OUT.FUCKING.STANDING.

[WilliamPitt]

Nothing else to say. The New York Football Giants kicked the ever-loving shit out of my Patriots, just manhandled them up one side and down the other.

The better team won, and frankly, it was a weirdly amazing thing to see. In 2004, the Boston Red Sox managed to do the unimaginable by rallying from a 3-0 game deficit to...well, you know the rest.

Now, that karma has been reversed.

Maybe I'll be bitter about it tomorrow (but not tonight, cuz I have tickets to see the Supersuckers in a club roughly the size of my boot)...but I was happy to buy rounds of shots last night for every Giants fan at my football bar. There were a bunch of them...and they all had this wide-eyed look on their faces after that last incompletion, like they'd just given birth to themselves or something and couldn't quite believe where they were.

And of course, some assbag Pats fans (note well: "Pats fans" does not yet mean "football fans," not by a long chalk, and any of you who deal regularly with the subspecies know full well what I mean, sadly) got chippy with some Giants fans, and the bouncers had to come wading in, and when it was all over it was me, Jay the bartender, and nine Giant-jerseyed newborns with Jameson shots in one hand and the other hand slapped to their foreheads.

I know the feeling. It was awesome to witness, and I mean that from my heart. I got those guys hooted but good, and sent them reeling off into a suddenly-deflated Pats-'07-season-only-a-good-trivia-question-now February evening....hopefully the shitheads in their Welker jerseys had already slouched home to watch their City of Champions DVD and grind their teeth.

See...and this is heresy...but we needed this one to go down the way it did. By "we," I mean the Boston sports scene. The time it took for far too many people around here to go from awestruck gratitide in '01 to mind-erasing joy in '04...to obnoxious expectation of certain triumph at all times...was a little gruesome. No, it was a lot gruesome.

I remember Bucky Dent, Buckner, more recently Boone, I remember Jose Canseco and Mo Vaughn going 0-20 against Cleveland in 95, losing 3 games to 1 against the Yankees in '99, but see, I also remember Desmond Howard in '97 and the Bears in '87, Denver in '05 and always before when He Who Shall Not Be Named was behind center (Ellllllllllllwayyyyyyyyyyyyyy, ooooooorrrggghhh...)

I remember Squish the Fish and the fucking Sullivans and Schafer fuckin-fa-chrissake Stadium that was made from aluminium cans and the bones of deceased never-were's who wore the red and white through 41 years of Miami-dominated infamy and ignominy. We had our fair share of greats - Tippet made the hall yesterday, and John Hannah is All-World on any list...but Kraft came, and Bledsoe got busted, and some nobody we picked 199th in the draft stepped up, and 2001 came, and then 2003 and then 2004, not just once with the Pats but twice with the Sox, followed by 2007...

This is not a football town by any stretch of the imagination, as most people around here didn't figure out there was a football team playing under the standard of their region until three years ago; ask someone in a Vrabel jersey what a 3-4 defense is, what Cover-2 means, or who our back-up safety is...durrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr...

But it was a cocky-ass town...until last night.

Now the wheels and tumblers have clicked around again, and I mean this: it was a privilege to witness the whole thing coming and going. I've seen five championship parades roll right past my window since 2001, Pats-Pats-Pats-Sox-Sox, and I never actually expected to see even one, and no matter how tainted the Patriots coach and all he rest of that may be, it was also a privilege to watch this team play football this year. It was an exposition, an aeronautical display, and I saw every tick of the whole thing.

I have nothing to gripe about. The better team won, and it wasn't us...and if some assholes in Pats jerseys don't like how it tastes, well...it'll cull the dullards from the ranks and leave the rest of us football fans where last night found me: gape-mouthed, in awe, and really fucking psyched for my Giant-fan friends.

It's a stingah, as we say around here. But it wasn't the first, won't be the last, and there's gonna be some hard wisdom to deal with in between.

It was a privilege. Congratulations, Giants fans. That really, really, really was an awesome sight.

:toast:

[Dinger]

1. Ditto On That Will

I was at the NFC Championship game, and the Giant fans and team were/are one classy bunch! We might be rivals, but we're friendly rivals. And the Manning brothers are a great story indeed. congrats to a great team, a great game, and a great and inspiring season!:headbang: :yourock: :hi: :thumbsup: :toast: :bounce:

[scytherius]

2. How 'bout those Giants

Yeah the Giants beat my Packers too. As far as I am concerned, the best team in the NFL won the SB. Major props to the Giants!!

[MnFats]

23. and my Vikings, Gawd they can be tiresome, throttled the Giants. Lotta good iti did them.

maybe next year....but probably not.

the fading lob to Plexico was one of the most stunningly beautiful things I've ever seen.

And then you had MOSS, already measuring his ring finger and fixing to go into the record books with a winning SuperBowl touchdown....and ultimately watching it all turn to ash.

tough hop, Randy.

[northzax]

3. as far as I am concerned

the Giants Defensive Line should have shared the MVP. that was the most dominating defensive line performance since the Ravens in 2000.

