| By the time Sunday evening finally rolls around,
every Super Bowl XXXV subplot imaginable will have been scrutinized over and over again.
With a certain degree of symmetry in mind, we offer the following 35 angles for your
consideration. Please note that these angles are not presented in any particular order. 1.
The Ray Lewis double-murder connection: Especially after Ravens head coach Brian
Billick felt compelled to punish the media with a Tuesday tongue-lashing regarding the
unfair treatment he feels they have given to his all-world linebacker’s
well-documented off-the-field problems, this is an angle that won’t go away. The
feeling here is that Billick’s actions were off base, and Lewis’ continued lack
of remorse regarding the tragedy is what is really "reprehensible."
2. The new, improved Kerry Collins: I’ve already heard from a
number of people down in Tampa that Collins has really come off as a class act, baring his
soul the way he has regarding his past problems with alcohol and accusations that he was a
racist. Collins has gone out of his way to talk to the Super Bowl media about his past
problems, and, unlike Lewis, he has done it with heartfelt graciousness and
professionalism.
3. "Wise Guy" Siragusa: With his stiletto New Yawk accent,
the chubby defensive tackle will have quipped his way into our hearts big-time by
week’s end. He raised eyebrows when he squished Rich Gannon into submission in the
AFC championship game, and he says he won’t hesitate to do the same to Collins if
need be. "Goose" has got an attitude and a sense of humor — a good combo
for a Super Bowl.
4. Loose-lipped Shannon Sharpe: With his past experience in the big
game with the Broncos, Sharpe can be expected to be in the media limelight all week. Like
Siragusa, he absolutely loves the sound of his voice. His relationship with Lewis also
makes him more likely to attract a crowd in Tampa.
5. Jim Fassel’s "guarantee": On Nov. 22, the
Giants’ intense head coach told the world that New York was going to make it to the
playoffs. Period. Stop. The Giants haven’t lost since. Super Bowl scribes will write
about Fassel’s bold move until they’re blue in the face.
6. Brian Billick’s bug-eyed dissertations: Here’s another
real talking head. And those eyes! When he gets going, it looks as though his whole face
is going to explode. Take a chill pill, pal. And can the lectures to the media.
7. The Giants’ "Thunder and Lightning" duo vs. the Ravens'
rushing defense: Will Tiki Barber and rookie Ron Dayne be able to do anything vs.
a defense that hasn’t allowed a 100-yard rusher in 36 straight games? They’ll
have to do something, or else, forgettaboutit.
8. The Ravens’ October scoring drought: How, media types will ask
Billick and Ravens offensive players ad nauseum, were you ever able to get by without
scoring a single TD in the month of October? All the Ravens’ defense asks of the
offense is that it musters at least 21 points per game. But you have to wonder about an
offense that went an entire month without reaching the endzone.
9. Trent Dilfer back in Tampa Bay: Is he the worst starting QB ever to
appear in a Super Bowl? A lot of people think so, based on his checkered past with the
Buccaneers. Can he rise above the constant critics? Good question.
10. Ravens defense in a historical perspective: The $64,000 question:
Which defense is better, the 2000 Ravens or the ’85 Super Bowl Bears?
11. The prospect of a Super dud: Predictions of a defensive slugfest
already have a lot of TV geniuses claiming this will be one of the lowest-rated Super
Bowls ever. I say what’s wrong with a tense, low-scoring battle like the Giants-Bills
classic featuring Scott Norwood’s muffed field goal? That’s what I think we
might get. At least I hope so.
12. Ravens rookie RB Jamal Lewis: Provided his offensive line
cooperates, especially perennial Pro Bowl OT Jonathan Ogden, Lewis could be the big
offensive weapon in a ground-oriented game. At times, he has shown flashes of brilliance
this year, with a rare combination of power and speed worthy of the fifth pick overall in
this year’s draft.
13. Contrasting owners: A pair of old-guard guys with one huge
difference — Giants boss man Wellington Mara didn’t abandon one of the
NFL’s most passionate fan bases as Ravens owner Art Modell did when he left Cleveland
for Baltimore. However, while there are a lot of people, mostly based in the Cleveland
area, who will forever feel betrayed by Modell, the general feeling on a national scale is
that Modell has paid his dues.
14. Giants glamour boy Jason Sehorn: Not only does the first-class
cornerback have great big-play potential (witness his amazingly athletic interception for
a TD in the playoff game vs. Philly). He has actress Angie Harmon to boot.
15. Hot assistants Marvin Lewis for Ravens and John Fox for Giants:
Lewis has been a popular name on the head-coach grapevine for months, as well he should be
considering his record-breaking defense. Fox is a late bloomer.
