02/04/2008
Giants Hand Patriots Stunning 17-14 Super Bowl Upset
So Tom Brady's not perfect. Mama's boy Eli Manning took the New York Giants to a 17-14 upset win over the New England Patriots, sending the undefeated Tom Brady to Boston defeated.
Giants co-owner John Mara called it the "greatest victory in the history of this franchise" and it certainly was a stunning upset:
"Manning connected with Plaxico Burress for the winning touchdown, a 13-yard pass with 35 seconds remaining in the game. Manning drove the Giants 83 yards in just over two minutes after the Patriots had marched down the field to take a 14-10 lead. Manning was named the Super Bowl most valuable player a year after his older brother Peyton won the same award for the Indianapolis Colts. It was, fittingly, a brutal sack of Brady by Jay Alford with 20 seconds remaining that all but ended the Patriots’ final chance of saving their unblemished record. Brady heaved the ball nearly 80 yards in the air in a desperation shot to reach Randy Moss with 10 seconds left, but the fourth-down pass fell to the ground."
Here are a few pre-game moments — Paula Abdul's taped performance of "Dance Like There's No Tomorrow" and American Idol Jordin Sparks singing the national anthem.
John Travolta flew his own plane in to the Super Bowl and managed to get a chat in with Seacrest before the game:
Said Travolta: "I'm a New York boy and I like the Giants except I did choose the Patriots 34, Giants 24. I want a good game. I think you got the best team vs the hottest team and we will all hope for the best game possible, because I come to the Super Bowl for a Good Game."
No doubt Travolta was pleased that the hottest team won.
Photographer Paolo Pellegrin took a look inside the Giants locker room for the New York Times.
Players pictured here are Plaxico Burress, wide receiver; a reporter; and Zak DeOssie, linebacker (left) and Reuben Droughns, running back; David Tyree, wide receiver (right). Click to enlarge.
Citing rules that restrict favoritism, FOX declined to run any candidate ads during the Super Bowl but Barack Obama found a way to get in on the Super Bowl Sunday right before Super Tuesday.
The Obama campaign made a local ad buy in 20 Super Tuesday states to run this ad.
Hillary Clinton watched the Super Bowl at a Sports Bar in Minneapolis, where she was campaigning, the AP reports:
"When New York scored the go-ahead touchdown with 35 seconds remaining, Clinton leaped up and high-fived some young people standing near. 'That was unbelievable,' she said. 'Oh my gosh.' Filing out of the room after the game, Clinton gushed to reporters. 'I'm so excited, I'm thrilled,' said Clinton. 'It was a fabulous game.'"
There was no major "Snickers-style" controversy in the Super Bowl ads this year. AfterElton felt the two ads above were slightly homophobic. The Prison Break ad, because the bisexual character was tackled, and the Bridgestone ad, because Richard Simmons is targeted by a reckless driver.
Although I see their point, I don't feel as strongly. I think Richard Simmons is viewed as more of an annoyance by most than as a gay person, and that's why he was used here, although there is that stereotypically 'flamboyant' element to his character. But I do feel the Bridgestone ad could have appealed to a wider audience had the driver targeted Ann Coulter. Just sayin.
I was a bit disturbed by the Amp Energy ad with its car battery nipple clamps, however. Don't try this at home.
View all the Super Bowl ads here.
Sphere: Related ContentPosted 7:53 AM EST by Andy in Advertising, Eli Manning, Football (American), News, Sports, Tom Brady | Permalink
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Tom "Smell of Giselle" Brady was never perfect. His press agents just made the deadbeat dad out to be one.
Posted by: Gary | Feb 4, 2008 8:17:19 AM
How about the commercial with the pandas. Racist?
Posted by: John | Feb 4, 2008 8:20:26 AM
Wow, good to see "Donkey Lips" is still getting work.
Posted by: ridwah | Feb 4, 2008 8:29:24 AM
Well, Miss Derrick, you got your wish. Giants won fair and square.
Posted by: davefromtampa | Feb 4, 2008 9:21:42 AM
Next year the super bowl is in my city, my apartment is just 3 blocks from the stadium. All hot daddies are welcome to stay and I don't mean on the couch.
Posted by: davefromtampa | Feb 4, 2008 9:38:40 AM
Eli Manning is getting far more credit for that victory than he deserves. The NY Giants' defense kept Tom Brady from winning this game and they deserve all the credit. But of course the Manning family is just as incapable of doing anything wrong as Tom Brady is, so he is the MVP.
Any given team can beat any other given team on any given day under the right conditions. The Giants deserve their win, they played exactly how they needed to to beat the Patriots. In the end, the Patriots are still the best football team to play the sport in the last five years. And I'd still let Tom Brady be my baby's deadbeat dad any damned day.
Posted by: Alex | Feb 4, 2008 9:40:46 AM
Just a sad day and ending for the Brady Bunch and a perfect record, what in the world was wrong in the last 3 minutes with NE's defense? They could not stop "pay-ton's" little bro no matter what.
Next year Tom :).
Posted by: Sebastian | Feb 4, 2008 10:27:31 AM
I'm surprised no one's commented on the gross unsportsman-like conduct of NE's coach when he stormed off the field before the game was over.
BTW, Tom Brady is not a deadbeat dad. He's a celebrity sperm donor who's paying child support for his irresponsibility. I hope his son does get a real father.
Posted by: Jack Scribe | Feb 4, 2008 10:40:41 AM
Giselle has her work cut out for her to ease the emotional and physical toll last night's loss did on Tommy's mind and body.
Lucky beeatch!!!!
Posted by: gabe | Feb 4, 2008 11:05:45 AM
Tom Brady can be my alleged dead beat babby daddy anytime he picks!
Posted by: Sebastian | Feb 4, 2008 2:50:07 PM