[BeachBaby]

4. Philly Eagles fan here.....

but I love football, no matter who is playing.

When it came time for the Giants to head down to Dallas, I had to make a choice on who I was gonna cheer for - and being that they are both in our division, I had to go by our hate-o-meter. We hate, in this order:

Dallas Cowboys
New York Giants
Washington Redskins

Above all, though, WE HATE T.O. HATE HIM, HATE HIM, HATE HIM. Even got the "Dallas Sucks, But T.O. Swallows" t-shirt.

So I rooted for the Giants, never really believing they would beat Dallas, IN DALLAS.

Then came time for Green Bay - and although I have absolutely nothing against the Packers, I had to cheer for the underdog. And damned if the Giants didn't do it again! Holy shit, they're going to the Super Bowl.

Holy shit - they're going to the Super Bowl. Holy shit - they gotta play the Patriots. The Patriots. Good Gawd - they are up against the same team that whooped the Eagles' collective ass 3 years ago. They're up against the cheaters - and I'm pretty sure that at that point, Eagles fans far and wide wanted to see OUR enemy beat THE ENEMY.

The Giants played their hearts out. You could taste just how much they wanted that win. It was obvious to me last night, that they were a better team than the Patriots.

The Giants beat the odds. They beat Tom Brady and Randy Moss. And maybe, just maybe....Archie will cut both his boys a break.

Congratulations Giants.

[Voltaire]

16. This Eagles Fan Concurs

I'm just glad the Cowgirls weren't there instead of the Giants. I would have had to find something else to watch!

[BOSSHOG]

29. Eagles fan here

My order is slightly different. I would flip flop the Skins with the Giants and make the Skins very close to being in that number one spot.

[tomfodw]

5. Wow

That's incredibly gracious. As a Yankee fan, I have not forgotten nor will ever forgive 2004. And as a Giants fan, I have to say, that's remarkably generous of Mr. Pitt. Thanks.

Wasn't it a hell of a game? Who'd have thought anyone short of the 70s Steeler defense could hold the Patriots to only 14 points? Who'd have thought that Eli could actually outperform not only Tom Brady but also his big brother Peyton? (I'm sorry, Peyton Manning is an all-time great passer, but there's *NO FREAKING WAY* he could have escaped that sack on the 3rd-and-5 on that final drive.)

Anyway, great rivalries are what makes sports so engrossing, and the New York/Boston rivalry is one of the greatest. Last night just cemented that a little bit more.

Thanks, Mr. Pitt. Tip o' that hat to you and your boys, too. They weren't perfect, but the Pats are a hell of a football team.

(For the record, their backup safeties are Willie Andrews and James Sanders.)

[bigwillq]

6. The NY fans are certainly cocky too.

But everything you said is absolutely true...I think the Giant fans were different because I don't think many, including the die-hards would've predicted that the G-Men would be Super Bowl champs. It was quite the game. One for the ages, and I know I am biased, but Eli's performance, and the defensive effort, have to go down as one of the best sports moments ever.

There are some Patriots fans who I can't wait to rub it in just a bit too but overall it was a classy game on both sides and if you're a true football fan, this is what games are made of. A classic Super Bowl between two very good teams.

Patriots are still one of the best ever but Giants were just a little bit better last night.

Thanks for your post Will.

:hi:

[StClone]

8. I have NEVER rooted for any NY team!

Until last night and one of my players is with the Pats!

[StClone]

7. Olbermann predicted it!

If you want to get a handle on Keith's perspicacity in sports -- well there it is! Is political acumen isn't far behind.

[foxer]

9. Tom "undie feet" Brady lost "historic" Super Bowl

No "undie feet" trophy

No "undie feet" ring

No trip to "undie feet"World

So Sad

[hughee99]

10. Well said, Will

I though about starting another "Congratulations to the Giants" thread, but I don't think I could sum it up any better than this. There was no doubt who the better team was yesterday, and that's why they're going home with the trophy. Congratulations, Giants and Giants fans, on a well deserved win.

[jus_the_facts]

11. It didn't matter to me who won last night.... there were LSU players on both sides o'the ball....

....just proud to see all of them still kickin' ass...except for Marquise Hill unfortunately....may he rest in peace. :hi:

[inthebrain]

12. If anyone is gonna served a little humbel pie

can't complain when a guy like Eli Manning serves.

That kid has no ego on him what-so-ever. He doesn't play with that Derek Jeter smirk and is simply one of those "awe shucks" geeky kinda guys.

I remember Aikmen killing the Giants in the 90's and some tough bouts with Montana. Even Brady over the years has developed that cocky arrogance that you just want to wipe off his face. Richard Seymour with his "get ready to go home" comment to Toomer pretty much cemented this thing.

Sports serves a great heaping of humble pie. Some of it fair and most of the time it is unjust. In this instance the Patriots WERE the Yankees. This was a case of sports justice and humble pie served on a plate.

