Image courtesy of marada's Flickr page - Pro Football Hall of Fame: https://www.flickr.com/photos/marada/18349271420/in/photolist-s9jx2h-6WanDm-88EBAf-88EBFW-6Wakz7-6WamJ3-6WavG5-6Wapgd-7AA2Cj-eZaZFx-tXsP7C-ucHyh9-5V94An-8qJEgH-744DSK-ofEBCj-7ZjcnY-4qX6xk
Super Bowl XLVI – New York Giants 21, New England Patriots 17. Played on February 5, 2012 at Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis. Indiana. MVP Eli Manning, Favorite Patriots by 3.5, National anthem Kelly Clarkson, Halftime show Madonna, LMFAO, M.I.A., Nicki Minaj, Cee Lo Green, Attendance 68,658, Network NBC, Announcers Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth, Nielsen ratings 47.8, US viewership: 111.3 million est., Cost of 30-second commercial US$3.5 million. Wes Welker crucial drop, Mario Manningham huge catch.
This was the rematch of the legendary meeting that the two franchises had just four years earlier in Super Bowl XLII. The Patriots had been denied the historical achievement of an undefeated season, and instead, were handed what most likely was the most devastating defeat in sports that I have ever personally witnessed.
Needless to say, New England would have liked a little revenge.
Still, it was the Giants who came out swinging, taking control in the first quarter. The first score came in a surprising fashion - through a safety, after Tom Brady threw the ball before getting hit by a rushing Justin Tuck in his own end zone. The Giants were up, 2-0. They followed this up with a 78-yard drive on nine plays that culminated with a pass by Eli Manning to Victor Cruz in the end zone. Cruz did his Salsa dance, and the Giants were up, 9-0.
New England came back, however. The second quarter belonged to the Patriots, as they first had to settle for a field goal once a drive in which they were threatening to get a touchdown was stopped by the Giants. Still, they were on the board, and followed that up with another scoring drive. Brady completed nine straight passes, and the last of these was a touchdown pass to back Danny Whitehead, giving New England a 10-9 lead for halftime.
The Patriots started off the second half in strong fashion, as well. Brady continued with his perfect passing, helping New England orchestrate a 79-yard drive in eight plays that culminated with Brady completing a touchdown pass to tight end Aaron Fernandez, extending their lead to 17-9..
The Giants responded with a field goal on their next drive and, early in the fourth quarter, managed to get another field goal, closing the margin to 17-15.
The Patriots threatened again early in the fourth quarter, but then Giants linebacker Chase Blackburn picked off a Brady pass. The Giants offense was not able to do much with it, and would later have to punt it away. Still, the defense had held when New England looked ready to score, and this would have some serious ramifications later.
The minutes were ticking down, and it was now late in the fourth quarter. The Giants were pinned deep in their own territory, when Eli Manning completed a huge pass to Mario Manningham. It gave the Giants a key first down but, even more importantly, it was a spectacular play that gave the Giants momentum, and the remarkable effort and catch by Manningham seemed reminiscent a bit of Dave Tyree's catch with the side of his helmet from four years earlier. The Giants were in business.
New York kept the drive alive, and eventually found themselves in solid scoring position. New England knew that all the Giants needed was a field goal to win it, and so they opened their defense wide open near the goal line, allowing Ahmad Bradhsaw to run free. He had been instructed not to score a touchdown, as there was little over one minute to play, and the Giants wanted to run out as much clock time as possible, and not give New England's offense a solid opportunity to score. And so, as Bradshaw ran towards the end zone, he suddenly tried to stop, kneeling down before reaching the goal line, but his momentum dropped him in. On the replays, Manning could be seen holding his head as if watching a disaster, even though a touchdown is normally good news. Thus, this was considered by some to be the only touchdown in Super Bowl history that was not desired by the team scoring it, and Sports Illustrated called it "perhaps the strangest play in Super Bowl history."
Nonetheless, it put the Giants up, 21-17. The Giants failed on the two-point conversion, and New England got the ball back.
The Patriots had one last chance, and they did move the ball. Ultimately, however, they needed the touchdown, as a field goal would not be enough. They put themselves in position for a Hail Mary that Brady aimed for tight end Hernandez, but it fell incomplete, preserving the Giants victory - their second Super Bowl triumph over the New England Patriots in five seasons.
