Two plays after that Jones TD, half of the Superdome lost power, causing a 34-minute game delay. The 49ers returned from the delay with an ill-fated 3rd down play that made it look like the game was just about over. But San Francisco responded with 24 points on their next four drives, pulling to within 2 points with 10 minutes left in the game. After a Ravens field goal from the 2-yard line, the 49ers drove to the 5-yard line before turning the ball, and ultimately the game, over on downs. An intentional safety and a failed punt return later, the Ravens are champions of Super Bowl 47.

- Just to get this out of the way: Beyonce is awesome. The halftime show may have been more impressive than the entire first half. She certainly appealed to the young’ns more than Madonna did last year.

-  The biggest play of the game was unquestionably the no-call on the 49ers fourth-down play that would have given them the lead with 2 minutes left in the game. The Ravens came with an all-out blitz and Kaepernick lofted the ball in the direction of Crabtree, who was blanketed and couldn’t quite reach the throw. To my eyes, it looked like the corner was holding a littttttle too much jersey and probably should have been flagged for holding as Jim Harbaugh so vehemently declared, but those are the breaks.

- That power outage was pretty weird. For one, it reminded me a lot of that game back in 2010 when the lights at MetLife Stadium (before it was named that) cut out in the middle of a Giants-Cowboys game. But for another, it gave us some pretty trippy photos. On the whole I’ll say I was pro-blackout. Bravo, Superdome.

- Flacco was named Super Bowl MVP and deserved it 100%. The guy has had a very Eli-like run through these playoffs, stepping his game up in ways his detractors didn’t think possible. Ever since the Ravens played the Giants back in December (ugh) he has played at an unbelievably high level, capping the run off with a 287 yard, 3 touchdown, 0 interception performance in the big game.

- Obligatory mention of Ray Lewis’ last game. I’ve never been a huge fan of his personally, but he is probably the best defensive football player that I’ve ever seen play (I was too young to catch Lawrence Taylor). He’s had a helluva career that now includes two Super Bowl championships (double ugh). Enjoy retirement Ray, I won’t miss playing against you every 4 years.

Thus ends the Giants’ run as Super Bowl champions. It was a great ride, and it’s at least somewhat comforting to know that it came to an end at the hands of the eventual Super Bowl champions. Let’s get Nicks and Cruz signed and make a run at a home game for the first New York/New Jersey Super Bowl in 2014. See ya’ll next year, and go Giants!

Still you couldn’t count out the 49’ers.  Not after the miraculous performance of Colin Kaepernick, and he wouldn’t let his fans down as he found Michael Crabtree for a 31 yard score with his trademark speed and accuracy leading his team to an 80 yard drive with 7:20 left in third only to score another touchdown only 2 minutes 21 seconds later.  Finally we had a game.  That surge of power was blasted from the lights right into the hearts of the 49er players.  They were playing with an electricity and intensity where all the momentum was turning in their favor.  Then the dagger… Rice fumbles the ball.  The invigorated Ravens were now flat and lifeless.  The Niners still down 8 needed to do something when Ravens DB Carey Williams deflects a possible touchdown for Ted Ginn.  Akers who had 2 completed field goals already misses, but the play comes back on a penalty.  He then completes his second chance to make it a 5 point game.

The fourth quarter immediately starts with a field goal for Baltimore to make the score 31 to 23.  The 49’ers waste no time as Colin Kaepernick runs in for a 15yard touchdown.  Only down 2 and mathematically eliminated, Jim Harbaugh calls for a 2 point conversion that failed thanks to a great defensive call by his brother.  This was turning out to be a game of wits by both men as they toiled through their playbooks searching for a way to put this game away.  The Ravens would add another field goal, and with 4:19 left in the fourth kicked off the 49’ers started their drive.  On first down Kaepernick throws to Vernon Davis on the sideline and misses him by inches.  Kaep later hands off to Gore for a monster gain down the left hand sideline for 31 yards.  The two minute warning sounds with the 49’rers in the goaline.  At 3^rd and goal with 1:55 to play Kaepernick throws to Michael Crabtree for an incompletion.   On 4^th down The San Francisco 49’ers throw a lob back to Crabtree in the right side of the end zone with Jimmy Smith and Ed Reed on the coverage that misses his target by a yard.  The football gods had spoken.  It was only a matter of time now before Baltimore would run out the clock and waste it down to 11 seconds.  With the advantage in favor, the Ravens purposely allow a safety to make the score 34-31.  The Ravens kick the free kick for the last play of the game.  Ted Ginn made a valiant effort in bringing it back to the 50, but it wasn’t meant to be.  The Baltimore Ravens would walk away champions with their quarterback Joe Flacco winning the Superbowl MVP.  Flacco threw for 287 yards, 3 touchdowns and no interceptions.  Anquan Boldin finished with 6 receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown, while Ray Rice managed 59 yards on 20 carries and 4 receptions for 19 yards.

This game will answer the questions as to whether Flacco was an elite level quarterback.  With the confetti streaming down, the Ravens watch their leader on the field walk away from the game after 17 seasons and redefining how to play the linebacker position in today’s NFL.  Lewis wins his second Superbowl and goes out the way most kids dream, on top of the world.  When asked how do you describe it by Jim Nantz, Lewis says “When God is for you, who could be against ya? It’s not greater way …to go out on your last ride than with my teammates.”  His indelible mark on football can be seen in the way defense is played on all 32 NFL teams, and the league may not see a player of his caliber for generations to come.

Game Time: 6:39pm EST

Location: The Mercedes-Benz Super Dome, New Orleans, Louisiana

TV: WCBS-2(NY,NJ, CT) and WFSB-3 (CT, MA)

Announcers:  Jim Nantz, Phil Simms, Steve Tasker, and Solomon Wolcots

Radio: WFAN 660AM and Dial One Global

Current Line: 49ers -4.0 and over/under a 47.5

All-Time Series: Ravens lead 3-1

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When Jack and Ingrid Harbaugh had their kids, just like all parents, they wished and hoped for the best for their sons.  To bring them up right and to inspire them to do great things.  Jack was the boy’s inspiration for the game of football.  He himself was a defensive backs coach in 1979 under legendary college coach Bo Schembechler who won 13 Big Ten titles as the head coach at Michigan.  Jack cut his teeth as a high school and college coach from 1969-1989 after playing both defensive back and quarterback while at Bowling-Green and the Titans of New York, or more commonly known as the New York Jets.  He could have never known one son would play and coach Defensive backs, (John) while his other son, Jim would be a highly touted quarterback coming out of college.  He could only watch as each of his sons created their own paths to Superbowl XLVIII.

Jim Harbaugh is best known for his time as a quarterback in the NFL for the Indianapolis Colts, where he was inducted into their ring of Honor.   But his greatest achievement may still be ahead of him.  Jim was drafted as a quarterback by the Chicago Bears after playing at Michigan and being the Big ten Player of the year and winning Academic All-Big Ten honors in 1986.  His playing career stretched over a 15 year period.   From 1994-2001 while still playing in the NFL, Jim coached at Western Kentucky under his father Jack who was the head coach.  In 2002, with his playing days over, Jim began his NFL coaching career with the Oakland Raiders as a quarterback coach.  He then returned to the college ranks as the head coach for the University of San Diego.  After leading USD to 2 Pioneer league championships in 2005-06, Jim moved to the Division 1 Stanford Cardinals where he stayed from 2007-2011. He won the 2011 Orange Bowl and after winning was immediately sought after by the San Francisco 49ers.  His immediate success of coaching the 49ers to two consecutive playoff berths has shown his amazing ability to create a winning attitude, and shows his passion and tutelage both given to him by his father Jack.  Jim is at the prime of his coaching career and stands face to face with his brother John as opposing coaches for Superbowl XLVIIII.

John Harbaughs journey mimics his father’s career more than Jim.  John was not a highly regarded football player, but always had a mind for the game.  After playing DB for Miami of Ohio, his first job without a helmet was as the RB and OLB coach at Western Michigan from 1984-’87.   His ability to communicate his message was clearly seen which led him to moving quickly from Western Michigan, to Pittsburgh as a TE coach.  In 1988, Moorehead State gave him a job as Special Teams and secondary coach, which again led to another opportunity at Cincinnati.  Cincy was Johns first play calling experience as he was in charge of Special teams from ‘89-’96.  At every step, John was able to continue his football education, giving him more confidence to be able to take on more responsibility. In 1998 John was given the Special Teams Coordinator job with the Philadelphia Eagles after being hired by then Eagles Head Coach Ray Rhodes.   Rhodes however didn’t last long in Philly, but when new head coach Andy Reid came on, he kept John on his staff in the same position.  John stayed at Philly until 2008 when he reached the pinnacle of his coaching career, and became the Head coach of the Baltimore Ravens.  It seemed from day one, prognosticators could have predicted John would find his way into the history books.  After all On Sept 7, 2008 John made history as he was the first coach to win his first game by coaching his team and a rookie quarterback, also ,making his debut, to victory. Now he stands on the precipice of doing it again, as he and his brother Jim will be the first ever duo of brothers to coach in a Superbowl.

No matter the outcome these “strange creatures” will be part of NFL and Super Bowl history, and it looks like they will have the opportunity to create more historic moments in the years to come.

“I think I’m the greatest receiver to ever do it. Because I think back when Jerry was playing — and no disrespect to Jerry Rice, because he’s arguably the greatest — but for me to be able to go out here and change and revolutionize the game from a single safety to a Cover 2 safety and dropping three guys deep and dropping four guys deep and still be able to make it happen? That is why I really hold my hat on that, that I really feel in my heart and in my mind that I am the greatest receiver to ever play this game.”

“It’s definitely all about him. Once a guy goes to the center of the field, goes into the victory formation on the last play of his last home game … I just don’t think the Giants or any organization I’ve ever been a part of, even growing up, would allow somebody to single themselves out like that.

“If you single yourself out after you make a play, that’s one thing. But to walk out on the field reminds me of the WWE, like The Rock coming out. You’re becoming a caricature of yourself. It’s exhausting. I don’t know why somebody would want that.”

He then went onto give his opinion on Lewis’ alleged PED usage that has been a hot topic since media day:

“If you want to say you’re Mr. Religious and all of that, have a clean record. Don’t say all of that stuff if you know there’s stuff that might come back. Those are the things that, when I look at him, I just think hypocrisy.”

Lewis has been a big headline this postseason and Toomer clearly has some strong feelings towards him. It is likely Toomer is bitter toward Lewis because Lewis’ Ravens gave Toomer and the Giants a brutal beat down in the 2001 Super Bowl. Nevertheless, he gave some good points on linebackers most recent drama.

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Steve Weatherford could have been named MVP of the Super Bowl without much of a stretch.  Steve Weatherford was basically kicked off the Jets, and now has a Super Bowl RIng to show for it.  Weatherford was re-signed quickly and his directional punting will continue to be a weapon for the Giants for some time. He is the real deal, and he will make the defensive and offensive units that much better.

“Lawrence Tynes has kicked the Giants to The Super Bowl” has now been uttered twice by the voice of the Giants Bob Papa.  Many have thought if Lawrence hadn’t (Finally) made the kick in Green Bay in ’07 that he would be long gone, and now he has made another in San Francisco, and a few more in Indianapolis.  There might be some competition in camp, but Tynes gets the nod in a close battle.

Zak DeOssie now has one more ring than Dad.  He is a great long snapper and Special teams players.  Consistency is the key here.

