Imperfect Giants Slay Perfect Pats

Otis Livingston, Sports Anchor

New England’s quest for perfection came up short, their date with destiny thwarted by the Giants defense. Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Antonio Pierce got after the golden boy Tom Brady. When they weren’t sacking him, they were getting extreme pressure on him. They hit him about 18 times Sunday night, far more than he’s been hit in any one game this season.

The atmosphere inside the University of Phoenix Stadium was off the charts. Every time the Giants made a play it appeared the roof would come off. With each passing moment, The Patriot fans worried more and more. You could see their confident swagger begin to leave the building.

That’s when I knew we had a great ballgame on our hands. Brady looked concerned and yelled at his receivers. It gave you a gut feeling the Pats would have a long day. The usually calm, cool, collected Brady was rattled. I guess getting smashed into the University of Phoenix turf over and over again will do that to an MVP.

I still can’t believe the Giants pulled off one of the largest upsets in Super Bowl history. It’s 2:30 a.m. back in New York. I’m about to hit the sack for about an hour before the morning show and I’m numb. I’m not willing to believe there will be a parade down the “Canyon of Heroes” in two days!

These guys are really heroes. They did the unthinkable. Against all hope they slayed the New England dragon. On a selfish note, my 1972 Miami Dolphins are still the only team to go undefeated through an entire season. Thanks Giants!

Giants Fan Blog: Believe It, We Won!

By Ryan G. Murphy

After the Giants won the divisional playoff game in Dallas I wrote, “it doesn’t get any bigger or better than this.”

Boy, was I wrong.

The New York Giants just completed what is arguably the greatest upset in sports history, completing an improbable run of road victories, culminated by a fairytale win over the greatest team in NFL history.

Wow.

Giants fans, it doesn’t get any bigger or better than THIS.

There’s absolutely nothing I can write that can accurately depict what you and I feel as Giants fans right now. And, really, does anything need to be said? We just won the Super Bowl.

When Tom Brady’s 4th and 20 pass fell incomplete Sunday night your reaction is all that needs to be said. You’ll remember your celebration forever.

For me, it was a jump into the arms of the biggest Giants fan I know, my grandfather, 73-year-old Harry Walker, who’s taught me everything I know about football. Along with my dad, we’ve run the gamut of Giants emotions and, Sunday, we came out smiling.

Gramps, this one is for you pal. We did it.

Giants Fan Blog: Big Blue Faithful Weighs In

By Ryan G. Murphy

On Monday I wore my 1986 Lawrence Taylor throwback jersey to work. On top of that a New York Giants fleece. On my face, a smile from ear to ear.

There were congratulatory handshakes, (one from fellow web editor Jim Scott, a very classy Jets fan; another from manager Jared Goldman, a concerned Pats fan), some high fives from Giants fans at WNBC, and snickers from a few others — those bitter, non-Giants fans, who, like in previous weeks, forecasted how the Giants are going to get crushed in their next game.

After work it was a beeline to Modell’s to purchase NFC Championship gear. A normally 15-minute walk home took almost 45 minutes after fellow Giants fans, seeing me decked out in blue, stopped me in the street to talk about Sunday’s win.

“Can you believe Eli?”

“What if Tynes missed that kick?”

“Go Big Blue!” followed by a high five.

That’s what makes sports so awesome.

Perfect strangers, people I’d likely never speak to, put a smile on my face just chatting Giants.

The biggest smile came on Tuesday morning, when I checked my inbox and saw an email from Giants fan Susan Piontek who expressed her passion for the Giants poetically.

Here’s her poem, “Hail To Eli:”

We have an under-rated quarterback,

And Eli is his name,

Proving people wrong,

Just seems to be his game.

Early in the season,

He was off to a rough start,

But the wild card pick helped to show,

That Eli played with heart!

First he met with Romo,

Where everyone had doubt,

But Eli showed that he had skills,

And tensions began to mount.

He showed he had momentum,

Which helped us in Green Bay,

Favre started feeling pressured,

And threw his game away.

As he prepares to meet the Pats,

And get out of the cold,

Eli is now on his way,

To break the perfect Brady mold.

To the Super Bowl we go,

On February Third,

For the Giants to become the champs,

And let their team be heard!

Well done, Susan, you’ve embraced the Giants spirit!

If you’ve got something to say about the New York Giants, I’d love to hear from you. Email me at ryan.murphy@nbcuni.com

Giants Fan Blog: With Ice In Their Veins…

By Ryan G. Murphy

We did it. It was in the most dramatic fashion imaginable, but we did it.

After almost handing the NFC championship to the Green Bay Packers, the Giants turned to Lawrence Tynes who, with ice in his veins and his career on the line, found a way to kick a pigskin off a glacier and keep the Giants hopes of a Cinderella Super Bowl season alive.

If you’re a Giants fan, this was a hard one to watch, but you wouldn’t dare look away.

From the Donald Driver 90-yard touchdown catch, to the fumbled R.W. McQuarters interception, to the costly penalties, the collective blood pressure in New York approached 200 over 140 Sunday – peaking when Tynes missed the 36-yarder with a trip to Arizona resting between the uprights.

But as they’ve done for all of the 2008 playoffs, the Giants proved that resiliency in the face of desperation can prevail. Tynes connected in overtime and erased any doubt that the Giants were destined to be this year’s Cinderella.

Call it stubborn, call it destiny. Heck, you even call it lucky. The New York Giants are in the 2008 Super Bowl.

The New York Giants of five years ago lose Sunday’s game. But not this team. Not this quarterback.

