Celizic: XLII Greatest Super Bowl of Them All

[Deeper_Background]

GLENDALE, Ariz. - Greatest Super Bowl ever. That’s what you watched Sunday, and if you didn’t see it, find somebody who recorded it and see for yourself.

If you’re a kid, you’re going to be talking about this one for the rest of your life. If you’re a geezer, you’re going to have to shuffle your memories around, throw out whatever other Supe you had in the No. 1 slot and replace it with Giants 17, Patriots 14.
But I’m talking about the greatness of a game, and when you think of who was playing and what was involved and how it ended, nothing that has come before can match Super Bowl XLII. http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22985918/

 

[Ace]

Disagree. Excellent fourth quarter, but too much grinding otherwise.

 

[Deeper_Background]

Montana throwing the pass to win against Cincy on the final drive is still #1.

 

[D-Backs Hack]

I disagree as well. It's just like Super Bowl 23.

Great fourth quarter, great ending.

Not a great game (though better than 23, thanks to the Giants defense).

 

[statrat]

Of course Celzic would think this was the greatest Super Bowl ever. His attention span is about 30 seconds and he is a blatant New York homer. Great Super Bowl, but Namath and the Jets upsetting the Colts, and the Patriots win over the Rams still top it for sure.

 

[MileHigh]

32 and 25 were better overall games.

 

[Armchair_QB]

Of course Celzic would think this was the greatest Super Bowl ever. His attention span is about 30 seconds and he is a blatant New York homer. Great Super Bowl, but Namath and the Jets upsetting the Colts, and the Patriots win over the Rams still top it for sure.

Titans-Rams didn't suck either.

 

[spnited]

Disagree. Excellent fourth quarter, but too much grinding otherwise.

Exactly.

Not a great game at all.. just a great ending.

 

[Flying Headbutt]

Who?

 

[slappy4428]

Disagree. Excellent fourth quarter, but too much grinding otherwise.

Exactly.

Not a great game at all.. just a great ending.

I'd just like to add I have nothing to add to your add.

 

[TheSportsPredictor]

Montana throwing the pass to win against Cincy on the final drive is still #1.

And that was another crappy Super Bowl saved by a last-second score.

 

[crusoes]

I confidently state that this is the best Super Bowl I've seen live this year.

 

[Deeper_Background]

Montana throwing the pass to win against Cincy on the final drive is still #1.

Call me when Tom Brady or Eli gets a cover of Time Magazine

 

[heyabbott]

32 and 25 were better overall games.

Maybe.
But putting the game into perspective as a #5 wild card team having avenged prior defeats on the playoff road IN Dallas and IN Frozen Green Bay, playing against an undefeated team that set records for scoring, and by playing one of the greatest defensive games in football Championship history, this game may be the best.

Then the 4th quarter when the Giants take the lead and Brady goes on a huge drive 5 minute 80 yard drive and completes a TD pass to the greatest receiver in Football for a TD. Then Eli Manning, the media's favorite whipping boy QB, takes his team 83 yards, including 3 3rd down conversions, in less than 2 minutes for the lead. Then the GIANTS slam Brady into the turf with 20 seconds left, but still time for 2 failed bomb attempts to Randy Moss (who never jumped).

Maybe not the greatest game ever played, on it's own. But in context, it was the greatest Championship game since Ameche scored in Yankee Stadium 50 years ago.

 

[Captain_Kirk]

A silly premise/argument everytime it's put forth. What exactly are the qualifications for a game to be labelled the "best ever"? Everyone is going to have their own opinion, their own favorite, and there's no way to prove or disprove that opinion.

I will say we have been quite fortunate over the past ten years or so to have quite a number of games that were decided deep in the 4th quarter.

 

[spnited]

Wow, abbott, that is one gigantic stretch of logic.

The context of the game does not make a boring game with one great 4th quarter into a "great game"

 

[playthrough]

The game was dreadful until the fourth quarter. Not dreadful like I was about to switch to the Golf Channel, but c'mon it was a 7-3 Super Bowl for a darn long time.

 

[Italian_Stallion]

A silly premise/argument everytime it's put forth. What exactly are the qualifications for a game to be labelled the "best ever"? Everyone is going to have their own opinion, their own favorite, and there's no way to prove or disprove that opinion.

I will say we have been quite fortunate over the past ten years or so to have quite a number of games that were decided deep in the 4th quarter.

I'm with the captain. These arguments are silly. For my money, the best Super Bowl was Rams-Titans. In fact, I think Dyson reaching toward the line and coming up a foot short is probably the greatest snapshot from any Super Bowl. I also liked the first Super Bowl. At the time, I thought it was the best Super Bowl ever.

 

[Roscablo]

I don't understand why a damn good defensive performace -- especially by the Giants -- gets so trashed as making for a dreadful first three quarters. I thought it was quite entertaining -- especially the Giants constantly beating up on the Pats. Why does offense and nothing else have to equal good?

As for best Super Bowl ever? Who knows, there have been several pretty good ones over the past decade alone (I think I might vote for XXXII, but I'm a Broncos homer). But this one has to be in the mix.

 

[old_tony]

You can make all the arguments you want for other games but the guy does have a valid point. For those who say just the fourth quarter was good in this one and that the other three quarters were too much grinding, I think grinding is part of what makes football a great game. What's bad about two good defenses going at it? And the fourth quarter in this one was as good as it gets. The Giants' first touchdown drive. The Patriots coming back. And then the Giants' winning touchdown drive -- Manning's escape, Tyree's catch -- was as good as it gets.

Yes, you can argue, but you can't dismiss out of hand how great the game was, especially considering the history that was on the line.

There's no difference between what Manning did and what Montana did against the Bengals, and there was more history on the line and it was against a better team.