2008 Woodie Awards
Giants deny Patriots entry into history books, earn place for themselves
By: David Sons
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: Sports
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Many members of the media and boxing community viewed this fight as little more than a walk-through for the overpowering Liston.
Through seven intense rounds of boxing, the 22-year-old Clay battled against the bigger, stronger Liston, eventually wearing down the physically imposing and heavily favored champion.
As the bell sounded for the seventh and final round, the heavyweight champion refused to leave his corner, giving the victory to the underdog Clay.
As the world stood in shock of the events taking place on national television, Clay and his entourage bounced around the ring in jubilation, culminating with Clay screaming into the television cameras, "I shook up the world!"
The fighter that was supposed to be merely a sparring session for his opponent walked out of the arena world champion, leaving history in his wake.
On Feb. 3, 2008, history repeated itself.
A team that started out the season 0-2 with a coach on the verge of losing his job, an unconfident quarterback and a locker-room full of adversity walked out of University of Phoenix stadium world champions.
The New York Giants were not supposed to win.
Many analysts and experts of the sporting world declared that the Giants would not even compete against their high scoring, battle tested, undefeated opponents the New England Patriots.
The Patriots were on the brink of history, trying to become the second team in the modern era to finish the season undefeated.
The Patriots sauntered into Super Bowl XLII brimming with confidence, experience and a swagger unseen in any team since the '72 Dolphins or '85 Bears.
The Bears and Dolphins capped their respective seasons with Super Bowl victories. However, on this warm February night in Arizona, history would not scrawl the names of the '07 - '08 Patriots into football lore.
Instead, a team that many believed would be little more than a scrimmage for this supposed team of destiny stole the show, the swagger and the Lombardi trophy, thereby solidifying their own spot in the record books.
The Giants always believed they could win. Any casual listener to post game interviews with Giants players and coaches can hear the "I told you so" assuredness in the voices of the newly crowned champs. Even when every expert picked against them, the Giants relied on the bonds formed early in training camp to carry them past the Patriots.
The knockout punch came with 35 seconds left in the game when Super Bowl MVP, Giants quarterback Eli Manning lofted a pass into the end zone and the waiting arms of wide receiver Plaxico Buress.
This late touchdown put the Giants ahead 17-14, and left the Patriots offense little time to navigate a long field.
The Giants defense held tough and earned the Super Bowl victory that everyone except the Giants believed would be the fourth Super Bowl title for the New England Patriots.
As the Giants celebrated their unexpected, hard earned victory, the heavily favored Patriots could only mourn the death of their perfect season.
Twenty-two days shy of the 43rd anniversary of Clay's historical win over Liston, the world shakes again.
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