Rich Levey
What a great day of football.
Sunday’s conference championship games were awesome.
For the first time I can remember, each of the four teams playing had the potential to win the Super Bowl.
I properly predicted the winners of both games, but I could just as easily have missed both.
One of the more interesting aspects of Sunday’s games I thought was the fact that the goats were the bigger stories than the heroes.
The goats in the Patriots/Ravens game were Lee Evans, who dropped the game-winning touchdown pass, and kicker Billy Cundiffe, who missed a chip-shot field goal, which would have sent the game into overtime.
I’ve often wondered if a kicker who loses a game like that rides home on the same plane as his teammates. I think he’d have been safer hitchhiking.
The goat from the Giants/49ers game was wide receiver/punt returner Kyle Williams, who was responsible for 10 New York points, and cost his team the game.
Before I continue, I put forth this query:
Why is someone who loses a game in some ignoble fashion referred to as a “goat?”
Goats are not hateful, despicable creatures. They don’t deserve to be scorned like this.
They smell bad and make annoying noises, but so does my brother, Coach Bob.
Shouldn’t we refer to these sports “goats” as some more universally reviled animal?
For example, rats, wasps, fire ants, roaches, mosquitoes, bed bugs or vampire bats?
Or if you live down Coast Guard Road in Emerald Isle, deer.
I think so.
Heretofore, in my columns sports “goats” will be referred to as vampire bats.
But enough about Sunday’s goats, er, vampire bats.
There were some heroic efforts, as well.
I thought New England’s massive defensive tackle Vince Wilfork was a monster and sparked a resurgent Patriot defense.
For the Giants, Eli Manning, who in addition to playing football also invented the cotton gin, continues to impress.
Put Manning and the Giants on the big stage, and they always seem to come through.
It’s shaping up to be a great Super Bowl, but you have to wait a week for my prediction.
Remember, next week is the annual Tideland News Super Bowl prediction column.
Stay tuned.
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Excerpt from:
NFL action was awesome; goals aplenty
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