First of all, I am not a Patriots hater. I do not fall into the category of people that believe you have to when the Ultimate Prize in your designated sport to be considered great. The Patriots went 18-1, won their conference and their division, and might be the greatest offensive football team in the history of the NFL. Last night just was not their night...but congratulations to them. They took every sports fan on a magical ride that ended 88 yards from perfection.

Props, to Steve Spagnola. Who? Steve Spagnola is the Giants Defensive Coordinator who had a brilliant plan to stop the vaunted Patriots offense. Last night reiterated that old adage that defense, no matter what the sport, or what level the sport is played at, wins championships. The Giants hit Tom Brady consistently. They were physical with their receivers. And Lawrence Maroney was held in check.

Last night had to be validation for one Tom Coughlin. As good as fired before the season, Coughlin rallied his troops from an 0-2 start to win the World Championship. Now I do not like the guy...but he's a winner. He was a winner in Jacksonville and now he's a winner in New York. I'm sure he's getting great solace right now that he will be wearing a Super Bowl Ring in a few months, while his old workhorse (and loudmouth) Tiki Barber will be yappin' his trap on "The Today Show" somewhere.

Finally, there is Eli Manning. The much maligned Quarterback out of Ole Miss who refused to play for the San Diego Chargers because the franchise was in a state of turmoil. He's stared the pressure of New York right in the face for four years, handled the obnoxious media with grace, and now has the same amount of Super Bowls as his legendary brother Peyton and more than his dad Archie.

Every kid who has ever played Quarterback dreams of the situation Eli Manning found himself in last night. Two minutes to go, all three timeouts, down four, touchdown wins the Super Bowl. Manning made a play that will go down in Super Bowl lore on 3 and 11 that made my jaw drop....and it takes alot to make my jaw drop. Last night, Eli Manning validated his place among the NFL elites: Brady, Peyton Manning, Brett Favre, etc. It has been in the making since the day he was drafted. He's taken on all comers with the resiliency of a winner. Now we know he has the heart of a champion; a World Champion.

In Christ,

Brett Hickman
Matthew 22:37