Terrorist Reckoning

On February 11, September 11th conspirators Abd al-Aziz Ali, Waleed bin Attash, Ramzi Binalshibh, Mustafa Ahmad al-Hawsawi, Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, and Mohammed al-Qahtani were charged with murder and war crimes. These barbarians warrant death. Their charges are appropriate. For the Bush Administration, their charges represent victory.

Richard Zednik Sustains Horrific Injury

A True Survivor

Congressman Tom Lantos
(1928-2008)

Giants Scale History

They scaled Mount Everest. Defense wins championships, losses are inevitable, momentum spirals, tenacity trumps flash… these clichés prove insufficient. They demean the accomplishment’s enormity.

In Super Bowl XLII, the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 17-14. With their victory, the Giants garnered their third Super Bowl (XXI & XXV). They nixed New England’s undefeated season.

The Giants were not solely defense. Blitzing and thumping merely underscored their triumph. Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress won this championship. Brandon Jacobs and Amani Toomer negotiated the playoffs. Obviously, Mathias Kiwanuka, Michael Strahan, Justin Tuck, and Osi Umenyiora were important. However, their wallops without points were meaningless.

For nine weeks, the Patriots were invincible. For nine weeks, they were vulnerable. They were never mythological. Ultimately, history was both their ambition and ruin. Akin to Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana, Tom Brady started his fourth Super Bowl. Bradshaw and Montana never lost.

The Giants upset was not historic. In Super Bowl III, the Jets were eighteen point underdogs. In Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots were fourteen point underdogs. The Giants upset was epic and monumental. The Patriots were perfect. Their offense was spectacular. Their defense was underrated. Yet, the Giants opposed them. They hit them. They knocked off the behemoth.

Keys, Petty Ignite Super Bowl

Alicia Keys’ performance was amazing. Personally, I prefer her as a pianist. She is elegant. She is unique. Sans piano, Keys’ crowd connection and presentation are thorny. With that stated, she is a stellar entertainer. Jordin Sparks’ staged national anthem was also acceptable.

Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ halftime was excellent. Their song selection was terrific. Visually, four suit-clad men were bland. However, MTV induced this quandary. Thank Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake.