Washington Redskins fans can’t pick a side in Super Bowl XLVI. Watching the New York Giants face the New England Patriots will be like watching two enemies fight — get your popcorn and enjoy the show.
The Giants may be an NFL East brethren, but that’s the whole problem. Outside of the Dallas Cowboys, the Giants are the Redskins’ biggest rival — a smidge above the Philadelphia Eagles. There’s no begrudging respect — just contempt.
Given the Redskins beat the Giants twice, there’s even further confusion involving New York. Could this be the second straight year Washington was the last team to beat the eventual Super Bowl champion? Maybe it’s a point of pride, but more likely it’s a stain of shame knowing the Redskins underachieved after proving it could beat the best.
But taking the Patriots is like bowing to a foreign potentate. Coach Bill Belichick already looks like the Emperor from Star Wars with that hoodie. Maybe Belichick spent time in Annapolis as a youth, but he’s no local.
And Tom Brady? Can you really root for a guy with a supermodel wife, perfect hair, three Super Bowl rings and enough money to join the 1 percenters? It would be like backing the Winklevoss brothers against Mark Zuckerberg.
The Patriots and Brady already have three rings. Then again, this would be two for Giants quarterback Eli Manning, which certainly would merit a future selection to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Are you really ready for Eli to be an immortal? Along with Peyton Manning, they would appear on every TV commercial.
And seeing Devin Thomas make plays on special teams for the Giants elicits flashbacks of fellow failed Redskins receiver Desmond Howard later winning a Super Bowl MVP. Nobody ever questioned Thomas’ ability, just his maturity.
About the only sympathetic figure is New England owner Robert Kraft, who sacrificed hours with his dying wife last summer to finish the labor deal so there was a football season.
There’s no underdog to root for this time. No long-suffering player who deserves the trophy. Just two titans dividing up the spoils.
So what if it’s the same teams from four years ago when the Giants stole immortality and an undefeated season from the Patriots in the final 35 seconds. Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier fought three times and each was a gem. Sports history is filled with rematches.
The problem is there’s no one to root for this time, only against.
Examiner columnist Rick Snider has covered local sports since 1978. Read more on Twitter @Snide_Remarks or email [email protected].
