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A Word from The Writer:

The Monday Analysis - 7 February 2005 - Super Bowl XXXIX Edition

Once again, I introduce you to the World Champions....

It Starts Here: Third in Four Years, Patriots Win Again

Super Bowl XXXIX

Patriots 24
Eagles 21

Gods, how do I start this one? 24-21, Patriots over Eagles.

I'll tell you how we start this one. We've got another Championship in New England! One more! One more! Third in four years! Fourth overall in four years! Champions again! Champions again!

No score until the second quarter. Another tough and rough defensive game, a la Super Bowl XXXVIII. And Terrell Owens with a big game (9 receptions for 122 yards). No one expected him to be such a big impact after surgery six weeks ago.

But the biggest game was the Super Bowl MVP Deion Branch with 11 catches for 133 yards. Eleven receptions is tied for an NFL record with Jerry Rice. Yes, THAT Jerry Rice.

And Quarterbacks, oh man, our QB was no slouch. Tom Brady, 23 for 33 for 236 yards and 2 TDs. Their QB: Donovan McNabb was 30 for 51 for 357 yards, 3 TDs and 3 INTs.

And one of the biggest names on offense was a defensive guy. Yes, for the second Super Bowl in a row linebacker Mike Vrabel played Tight End for a touchdown. How big is that?

And Rodney Harrison. Two interceptions, big tackles. One of those INTs coming right at the end of the game to end it for the Eagles, to end the game, to solidify the Dynasty Dreams. A throw away in San Diego two years ago. Last year he breaks his arm to win a championship. This year he closes it out. How big is that? How big is Rodney Harrison to this team? Just how big?

This is by far the great Super Bowls of all time. The Patriots have not only delivered us three championships, but delivered us three great championship games.

For Philadelphia, the three INTs from Donovan McNabb didn't help them. Neither did the fumble from L.J. Smith.

A great game. Such a great game!

And as for Freddie Mitchell, 1 reception for eleven yards. That's all. So much for having something for Harrison. Man, you came up empty!

The team might change a little next season. Charlie Weis, the offensive coordinator is heading to Notre Dame. Romeo Crennel, the defensive coordinator, is officially heading to Cleveland. But Bill Belichick is still here. Bob Kraft is still here. Tom Brady is still here, and so is Corey Dillon, and Willie McGinest, and Tedy Bruschi, and all these other guys who strive to win.

"They're two of the best coaches I've ever been around, and I take my hat off to them," said Coach Belichick of Weis and Crennel.

The Patriots have won all three championships by three points a piece. This was the biggest win of all three. And maybe, it is the biggest of all time.

And how about Corey Dillon, the renegade, the bad seed. He comes here, has a great season, rushes 75 yards on 18 carries with a touchdown, plus three receptions for 31 yards. Phenomenal! And along with Kevin Faulk, 8 receptions for 38 yards, 2 receptions for 27 yards, he was there when he needed to be there. The back field came up big when they needed to be big, and for that, there are championship rings being made for them.

For some reason, and I still can't figure this out, the Eagles had far more fans at Alltel Stadium during Super Bowl XXXIX. In the end, the Patriots walked away with the Lombardi Trophy. It wasn't a walk over, the Eagles played well, and it was obvious that they wanted this win, but there was nothing there to help them win this game.

I end this with you all with the thought of the day. Don't answer this now, or tomorrow, or next week. But here it is: How good are we seeing the New England Patriots? How do they measure the test of time, the feats of others, the greatest of the great teams of all time? I think, and I might be wrong, but I doubt it, but when we match these Patriots teams with the likes of the best, we'll see them right in there, right in the mix as the best. And someday technology will allow us to virtually match up with other teams on a video game or some kind of virtual match up, and we will see Montana versus Brady, Branch against Rice, Steelers defense matching over the Patriots defense. And maybe a computer will tell us who is the best of the best. But today, the best of the best is the same as it was a year ago.

Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, allow me to be one of the first to introduce to you, once again, for their third time in four years, your World Champion New England Patriots.

Savor this, Patriots Nation. Embrace it. Who knows when we'll get here again. Probably next year or the year after, but that is the humbling cliché, now isn't it?

We're in a moment, no doubt.

All-Time Rushing Leader Smith Retires

Emmitt Smith has finally called it quits.

After 15 seasons, 13 with the Dallas Cowboys, Emmitt Smith calls it a career, just hours after signing a ceremonial Cowboys contract to retire with the team he started with in 1990.

"It's been a tremendous ride," said Smith at a press conference to announce his retirement. "My 15 years, my 15 minutes of fame, is up."

Smith finishes with 18,355 yards rushing with 164 touchdowns. He is a lock for Canton in 2010.

Canton Calls on Four

QBs Dan Marino, Steve Young, Benny Friedman, and halfback/coach Fritz Pollard were announced as the Class of 2005 Saturday in jacksonville. Marino and Young - both whom played professionally from 1983-1999, were on hand to speak before the media. Marino, despite losing his only Super Bowl appearance early in his career, noted being married only ten days later to his wife Claire, 20 years ago this week.

"That was my Super Bowl," he said winking to her in the audience. He also thanked his coach Don Shula. "Thank you for letting me turn it loose, and letting me throw it as much as I wanted to throw it." Marino is the league's leading in passing all-time (4,967 completions, 8,358 attempts for 61,343 yards, and 420 touchdowns). He was voted to nine Pro Bowls, and up until 2004 held the single season touchdown pass record of 48. Marino is now with the NFL Today on CBS and Inside the NFL on HBO.

Young played two years with the LA Express in the USFL before entering the NFL, and collecting three Super Bowl rings, one as the starting quarterback for Super Bowl XXX, where he threw six touchdowns (Super Bowl record) was the game's MVP. He was also the league MVP in 1992 and 1994, and voted to seven Pro Bowls. Young is now with ESPN's Sunday Countdown. He also has the single season highest passer rating at 112.8 in 1994.

Ironically, neither thanked the coaches at the end of their careers: Jimmy Johnson in Miami and George Seifert and Steve Mariucci in San Francisco.

Friedman played eight seasons from 1927-1934 with the Cleveland Bulldogs, the Detroit Wolverines, the New York Giants, and the Brooklyn Dodgers. He is known as the game's first real passer, and at the time his 66 touchdown passes were an NFL record. Friedman passed away on November 24, 1982 a the age of 77.

Pollard was one of the game's first African American players, and was with the Akron Pros to help lead them to the first NFL championship in 1920. He is known as an elusive runner during his eight seasons in the league. Pollard passed away on May 11, 1986 at the age of 92.

The induction ceremony takes place in Canton, OH on August 7th.

The Monday Analysis congratulates all the new residents of Canton.

7 February 2005