Somebody Gave the Giants the Wrong Script

I admit it. I couldn't sleep last night. I kept waking up with the Super Bowl outcome on my mind, and I couldn't go back to sleep. My skin was having a hard time keeping the rest of me inside. I kept replaying different plays in the game. I kept thinking that what happened hadn't happened. It wasn't supposed to be this way. It wasn't supposed to be even remotely possible that the Patriots could lose to the Giants.

Everything was in place. Ordained. There was a script. Even though the first three quarters and nine minutes into the fourth quarter hadn't followed the script, when the Patriots took over with roughly six minutes left, deep in their own territory, and began the long drive, I began to see that finally both teams were back in line with the correct script; and when the Patriots scored with just over two minutes left, all was right with the world. Brady standing cool in the pocket on third and goal. Randy Moss wide open in the end zone. Touchdown Patriots! Patriots lead 14-10!

Just over two minutes left. Just the way it should be. Brady does just what he always does. A long, meticulously crafted drive at the end of the game to win it. Picking apart the Giant secondary. Showing them who's boss. Ending with a touchdown pass to Randy Moss! Of course. The stars back in alignment. Justice prevails. The perfect end to the perfect season.

Nothing to worry about with a final Giants possession. Especially after that beautifully vicious hit at the 13 on kickoff return -- by a Patriot whose name I had never heard. But of course that's the way it should be with the Patriots. A no-name special-teamer crushes a supposedly dangerous kick returner to make any chance of a miraculous Giant comeback impossible from the start. And after all, Eli Manning is the Giant quarterback. He's going to blow up in the final two minutes. Everyone knows that.

This last Giants possession is merely a climactic countdown to the end of a perfect Patriot season. Starting at their own 13? Ha. I saw a four-and-out. I saw a Rodney Harrison interception. I saw Jarvis Green strip Eli of the ball and Junior Seau fall on it. I saw the final Patriots possession doing what they do best -- closing out the game. I saw Lawrence Maroney take handoff after handoff, driving for a first down, and then Brady taking a knee three times.

I saw the confetti raining down on smiling Patriots with their kids on their shoulders. I saw the Lombardi trophy held high by Robert Kraft, who graciously congratulates the Giants on being such a worthy opponent and thanks Phoenix for being such a gracious host for Super Bowl XLII. I saw Brady humbly accepting the Super Bowl MVP award. I saw Bill Belichick smile. I did.

Somebody obviously gave the Giants the wrong script. Somebody really screwed up.

I thought I was past the anguish and despair I remember so well feeling -- when my high school basketball team lost in the quarterfinals of the state tournament in 1966, when the Reds beat the Red Sox in the '75 series, when Bucky "F." Dent hit that home run in '78, and when Bill Buckner let that ball roll through his legs in '86.

I'm not a kid anymore. I'm supposed to be mature about such things. I don't play for the Patriots. I don't have a financial stake in the team. I'm not even a season ticket holder. Heck, I have gone to only one game at Gillette Stadium. I'm just a regular fan.

It troubles me that I'm troubled about this. But that doesn't stop me from being troubled.

It wasn't supposed to be this way!

Somebody gave the Giants the wrong goddamm script!