There will only be ONE and ONE only: The Scalabrine Special PLAY OF THE YEAR!!!!!! HUGE Write-up!

Harry Nillson

1969

" Everybody's Talkin' "

Now why would I post a video like that for the Play of the Year? Because EVERYBODY'S TALKIN' about the New York Giants!!!

Ladies and gentlemen, I live in the tri-state area and I can officially say the Giant love out here is unprecedented before a game of this magnitude; specifically, considering they are more than a TD underdogs.

You retort with "Well why wouldn't there be Giant love in the home city?"

No, you don't understand. After a week of walking the streets, talking to friends who are hardcore football fans, going to Times Square and hearing the chatter, listening to sports radio callers on the FAN and ESPNradio all week and reading the local rags, these fans truly believe this game is a coin flip. Yes, a 15-1 team that came a Chiefs letdown away from a perfect season is now on even terms with the NY Giants.

The bettors? They don't even want the 7.5! That is a gift from the gods. Like manna from heaven. They are ML'ing this game in droves here. And the line has shown this is happening nationally and internationally. It's not the sharps driving down this bet. It's the recreational bettors (i.e. the squares). The line opened at +9 and now has hit +7.5. That is out of control support for the Giants.

Why the support? 

This is nothing new with bettors. They haven't seen the Packers play in two weeks and that takes away from their luster. Their short-term memory has them forgetting that this team had a line in Vegas that said "will the Packers go 19-0" for several weeks at what I believed was a bad price (i.e. Vegas wasn't offering enough therefore thinking it was a real possibility). Think about that. 19-0... and now the Giants are considered to be on their level. Why? The Giants dismantled a Falcons team on national TV in the Sunday game last week while everyone was home watching. I can take nothing away from them for that win. It was dominant. But what had the Giants done prior to that:

a. They beat a Cowboys team with a QB who looked like he should be hosting Iron Chef on the Food Network with a hand so big it looked like he was wearing Emeril Lagasse oven mit. 

b. They lost badly to a terrible Redskins team AT HOME. 

c. They let the Jets, with a floundering team and QB with his confidence shaken, get within one possession of beating them late in the game.

d. They needed a miracle comeback in Dallas scoring 14 very late to win 37-34 (against a team that is well known for blowing leads)

Then what did they do against good teams? They lost to GB, NO, Philly (who was bad in that stretch) and San Fran. Three of those four sound like playoff teams we were just watching no? Well the Giants couldn't beat any of them in a season they lost to the Skins TWICE and the Seahawks AT HOME.

These losses I'm talking about are adding up aren't they. That's because, and this is the short-term memory part, Giants fans are quick to dismiss they were 9-7 this year when you remind them because they are HOT. It's all about momentum! Where was Denver's momentum today? Where was Seattle's momentum after they beat the Saints last year? 

They also blow off the the fact they had a NEGATIVE net Points For/Points Against differential this year of -6. Would you like to know the other teams that had a Negative net PF/PA this year?

Bills Browns Colts Jags Raiders Chiefs Redskins Vikings Bucs Panthers Cardinals Rams Broncos

Not very good company for a playoff team. Except for the Broncos who could have lost by 50+ today if the Pats did not pull up on them in the 2nd half. What does that stat mean? It means you have the potential to get blown out...Like the Giants have against the Skins TWICE this year, as well as against the Saints.

And this is the team that going to beat the Pack? (who had a net point differential of 201). Why? Well they were blowing teams out all year with a 35 ppg average. This all makes me very comfortable laying a little more than a TD.

I don't need to sit here and extoll the greatness of this Packers team. You know how good they are. But I think it is MUCH better than last year's team and now has a more preferred matchup waiting for it now that New Orleans is out. That's a nice motivator there.

Folks, everybody's gotta stop talking about the Giants. Because they are going to Green Bay and it won't be a pretty sight.

I'm not going to cap tragedy but I'd be foolish to ignore it when betting on a game this big. This happened earlier in the week and wakes/funerals have passed. The time to reflect and honor has begun. The last time we saw something like this with the Pack was on MNF in 2003 when Favre's father passed away. The next night he beat the Raiders 41-7. I won't say this factors into my bet in a big way, but I certainly think it motivates this locker room in the pre-game, and makes them play in a more spirited manner (outside of the immense talent they already have). Philbin will be at the game Sunday adding to the environment of respect and effort. Real life aside, that's a plus for the bettor. Period.

Now my last point. And this is very important.

Yes. That is true. And how do we know this? You only need to look at the Giants schedule the week before they went toe-to-toe with this team.

In week 12, the Giants were EMBARRASSED on national TV on Monday night against the Saints losing 49-24 (and it wasn't even that close with late garbage time scoring). 

Well any capper worth their weight in winnings knows that when something like that occurs, you can be sure you will get a huge bounce-back performance the next week. The Giants conveniently had that chance at home. Unfortunately, it was against the league's best team. Maybe, I should say fortunately because it is the perfect motivator for a team on shaky ground looking to redeem itself. Win outright or lose a close game, if you show up you are back on track.

So what do you have? All the above with the fully-motivated Giants team facing a complacent 11-0 Packer team on ten days rest (since Thanksgiving) that dismantled a Lions team the week before everyone thought would ruin the Packers perfect run.

And who was the eventual winner in the Giants Packers game? The PACK!!! Yeah it was thrilling but here's my problem. That line was   -8 Pack going away! That would mean the line would be -14/-15 at home!! And what is the line this week in the playoffs?

But betting on an outta-his-mind performance is not wise for your wallet. 

And the Pack have been gameplanning to neutralize that front 4 for two weeks (who are very good btw).

Good luck.

Spoken like a true fan with short-term memory! Makes my day. GL

I hope to be able to buy a jaguar after tomorrow. Won't help me save on gas though. 

Their defense is not as bad as you think only allowing 22.4 a game. Yards allowed (last for them in this case) doesn't matter. Scoring does. 

I do more than listen to the radio. I said that to emphasize that I know the pulse of the fanbase around here and its a mix of somewhat delusional and hysterical. 

Please by all means, make your post supporting the Giants +7.5 again. I'd love to see it. I also don't run away and hide after a loss but come back like every other gambler to bet again another day. This ain't Dallas they're playing here bud...

No offense taken. Yes to your first sentence. But my play of the year last year was ON the Giants therefore I am not a Giants hater. I just take who I believe will win me money. 

I don't like the Ravens because of the teaser exposure I think Vegas has in that game. I think they have a huge rooting interest in the Texans because I think the majority of teases this weekend were Ravens -1.5/Pats -7.5. Last week the same exposure came with the Steelers and they lost outright in a game no one believe the Broncos would win. Well here's the Texans in a game no one believes they can win outright. Scary spot to back the Ravens in. 

I remember the blown calls and that's a good point. But let's also remember how quick the Pack drove downfield in the final minute in a game that should have gone to OT. I really think the Giants were fully motivated to come out and give a blood-on-the-canvas performance and they did (despite injuries on both sides). But they lost and to the Giant bettor's credit, they covered. But that makes this line way off as I pointed at because now they are going to GB. 

Too much line value there not to back the Pack.

Homeless?  Don't try to hitch a ride off me. I'll have your girlfriend in the passenger seat and they're be no room for you.