Personal Memories: Watched Super Bowl at Prudential in Roseland, but took my son to the Atlanta Falcons/New York Giants postseason game weeks before (both of our first playoff games ever), then took him to the Giants Super Bowl celebration at MetLife Stadium two days after the Super bowl victory.
It was one great moment during a time of depression, after dealing with the aftermath of a bad breakup with one former girlfriend. Within months, however, I would meet my present girlfriend in the spring.
Here are some of the major events that took place in 2012, the year this Super Bowl was played. The world's population was 7,021,836,029 billion people. Jan. 4: The European Union imposes an oil embargo on Iran in an attempt to get Iran to halt uranium enrichment and end its nuclear weapons efforts. Feb. 15: Iran warns six European countries that it might cut them off from Iranian oil. The threat is made to the ambassadors of Italy, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Greece and Portugal at the Foreign Ministry in Tehran. Feb. 1: At least 73 people are killed in a fight between fans of rival teams at a soccer match in Port Said, Egypt. March 4: Vladimir Putin wins the presidential election in Russia, claiming 64% of the vote. It will be his third full term as president of Russia. March 10: A U.S. soldier goes on a door-to-door rampage in Afghanistan, brutally killing 17 civilians, including nine children. March 23: The U.S. military announces that Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales has been charged with 17 counts of premeditated murder in the attacks. March 21: Syrian president Bashar al-Assad agrees to a cease-fire. The UN-brokered plan calls on the Syrian government to stop killing civilians, engage in talks with the opposition, withdraw forces from the streets, and begin a transition to a democratic, political system. The country has been in a civil war for several months, following the March 2011 uprising. April 12: The cease-fire goes into effect, but observers are skeptical that it will last. May 26: 32 children under age 10 are killed when the Syrian government attacks the village of Houla. The United Nations blames the deaths on government tanks and artillery, saying many of the victims were executed in their homes. President Assad, however, claims terrorists carried out the attack. The cease-fire is considered moot. June 12: A United Nations official declares that Syria is in a state of civil war. June 22: The Syrian military shoots down a Turkish military jet. President Abdullah Gul of Turkey responds by saying that his country will do "whatever is necessary" in retaliation. Aug. 2: Kofi Annan resigns as UN special envoy to Syria, citing the refusal of the Syrian government to implement the UN-backed peace plan, intensifying violence by rebels, and discord within the Security Council. April 1: Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, who in October 2010 was released after spending nearly 20 years under house arrest, wins a seat in parliament. May 1: On the first anniversary of the killing of Osama bin Laden, President Barack Obama makes a surprise visit to Afghanistan. During his visit, Obama signs an agreement with Afghan president Hamid Karzai that says the U.S. will provide Afghanistan development assistance for 10 years after troops withdraw in 2013. May 6: Francois Hollande defeats Nicolas Sarkozy to become president of France. With the victory, Hollande becomes the first Socialist president since Francois Mitterrand left office in 1995. June 11: Hosni Mubarak, former president of Egypt, is sentenced to life in prison for being an accomplice in the killing of unarmed protestors during the January 2011 demonstrations. June 17: The Center-right New Democracy party prevails in parliamentary elections in Greece. June 20: New Democracy quickly forms a coalition with Pasok and the Democratic Left, and Antonis Samaras, the leader of New Democracy, is sworn in as prime minister. June 24: Egyptian election officials declare Mohamed Morsi, the Muslim Brotherhood candidate, the winner of presidential election. Nov. 22: Morsi announces a brazen power grab when he declares authority over the courts, thereby removing any check on his actions by the courts. He says the move is necessary because the judiciary, made up of Hosni Mubarak appointees, is threatening to suspend the constitutional assembly before it completes the task of drafting a new constitution. Nov. 29: Under threat of being suspended by the courts, the constitutional assembly hastily approves a draft document, which is widely criticized for its ambiguity and lack of depth and originality. Dec. 26: President Morsi signs the new constitution into law. The referendum passed in two rounds of voting, on Dec. 14 and Dec. 22. About 64% of voters approved the constitution, but turnout was low—less than 33%. July 7: For the first time since Col. Muammar Qaddafi was ousted, Libyans vote in a national election. The National Forces Alliance, a secular party led by Mahmoud Jibril, a Western-educated political scientist, prevailed over Islamist parties, including the Muslim Brotherhood, in the election to form a national congress. July 27: The 2012 Summer Olympics open in London. More than 10,000 athletes from 205 countries participate in the Games. July 31: Michael Phelps wins his 19th Olympic medal, becoming the winningest Olympic athlete of all time. He surpassed the record held by Russian gymnast Larisa Latynina. Aug. 22: After 19 years of negotiations, Russia joins the newest member of the World Trade Organization. Sep. 11: Armed gunmen storm the American consulate in Benghazi, Libya, and shoot and kill U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three other embassy officials. Oct. 7 Hugo Chávez is elected to a third term as president of Venezuela. Oct. 9 In Pakistan, Taliban members shoot 14-year-old Malala Yousafzai in the head and neck. The shooting occurs while Yousafzai is on her way home on a school bus filled with children. She was targeted for her outspokenness against the Taliban and her determination to get an education. Nov. 29: The UN General Assembly upgrades the status of the Palestinian Authority from current observer to non-member state. Dec. 12: North Korea successfully launches a rocket into orbit. The launch indicates that the country is inching closer toward developing the expertise to build an intercontinental ballistic missile.
http://boards.sportslogos.net/topic/98529-super-bowl-field-database-sb-xlvi-texture-added-122215/page-9
Super Bowl XLVI logo and team helmets:
Super Bowl Rings:
Image courtesy of Ryan Schreiber Flickr page - Super Bowl rings: https://www.flickr.com/photos/ryanschreiber/2966914635/in/photolist-9fhtR7-mTUuPg-7BfrrT-8VABVJ-71329o-dkVSiW-713aji-716t8C-6ZY2fn-aaJzti-bSQYxn-8qJEPk-caGaTw-7s88nt-4qr4K5-gvvHpq-bZ7QUG-5wbdmB-qJWkZK-9TA5tc-712koy-679ZUN-hkLnBw-712XU1-716sLj-712Zih-712YYw-6ZY1P4-712Ys5-6ZXY5z-7131DJ-713g7L-6ZYeHM-6ZYdeF-6ZYdPe-6ZYgjz-6ZYedK-7139TJ-7124Do-9fE3N7-a3dxxG-716YLQ-6ZYbrr-6ZYfMi-6ZYcBx-7138ew-713aSy-dBNXDK-713ehv-46Wiar
2011 NY Giants Super Bowl Championship Ring Presentation Box
Patriots AFC Conference Championship Rings and Presentation Box
I published this a few days after the Super Bowl, shortly after taking my son to MetLife Stadium to see the free Super Bowl victory celebration there. I was very pleased to be able to share these memories with him, although admittedly, he does no apparently remember them.
The 2012 NFL Season & Super Bowl XLVI review (published on February 8, 2012:
So, another NFL season is done, and the long offseason now begins. It was a strange season, to be sure, starting out with a lockout, and then proceeding with record numbers of viewers and followers.
Indeed, it was an exciting season with powerhouse teams and close competitors, and some surprises, as well. There were some surprising losers in the league, like the "Dream Team" of the Philadelpia Eagles, who went from being preseason favorites to reach or even win the Super Bowl, to a team that was struggling to try and remain relevant, which they basically failed to do. The San Diego Chargers, hoping to bounce back after a bad 2010 season, started off strong at 4-1, before collapsing during a 6-game losing streak that effectively pushed them out of the playoff picture and relevancy altogether. Tampa Bay, who had gone 10-6 in 2010 and figured to improve and perhaps be a real contender, started off strong at 4-2, including a victory over powerhouse New Orleans, before suddenly and inexplicably losing the rest of their games. The Dallas Cowboys, another team projected to be quite good, were unexceptional at best, and ultimately lost their chance at the playoffs.
Some teams, however, surprised on a positive note. The Detroit Lions raced out to an undefeated 5-0 start, and finished at 10-6, good enough to qualify for their first postseason since the late nineties. Tim Tebow leading the Broncos to one victory after another after a 2-5 start, and eventually guiding them to a surprise division title and even a postseason victory against perennial AFC bullies, the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Cincinnati Bengals, perennial doormats, found their mojo (well, a bit), and managed to be competitive enough to eventually qualify for a playoff berth, where they met the also surprising Houston Texans, who enjoyed a breakout season that might have catapulted them to the ranks of the elite teams in the league, and a team with a bright future. The San Fransisco 49ers, under the guidance of rookie head coach Jim Harbaugh, enjoyed a very strong season that allowed fans to reminisce about past glory days, back in the 80's and 90's, and almost made it to the Super Bowl, getting eliminated in overtime with a field goal by the team that ultimately proved to be the biggest success story of them all, the New York Giants.
