Super Bowlin’ at GCSU

    The Super Bowl, since its inception, has always been more than just a football game.  At the most basic level, it is the final game of the NFL season, matching the champions of each conference against each other, but the game has always had a certain aura about it, a mystique that could not be touched by any other American sports championship.
    College students all over America plan to be in front of a television on that first weekend in February.  They spend money on snacks and drinks in preparation for the game, and order pizza for 20 friends. 
    The Super Bowl has become an event, an excuse to party and a welcome distraction from the early-semester grind.
    Here at GCSU, students choose to spend Super Sunday in various ways.  Throwing a party seems to be a common choice, and for good reason.
    “Watching the game with friends is just more fun,” said Robert Scott, a senior business management major.  “There’s just more energy when you have a bunch of guys watching the game.”
    Most guys would agree with his assessment, fitting right into the classic image of several males packed into a living room in front of a 65-inch plasma screen.
    While Scott prepares to host his own Super Bowl extravaganza, others find their own places to watch the big game.  Since Milledgeville is lacking a true “sports bar,” students have to take what they can get.
    “I might wind up at the Brick,” said Shannon Heenan, a junior pre-mass communication major.  “I work there, and we have that huge TV, so it could be cool to watch the game there.”
    Some students could not care less about America’s biggest sporting event.
    “Um … who’s playing,” said Amanda Waldroup, a senior English major.  “I mean, I’ll watch (the game) if friends do, and if I can snack on gummy bears.”
    “I just want to see a good game,” said Scott.  “I don’t really care who wins.”
    He may get his wish.
    The teams faced each other in the final regular season game for each, and the Giants were arguably the toughest opponent for the Patriots all year.  New York kept the game close until the final minutes, and made the Pats sweat before they could celebrate their undefeated regular season.
    For those who have favorite NFL teams other than those playing in the game, the choice is simple: become a casual observer such as Scott, or pick a team to cheer for, based on any number of arbitrary reasons.
    “I care less about the (Super Bowl) now that the Packers aren’t in it,” said Heenan.  “I’m leaning toward going for the Pats, just because it would be awesome to see the undefeated season.”
    However GCSU students feel about the Super Bowl, the NFL, or even football in general, it can be said that many people will watch the game for reasons other than simply watching a football championship.
    For those students who at least want to try to care about the game, basic knowledge of the teams and the matchup is necessary.
    The New England Patriots from Foxborough, Mass., face the New York Giants from East Rutherford, N.J., in the Feb. 3 showdown.  The Patriots are 18-0, the first team ever to reach that mark, and look to complete the first undefeated NFL season since 1972, when the Miami Dolphins went 17-0.
    The Patriots are already being talked about as one of the greatest teams of all time, and justifiably so.  Their offense is prolific, having broken records for both single-season touchdowns and points scored in 2007.  Their quarterback, Tom Brady, broke the single-season passing touchdown record with 50, and 23 of those went to star wide receiver Randy Moss, yet another record. 
    The defense is stout, if not great, featuring three Pro Bowl players, including cornerback Asante Samuel, who will attempt to neutralize the Giants’ star receiver, Plaxico Burress.
    However, many gamblers have been putting money on New York as the game quickly approaches.  Perhaps they believe the spread is too high, with the Patriots being favored by 12 points. 
    The Giants’ efficiency on the road this season could also sway opinions. Although the Super Bowl is held at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona, technically a neutral site, it is still important to note that the Giants have set an NFL record by winning ten consecutive road games in a season.
    The Giants’ quarterback is Eli Manning, Peyton’s younger brother out of the University of Mississippi, who has taken his lumps as an NFL quarterback, but emerged late this season as a composed leader who has not made the rookie mistakes he was previously guilty of. 
    He needs only to control the offense and make a few big plays, because the Giants have one of the best defenses in the league.  New York only had one player voted to the Pro Bowl this season, defensive end Osi Umenyiora but led the league in sacks.
    The matchup is certainly an intriguing one, with big-name players on both sides, revenge on the minds of the Giants’ players, and the first 19-0 season in history on the line.
    Wherever GCSU students watch the game, and whoever they watch it with, it is sure to be a fun evening and a satisfying close to the football season.

Posted by Colonnade Archives on Feb 1 2008. Filed under Sports. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry