January 2008 Archives

Totally forgot to tell you. But last night after leaving a bar, we turned right and proceeded to walk across the street. Mind you there were two other people doing the same thing just to the left of us.

Pedaling towards us (yes they were on bikes) two cops (affectionately named Ace and Gary by one of my co-workers) skid to a stop and surround us.

"Where you from?"
"New York."
"Well did you know that each year we have at least two people killed by cars and that people who are walking around this area just step out onto the street and subject themselves to possible harm and the law around here crossing the street without the right of way is a first degree misdemeanor and the fine is 150 dollars?"

Jaw drops. We just stare. Long awkward pause. Cop number 2 shifts to the other side of his bike seat.

Step aside and just re-evaluate the situation: The streets are empty and there are no cars. Here is a cop, on a bike, wearing his helmet, with his "buddy" tailing along. Two people just did the exact same thing and we were stopped. And possibly fined.

Mentally I ask: "Do you accept debit cards?"

Ace says: "I'm going to consider this a warning. But this is a very serious offense." We nod our law breaking heads and break through the bike gang to finish crossing the street.

As we walk away, Gary says: "Which way is the traffic signal to go?"

Note: I fully understand A&G were just trying to be protective and abide the law. It's just funny to a couple of kids who live in NYC because we cross the street everyday dodging crazy cab drivers and mad buses.

Morning!

Last night we tried to hit up some of the spots our dear friend and fellow co-worker John Walters gave to us. The area as a whole can be a little overwhelming when trying to figure out where to go. To make it simple: we are staying in Tempe, the game is in Glendale, Media Center/Radio Row is in Phoenix, and the night life is all in Scottsdale. Talk about spreading the good stuff out as far as you can! Apparently the good place to go is Scottsdale. I'm hoping that because it was a Wednesday night people are starting the week off slow because to be honest there wasn't much going on at all. It didn't look like the Super Bowl was in town, but like I said the week is young.

We enjoyed dinner at Pink Taco, which was next to the 944 Village that opens up today. The village (according to the website) is: The week of January 31 to February 3, 944 will transform four acres of the Scottsdale Waterfront at Stetson Canal into the event headquarters for Super Bowl week with an action-packed itinerary of top-notch events. The village will consist of a festival-like environment from day into night, which includes a mini Las Vegas Strip, live music, food vendors, charity fundraisers, art displays, fashion shows, and world-class DJs. This tented city will become the Mecca of PGA/Super Bowl commerce during the daytime hours, offering a multitude of culinary delights, musical entertainment, sports and celebrity meet-and- greets and autograph sessions, designed to attract young and old to downtown Scottsdale.

So today we are headed there. Matt Leinart is hosting the DIRECTV Celebrity Beach Bowl which is always fun and a guranteed competitive game with cheating from both sides! (You might recall Steve-O from last year was the ref and was officially kicked out due to a little too much boozing!) Then tonight Gregg is headed over to the MADDEN BOWL party. I looked on the list of attendees and did not see reigning two-time champ Alex Smith on there. But the list includes:
Plaxico Burress, Laurence Maroney, Kellen Winslow, Patrick Willis, Chad Johnson, Shawne Merriman, Jason Witten, and then other guys hanging out are: Ben Roethlisberger, Donnie Edwards, Luis Castillo, Antonio Gates, Derek Anderson and Tony Paker. The list goes on and on...

I on the other hand and am headed to a 50 Cent party. All I know is Ping Pong is supposed to be involved. Yesssss!

Hey guys...

Yesterday we shot another Fantasy Video from the Media Center. While we were doing that Brett Farve, Mike Ditka, Warren Dunn, Chad Johnson, Adrian Peterson plus many more were all out making the rounds at Radio Row.

At one point I was on the phone trying to get information on an event and a guy waves me over. I walk over and on his computer is a picture of me and his radio co-host from last year!! So we did a little talking on his show for a bit and then I helped introduce Charles Godfrey, a Draft Pick for next year, onto the program.

Check out this video where we asked the athletes themselves if they play Fantasy Football.
"ELLIS HOBBS, CHANNEL 7 NEWS."

Just wanted to tip the cap to whomever that inspired programmer at HBO Signature is. Tonight they aired back-to-back The Last King of Scotland followed by Braveheart . So that's the Last King of Scotland followed by the First King of Scotland. So to speak.

I was really hoping the next film up would be Trainspotting , but no such luck. You wonder who would win in a fracas between William Wallace and Begbie, though, don't ya?

Have you ever watched the video of Tracy Morgan being interviewed on a local news show in Texas.? If not for pure enjoyment, you should watch it. It gives new definition to what a ladies man really is.

And then there is the players definition of what makes a ladies man. I asked some guys at Media Day and got great answers. One funny thing was how the two teams interpreted the question. All of the Patriots would automatically say a name. The Giants on the other hand would laugh, smile, look away and say: "I can't get anyone in trouble." Take away from that what you want.

But first watch the video and hear who the boys have to say is the biggest ladies man.

WOW.

Just so you know ladies, those Giants have a way with words. You've been warned.

Media day... (I can think of a few other things to call it but so be it)

I have one year under my belt with how this thing works. Covering Super Bowl XLI in Miami was a first. And as they say, you never forget your first. Which in the scheme of things isn't really much when compared to the Berman's of the sports world. Yet all you need is one, and forever more you've got a reference on how things work.

Reflecting back on Miami, this year brings some similarities and refreshingly enough, some nice surprises. Last night our crew met for dinner in hopes of a chance to discuss our game plan going into today's media spectacle. What was a simple meal hoping to generate ideas turned into a long conversation about ____________ and a slight argument with our waitress over the price of wine. Apparently our version of a certain Sonoma Coast bottle and her interpretation of a distinctly different Sonoma Coast bottle cost an extra 35 bucks. Consider it noted. And for the curious, this might be a place to skip when visiting the greater Phoenix area.

Moving on... we accomplished little at the dinner yet we did finally come to a few conclusions: no swarming the booths, no slugging around step stools, and no annoyingly common and predictable questions. Avoid the obvious. Immediately Belichick, Coughlin, Brady, Manning, Strahan, Welker, Moss, Burress were out of the plan. Our proposal was to grab the fun guys, hand them a mic and let 'em rip. Initiate a conversation that led to us learning about their teammates, hear about the funny jokes, get the scoop behind the locker room pranks, and perhaps a little slip of a secret or two.

We arrived at the University of Phoenix Stadium and parked. Victory was short as we reached the entrance (along with a handful of other naive credential holding reporters) and were told it was the wrong spot. Sweet. Upon reaching the desired and real entrance a familiar vision flashed before me. The security line, the try-not-to-be-obvious-and-fail-miserably-as-you-check-out-the-who's-who-of-the-line, the wait, the cue that signals the massive cattle call down to the field, even the muffins on the catering table were the same from last year.

The athletes are even similar. This years class can easily be lumped into two groups: Pats/Colts. Giants/Bears. The favorite versus the underdog, the QB people wanted to see win vs the QB who's path to the big game was rocky and often doubted, the explosive offense versus the dominant defense, the team ready to take care of business whereas the other team was happy just to be invited to the office party.

Upon first glance you might not think they are similar. Then again maybe you find them to be exactly the same. I found them to be predictable. Now I'll give you one guess on who was more fun to interview. Times up.

Once for a hockey interview, I had to ask some of the guys who they would pick if they were stranded on an island. After today, I know which team I would pick. The Giants are fun. They are fearless. They are enjoying all of this. The sheer magnitude of it all is not lost on them nor does it scare them. It excites them. The Pats aren't scared. They aren't worried. They are just kind of ________. Don't take this observation the wrong way. I am in no way taking a swipe at what could be one of, and in some minds the, greatest NFL team ever. I'm just saying that when you 're in my position and competing against thousands of journalists from all over the world, some who think it is a good idea to dress up as brides and crazy magicians mind you, it's invigorating to be with a team who still finds humor in it all. The unit that lives up to the larger then life hype of the game through words, their own emotions and a harmless dose of teasing (on each other).

We have some great videos out on all of it. My favorite questions to ask that got the best answers were "Who has the best car?", "Who is the biggest ladies man?" and "Who does the best pranks?" Ohhhh the answers we got. Look for our video. Classic.

(I'll try to link it as soon as it is up. In the meantime, it is 1:20 am ET and I'm beat. Night.)

I once spent $5 for a ticket to a U2 concert.

That was back in December of 1987. The band was filming its concert movie, Rattle and Hum , near the end of "The Joshua Tree" tour. They were playing two shows on consecutive nights at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz. It was a few days before Christmas, and Bono and the gang just wanted a packed house, so the tickets were offered at that reduced rate.

$5 for a ticket to see U2 live.

I mention that because last Friday night I paid $16 to see a U2 concert movie. But you know what? It was worth it. If you have one o' them IMAX theaters in your hometown, and they're showing this film, and you think that U2 is the greatest band to have come along in the past quarter-century (as I do), then you have to see this movie. I've seen U2 in concert five times, but I've never had as good a seat as I had for this show.

The 3-D effect, to paraphrase Emmitt Smith, "blowed my mind". The concert footage was taken from shows in Argentina and Brazil, I believe, stadium shows, and some of the scenes are surreal. When the camera is positioned right behind a few of the gals on their boyfriends' shoulders, you feel as if you are there. You want to throw something at the girl so that she'll get down so you can see (I think that's how I got in trouble with the lady seated five rows in front of me, but that's a different story).

Sure, there were a few songs I could have done without ("Bullet the Blue Sky", "The Fly") and a few that I wished they had played ("All Because of You", "Running To Stand Still"), but all in all it was an amazing show. And it didn't take me an hour to get out of the parking lot afterward.

Well worth seeing.

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I'm in New York City this week, and not in my hometown of Phoenix, and that has me bummed. You just cannot imagine what Phoenix must be like this week. Annually, the most happening week of the year is the FBR (formerly Phoenix) Open. Fellow native Tempean Rick Neuheisel once told me that the party at the Bird's Nest in Scottsdale on the Saturday night of the open is the best night in town all year long. It's all cougars and future cougars and cheetahs (cougars who carry on multiple dalliances....my own blossary term there). Anyway, it's a jungle out there.

And that is taking place this weekend.

Now, you pair the FBR Open with the Super Bowl, with a Snoop Dogg party and a Victoria's Secret party and a hip-hop block party being hosted by Dan Majerle (Thunder Dan is apparently pretty fly) that will have '90s rappers Digital Underground, Tone-Loc and Young MC (what, was Naughty By Nature busy?) and it's gonna be crazy. I mean, this is the town where "You're with me, Leather" all began.

All I can say is that ESPN on-air personalities should carry a photo of Deadspin contributor A.J. Daulerio with them at all times, and be careful whom they text-message (and only do so from the privacy of a men's room stall).

And, as a public service, here are ten places I'd hit if I were in the Valley of the Sun this week:

Dos Gringos, Tempe (near ASU campus)
The Library, Tempe (near ASU campus)
Sugar Daddy's, Scottsdale
Martini Ranch, Scottsdale
Maloney's, Scottsdale
Sapporo, Scottsdale
Greasewood Flats, Cave Creek
Postino Wine Bar, Phoenix
The bars at D.C. Ranch, north Scottsdale
My parents' house (bottomless tray of lasagna, and it's within walking distance of Leinart's crib)
The Pink Taco, Scottsdale

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Also, two great Mexican restaurants, if you are out there: Frank & Lupe's in downtown Scottsdale is the quintessential madre-y-padre Mexican restaurant, while Los Dos Molinos in south Phoenix had dangerously yummy margaritas.

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Help me out here. I had the SC on mute last night and they were showing highlighst of the Mavericks-Grizzlies game. But there was one play, a loose ball play, in which a Mav player seemed to mug and perhaps even perform three martial arts moves on a Griz, with no other player in the vicinity, and the ref let it slide. The Griz was so apoplectic that he walked over to the ref with his arms outstretched as if to say, "I know there's favoritism in this league, but the last time I checked Michael Jordan does not play for the Mavericks."

What was that all about? Did someone else see this?

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Thought while watching ESPN's coverage of Supe Bowl XLII yesterday: How much Sean Salisbury is too much Sean Salisbury (and this coming from someone whom Salisbury has never shown his cell phone photos to)?

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My buddy Moe Cavanagh and her parents had me over for dinner last night. Great time, as always. Moe is married to actor Tom Cavanagh, who is in Canada right now filming. He reports that it was 39 below zero in Calgary yesterday. So, probably no Super Bowl in Calgary any time soon.

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My favorite part of the "State of the Union" address was when they'd pan over to the Bush twins, and Lauren was wearing that look that said, "I could be at Bungalow 8 right now."

The Northeast (our crew) and the rest of the world sports media has picked up and moved in to its new home for the next 9 days.

Scottsdale, Phoenix, Glendale, Tempe... take your city. They're all in it together when it comes to the hosting duties of the Super Bowl. We arrived late (eastern time) last night and here to greet us was Mother Nature doing her best performance of "I'm Going To Rain In A City That Never Rains... Ever." Thankfully it has all cleared up and while they say it should rain a bit more tonight, hopefully that is the end of that.

Arizona and I have never met before. Today, we both agreed it was long overdue. The second I saw palm trees I knew this would be a lasting friendship. Yet I still can't get over how you can be driving along on the highway, on totally flat land mind you, and out of nowhere a huge rock appears. I'm talking "Is that a mountain?" looking kind of rock. These things take time.

This might be the nicest, friendliest and happiest state I've ever been to. Hospitality is known to have been invented by the Southerners. Arizonians however have mastered it. Not one person allows you to walk by without a smile, a friendly hello or (as in never an occurrence in NYC) eye contact!! So far it seems as though citizens of the area, regardless of their feelings towards sports, have embraced this week and all it brings (good and bad) to the place they call home.

Pats got here on Sunday. Giants avoided a premature meeting in the airport and arrived here today. Every sportscaster has been giving their predictions since... the second Giants kicker L. Tynes made the field goal in OT against the Packers. It's just the beginning.

Folks, Media Day kicks off tomorrow and Gregg Rosenthal, Tom Curran and I will be there. With Bells On!

Hey...the downtown Phoenix area is kind of beat...if you're going out...Pats or Giants fan...a good place to go is in Scottsdale...Martini Ranch is going to be a hot spot. ... Try to get there early...I'll meet you there...

My favorite teacher died last week.

John R. Becker, a Jesuit priest, had spent the final 57 years of his time on earth teaching English to high school students. I had the good fortune to have Fr. Becker for sophomore English at Brophy College Prep in Phoenix, Arizona, during the 1981-82 school year.

Fr. Becker was, in a word, original. For example, if we students were speaking while he was trying to teach us, he never raised his voice. Instead, he lowered it. Earlier this month I was reading the comedian Steve Martin's memoir, Born Standing Up , and Martin wrote that he did the same exact thing when his audience had too many hecklers. It's an effective strategy.

If you read this blog often, you know that I have an uncommon love of puns and wordplay (my friend Steve Rushin, and our everlasting blogstalker, G.A., endure a similar affliction). No one person did more to cultivate that ardor than Fr. Becker. Someone would ask him if he wanted the homework collected, and he'd reply, "That'll make me feel like a firefly in the rain...de-lighted."

I'll admit, I was even denser then. There were puns like that he used daily that I probably didn't catch on to for months.

Fr. Becker, a lean man with a lively face and short brown hair, taught English the way Mr. Miyagi taught martial arts: through relentless repetition. Almost daily he'd pull out a typed essay or work of literature that had had all of the grammar excised. It was our job to decide where commas and semicolons and the like belonged. On the first day of class he handed us two books, "The Writer's Handbook", which he dubbed "The Brown Bible" (due to the color of its cover), and a vocabulary tome, "New Building Word Power". To this day I use them both, as do a lot of my classmates.

As I said, Fr. Becker was an original. He never got angry, which is not at all to say that he was a pushover. One day he was giving a lesson and a friend of mine, a student who would go on to the Air Force Academy, was trying to do homework for the next period's class. We've all been there, right? Well, Fr. Becker saw what my friend Matt was doing. Without ever breaking stride, or interrupting his train of thought verbally, Fr. Becker picked up all the books on Matt's desk--half-completed homework assignment included-- walked over to the classroom door, opened it, and threw them out onto the sidewalk.

It was masterful. And remember, this was before Mr. Hand in "Fast Times at Ridgemont High".

You learned in Fr. Becker's class, but you laughed, too. He understood that he had a roomful of 15 year-old boys who all talked a much better game, socially and intellectually, than they walked. He encouraged playfulness in writing and discussion, and he never judged. After a month or two in Fr. Becker's class, you felt comfortable saying just about anything.

It seems hard to fathom now, but as a 15 year-old I was afraid to write for our school paper because I felt I lacked the skill. It was Fr. Becker who would approach me after class and tell me that I was failing to take advantage of what skills I'd been given. Were it not for his prodding, I may never have had the nerve to write my first story for a school newspaper. In other words, Mom and Dad, you can blame Fr. Becker.