The Giants were left for dead in the preseason. With the Eagles making enormous waves in terms of publicity regarding some headline pickups, establishing themselves as the trendy preseason Super Bowl favorites, and with the Cowboys figuring to rebound from recent disappointments to become a competitive team once again, nobody seemed to figure the Giants would do much of anything, who had only lost big names in the offseason, and had no major pickups.
Yet, there they were in their third game, a 1-1 team going up against the also 1-1 Philadelphia Eagles, and overpowering them. It was a bit of revenge for their horrific loss the season before, after holding a 31-10 lead midway through the final quarter before eventually losing in regulation, a ridiculous and haunting loss. The victory over the Eagles was surprising and perhaps set the tempo for both teams. Suddenly, the Giants were relevant. The Eagles, in the meantime, would lose four in a row to start off at 1-4, and they never really recovered. For the Giants, it was the opposite. A huge win that gave them confidence, they fed off of it. Some weeks later, they were 5-2 and heading to New England , to take on the 5-2 Patriots in a Super Bowl XLII rematch, and what would in fact prove to be a Super Bowl preview, as well (but who knew?). In a game reminiscent of that earlier Super Bowl, the Giants were led by Manning to a fourth quarter, come from behind victory. It was New England's only home loss all season, and New York
For the Giants, it was a huge win, and they played the surprising 49ers next, which they wound up losing narrowly, in a hard fought contest. It was the first of the killer four-game losing streak, and they would lose five out of the next six overall, that seemed to end their season. With two games remaining, they stood at 7-7, behind the Dallas Cowboys in the standings, and with no wiggle room.
Yet, that was precisely when these Giants finally came to life. They defeated the New York Jets in a "road" game at their home stadium, shutting up Rex Ryan at least a little bit. They then demolished the Cowboys in a winner takes all showdown to end the regular season, and they suddenly were division champs!
That would mean little to nothing, however, if they did not at least win one postseason game. They had a home game, but had not won a postseason home game since the 2000 Super Bowl season. That changed in a big way, however, when they dominated the Atlanta Falcons, 24-2, to move on.
A stunning victory against powerhouse Green Bay
The victories over the Jets, the Cowboys, and the Falcons had been impressive, but the victory in Green Bay Green Bay New England had been in the Super Bowl four years earlier, but this time, also, the Giants did not need last minute heroics to pull off the upset, as they had against the Pats back then. It earned them the right to play for a Super Bowl berth by renewing a storied rivalry against the 49ers.
The most appropriate description for the NFC Championship Game was that they survived on a soggy day in San Fransisco in OT, 20-17, off the reliable foot of David Tyrne, to move on to their second Super Bowl in five years. It was a hard fought game against two hard-nosed and hard-hitting teams, and indeed was reminiscent of the rivalry between these two teams during their glory days of the 1980's and early 90's, when names such as Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Lawrence Taylor, Phil Simms, Charles Haley, and Mark Bavaro, Bill Walsh, and Bill Parcells, to name just a few. It was not exactly the same, of course. Yet, the intensity of the game seemed fitting, as did the end, with a Giants kicker splitting the uprights to send New York to it's second Super Bowl in five years, almost exactly the same scenario and headlines as in that historic Championship showdown in January of 1991, which remains the most intense football game that the author of this piece has ever seen, even to date.
The victory against San Fran earned them a yet another rematch with another familiar opponent in the New England Patriots, renewing another storied rivalry. There was a lot of hype for this one, even more than for most Super Bowls. For once, the game actually lived up to the billing, as well!
Yet, it did not necessarily look like it would early on. Justin Tuck managed to sack Tom Brady in his end zone on the Patriot's first offensive play of the game, for a 2-0 lead. The Giants then took the ensuing drive and marched down the field, managing to get lucky and avoid a fumble recovered by the Patriots because New England had too many men on the field. It was one of many mistakes by both teams combined, in fact. An error-free Super Bowl, it was not. Manning found Victor Cruz for a touchdown and a seemingly commanding 9-0 lead, and victor Cruz conducted his trademark dance moves known as the Cruz Salsa.
