I wish ESPN would stop showing that damn play over and over again

[sneakers]

I can't watch it, I always advert my eyes when I see it coming...can't wait for this game to be over so they stop and broncos get their revenge

[Kaylore]

Even if we beat them it will just be a regular season win, where they just won a Super Bowl.

[Slick]

Sneak, the only time you should be watching ESPN is when there is an actual game going on, or College Football Gameday.

[Broncolingus]

I think the over/under is now at about 50,000 for how many more times ESPN will re-run that play between now and kickoff Thursday...

[ApaOps5]

Even if we beat them it will just be a regular season win, where they just won a Super Bowl.

You cut me khan, you cut me real deep.

[BroncoWave]

People still watch ESPN other than for games? Why? Their programming has gotten really horrible over the years.

[Kaylore]

You cut me khan, you cut me real deep.

Your pain is my pain.

[slim]

Nfln

[OrangeHoof]

Well, yeah. As a Phi Slamma Jamma fan, I get to watch every March where Lorezo Charles puts back in the airball from Derek Whittenberg as the buzzer sounds and Rat-face Valvano runs around like a chicken. Every damn year before every damn broadcast. At least your pain will be shorter lived than mine has been. 30 years and running...

[Joel]

Well, yeah. As a Phi Slamma Jamma fan, I get to watch every March where Lorezo Charles puts back in the airball from Derek Whittenberg as the buzzer sounds and Rat-face Valvano runs around like a chicken. Every damn year before every damn broadcast. At least your pain will be shorter lived than mine has been. 30 years and running...
Look at it and the following final as I do: Of the players involved in both games, which won NBA titles, and for whom? Think Patrick Ewing would've liked to switch places with Hakeem after the '94 NBA Finals? ;)

Anyway, that play was an epic failure at one of the most basic things in all of football: Up by a TD on their 30 with <1:00 left in an elimination game, a Hail Mary is the ONLY way to lose, and easy to stop, so do so by any means short of outright cheating. Hold, jump offsides, even commit a PI—just don't let them go the length of the field for six. A playoff, let alone championship, calibre team doesn't need to be told that; that we did suggests we weren't headed for a title even if we beat the Ravens (it's not like our previous Pats game was any cause for cheering.)

There's pretty much only one way we'll purge that play from airwaves and memories, and it's not beating the Ravens on opening night, when they'll still be defending champs and we'll still be seeking our first title in over a decade. We're loaded for bear this year, and if we get him no one will care about last year; if not—no one will care about last year. Two days till the start of what will hopefully be our best season ever. :salute:

[weazel]

I can't watch it, I always advert my eyes when I see it coming...can't wait for this game to be over so they stop and broncos get their revenge

I want every Broncos player and coach to watch it over and over again.

[Nomad]

I want every Broncos player and coach to watch it over and over again.

What they need to watch, is how Flacco stands flat footed most of the game in a nice big pocket or how Ray Rice ran the ball down their throats.

[PatriotsGuy]

Yeah,I know it's like, how did that guy catch the football on his helmet like that!?

[Joel]

Yeah,I know it's like, how did that guy catch the football on his helmet like that!?
Blowing a game we had in the bag in our own house against a team we stomped in theirs a month earlier isn't the same as getting beaten by a better team. Why not ask how Eli avoided going down under no less than THREE tacklers at the start of that play? Though overconfidence might played a role too; just think, if Belicheat hadn't gone for it on 4th and 13 at the Giants 31 we could've seen our first Super Bowl overtime.

[MOtorboat]

Blowing a game we had in the bag in our own house against a team we stomped in theirs a month earlier isn't the same as getting beaten by a better team. Why not ask how Eli avoided going down under no less than THREE tacklers at the start of that play? Though overconfidence might played a role too; just think, if Belicheat hadn't gone for it on 4th and 13 at the Giants 31 we could've seen our first Super Bowl overtime.

Yeah, not to be a buzzkill, but New York was not the better team.

[Joel]

Yeah, not to be a buzzkill, but New York was not the better team.
Then Belicheat called a really crappy game, because his better team lost, but if the coaching was that poor, were they really the better team? The Giants refused to lose, and had the talent to back refusal. I won't call the Helmet Catch luck, because Eli and Tyree both displayed exceptional ability, skill and, above all, determination to execute that play, without considering how they and the rest of their offense and defense played the whole game. The collapsing Pats D finally met one as good and could no longer rely on the offense scoring 50 points to end the game by halftime, so the Giants offense put them over the top.

The Hidden Game of Football (et al.) quoted Connie Mack as saying, "Luck is the residue of design." Maybe not always in football, but in this case it's applicable.