Fr. Becker, whose daily regimen included a post school-day bike ride up Central Avenue in Phoenix, died last Saturday. I'm somewhat relieved in knowing that since graduating a long time ago, I'd written him more than once to thank him for all he did for me. In fact, when my Brophy class staged its 20-year reunion in 2004, Fr. Becker was the one teacher whom we invited. And he showed up, too.

I am just one student. When I think about the fact that this man devoted his life to teaching young men English, that he had more than 56 years of classes (certainly more than one class per year; many times five or six) of students whose lives he impacted, I am struck by what a worthy life he lived.

So long, Fr. Becker. Have a dry weekend.

I wake up the other day to a text message from my little brother.
It says: "You haven't blogged in two weeks. Slacker."
Way to get motivation.
Bro.

He's right, like always. It could've been the post holiday chill mode we all seem to slink into. It could've been just wanting to sit back and watch to see who will play the Pats in the Super Bowl. Or lazy. Or frozen. Whatever.

It all stops on Sunday.

Flight out of Newark straight to Arizona and a full week of hitting up the parties, gathering the stories, interviews and hanging out at the Super Bowl. Expect a whole lot of blogging cause there's not a dull moment in sight.
Bro.

From OrlandoSentinel.com:

What business did Meyer have recruiting Moore's girlfriend to be a UF gymnast?

Meyer: "Say no more -- full ride!"

Click here to read the entire story about the ongoing investigation into Urban Meyer's recruiting tactics.

Blogstalker non pareil G.A. phoned this morning. "I just wanted to let you know that South Florida will be playing in South Bend in 2011," G.A., who covers the Bulls for the St. Petersburg Times , informed me. "If we both have the same jobs we do now, I don't know how happy either of us will be to see one another, but pencil in Nov. 19th of that year for a get-together."

Further ruminations on our new favorite philanthropist, Dr. Brilliant (see blog below):

--Wouldn't he be an ideal protagonist/sidekick in the next Austin Powers film?

--As G.A. posited, and fellow Johntourager Moose agreed, let's give it up to Dr. Brilliant for meeting the challenge that his surname posed. Can you imagine if he had just finished his education after high school, or even after only getting his masters degree. "Hey, Mr. Brilliant, why are you still teaching the fourth grade?"

--This has to be the best surname-to-status achievement since Chris Moneymaker won the World Series of Poker a few years back.

TMZ.com, whose celeb stalkers first caught video of Tom Brady's right foot in a walking boot, followed up this morning with a shot of Brady from last night coming out of an establishment with Gisele Bundchen ...and Brady's wearing...pointy suede shoes.

So all the kneejerk, breathless reports that led Sportscenter and sportscasts and ignored the fact the kid was WALKING ON THE DESPERATELY INJURED FOOT can start to backpedal.

Was it news? Yeah. Lead news? Naaah.

My new favorite philanthropist works for Google.

Last Friday's New York Times Business section had a terrific piece about how Google (and you really should buy their stock!) is reserving 1% of its profit and equity to "make the world a better place". Anyway, Google is fielding suggestions from all over the world (mine: more Nickelback!) and they've placed a most able man in charge of this extraordinary task. His name:

Dr. Larry Brilliant. Seriously, that's his name. Dr. Brilliant .

(At bar)

Doctor (to woman): "Hi, I'm Brilliant."
Woman: "Of course you are. What do you do for a living?"
Doctor: "I'm a doctor."
Woman: "You're a brilliant doctor?"
Doctor: "Actually, I'm Dr. Brilliant."
Woman: "Buzz off, pal."

(I'm sure G.A. will come up with better dialogue than that.)

Anyway, you cannot go wrong with a Dr. Brilliant, can you? It's like having a spy named Incognito.

Dr. Brilliant instantly joins our All-Aptly Named Team, alongside Steve Jobs of Apple, Brian Cashman of the Yankees and field goal kicker Ryan Longwell.

AFC/NFC Championship Game Thoughts

1) Was it just me or did you see Eli Manning searching the crowd after the Giants won, all alone, and think of Cyril after the Cutters won the Little 500 in Breaking Away ?

2) I've mentioned this before, but one of my old high school coaches used to drum the phrase "somebody loses" into our heads. In other words, in football, you're a lot more apt to lose a game via mistakes than to win it. The Giants are winning because they're not losing. That is, few penalties and just one turnover (and that on a play that began with a Packer turnover) in the postseason. And that's why they're winning.

3) Will Sunday's games at last convince the people who build stadiums that comfort does not equal (is in fact, less than) pleasure? Sure, there are 70,000 or so fans who had to brave the arctic conditions on Sunday, but the rest of us (tens of millions of us) were clearly delighted to watch these games that transpired in weather you'll normally only see on TV in "Deadliest Catch: King Crabs". I mean, wasn't that awesome to watch? Why do people ever, ever, ever build domes? You could never capture the atmosphere that existed in Green Bay and New England on Sunday in the RCA Dome.

4) If you've never played outside in those temperatures, it's impossible to appreciate how amazing Chris Chambers' sideline catch for San Diego and Amani Toomer's diving catch for the Giants were. Laying your body out to catch a rock-hard football, knowing that the landing is going to be like hitting concrete...those were two outstanding catches.

5) Allow me to echo Phil Mushnick of the New York Post, CBS: It's not enough to tell us that Randy Moss only has one catch all afternoon. You need to explain why. Show the coverage on him.

6) Watching Laurence Maroney of the Pats this week and Marion Barber of Dallas last week. Realizing both played on the same team at Minnesota in 2003 and 2004. And wondering how the Golden Gophers never did better than one appearance in the Music City Bowl those two seasons.

7) Will someone tell me how the Giants "shocked" anyone by winning? All New York had done going into the contest was win nine consecutive road games. They had the better big-play receiver (Plaxico B-r-r-r-ess), the better running back (Brandon Jacobs) and the better defensive line. And they came within one blown coverage play against Randy Moss, you can argue, of upsetting the Pats in Week 17.
Shocked? Not even Shockey-ed.

8) Will Bill Simmons' "Ewing Theory" be renamed the "Tiki Theory" if New York wins the Super Bowl? By the way, Pats by 13? Seriously. I've already booked my flight to Vegas in support of Coughlin.

9) The Chargers showed up more than anyone thought they would. We may turn Norvelous into a blossary term yet (Norvelous, adj., "pleasantly surprising people after your entire career gave no one any reason to believe in your ability to do so"...used in a sentence: "Eli Manning was simply norvelous on Sunday" or "That was a norvelous piece Walters wrote on the Notre Dame game.")

10) I believe you (seriously) if you say you thought Tynes would hit the 47-yarder. I did. Really. The fact that it was so unlikely took all the pressure off him.

And finally...Something tells me the Dana Jacobson fiasco won't blow up quite as much as the Kelly Tilghman one did. Though I do hear that "Blue & Gold Illustrated" is considering putting a crucifix on its cover next week and asking Coach Weis to pose next to it.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is at his most revealing on Monday mornings when he does a weekly radio hit with WEEI in Boston.

During a 20-minute chat-em-up today, Brady acknowledged what CBSSports.com's Mike Freeman alluded to yesterday - a possible leg injury suffered during the game.

"There's always kind of bumps and bruises you're dealing with," he told hosts John Dennis and Gerry Callahan. "I'll be ready for the Super Bowl. I'd have to be on a stretcher to miss that."

Jokingly asked if the injury might "flare up before the Pro Bowl", Brady - who's not a big fan of the trip to Hawaii after a 20-game season, said, "Heh, heh, you can count on that. You can definitely count on that."

Brady also compared the modest playoff output of Randy Moss (two catches in two games) to the way opponents avoided pitching to Barry Bonds.

"Especially in the Jacksonville game, they just refused to let him catch the ball," Brady explained. "I told Phil Simms (CBS analyst) that this is sort of like Barry Bonds. A team can intentionally walk him three or four times then say, "Well, Barry Bonds didn't beat us."

Brady also left no doubt that he's in lockdown mode during the Super Bowl.

"There are plenty of distraction. Everyone is going to call and everyone is going to want to be there and involved and you almost have to be a concierge and organize things because everyone will come to you. The more you can shield yourself from that, the better. (For instance, you say) OK, I don't need to go out with my family on Thursday night even though they're all here and that's a wonderful thing to do. You're going to have months and months to do that after the season. You just really have got to focus on why you're going down to the game and it's not to enjoy Super Bowl festivities as a spectator. When were in Jacksonville (in 2004), I barely left my hotel room."

A few other nuggets...

Packers get the ball at their 26.

And Favre hangs one up, his sideline pass intended for Donald Driver intercepted by Corey Webster at the Packer 43, returned to the 34.

Unbelievable.

Ahmad Bradshaw runs twice.

Third and 5 at the 29.

Manning's pass for Steve Smith just this far out of Smith's reach.

Lawrence Tynes comes on for a 47-yard attempt.

This time, it's -- good.

Giants win.

Giants to the Super Bowl. How about that?

Two minutes to go, Giant ball, second and 15 at the Packer 47 -- Eli Manning to Steve Smith for 14.

Third and half a yard at the Packer 39. Ball is snapped at 1:18. Bradshaw to the left side for 8, to the 31.

First and 10, Manning to Smith for 11, to the 20.

First and 10, Bradshaw carries up the gut.

Four ticks on the clock. Ball on the Packer 18.

Lawrence Tynes, who was not asked all year to kick a game-winning field goal, comes on. 36-yard attempt.

The Packers call time out. To ice the kicker. In this weather, "icing" maybe has a different connotation.

The snap is high. The holder, punter Jeff Feagles, gets it down. But not in time, not really. Tynes misses, wide left.

Overtime. If you can believe it.

And the Packers win the toss. Green Bay will get the ball first in OT.

With 6:49 to go when they get the ball, Packers go three and out. The whole thing takes not even a minute off the clock.

Punt to the Giant 37, 5:53 to play.

Three running plays. First down at the 48. 4:43 to go.

An incomplete pass. Brandon Jacobs carries for 2. Third and 8 at midfield -- and Manning is sacked by Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila. Who either had incredible reaction time or was off the line early. No call.

The Packers get the ball on the punt at their own 17. 2:48 to go.

With Brett Favre in charge.

Incomplete pass. False start, back to the 12. Incomplete pass.

Third and 15 at the 12: pass underneath to Donald Lee, for 5 yards. Not nearly enough.

That was hardly a legendary performance by the legend.

Giants call time out. 2:30 to go.

Fumble upon fumble on the punt return -- R.W. McQuarters stripped of the ball, the Giants' Domenik Hixon finally falling on it at the Green Bay 48.

And then ...

And then ...

And then ...

Ahmad Bradshaw runs for a 48-yard touchdown, and a ticket to the Super Bowl.

Wait. Flag.

Giants' guard Chris Snee is called for holding, the replay showing him clearly dragging Packer defensive tackle Ryan Pickett to the ground.

No touchdown.

Instead, it's Giant ball at their own 43.

Two minutes to go ...

Crazy sequence to start the fourth.

Third and 10 at midfield, Brett Favre to a leaping Donald Driver across the middle for 20 yards.

On the next play, Favre's gunslinger self makes an appearance. He throws deep for Koren Robinson. The ball is intercepted by McQuarters, who pulls a Marlon McCree -- remember last year's San Diego-New England playoffs?

On the runback, McQuarters is stripped by Packers' running back Ryan Grant, the ball tumbling directly to Green Bay offensive lineman Mark Tauscher, who falls on it at the Giant 19.

So it's still, somehow, Green Bay ball. And four plays later, Mason Crosby boots a 37-yard field goal.

Tie game, 20-20, with 11:46 to go.