In a little more than 60 football minutes Sunday we watched our shy, kid quarterback transform himself – again – into a poised, efficient leader who wanted the ball with the game on the line. With the help of Plaxico Burress and a tenacious defense, Eli Manning scripted his name into another legendary chapter of Giants’ history.

In hindsight, this one of the most exciting games I’ve ever watched, but my goodness, did it have to be THIS exciting?

Giants Fan Blog: Giants Are Super!

By Ryan G. Murphy

The Giants are in the Super Bowl!

It is absolute mayhem in my house right now. It is absolute mayhem in my head right now. I will be blogging about the Giants win all day on Monday. I can’t get the words out right now. Here is a summary of my thoughts:

* The Giants had no business winning that game after virtually handing it to the Packers on several occasions (fumbled interception, personal-foul penalty, missed kicks).

* Third Tynes A Charm? How did he miss the 36-yarder and connect from 47? Hats off to Lawrence Tynes for making that last kick.

* WOW!

The Giants have a big hill to climb in playing the Patriots, but stranger things have happened.

Go Giants!!

Giants Fan Blog: If The Slipper Fits…

By Ryan G. Murphy

I’m going to let you in on a little secret. The New York Giants are going to win in Green Bay on Sunday, but don’t take my word for it, the script’s been written for years.

If I’ve learned anything in the 20 or so years I’ve been bleeding blue, it’s this: In the NFL, you have to expect the unexpected –- those unscripted moments of unforeseen success that thrust us into a front-row seat for Cinderella’s fairy tale on a football field.

It’s what makes the NFL –- heck, all sports — beautiful, and the 2007 New York Giants have embraced the idea that if the slipper fits, you might as well wear it.

All week I’ve been scouring the Internet for predictions and conjectures about Sunday’s game. It’s no surprise that most experts and prognosticators have surmised a Green Bay victory. All I’ve done is smile.

Two weeks ago they predicted a run in Cinderella’s stocking against Tampa Bay and, just last week, they vowed that a handsome, right-handed prince would shoot down Cinderella’s chance for a dance with a 30-yard-TD-strike to Terrell Owens.

Most people start to embrace a fairy tale once the “Happily Ever After” ink has dried. As Giants fans, though, we’ve been on the magic-carpet ride for weeks and the ubiquitous Brett Favre is only the next chapter in our date with destiny.

The Giants will not win on Sunday because they are the better team. The Giants will win on Sunday because when the football gods cast their hands and created the NFL they made sure that, every once in a while, the little guy would rise up against the legendary heroes of the time to usurp the order of the football universe.

And those supporting the little guy could sit around fires (or plasma TVs) and tell the celebrated fairy tale and how they saw it coming.

Giants Fan Blog: How ‘Bout Them G-Men?!

By Ryan G. Murphy, WNBC.com

I fell asleep last night with an ear-to-ear smile on my face. I woke up in the exact same position.

Fellow Giants fans, it doesn’t get any bigger or better than this.

Big Blue is in the NFC title game. Read that again. Take yourself back to week two of this season and read that again. Wow.

Late in the fourth quarter Sunday the script was written for another Dallas victory. We’ve seen it happen too many times – standing toe to toe with the Cowboys for 55 minutes, only to have the rug pulled out from under us.

It hurts. It stings. It makes you want to fly to Dallas and personally wipe the grinch-like smile off Jerry Jones’ face.

And Sunday, it never happened…The Jerry Jones smile that is.

We went into Dallas, after losing to the Cowboys twice during the regular season, and usurped the ‘Boys position as NFC heavyweight. After 13 regular-season wins and a one and done in the playoffs, I wouldn’t want to be waking up in Dallas this morning…even if it was next to Jessica Simpson.

Eli Manning scripted his name into Giants history Sunday and made clear that he’s the man in New York. At times it’s been easy to doubt him, but in the Giants three biggest games (Patriots, Bucs, Cowboys) he’s been the go-to guy. Perhaps this is his coming of age. Eli’s not Peyton, he’s Eli.

The Packers are going to be a tough test next week, but, really, why not us? Few expected us to win against Tampa. None expected us to win in Dallas. And not too many will forecast us in the Super Bowl. And that’s just the way we want it.

Enjoy this victory Giants fans, it’s one of the biggest we’ve ever had.

Live Gameday Blog: Another Thriller In Philly

By Ryan G. Murphy

Wow. Hats of to David Akers for putting so much leg into that 57-yard kick that hit off the upright!! Too bad it fell short Seriously though, the Giants are not good for my health. This is seeeminly the 100th consecutive week where the issue has been in doubt until the end.

The Giants had several chances to put that game away and didn’t. That’s not good. However, the Giants won in Philly on the road. That’s good. We’re 9-4 now with three to go.

A playoff berth seems likely, assuming we don’t collapse.

I need to go for a walk – these Giants are killing me.

PS – My grandfather may have set the single season record for curse words during a football game today.

Live Gameday Blog: I Love Jacobs…But

By Ryan G. Murphy

When you are trying to seal the game, and have just run the ball inside the opponents’ 10-yard-line, don’t risk the possibility of a turnover for 2 extra yards. Just go down when your momentum has taken you 80% of the way already. That fumble is inexcusable.

The Giants had a PERFECT chance to seal the victory. That’s Jacobs’ 2nd turnover of the game and could cost the Giants the game.

I’ve written this in almost every blog this season: unreal.

Live Gameday Blog: TD Could’ve Ended The Game

By Ryan G. Murphy

The Giants could have all but wrapped the game up with a touchdown, but incompletions to Shockey and Burress ended any hope of that. Tynes connected on a short field goal to give the Giants a 16-10 lead with :48 left in the third quarter.