[flyinzamboni]

13. Blame it on Gisele!

Nice article - I have heard many older, die hard boston fans recently complaining that the kids in Boston these days don't understand what is to be a Boston fan and win this many championships in such a short period of time.

Although I would have liked the once great 1972 Miami Dolphins to finally shut up (I respected them a lot more before their behaviour over the last 5 years), this would not be the year.

Congrats to the Giants on a well fought and well deserved victory!

[trumad]

24. Another fucking crybaby about the 72 phins

[DinahMoeHum]

14. As a Giants fan for 40+ years, I can only say thanks, Will.

Today, we party.

Tomorrow, we, the Giants fans and Pats fans who live in 24 states, join our fellow voters in playing the Super Tuesday Bowl.

:toast::party::toast:

:kick::kick::kick:

[Dyedinthewoolliberal]

15. Well put Will...

have you considered writing as a career? :)
Here's what I liked. It was Entertaining! As a person with no emotional investment in this particular game (grew up in Detroit, live in Seattle) I didn't want it to be over by halftime. And it wasn't. :toast: to a great Superbowl!

[Tresalisa]

17. Well done, Will Pitt!

This long-time football fan has seen the good and the bad of other teams' fans. Each team has it's @sshole fans, but the back-and-forth between rival fans is one small part of football I enjoy. It's fun to trash talk with each other. It can go way overboard and get ugly, and there were a few times when the bar I was in watching a game got cleared out by the police because the rival fans went too far.

Congratulations to the New England Patriots and their fans for a great season, and congratulatons to the New York Giants and their fans for being Super Bowl champions! It was an awesome game to watch, and, I understand, the most viewed Superbowl ever.

[nikto]

18. The PATS...

...need the help of "special advance-videos" in order to win.

Take their vidcams away, and they are just another decent team.

[kimmerspixelated]

19. Underdogs!

I love it when the underdogs triumph, and another OFS! moment or minutes I should say, was the performance by my favorite band-TOM PETTY and THE HEARTBREAKERS!

[lazyriver]

20. You sir, remind me of a very classy Sox/Pats fan I

know here in Maine. I'm a NJ transplant and lifelong Giants/Yanks fan. We've had many a sports debate in the last seven years (especially about Yanks v Sox) but we have always agreed on one thing: The true fans of the sport- the students of the game if you will, not the hotheaded bandwagoneers, on each side appreciate greatness when they see it happen. The Sox coming back and beating the Yankees eventually winning the WS was one of those times where I had to graciously tip my hat and say to him, "Out-Fucking-Standing" as you so eloquently put it in your title. I had to do it again after the last week of the regular season when the Pats came from behind to go 16-0. This morning my friend called me to return the compliment for the Giants.

[The Wizard]

21. Been a Giants fan since 58

when Alan Ameche crushed this kid's team in overtime.
This was the most satisfying Giant victory ever, and maybe the most exciting Super Bowl ever.
There were no cheap points scored, and the script couldn't have been better. Every play had me and my house full of old Giant fans holding our collective breaths.
In between the plays there were spirited debates regarding Hillary and Barack. There were no Republicans present, as I refused to have a stink bomb at a perfectly good Super bowl party.
In the end, the Giants won because they worked harder, and there's no substitute for hard work.
I try to avoid watching major sporting events in public venues; sports fans have the uncanny ability to drop IQ points when they see their team come out on the field. It's instant asshole: just add alcohol.

[rasputin1952]

22. Here's my 2 cents...This will go down as one of the

GREAT Superbowls. It comes close to SBIII, Colts/Jets.

It was smashmouth FB at it's best...no blowout, no wild 90 yd passes, just good old fashioned football.

The Giants have a great defense, by the 3rd time Brady was hit, he was rattled, his Offensive line was breaking down, and I knew the game was going to be close.

But there is nothing that can compare to Manning getting away on 3/5, from THREE Pat's and lobbing that heart attack pass to Tyree...and Tyree making one of the most incredible catches I've ever seen.
That made the whole game worth watching.

I have always been for the underdog...this time, the underdog took down all of the hubris and talk of Brady being some kindof god...it was good.

[mojowork_n]

25. Congrats from Wisconsin, too.

I'll admit that after the Giants got the overtime win at Lambeau Field, I had a few second thoughts about the effect of climate conditions, below zero wind chills, and the effects on O-line schemes predicated on totally different blocking styles.

Banished.

I went in to the State forums, New York chapter, to give a cheer, but there wasn't a thread there.

[sellitman]

26. Nice classy post.

Like we expected anything less?

I am a Redsox fan in the AL and the feeling I had was close to the way I felt in 2004.

Elated just doesn't do it.

Pinch me.

[GOPBasher]

27. Will, you're very gracious. I'm not a fan of either team, but

I really enjoyed a great game. It was one of the best, if not the best, Super Bowl ever.

[johnny_red]

28. thanks will!

getting respect from pats fans feels almost as good as getting it from eagles fans. it just goes to show that there are classy fans of every franchise (except maybe the raiders).

GIANTS