DV here,
Wow, it's been a while since I've made an appearance, props to Tray for keepin' on the keepin' on.
So, it seems the table has turned yet again. In a season that, a few weeks ago, seemed pretty straight up, (Cowboys vs. Patriots, anyone?) things sure have changed. We saw three frozen tundra style games, an NFC championship that actually showed competitiveness WITH a win by a field goal by the team that did not start with possession.
Congratulations to previously error prone Eli Manning for keeping the spirit of SportsKarma alive and kicking, even when the temperature in Lambeau Field was beginning to make me cold while sitting at home and watching the game.
What some fail to realize is that we have inadvertently staged the classic "Mighty Ducks" matchup, the rag tag team of inequity versus the polished uber perfect team, (18-0). Eli is that one kid in "Mighty Ducks" who is kind of nerdy and green, who finally at the end proves to be the hero of the game. Plexico is that one mean kid who no one can figure out and ends up being nice to the nerd after the game is on the line, Michael Strahan is the lovable giant goof who is the nerd's protector in the movie. Ahh, good times...
Anyway, one must wonder how Tiki feels now after blasting Eli and the NY Giants repeatedly during and after his retirement announcement in October of 2006. I doubt anyone was surprised by Tiki's lack of character, especially when he preached such lofty expectations without being a part of the solution.
One of my favorite Tiki quotes is a good place to start, "I used to think my career was defined by not winning a Super Bowl. But I think looking back on my career, they'll see someone who was a competitor, someone who always played hard and never gave up" I'm not sure if Tiki isn't aware of the meaning of "giving up" but what he did in 2006 was exactly that. He chose to call it a career halfway through the season, and he was especially vocal about the lack of leadership in the team. Instead of being that leader, instead of becoming a rock of support for a YOUNG and INEXPERIENCED Quarterback, instead of "getting his back", Tiki took the low road and acted as the eroding ingredient in a volatile molotov of a locker room in 2006.
A year and a half later, things have changed, and it must be a cold and cloudy night over the Barber household from now until February 3rd. Just imagine what will happen if the Giants somehow conclude a relatively ho-hum season with the upset that will end all upsets. What will Tiki say? It's his job to report and to comment, albeit with a certain editorial liberty that cannot be denied to people in his line of work. Will it prove to be a devastating blow to know that had he stuck it out, he would too relish the opportunity to face the almighty Patriots for the ultimate price? Only God and Tiki will know what he will think.
It should be no surprise that SportsKarma (or at least DV) will have to support the NY Giants in their quest for Lombardi glory. They embody the underdog spirit, and I think Eli is due some genuine love from people in NY and the country, especially the media. Also, they represent the NFC, who has played second fiddle to the almighty AFC for far too long. How I miss the days of 49ers and Cowboys, those NFC Championship games were dubbed "The Real Super Bowls" by Sports Illustrated. Oh, well...
Anyway, back to the present... carry on Eli, do what you can, don't forget to hand the ball over to Ahmad Bradshaw a couple of times for Tiki. He'll be watching... DV