16. Giants’ relatively no-name defense: The Giants think they
have a pretty good defense, too, and they don’t think it’s a stretch that they
could actually end up outplaying Baltimore’s much more celebrated crew. Fox and
Fassel have them thinking Super thoughts. The only rushing defense that was ranked higher
than the Giants’ was Baltimore’s. That’s a note worth remembering.
17. The Giants’ revamped offensive line: Fortified by the
additions of free agents Lomas Brown, Glenn Parker and Dusty Zeigler, the Giants’
front wall has become rock-solid in a short time.
18. Will this really be the lowest-scoring Super Bowl ever? Looking at
the way these two teams play, it’s entirely possible. Don’t be surprised if the
defenses score more than the offenses.
19. The Ravens’ "other" linebackers: While Ray Lewis is
in a league of his own, LB mates Peter Boulware and especially Jamie Sharper, who could be
one of the hottest commodities on the free-agent market, would be featured attractions on
another team.
20. Giants secondary: The quartet of Sehorn, Dave Thomas, Sam Garnes
and Shaun Williams has excellent size and play-making ability. It’s extremely
underrated.
21. Ravens PK Matt Stover: Never has a foot soldier appeared to be a
more likely Super Bowl MVP candidate. PFW’s Golden Toe Trophy winner would love to
cap off the greatest season of his extremely respectable career with a Super flourish.
22. One last hurrah for Ravens S Rod Woodson: After making just a
cameo appearance for the Steelers a few years back vs. Dallas after being injured most of
the season, this future Hall of Famer would love to come up big in the biggest game of the
year.
23. Giants DRT Keith Hamilton: The best player in the Super Bowl whom
nobody is talking about? Maybe. New Yorkers certainly think so. For once, they might not
be exaggerating.
24. Ravens free-agent revelation Sam Adams: While "Goose"
gets all the laughs, Adams is just as noteworthy. The bad rap he got in Seattle as a fat,
lazy underachiever no longer exists. This season Adams played like a man possessed —
from beginning to end.
25. Ravens veteran DE stud Rob Burnett: Along with Stover, he’s
the only Raven with Cleveland Browns roots. Burnett also should have been a no-brainer Pro
Bowl selection this season.
26. Giants WR Ike Hilliard: How can you ignore a guy who caught 10
passes for 155 yards and a pair of TDs in the NFC championship game? Is he really good, or
did the Vikings’ secondary make him look better than he is?
27. Kudos to both teams' personnel departments: Baltimore GM Ozzie
Newsome did a great job in the draft (Jamal Lewis) and especially with free agents (Adams,
Sharpe, Dilfer, FB Sam Gash). Ernie Accorsi of the Giants was no slouch either, landing
the aforementioned offensive linemen via free agency as well as play-making LB Mike Barrow
among others.
28. Call him Ismail: It would really help the Ravens if they could get
a big play or two out of someone on their offense besides Jamal Lewis or Sharpe. WR Qadry
Ismail is the top candidate along those lines.
29. The "other" tight ends: While Sharpe is busy grabbing
the mike, the Giants’ TE duo of Howard Cross and Pete Mitchell is capable of stealing
his thunder, especially if Ravens SS Kim Herring’s ankle is feeling a bit tender.
30. Many happy returns: Baltimore’s Jermaine Lewis finished
strong enough to lead the AFC in punt returns. Giants rookie KR Ron Dixon could … go
… all … the … way — as he did on the opening kickoff of the playoff
win over Philly.
31. Ravens CBs Chris McAlister and Duane Starks: They can be beaten on
occasion, but lately they’ve lived up to their first-round pedigrees. Starks is
coming off the game of his life vs. the Raiders.
32. Ravens FB Sam Gash: Since moving into the starting lineup in place
of the injured Obafemi Ayanbadejo, Gash has quietly blocked his butt off. If Jamal Lewis
has a big day, Gash could be the reason why.
33. The "other" LB crew: Lewis/Boulware/Sharper get all the
recognition. But Barrow in the middle for the Giants, surrounded by Ryan Phillips and
Jessie Armstead (four straight Pro Bowls), is not bad at all.
34. Comparisons of this Giants Super Bowl team to other Giants Super Bowl
teams: This team has the same nuts-and-bolts, blue-collar feel of those Bill
Parcells teams in ‘87 and ’91.
35. The likelihood that something completely unexpected will happen:
Considering the way this wacky season has unfolded, it’s probably quite likely we
will get more than a few Super surprises. Just when we’re ready for a 10-9 bloodbath,
a 40-30 barn-burner could beckon.
Now wouldn’t that be something? |
