Glendale’s Been Good To Us

Greetings from Boston! I’m on the right coast for a wedding, so I’ll only have time for a written post this week, you’ll have to imagine the rest. I was supposed to be going to see a baseball game tonight and I could have been doing this post from Fenway but alas…you know what, let’s not get into that now. I’m trying to enjoy my time in Boston, so perhaps we will discuss the travesty of letting Terry Francona go–aka Theo Epstein’s latest attempt to destroy the Red Sox–later, when I’m back in LA.

Also, to say that I’m in Boston, is like saying that the Meadowlands are in Manhattan. Presently, I’m in Rhode Island, where I grew up “a fan divided” surrounded by Patriots fans who hated me and who hate me a little bit more these days. The folks at Logan certainly didn’t seem to appreciate the Giants t-shirt I was wearing when I arrived–the wounds are still a bit raw in New England, I guess.

They don’t have the fond memories of Glendale, AZ that we do. No, for Patriots fans it represents the place of their worst defeat, while for Giants fans it has become the magical place, where we can’t lose (no matter how much Victor Cruz tries).

Maybe it’s the water, the air, the atmosphere, but the Giants are unstoppable at the University of Phoneix Stadium, home to the Arizona Cardinals, and more importantly, Super Bowl XLII. Since it opened in 2006, the Giants are undefeated in Glendale, they’ve won all three of their contests there, including two come-from-behind victories in the 4th quarter. The first–Super Bowl XLII–against Tom Brady and the then undefeated Patriots. The second–last night–in what could prove to be one of the biggest wins of the season. Both included two 4th quarter Eli Manning touchdown passes– in SB42 to Tyree and Burress and last night to Ballard and Nicks–on fairly similar routes.

Unlike in the Super Bowl, the Giants didn’t play particularly well last night, with the exception of the last 5 minutes, and even then a very, very lucky Victor Cruz, almost blew the whole game, but despite some lack luster play and not being able to capitalize on any Arizona turnovers, the Giants were able to finish. As Tom Coughlin said after the game, “We won the fourth quarter.” I don’t know how but we did!

This could be a huge confidence booster for the team, and a pivotal win, since the Lions and 49ers pulled off equally impressive comeback wins of their own against the Cowboys and Eagles.

Going into week 5, we’re 3 and 1 which, for whatever reason, sounds so much better than 2 and 2. Plus, we’ve proven to ourselves that we can hang in there and win games that we shouldn’t, which as my dad said, “can win you the division.”

Next week the Giants are at home against the Seahawks another game we should win easily, so probably another nail bitter. We’ll also see what the Red Sox can do to further dash any hopes of a comeback season in 2012.

Signing of from Boston (the greater Boston area), I’ll say this really quietly so the Pats fans won’t hear me, “Go Giants!”