Eli Manning Vs. Joe Namath

First, we had all the ’72 Dolphins versus the Perfect Patriots debate.  Of course, that’s gone pretty much silent now in the stunning aftermath of the Giants’ upset of New England’s finest.

So, let’s talk about the next great debate.  Manning Vs. Namath.  It wouldn’t be fare to compare the younger Manning one on one to the legendary Broadway Joe at this point in Eli’s career.  But we can compare which signature upset was bigger.

I think this will be the great debate that divides generations.  If you are like me and 40ish, then you either saw or grew up in the aftermath of the AFL Jets’ shocking victory over the heavily favored Baltimore Colts.  For us, I think that game will always be (as Saddam Hussein might have said) “the mother of all upsets.”

If on the other hand, you are say 30 or younger, then I bet your closest memory or association with that game is Joe Namath embarrassing himself on Monday Night Football’s sidelines a few years back.  For you, this past Sunday brought you the biggest shocker of all time.

So where does the truth lie?  Were the Giants or Jets the bigger underdog?  Here’s my reasoning and I’m trying to be objective despite being 40ish:

Point Spread

Jets were something like 19 point underdogs.

Giants started out being about 12 point dogs.

Edge: Jets – They were dogs by a full touchdown more than the Giants.

Recent Past

Jets had never played Colts.  AFL and NFL didn’t meet up until Super Bowl in those days.

Giants took on New England in the final week of the regular season and more than held their own.  That game jump-started their belief in themselves and their season.

Edge: Jets – Giants knew they could compete against New England.

Deeper Meaning

Jets – Upstart Jets prove that the AFL brand of football is on par with the established NFL.  Joe Willie becomes a star, giving us the pantyhose commercial, the movie CC Ryder and of course the MNF incident.  Getting back to football, it leads to the merger of the two leagues and results in the mega-success of today’s NFL.

Giants – Giants prove that “on any given Sunday…”, which we kind of knew already.  What we don’t know yet, is whether this game will prove that Bill Belichick is simply mortal without the help of his videomen.  What we do know now, is that Tom Brady looks awfully ordinary if you pound him over and over.

Edge: Jets – Giants win was shocking but no one doubted they belong in the same league as the Pats.

Three strikes and you’re out.  In some sports anyway…

Verdict:  Biggest Super Bowl Upset is clearly the Jets in Super Bowl III.  It was and will remain the perfect upset.

’72 Dolphins Vs. ’07 Patriots

I can’t believe we had all the debate about the meaning of the Patriots’ season.  How did 18-0 or the never reached 19-0 stack up against what the 17-0 Miami Dolphins accomplished way back in 1972?  The answer was simple.  It simply doesn’t.  It’s an old but very true saying.  You shouldn’t count your chickens before they hatch.  Tom Brady, Giselle and the ever dour Coach Belichick found this out the hard way last night.

18-0 means nothing.  All it means is you are one game away from winning it all.  17-0 has it all over 18-0 because in the Dolphins’ case, there were only 17 games including the all important Super Bowl win on their schedule. 

19-0 would have been a heck of a lot better than 18-1, but it still wouldn’t mean all that much next to the Dolphin’s 17-0.  The best the Pats could have hoped for would be to be endlessly compared to Mercury Morris and company.  Until someone figures out how to travel back in time and add two more games to the Dolphins’ 1972 schedule, the Patriots or any undefeated time can only hope to match but will never eclipse what the Fins did back in those bell bottom days.

And you know, I’m OK with that.