Underdog growing to Giant proportions in Bowl battle

By John Garces/sports editor

I do not like this year’s Super Bowl match-up. In fact, I don’t care for either team very much at all.

This year’s battle, taking place Feb. 3 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz., will see a true underdog, the New York Giants, taking on the team that has redefined perfection, the New England Patriots.

Whatever you might think about the at times nefarious means by which the 18-0 Patriots got here, they are setting a new standard for other teams to chase, having run through only the second undefeated regular season in NFL history.

The only thing standing in the way of the second undefeated season in history is the team that gave them their toughest challenge all year.

Back on Dec. 29, when it appeared the Giants would be sneaking into the playoffs without any momentum, the much maligned New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin elected to play his starters instead of resting them as the Patriots went for a 16-0 finish.

Using this strategy, the Giants would build a 12-point lead, the largest faced by New England all year, before losing 38-35.

Now, largely because of that decision, the Giants, 13-6, are on what they hope will be a legendary roll and have won an NFL-record 10-straight road games, including wins in Tampa, Dallas and Green Bay in the playoffs.

Another big factor in the Giants’ play of late is the blossoming of quarterback Eli Manning.

Often vilified in the Big Apple as the untalented baby brother of Peyton, the younger Manning has had a turnover-free post-season, outplaying three more revered signal-callers in Jeff Garcia, Tony Romo and Brett Favre to lead his team to Arizona.

The Patriots are the league’s “evil empire,” led by their cocky attitude and apparent lust for doing whatever it takes to win in a salary-cap-controlled climate most seem to believe would make dynasties like theirs impossible.

Led by their seemingly perfect quarterback Tom Brady and their ruthless coach Bill Belichick, they are the team America loves to hate.

If I wanted to be brave, I could call for the upset. The Giants did give the Patriots their best game once before. But that would be foolish. And mama didn’t raise a fool.

So the vote goes to a historic 19-0 season for the New England Patriots in a rout, and, unlike Spygate, there’s no videotape needed for this one.