Third and 3 for the Giants, ball on the Packer 48. Eli Manning finds Plaxico Burress on the sideline for 10 yards, to the 38. Clutch.

On the next play, Packer safety Nick Collins runs into Ahmad Bradshaw. Head first. Fortunately, Collins gets up.

Third and 5 for the Giants, ball on the Packer 33. Manning doesn't like what he sees. Time out, leaving New York with just one and nine more minutes to play.

Trying again. Third and 5 at the 33 -- and there's pass interference, on Amani Toomer.

Third and 15 at the 43 -- and a pass to Bradshaw turns into a nine-yard gain.

A field goal from the 34 -- 51 yards. No way. Not in this weather. So it's fourth and 6 and the Giants go for it. And the Packers' Charles Woodson get called for pass interference, Manning throwing for Toomer.

First down, Giants, at the 28. Manning goes for it all. But Packer corner Al Harris steps in front of a ball for Burress in the end zone.

Third and 7 at the 25. Manning throws wide.

Tynes comes on for a 43-yard field goal attempt. Wide left, 6:49 to go.

Still 20-20.

Two big penalties on the Giants' opening drive against the Packers -- both on third down -- and the Giants capitalize to go up, 13-10, on a 1-yard Brandon Jacobs touchdown run.

After which he fakes the Lambeau Leap.

He draws boos. Surprise.

The first major penalty: Al Harris intercepts Eli Manning at the Packer 46. Oops. Harris tagged for illegal contact.

The second: Manning throws incomplete. But free safety Nick Collins is nailed for roughing the passer. That's 15 big yards.

An 18-yard Manning to Burress play sets up the Jacobs touchdown -- and when it's going right, it's going right. Three plays after the Burress catch, Jacobs, pushing for the goal, fumbles. But the Giants' Kevin Boss recovers. Three plays after that, Jacobs scores.

A 49-yard return by Tramon Williams puts the Packers back in business, at the Packer 39.

Third down at the New York 27, the Pack comes up short -- and now it's the Giants' turn for a stupid penalty, cornerback Sam Madison called for unnecessary roughness.

So it's first and 10 at the 12 -- and Favre finds Donald Lee wide open in the back of the end zone. 17-13, Packers.

This just in from the Wilborns, the California Packer fans, in section 107: "An insanely cold experience we are proud to be a part of. Go Pack go!"

The Fox broadcast of the game shows three young women, Packer fans, in yellow bikini tops. Now *that* has to be an insanely cold experience.

Again, though, you've got to give the Giants credit.

Manning airs it out down the sideline, to Toomer, a catch, complete, at the 12-yard line. The Packers challenge. Overruled. Pass complete.

So now it's first and 10 at the other 12.

Eight yards, Manning to Toomer.

And a four-yard Ahmad Bradshaw touchdown run. 20-17, Giants.

Burress at the end of three, and this obviously doesn't count a 30-something yard drop late in the second quarter: 10 catches, 140 yards.

Weather report at the start of the fourth quarter: temperature minus-3, winds out of the west at 12 mph, wind chill minus-24.

The Wilborn family, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.: Nathan, Cary, Todd and Brady. Along with Bailey Lipschutz.

Out there in section 107, corner of the end zone.

Packer fans.

Go figure.

"Wearing every warm piece of clothing we own," is the report.

Plus: "Being from SoCal, we no longer think 60 degrees is cold."

Weather factoids at the start of the second half: temperature minus -3, wind out of the west at 10 mph, wind chill minus-20.

Mike and John Maile are still out there, their Giants down four at the half.

Mike reports: "We have two inches of ice on our seat and if you don't chug your beer, it freezes before you get to your seat. No joke! What happened to global warming?"

To the University of Wisconsin marching band, the halftime entertainment.

What must it feel like to wrap your lips around a trumpet in this weather?

Yikes.

Packers start the second quarter with an incomplete pass on third down, Brett Favre to James Jones.

If you're counting: that makes three offensive series for the Packers, no points and little forward progress, Favre 5 for 8 for 20 yards, Ryan Grant three carries for all of seven yards.

Big play on the next series for the Giants, a 16-yard catch and run by Plaxico Burress, who fumbles going down -- the ball going out of bounds, the Giants getting the ball at the Packer 17.

Another Tynes field goal makes it 6-0 Giants with 11:46 to go in the quarter, this one from 37 yards.

On the kickoff, the Packers' Koren Robinson sees the ball go right through his hands. Again, the balls must feel like cement blocks. The Packers recover, at their own 10.

So what does Brett Favre do? 90 yards down the right sideline, touchdown, to Donald Driver, who has no trouble holding on, kicking up snow as he goes while outrunning three guys -- Corey Webster, who had an angle, as well as Gibil Wilson and James Butler.

The pass marks the longest completed pass in Packer post-season history. And now the crowd is alive: "Go, Pack, go!"

It's the 18th consecutive playoff game Favre has thrown a TD pass. That extends his own NFL record.

The crowd, they announce in the press box, is the largest in Lambeau history: paid attendance of 72,740. Who knew there were that many astronaut diapers for sale in all of Wisconsin? What are these people planning to do for a bathroom break? No way you brave removal of any of the layers, is there?

The Giants get the ball back and on third down, Packer safety Atari Bigby makes a highlight-reel hit on Plaxico Burresss. Pro that he is, though -- Burress holds on for a first down.

Another third-down play: Amani Toomer can't hold on.

The Packers get the ball back at their own 22, move it to the Giants' 44. Favre goes deep for Ruvell Martin. He's no Donald Driver. The ball goes through his hands.

Giants start at their 7. They go nowhere. Jeff Feagles has to punt from the end zone. I mean, what can you expect? A 37-yard punt. Packers get the ball, with plenty of time before half, at the Giants' 47.

Green Bay appears to go three and out, squandering the opportunity -- but an illegal contact penalty on Giant rookie Michael Johnson, trying to cover Driver, gives the Packers a fresh set of downs.

