What George W. Bush and Tom Brady have in common

The Prometheus Institute ^ | 3/17/2008 | Matt Fay

[tang0r]

For a time in 2007, the New England Patriots appeared to be the very definition of a superpower. After achieving an undefeated regular season and arriving at the Super Bowl 18-0, the Patriots seemed poised to make history and become the first team in the history of the NFL to have a perfect 19-0 season. On the eve of Super Bowl XLII, few predicted anything but a Patriot victory. Pre-game analysis didn't focus on the question of whether the Patriots would win the Super Bowl, but rather on whether the Patriots were in fact the greatest football team ever to take the field.

The Patriots' Super Bowl foes, the New York Giants, were as a clear an underdog as there has been in a Super Bowl. They already had been beaten by the Patriots at home in the regular season. They had backed their way into the playoffs. They had a quarterback who was talented but inconsistent. Their defensive line was strong, but their defensive backfield was easily exploitable. The power demonstrated by Brady and Moss, with the game's best offensive line providing the "grunt work" up front, should have made short work of the overmatched Giants. But they didn't. The lesson of the Patriots' downfall is that any superpower, whether on the world stage or a football field, can fall victim to hubris and be defeated by a weaker opponent.

[mainerforglobalwarming]

Backed their way into the playoffs? The Giants destroyed Buffalo in Buffalo to earn a playoff spot. As for a weaker opponent beating in the world stage, only if we let the left and the NYTimes rubn the show. Which it seems at times we do.

[KC_Conspirator]

I seem to remember the Giants having a strong second half of the season, only losing to the Pats and the Skins during damn near tornado like conditions. Furthermore, the Gmen had a spot wrapped up by the time of their Week 17 game. So whats this backed into the playoffs nonsense?

[misterrob]

The Giants played great football over a 7 game stretch, they lost by 3 to NE at home, then went on the road and beat teams that they had lost to earlier and won a hard fought game on a hell of a play. They also matched up well against the Pats where it counted. People were willing to accept conventional wisdom instead of looking at match ups and the recent game between the two teams.

Brady's comment was good natured and far from hubris since it was trash talk from another team's player that he was responding to.

Why must people come up with these inane analogies to explain situations?

[mainerforglobalwarming]

The Giants defensive players and coaches even said against NE in the last regular season game, that they didn’t show all their looks because they didn’t want to tip Tampa Bay off for the playoff game. and if the Giants played the Pats 10 times they’d win at least 6. They’re much faster, more physical. And now that they know how to win the big game the pats would be toast.