The return game however is up for grabs. Does Hixon secure a wide receiver spot and forfeit kickoff returns on the process? Do the Giants allow their young running back David Wilson to start out as a punt returner ala Tiki Barber?  These are  key spots where players like Jerrel Jerrnigan, Andre Brown, Jayron Hosley, and Da’Rel Scott can contribute in different ways to ensure a roster spot.  I think this is another great watch for training camp and am looking forward to see who emerges.

Eli Manning has now won Two Super Bowl Trophies for The New York Giants. Eli Manning has now won Two Super Bowl MVP’s.  Eli Manning has now engineered Two Winning Super Bowl drives in the final 3 minutes.  Eli Manning is elite. Eli is durable.  Eli is a leader.  When your own team gives you a standing ovation, you are The Man. Eli will be here for the remainder of his career.

David Carr is entering his 11th season in the NFL out of Fresno State and is probably still looking for that right spot to be a starter.  The Giants will always give him the opportunity to explore his options, in exchange for the great work he has done running the scout team in practice, and contributing to Eli’s development in the meeting room and on the sideline.  In March David Carr signed on for another year with the Giants and will be Eli’s main back-up this season

Ryan Perrilloux from Jacksonville State is also on the Giants roster as a QB.  Ryan was cut and re-signed approximately 8 times this year, showing that the Giants do like him on the squad.  He brings a different element than Carr and is certainly a work in progress as a back up.  Again the Giants will allow Ryan to explore what’s best for him, but would like to have him back on the practice squad.

This position is the most solid and stable on the team, and despite some needless drivel and ridiculous speculation, Eli is the Man, and will finish his career in New York as perhaps the most successful NFL player the city has ever seen.

This season it seems the Cowboys will put their QB under the microscope for all to analyze, pick at, prod, and poke.  Is Tony Romo a winner? Is he an ELIte QB?  Some of his stats seem to indicate that he is.  Some of his actions seem to show otherwise.  According to  teammate Jason Witten he is one of the best there is.

 “There’s been some great quarterbacks who have come through that organization. You look at Roger Staubach and Troy [Aikman], and the expectations are Super Bowls. He’s a phenomenal, cool quarterback. He’s an elite quarterback. But until we win the big game, the criticism is going to come. We understand that, and we have high expectations. Tony is a phenomenal player and a phenomenal player for our football team.”

The emphasis on quarterback play in the NFL is at it’s highest point ever.  Almost no one speaks of team chemistry, or the ability to exploit their opponents weaknesses.  In this world of fantasy football, all that is mentioned each week is the amount of yards gained by the QB, and the number of TD’s he throws.  Forget defense, forget the running game, forget the key play executed or not executed in a game….it’s all about total stats.  Cowboy fans may want to point out TD’s vs interceptions, or total yards, but it’s the timing of those interceptions, and the meaning of the TD’s scored that really counts.

I wish Tony and the Cowboys well…..the debate will rage all year, and if they fall short of the playoffs, or the division crown, or a playoff win…..it will continue on into the future.

The New York Football Giants have re done their tunnel that leads to the field at MetLife Stadium.  The logos of all the Super Bowls won by the franchise show the way to the field for the current team, and of course it needed to be updated after last years victory of the New England Patriots.  You will also notice the metal hangers above the murals…this is so they can be covered up by the other team that uses that tunnel to get to the field.  I’m still not sure why that team doesn’t use it as a motivating factor, but chooses to cover it up and act like they don’t exist, a curious decision by my standards.

On a night where past and present New York Giants gathered for a good cause, it was the future that was on the minds of the Giants.  Eli Manning has recently said that he is going into the 2012 season looking at the 2011 Giants as a 9-7 team, and not as the Super Bowl champions.  His teammates apparently share in that attitude and are looking to improve–and repeat–in 2012.

