Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Why I am Rooting for the Giants in Superbowl XLII

Originally posted on Thursday, January 24, 2008
at www.lonestarstruck.com
Yes, I know this is a Cowboys fan site and yes, I know many of my Cowboy friends could care less about who comes out on top in this year's Superbowl. However, I have decided to throw my support behind the Giants, and here's why:

First of all, New England is a great team - I will give them that. Are they the greatest team of all time? I'm not ready to place that accolade upon their head. They do have the greatest regular season record of all time (Remember the Dolphins season in 1972 was only 14 games long). Are they invincible? I definitely don't believe that. I have seen them struggle from time to time this season and I think that even the mighty Patriots have their weaknesses that can be exploited.

My biggest problem with the Patriots, is that while I think they are a great team, I cringe every time I hear an analyst on ESPN or some other sports show, gushing with orgasmic delight when they talk about this team. Yes, they're good, but c'mon people… Here's a towel. Clean yourself off and let's try to be objective. They are not a machine and they are not without their faults.

The Giants, on the other hand, are a team many feel don't deserve to be in the Superbowl. They didn't play consistently throughout the season and couldn't even win their division. However, they have done what it takes down the stretch and have put together an impressive record on the road. Maybe they don't deserve it, but it's hard to argue with the fact that they're still there while the players of 30 other teams are home enjoying chips, dip, and a cold one on the couch.

I have argued for years that the NFC East is consistently the best division in football. I realize that there are years when they don't produce threatening teams like they have in other years, but on a year in, year out basis, the NFC East usually fields some pretty tough teams. Which means that for the Cowboys to win the East is an impressive achievement in and of itself.

My argument here is, if the Giants win the Superbowl, it buttresses the Cowboy claim to a great season (although I don't think we need any other validation). We beat the Giants twice during the regular season, and took the division title. Yes, we lost to the Giants in the post-season when it counted most, but the team to knock us out was one of our own. Three out of four NFC East teams made the playoffs, and I think that's impressive. For an NFC East team to win the Superbowl, just shows that the young NFC East Champion Cowboys are a team to be reckoned with next year.

I didn't write this blog to convince you to root for the Giants. I am just trying to explain my reasoning. I really don't care who you root for in the Superbowl, just as long as you continue to support the Cowboys with your heart and soul.

What I would like to convince you of is this: Don't be like the Cowboy-haters out there. You know, those people who can't bear to give us credit when credit is due. The Cowboys are a polarizing team - it seems you either love them or hate them. There isn't much ground in between. The haters always want to find fault, downplay our achievements, and come up with reasons as to why we aren't the team our record shows. Let us not be that way, Cowboy fans. We should rise above the pettiness and hate for the accomplishments of other teams. Whichever team wins this Superbowl should be deserving of our congratulatory kudos. We're above the bitterness, snide comments, and hate-filled talk. We're Cowboys. Our day will come….

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