Maniwaki Morning Quarter Back

Well, I'm sold. That was a game. Since the last few Championship games I've watched have been unbelievably compelling Hollywood dramas, usually decided in the last few minutes of the fourth, I should really get some raw chicken wings and a 12 of Bud tall boys mix it all together in a bowl and leave said bowl in Stanley Park as a thank you offering to the Football Gods.

From the Tyree catch, to the Cards collapse, to even the 13th Man implosion at the Grey Cup, and now to this onside kick business...I think I'm starting to see why cats dig this game.

So as there will be plenty of in depth analysis floating around the broadband and the fiber optic feeds, allow me to provide my rudimentary post game . From this angle:

1. A guy walks into a bar and says... "Sean Payton is cocky and arrogant, and you just don't want guys like that to win. I'm rooting for the old guy." This was last week, as I watched the Vikings suffer there own version of the extra attacker. Not being fully versed in the NFL's personalities, I considered this Albertan patron's assessment as I watched Payton in the post game. Sure the coach looked the part of a southern Florida MVP Fratboy, who probably owns the entire Limp Bizkit back catalogue, but I wasn't immediately galled by his speech or demeanor. I would have to see more in order to pass judgement.

2. And the verdict is in. Holy. Fuck. I haven't seen anyone take this many calculated chances since Christopher Walken in The Deer Hunter. And to have practically all of them succeed? In the end, he fared better than Walken did. Payton could walk through New Orleans with a coronet and scepter, fanning himself as pretentiously as Karl Lagerfeld after a Monaco runway show and it wouldn't phase me. I stand by guts managing even if it doesn't pay off. And that onside kick was the biggest sporting shocker I've seen since Jake Taylor's called shot/bunt in the final frame of Major League.

3. But what about the other Peyton? Who expected that roll reversal? As Simmons says;

"Isn't that the final stage for a great athlete, when we expect an impeccable performance from him during a truly dire situation?"

When Manning drove the wagons right back to Louisiana after the on side kick/td drive, I figured that Fat Sunday was about to wind down. I'm sure you did too. Watching him and the Colts connect on what seemed like every play was unreal. I don't know how he does it? I was terrified at every snap. It was as inevitable as watching the Yankees in '99. You just kept waiting for the other cleat to drop. Sure the final interception Manning threw was quite uncharacteristic, but damn..like any good hurler, he marched to the moon to give his team a chance.

4. But so did Brees. Able to match Manning, and keep it together despite such an intimidating Colts offense. In the end, I have to say that Brees didn't appear as dominant as Manning. But he was imposing enough to keep the train on the tracks. Brees's effort, along with some clutch D and some incredibly unorthodox clutch calls from sideline really made this a team effort. And thus;

5. The Best Team Won. Cue the fireworks!!! Stir the gumbo!!! Cast Harry Conick Jr as Brees in the inevitable big screen adaptation! All in all, sure it was a feel good story, but one I could roll with, as I was on the edge of the couch for four solid quarters. Even when I wasn't supposed to be. Man, the Football Gods do work in mysterious ways.