With only a few days left until Super Bowl XLI, it's hard to turn on the television without being reminded of this widely televised event. Fans of the Chicago Bears and the Indianapolis Colts have good reason to be proud of their team, since both will be vying for the title on Feb. 2. For fans here in New York, that familiar feeling of disappointment has set in once again. With neither team making it past the first round in the playoffs, fans can only hope that the teams will be better next year. For some of us, memories of past appearances by the Jets and Giants in the Super Bowl will have to hold us over until next season.
Let's go back in time to the last appearance by the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. It was 2001 when they went into Super Bowl XXXV against the Baltimore Ravens, with a seven-game winning streak and a history of two other Super Bowl wins. Fans hoped that their quarterback, Kerry Collins, would lead the Giants to their third victory. In an upsetting game, the Giants ended their winning streak and suffered their first Super Bowl loss to the Ravens, 34-7. Since that memory doesn't do much to cheer up sullen Giants fans, memories of Super Bowl XXV and XXI should, since in both cases the team was victorious.
Jet fans have to think back a little further, since 1969 was the first and only year the team ever made it to the Super Bowl. Even though most of us are too young to remember that game, it was an unforgettable one for those who watched it and a highly glorified one for all young fans who have heard about it. It was in Super Bowl III, when Joe Namath and the New York Jets faced the Baltimore Colts (they didn't become the Ravens until 1996) in Miami. The confident Namath guaranteed his fans that it would be a win for New York, and he kept his word. Although many people didn't believe it could happen, Namath led the Jets to a 16-7 victory over a Baltimore team that only had one loss all season. This one game established the AFC as a reputable division of the NFL, capable of competition with the NFC. Unfortunately, Jet fans haven't been able to cheer their team on in the Super Bowl ever since.
So as you prepare yourself for yet another Super Bowl that will be void of either New York team, remember there's always next season.
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