: I've got to go with seven layer dip. Pizza and wings are a staple, obvi but I can never get enough seven layer dip. Chips optional.
AJB: Now most people would go with Sam Adams here, because it's a Boston based beer. I agree with the Boston based beer part, but I am going to go a different root, and select "Harpoon Irish Red". Harpoon is a fantastic beer, and if you live in the Boston area you probably have gone to one of their Harpoon fests.
Favorite Team Moment
AJB- Easily the Snow Bowl in 2001. I remember watching the game, as the rest of my friends went out in the blizzard to go to a dance. I sat in my living room screaming at the television as Tom Brady went down and fumbled the ball. I had no idea what the "Tuck Rule" was, but it soon became my best friend. And when Adam Vinatieri hit that last second field goal I completely lost my crap, and accidentally put my foot through the bottom of my leather chair. Oh well.
Beer of Choice for the Game
Brian: I'm having a few people over for the game, and have the fridge stocked with Bud Light, Heineken Light and Yuengling. Bud Light is like the BC alumni's Busch Light (since we can afford it now), and is a staple. Heineken Light for the wife, but Yuengling, now here is a solid Pennsylvania beer. When I was in school at both BC and Northwestern, you couldn't get Yuengling anywhere, so it was a always a treat to come home and enjoy an ice cold brew. AJB: Now most people would go with Sam Adams here, because it's a Boston based beer. I agree with the Boston based beer part, but I am going to go a different root, and select "Harpoon Irish Red". Harpoon is a fantastic beer, and if you live in the Boston area you probably have gone to one of their Harpoon fests.
Favorite Team Moment
AJB- Easily the Snow Bowl in 2001. I remember watching the game, as the rest of my friends went out in the blizzard to go to a dance. I sat in my living room screaming at the television as Tom Brady went down and fumbled the ball. I had no idea what the "Tuck Rule" was, but it soon became my best friend. And when Adam Vinatieri hit that last second field goal I completely lost my crap, and accidentally put my foot through the bottom of my leather chair. Oh well.
Brian: I'd go with Super Bowl XLII, but that would be too easy (18-1!!). In fact, that game more or less sucked for three quarters until The Catch and the Giants drive to take the lead. For me, the best team moment was Super Bowl XXV and Scott Norwood's 47-yard attempt that sailed wide right to preserve a 20-19 New York victory. Other than the Rams-Titans Super Bowl, perhaps the greatest finish in Super Bowl history. I was pretty young, but have a distinct memory of covering my eyes only to open them to watch Norwood's kick sail wide.
The assistant coaches / coordinators for the Giants in this one? DC Bill Belichick and WR coach Tom Coughlin, who went on to become the head coach of the Cleveland Browns and Boston College Eagles, respectively.
State your case---why will your team win?
Brian: I really don't understand the point spread on this game (Pats -2.5). The Giants have already knocked off the Patriots in Foxboro and are a much better team than they were in week 9. The NYG defense is playing lights out after battling injuries for much of the season. The AFC was weaker than the NFC this year, and the Pats had a much, MUCH easier road to the Super Bowl than the Giants. The Giants had to knock off Green Bay and San Francisco, both on the road, while the Pats beat a pathetic Broncos team that got lucky against the Steelers and the Ravens on a missed FG. Yet the Pats are favored?The Giants are the hottest team in football, having won five straight single-elimination games. Look for the New York Football Giants to make it six straight today.
AJB- Yeah I know, the Giants already beat the Patriots this year. I can still see Eli Manning pumping his fist as he hit Jake Ballard in the end zone to complete the Giants come from behind win. But you know what hasn't happened since that game? The Patriots haven't lost. I call this the "Dumping Albert Haynesworth" Factor. Haynesworth was completely useless, and since he has been gone, the Patriots' defense has been much more effective. True they let up some points to the Dolphins and Bills, but in the playoffs they have been a whole other animal. Vince Wilfork is an animal, and Rob Ninkovich has emerged as a stud linebacker. Tom Brady will score points, and the Giants won't have an answer for Rob Gronkowski. Couple that with an improved defense, and the Patriots will walk away with their fourth Super Bowl title.
What do you hate most about your opponents' fan base?
AJB- New Yorkers are the most entitled, whiny collection of sports fans in the country. They of course look at Boston fans the same way, but New Yorkers had this mind frame while Boston fans had to deal with lean years of Boston Red Sox playing like crap, the Bruins playing like crap, the Celtics playing like crap, and yes even the Patriots playing like crap. And talk about bandwagon? Shipping Off To Boston may be a crappy song as well, but "Empire State of Mind" is so much worse. It's just a terrible song, I want to jam New York bagels in my ears whenever I hear Alicia Keys scream that song.
Brian: I hate that Pats fans think there is some rivalry here. Ooo! Pats-Giants ... REMATCH! REVENGE FOR SUPER BOWL 42! No. There is no rivalry here. The rivalry is Pats-Jets, not Pats-Giants. These two teams play each other once every four years in the regular season. No rivalry. Besides, don't the Pats owe all of their Super Bowl victories to the Giants for getting their coaching sloppy seconds anyway?What do you hate most about your opponents' fan base?
AJB- New Yorkers are the most entitled, whiny collection of sports fans in the country. They of course look at Boston fans the same way, but New Yorkers had this mind frame while Boston fans had to deal with lean years of Boston Red Sox playing like crap, the Bruins playing like crap, the Celtics playing like crap, and yes even the Patriots playing like crap. And talk about bandwagon? Shipping Off To Boston may be a crappy song as well, but "Empire State of Mind" is so much worse. It's just a terrible song, I want to jam New York bagels in my ears whenever I hear Alicia Keys scream that song.
I hate that Boston pro sports fans are a convenient excuse for BC's football and basketball attendance woes.
And I hate that Boston fans have a serious chip on their shoulder / inferiority complex that their pro sports teams are NOT from New York. "Yankees Suck" chants when you are beating down the Kansas City Royals in the 7th inning of a game at Fenway? Yeah, you guys aren't insecure or anything ...
Here we go, time for a bet. If my team wins, I will force AJ/Brian to do blank...
AJB- I really have to step my game up here and come up with a good bet after what Brian came up with, because man if the Pats lose I am up the creek without a paddle. So here is what Brian will do if the Patriots win. I am going to mail him two DVD's first off, I will mail Brian the Patriots Championship DVD and make him fanpost the best Patriots moments of the season. The second DVD I am going to send Brian is "Fever Pitch", which is easily the most obnoxious Boston film ever created. You can write a non tongue and cheek fanshot about how great Boston sports fans are all while wearing my Rob Gronkowski jersey soaked in beer and victory that I will mail to you after the game.