If you turn on your television and flip to any sports channel, odds are you will find some sort of coverage about Super Bowl XLVI. Since there are two whole weeks between the conference championship games and the Super Bowl, news outlets dig for stories that can entertain fans until game time. There won't be many useless stories this year, though, because Sunday's Patriots-Giants showdown is the perfect Hollywood ending for this season.
Think about it the season was in jeopardy because of the 132-day NFL lockout. Once commissioner Roger Goodell, the team owners and the NFL Players Association got on the same page, the season started on time and fans everywhere were head over heels about the return of football.
As the season progressed, Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow became the hottest conversation topic in the country. The height of Tebowmania came when he threw a game-winning touchdown on the first play of overtime against the Pittsburgh Steelers in his first career playoff game. Then, naturally, he lost to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, who are now in position to avenge their Super Bowl XLII loss to the New York Giants.
This Super Bowl has many background stories that could make your head spin, but it's the players that make the drama. And much like these players inspire sports writers to come up with great stories, our Dartmouth sports teams are what allow me to write this column week in and week out. This might be a stretch, but it occurred to me this past weekend that some of the players that will participate in next Sunday's Super Bowl have the same characteristics and personalities as a couple of Dartmouth teams. If you're confused, just keep reading allow me to help you make the same apparently random connection.
Men's and women's swimming and diving Eli Manning, QB, Giants
During the offseason, Manning stirred up some controversy when he said he was an elite quarterback on the same level as Tom Brady. Reporters around the country put Manning's and Brady's numbers side-by-side and concluded that Manning was out of his mind. But I think Manning really does believe he's an elite quarterback, and with his brother, multiple-time All-Pro Peyton Manning, sidelined all season with a neck injury, Eli knew it was his time to shine and shine he did. No one except his teammates believed in him, and look where the Giants are now.
The Dartmouth swimming and diving teams, much like Eli, came into the season with no one other than the team itself thinking they would make any noise in the Ivy League. The teams started off the season with triumphant victories over Cornell University and Brown University, and though the teams have suffered a couple of losses both teams lost to Yale University, with the men also falling to the University of Pennsylvania this season is shaping up to be one of the best in recent history. Add in victories against Bryant University and the University of Massachusetts this past weekend and there is a lot to be proud about. Eli is proving he belongs in the same class as Brady, and the Dartmouth swimming and diving teams are proving they can battle and win against Ivy League foes.
Men's and women's track and field Rob Gronkowski, TE, Patriots
Gronkowski turned some heads during his rookie season in 2010, but he made himself a household name in 2011. "Gronk" became a fan favorite by brushing off would-be tacklers every Sunday, spiking the ball whenever he scored a touchdown and taking a casual photo with an adult entertainment actress wearing his jersey. He absolutely dominated the tight end position this season, setting tight end single-season records both receiving touchdowns receiving yards.
The track and field squads are killing it this season, and both teams are unbeaten and untouchable a la Gronkowski. Abbey D'Agostino '14 has been stellar this season, breaking the Dartmouth school record in the mile last week, only to break her six-day old record this past Friday. D'Agostino is just one example of how deep and well-balanced this team is, as the Big Green can easily score points from both the track events and field events. At the rate this team is scoring points, Gronkowski would be proud to be likened to a group such as the men's and women's track and field teams.
Next Sunday's Super Bowl will surely be one to remember. Rematches are always intriguing and this ranks as one of the most exciting in my lifetime. Tune in to watch Brady and Manning battle it out, Giants wide receiver Victor Cruz dance salsa after scoring a touchdown and the track and field squads I mean, Rob Gronkowski shed tacklers and dive into the end zone.
