It's the big day

This matchup reminds me, ironically, of the matchup six years ago, when the Patriots and Rams met in Super Bowl XXXVI. The Patriots were in the opposite position then. The Rams were clear favorites, having won it all two years before in one of the most thrilling Super Bowls ever, and they were 15-3 going into the game, to the Patriots' 13-5. But the Pats were playing awfully well going in, and won a game that was about as exciting as the one two years earlier. Of course, there's now some question about whether they pulled the same scam in that game that they pulled this year. If they did film the Rams, that calls into question every game Bill Belichick has ever won in his career, including his years with the Browns. If they didn't, Belichick has no one but himself to blame for the doubt cast upon him, as he has shown himself willing to cheat for a victory.

Anyway, the gap between records is bigger with these Patriots (18-0) and the Giants (13-6), but the parallels are there nonetheless. The Pats are 12-point favorites, and to hear the talking heads on ESPN, you'd think they'd won the game already. But don't underestimate these Giants. They're playing great, and the last game they lost was by just three points — to these Patriots. Any idiot can see that the Patriots are the better team, but in an individual game, I wouldn't be that surprised if the New Yorkers pull the upset.

Speaking of the betting line, you wouldn't believe what crazy crap you can bet on in this game. You can put money on not just whether the Patriots will win today, but whether they'll win the next THREE Super Bowls. They're giving 25-1 odds on that one. You can bet on whether the coin toss will be heads or tails — and you're a complete moron if you do that, because you have to bet $105 to win $100. You can even put down some action on what will be the higher number: the Patriots' and Giants' combined punts for the game, or the number of points Eric Dampier scores for the Mavericks against the Pistons this afternoon. I swear to God, I'm not making that up. Those bookies are pretty creative.

Apparently, you can't bet on how many marriage proposals Tom Brady will field from foreign reporters during the game. Oh, well.

Belichick's trial by fire in Cleveland

Here's an interesting look at what Bill Belichick learned from his failures in Cleveland (thanks to my good friend Jeff Brown for sending it to me). Of particular interest is the comparison between cutting our beloved Bernie Kosar and giving Tom Brady the QB job over Drew Bledsoe.

Of course, any Browns fan who's tempted to think "what if" has to remember that the franchise that gave Belichick his first coaching job is not in Cleveland now, but Baltimore. But when the new Browns came into existence in 1999, he was available. He took the New England job in 2000. I can't say I've ever come around to liking, or even really respecting, Belichick, but if he were on the cusp of winning his fourth Super Bowl for Cleveland, how would we feel about him? Let's be honest, we'd be ready to build a solid-gold statue of him and put it in Moses Cleaveland's place on Public Square.