The Patriots, however, are champions. Not too long ago (the last Super Bowl that they were in, which was their historical loss to the Giants, as a matter of fact), they had been considered a dynasty. So you just knew that they would do something. They got a field goal, but still the Giants dominated most of the first half, until New England orchestrated an absolutely brilliant and long drive to effectively end the second half on the most positive note possible, and Brady, under brilliant protection from his offensive line that gave him all the time in the world, found Woodhead for the touchdown. Just like that, New England was up, 10-9 at the half, in a game that they had largely been dominated in. Leave it to Belichek to pull that off!
The Patriots had won the coin toss, and opted to kick the ball off to the Giants, which although a bit unusual, nonetheless earned them the first possession of the second half. They then responded with a touchdown drive that made this decision look absolutely brilliant! Suddenly, they had a commanding lead of their own, 17-9. It was a lead that stood up for them until inside of the final minute of the game, and which they almost utilized to ice the game late in the 4th, prior to that. The last minute touchdown before the half, and then converting the first possession of the second half with a touchdown drive was eerily reminiscent of the Giants victory in Super Bowl XXV, as well. Only then, it was the Giants who, down 12-3 to the powerful Buffalo Bills, managed to turn the game around with a touchdown drive that left so little time on the clock that the Bills offense had no time to really work with, and then the Giants drove down the field and ate up a lot of the clock, finishing it with a touchdown and a 17-12 lead. Another similarity to another previous Giants Super Bowl was the 10-9 halftime deficit, the exact same score that the first ever Giants Super Bowl team trailed by in XXI,, against the Broncos, another game that they went on to win, although that ended up being a romp, with no last minute heroics needed with that juggernaut team. In fact, an interesting side note is that the Giants have trailed at the half in each of their five Super Bowls. Considering their overall record of 4-1 through these five games, it seems to be working for them more often than not, for whatever reason.
Yet, New England had the ball late in the final minutes, and had the opportunity to ice it. Unfortunately for them, their receivers seemed to drop catchable balls, most notably the drop by Wes Welker that would likely have iced it in favor of the Pats. Instead, New England 's drive stalled, and the Giants got it back.
Right away, Manning went for broke, gunning the ball down to Manningham, who streaked down the sideline and completed a brilliant play that has come to symbolize the victory, and is already being compared (although not necessarily favorably) to the famous Super Bowl catch by Giants receiver David Tyree four years before. Favorable or not, it got the Giants out of a hole and put them in position to drive towards a score, which they eventually did. But it was a strange position for them to be in, deep in New England territory, and not wanting to score too quickly, thus leaving Brady and the dangerous Patriot offense with too much time on the clock left, and the possibility of scoring. Giants back Bradshaw seemed to lose sight of this for a moment, but unfortunately, that was all that was needed, as he raced to a wide open end zone before realizing that this was perhaps a little too good to be true, and that the Patriot defenders had purposely opened up the lane for him. To be sure, he tried to stop, but his momentum carried him into the end zone. Most likely, a defender would have plowed him into the end zone anyway. But done is done, and the Giants had scored the touchdown, albeit early. They held a 21-17 lead with less than a minute to go.
That, of course, left it to New England to score in the final minute, even the final seconds, possibly, to try and get their Super Bowl back, before time ran out and it slipped from their grasp again.
It did not look good early in the drive. New England 's drive seemed to stall on the first three downs, with Brady getting sacked for the second time by Justin Tuck for a loss, setting up a fourth down and forever, seemingly. But again, New England are champions, and responded accordingly, making the conversion and keeping their hopes, and their drive, alive.
They eventually got it to around midfield, but time was rapidly running out. There was eventually time for that last, desperate play, a Hail Mary, to win it. Brady threw it to the end zone, but the Giants batted the ball down. Even then, Gronkowski almost got his hands on it, but almost does not count on the decisive final play, and the Giants preserved their Super Bowl victory. A Super Bowl that had promised enormous results and enormous implications lived to it's billing, for once. The Giants immortalized themselves, while new England had another crushing loss, their second such Super Bowl loss in five years. Brady looked dejected, and this loss probably tainted the legacy of Belichek and Brady.
For the Giants, however, it was time to celebrate. The game took place only this past Sunday, so they are still celebrating! But the pinnacle was the on field celebration and then the locker room, and throughout the night, at the hotel. Yesterday, they enjoyed their ticker tape parade in the "Canal of Champions
It was an amazing thing to share with my son, and for me personally, I now know what it is like to enjoy a Giants Super Bowel victory as a child, and now as an adult, and proud parent of a fellow Giant fan! I hope that his own memory of these events will live on, and I know I will not likely soon forget them!
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