Two plays later, Favre finds Driver for 20 yards, to the New York 21. Three plays later, Mason Crosby boots a 36-yard field goal. 10-6, Packers.

Give the Giants credit. They do not lay down. Eli Manning goes for it long down the right side, and Burress hauls it in, a 32-yard play, good to the Packer 36.

Manning goes for it again -- but, almost at the goal line, Burress can not hold on.

No way Tynes can kick a 50-ish yard field goal. So the Giants go for it on 4th and 8, the ball on the 34.

Sack, by A.J. Hawk, and the Packers get the ball with five seconds to go.

Do the Packers go for it? No. Favre kneels.

And it's a race to get off the field. 'Cuz it's stupid cold out there.

Packers' first drive stalls, Giants take over and Eli Manning comes out smokin' hot: 5 for 8 for 54 yards, seemingly under control every yard of the way, a 14-yard, 71-play drive ending in a 29-yard Lawrence Tynes field goal.

Impressive.

But as the Chargers proved earlier, you gotta believe that field goals are likely not going to get it done today.

Second Packer drive ends in a three-and-out, a third-down Brett Favre to Koren Robinson swing pass going for a loss of one yard. Murmurs arise from the crowd.

Packers' defense holds after Amani Toomer drops a gimme, a sure first down. The ball must feel like a brick.

Weather report at the end of the first, start of the second quarter: Temperature now officially minus-2, winds out of the west at 14 mph, wind chill minus-21.

This is now officially the second-coldest home game in Packer history.

Game-time temperature: minus-1.

Winds from the west, 12 mph.

Wind chill: minus-23.

The coldest, of course, the 1967 Ice Bowl, when the temperature was minus-13, wind chill minus-46.

At the 1981 AFC championship game in Cincinnati, the temperature was minus-9, the wind chill minus-59.

Or series of lines.

Yahoo! Sports' Michael Silver, immediately to my right in the warmth of the press box, looking out onto the field: "Where's global warming now?"

ESPN's John Clayton, three down to my left: "In Cabo. With Jessica Simpson."

As noted earlier, Mike Maile, a 25-year-old New York City paramedic, and his dad, John, 55, a Long Island businessman, hard-core Giants fans, are toughing it out among the pack (so to speak) cramming onto the metal benches in the stands here at Lambeau Field.

Here's their report from section 124, about the 20-yard line.

"The Giants have never lost an NFC championship game!" Mike exults, and that's true -- New York is 3-0 in NFC title games, defeating Minnesota in 2000, San Francisco in 1990 and Washington in 1986.

The game hasn't yet begun -- kickoff is still 20-some minutes away -- and Mike notes, "And we are freezing even with 10 hand warmers."

Even so: would have loved to have seen the Chargers at full strength.

Kudos to the Patriots.

18-0.

Historic.

Surprise Packer star running back Ryan Grant is among the Green Bay players, many of them key skill players, not wearing sleeves as the two teams go through pre-game warmups.

Quarterback Brett Favre, sensibly, is wearing a white long-sleeved undershirt under his green and gold Packer jersey.

The Giants are in their white jerseys and familiar gray pants.

Completely useless statistic, or maybe not: the Giants are 6-0 this season when wearing those white jerseys.

Current temperature: minus-1, winds from the west at 8 mph, wind chill of minus-17. Game time is about a half-hour away; sunset was officially at 4:44 p.m. local time so it's sure to get even colder.

Playing on bad knees that are clearly impacting some of his throws, Philip Rivers has shown great resolve in this game. I agree with the call to punt there on third-and-10 with 9:13 left.

Antonio Cromartie just laid in the reeds on a third-and-goal for the Pats at the Chargers 2. When Brady went through reads to the right and left, he came back to Benjamin Watson under the goalposts and Cromartie sprung up to make the pick.

This just out from the ever-helpful Packer PR staff:

No. 1: The "Ice Bowl," Dec. 31, 1967, temperature minus-13, wind chill minus-46, Packers 21-17 over Dallas.

2. Dec. 26, 1993, temperature zero, wind chill minus -22, Packers 28-0 over the Los Angeles Raiders.

3. Dec. 22, 1990, temperature 2, wind chill minus-35, Detroit 24-17 over Green Bay.

4. Jan. 12, 1997, temperature 3, wind chill minus-17, Packers 30-13 over Carolina.

5. Nov. 28, 1976, temperature 6, wind chill minus-19, Chicago 16-10 over Green Bay.

6. Dec. 20, 1992, temperature 8, wind chill minus-15, Packers 28-13 over the Los Angeles Rams.

Games No. 1 and 4, of course, were playoff games.

Down on the field here at Lambeau, the tarp is off. The grounds crew is even now shoveling snow off the south end zone. Current temperature: minus-1, wind chill minus-18.

The difficulty the elements are posing can be seen on the two sidelines. On San Diego's side, there is almost always a crowd of 4 or 5 in front of the heaters and most of the players are in parkas. On the Patriots side, there are few no players in fronbt of the blowers and precious few wearing parkas.

Nate Kaeding just snuck in a 40-yard field goal to make it 14-9 as we head for halftime in the AFC Championship.

While the Chargers can feel good about staying within hailing distance, this stat points to New England having more reason to feel blissful.

They're 15-1 in playoff games when leading at halfime. Of course, the 1 was last year's AFC Championship, so...

Philip Rivers just threw a panic pick to Ellis Hobbs to squelch a Chargers drive and San Diego is in trouble right now.

The Asante Samuel interception was set up by a Mike Vrabel pressure. The main pressure he applied? His foot. Vrabel, blocked on the play, swung his foot out and actually had Rivers going down with the move when he made the throw to Chris Chambers that Samuel stepped in front of.

It's a bad non-call by the officials and should have been a 15-yard penalty.

Without LT and Gates, the problems for the Chargers when they get down low is major. Gates is deadly on both fades and quick stop patterns while Tomlinson is terrific leaking into space inside the 10.

Those weren't options for the Chargers on their last drive, the second one that ended with a Nate Kaeding field goal.

Because of his body type, Chargers backup running back Michael Turner would seem a good candidate to run between the tackles. But that's the strength of the New England run defense. Get to the edges as LT would and you can make cutback plays.

We'll see if they get after that.

Meanwhile, Philip Rivers is making plays for the Chargers.

So said my buddy to the left, Mark Gaughan of the Buffalo News, of the Randy Moss reverse. On that key play in New England's scoring drive, the aggressive Chargers linebackers weren't fooled but Moss did a tremendous job as a runner to make the play work.

It's absurdly cold here in Green Bay. The current temperature is zero, wind chill minus-17, the flags at the south end of Lambeau Field fluttering briskly in the breeze.

Keep in mind: the sun is out right now. Game time is still three hours away.

It's so cold that it stung merely to take my hands out of my gloves for the few seconds it took to fish my car keys out of my pocket. Afterward, it took a good 20 minutes for my hands to feel normal.

The grounds crew here at Lambeau is apparently pumping heated air onto the turf through five massive heaters, the tarp billowing to and fro, anchored down by 10 automobiles.

Among those brave enough to be out there today: Mike Maile, 25, a New York city paramedic who traveled to Green Bay with his dad, John, 55, a Long Island businessman. Father and son, Giants fans, spent $300 on thermal underwear in New York before flying out. This morning, they invested another $350 in hunting gear and hats.

Mike Maile reports he has on three (3) pair of ski socks, two (2) pair of thermal pants, blue jeans, a thermal suit, a hunting suit, four (4) thermal shirts, hat, scarf, facemask and, of course, a Giants' jacket and a Giants' jersey.

More from Maile boys as the game goes on. Assuming Mike's fingers aren't frozen and he can send text messages.

Let us all wish them -- and everyone out there in the brutal conditions -- the warmest of wishes. Emphasis on warm.

A poor throw by Tom Brady just resulted in a Quentin Jammer interception and then Vince WIlfork got nabbed for a 15-yard facemask and the Chargers are in business.

So far, the SD offense is non-threatening but New England's is even worse.

It's not a good deal for New England if Michael Turner is in the game. Brilliant as LT is, Turner is the best backup in the league.

Gates is back in the game and split out wide to the left on this third down play. Adalius Thomas flashes in off the left beating Marcus McNeill and flushing Rivers forward into the arms of Junior Seau.

The wind is modest and it looks like New England is about to take to the air because San Diego is giving nothing on the ground to Laurence Maroney so far.

On the Pats first drive, Tom Brady matched his incompletion output of last week with a pair of misfires - one to Kyle Brady, one to Randy Moss...neither one was close.

Aside from a good jawing session between Richard Seymour and Marcus McNeill, there hasn't been much in the way of trash talking.

Richard Seymour got marginally held and spun into the kicker Mike Scifres drawing a flag getting a repunt for the Bolts.

Big bullet dodge there.

FOXBOROURGH, Massachusetts - Chargers tight end Antonio Gates isn't moving limberly out there. As for Philip Rivers, he looks OK...dropping back with speed and driving into the ball despite the reported torn ACL.

LT looks fine.

Saw Juno the other night. Pretty good--Michael Cera is still playing George-Michael Bluth, but who cares, he's adorable-- but as I was watching, a thought occurred to me: Nothing said comic gold in 2007 like "unplanned pregnancy".

Juno. Knocked Up. . The entire previous season of "Scrubs". Tom Brady. I mean, who knew that one-night stands with consequences had so much comic potential. Answer: not anyone who ever sat through Fools Rush In .

Anyway, I blame/credit this all to the best non-HBO show of the past decade. Yes, "Gilmore Girls". Those Palladinos made it possible to wring heart-warming humor out of what "The Scarlet Letter" scenario, and now everyone is doing it. So much so, in fact, that it may be time to do a parody of the genre. Hence, the title of this blog entry. Though I'm not sure if it should be that or the following:

There Will Not Be Blood

You decide.

Meanwhile, sad news out of L.A. is that Sam the Butcher died on Thursday. Now who will deliver the meat to Alice?

Randy Moss has spoken twice today in the Patriots locker room about the Broward County injunction for a restraining order filed against him.

He claims extortion. The woman, Rachelle Washington, claims personal injury. Moss says he's known her for 11 years and that they are (were?) friends.

Mike Reiss of The Boston Globe, the planet's fastest transcriber (among other things) has the full body of Moss' statements in his Reiss' Piece blog.

Somebody's going to look like *&$% when this thing is hashed out. Moss if he A) actually did something and B) refused to own up to it and colored his accuser a liar after assaulting her...or Washington if she's trying to wring money from Moss over what he called an "accident."

Sadly for Moss, if he is wholly without blame in this, you don't get back the headlines, radio talk, bandwidth and TV time of January 16.

I just read in Rolling Stone that Led Zeppelin is considering the possibility, given the success of their Dec. 10 gig, of adding additional shows (you're shocked, too, aren't you?). My favorite part of the story is when bassist John Paul Jones gets all Murray on us and announces, "There is a band meeting in January."

It makes you wonder: "A violin bow to play the guitar? That's crazy, John Paul"..."Robert, I've been meaning to tell you, it's spelled 'cashmere'. And why would you write a song about a sweater?"

In my utopian dream world, Led Zeppelin would open for Crazy Dogggz next summer.

*********************

Just finished reading Esquire's special "What I've Learned" issue. I'm going to do more on this later, but here's my personal "What I've Learned" from this past week: If you're a spillaholic like me, your beveraged of leisure should be club soda. After all, what do you put on a stain? Club soda. So if