Unfortunately, fan favorite Jake Ballard will not be returning.  His tear of an ACL in the Super Bowl has obviously not progressed the way he and the team would have liked and he has failed his physical.  Ballard finished fourth on the team with 38 catches for 604 yards and four TD’s.  The Giants have 7 TE’s on their current roster, and the position should be the one of the main battles in training camp in August.

The Giants will hold their last organized activity until that training camp this week, from Tuesday thru Thursday

Eli stated last week when asked how he was preparing?  ”We were 9-7, and that isn’t good enough.”  How nice is that?  Two Super Bowl victories, Two Super Bowl MVP’s, and this guy wants to work harder to improve their regular season record and make the playoffs in better fashion.

The Giants don’t have short memories.  The Giants aren’t delusional.  The Giants know full well they put themselves in a tough spot last year needing to win two divisional games in prime time to simply make the playoffs.  With the schedule they have this year, they need to be better.  I don’t just mean the teams on the schedule either, but the craziness of playing a Wednesday, Sunday, Thursday to start the season.  Tom Coughlin, who might be the most organized man in the world, will need to figure a way to practice and teach his team in the first month of the season while not violating any of the new CBA rules.  This in itself will be a challenge.

But, when you have a leader like Eli, who will make sure everyone knows last year is over, and they weren’t all that good last year, it will make it easier to get the team focused on the task at hand.

Just to be silly for a moment, I think the Giants should repeatedly offer one year extensions. Each time he enters the final year of a contract, the Giants offer him one more year. Then Big Blue goes on to win a Super Bowl. If he’s constantly in his last year, the Giants will perpetually win the Lombardi Trophy. This might be a theory that doesn’t work out.

Back to reality, I’m on board with Coughlin and he deserves to coach the Giants until he decides to go. Barring anything crazy like a 2-14 season, which I don’t believe will happen, he’s earned job security.

When the Giants first hired him in 2004, I was not happy. My first thought wasn’t about the success he would bring the Giants. Instead I wondered how many years of mediocre football would it take to get rid of him. I estimated three years.

The Giants would make the playoffs in 2005 and 2006, but failed to advance. After 2006, I hoped with all my heart Couglin was history. But the Giants extended him for one year much to my dismay and the Giants won the Super Bowl XLII.

Even then, I credited the Super Bowl win more for the performance of Defensive Coordinator Steve Spagnuolo than anything Coughlin did. When Spagnuolo left and Plaxico shot himself, the Giants seemed unable to recover. My theory was correct!

It was, again, time for Coughlin to go. I believed the Giants had as much talent as any other top team in the NFL. It just seemed Coughlin was unable to get the most from the players on the roster on a consistent basis. It had to be his fault. That opinion remained the same through 2009……2010…..and the first half of 2011.

Feb 5, 2012; Indianapolis, IN, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy after Super Bowl XLVI against the New England Patriots at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee/Image of Sport-US PRESSWIRE

How do the Giants win the NFC East and get back to the Playoffs? Here are several keys to making that happen.

Get off to a fast start. The defense cannot have a two month period to get their scheme right this year. The secondary must do a better job preventing big plays. When the D line tackles a runner for a loss or gets an early down sack, the secondary cannot give up 3rd and long first downs. It’s a back breaker and gives the opposition confidence that they can stay in the game. They have a lot of high powered offensive teams on the schedule this year and cannot afford those mistakes.

Protect Eli. With McKenzie gone, the line must play together to keep Manning upright. He took way to many hits in the NFC championship game last year and that cannot happen. With the TE position being thin with talent the passing game is going to be a down the field attack and Eli will need time for the receivers to get in their routes. The backs need to pick up blitzes which could be a reason we don’t see much of first round pick David Wilson early in the year.

Eli must have another great season. This team will only go as far as Eli takes them. It’s his arm that kept the team alive and led them to a Super Bowl last year. He is the engine that runs the machine. They cannot pretend that they have a running game to rely on or a defense that can shut down opponents week in and week out. The Giants, to be great,  need Eli to be great and have the 4th quarter magic yet again.