Ahmad Bradshaw beats Ron Gronkowski, again

Ron Gronkowski went head-to-head with Super Bowl XLVI counterpart Ahmad Bradshaw in a grudge match in Activision's Call of duty: Modern Warfare 3 and lost once again.

Instead of the football field, the New England Patriots tight end took on the New York Giants running back on the video game's battlefield, but the results came up the same— 3-2 victory for Big Blue.

No word if Kronk hit the clubs and went dancing afterwards.

Bradshaw said he thought Gronkowski was still a little bitter after last month's loss to the Giants.

"Well sure, he wants the rematch," Bradshaw joked.  "He wants to get back at me as much as he can for scoring the game-winning touchdown, but I think I can back myself up.  I can play alright, I can do pretty good."

This wasn't any casual match-up either.  Both of these guys are are gamers.  Bradshaw even confessed that he constantly plays the popular first-person shooter and got some of his fellow Giants hooked on the game as well.

"I'm playing 24/7, man," he said.  "A lot of the guys play the game like [former-Giant] Brandon Jacobs, D.J. Ware, all kinds of guys.  I put everybody on the game so everybody gets on and plays together at times."

Bradshaw told the New York Post that the thrill of competition is what draws him to the Call of Duty joystick, as well as, the gridiron.

"I love the competitiveness of every game and in Call of Duty it's just like that," said Bradshaw.  "You have millions of guys on the Internet at the same time and you just want to get on and compete against everybody.  When I get on I want to be the best, I want to have the most kills.  You want to know the environments the same way you just want to get on the field."

Ochocinco treats doscientos (200) fans to dinner

New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco invited all of his Twitter fans in New York City to dine with him at the famed Sylvia's Restaurant in Harlem last night— for free.  That's nada.

He tweeted, "Dinner in NY tonight—> 1st 200 people at Sylvia's Restaurant by 7 pm in Harlem.  Leave ya money/credit cards at home.  I got you this time."

It's surprising that Ochocinco's 4:13 pm tweet didn't attract more of a crowd.  According to the restaurant, only about 50 people were turned away after the first 200 were seated.

I guess New York Jets fans can sure hold a grudge— even with a free meal at stake.

It might sound surprising that a player from the Jets biggest rival would treat a group of New Yorkers to a good time, but it isn't the first occasion he has picked up the tab on enemy turf.

In 2010, he bought steak dinners for 85 fans at a Cleveland steak house and has been known to take random fans to the movies in various cities where he plays.

This lucky group was treated to dinners of ribs, fried chicken, greens and macaroni and cheese at the Lenox Avenue landmark.

Ochocinco, who personally greeted each and every guest, did not speak at length to the media, saying it was a "family affair" and he gained "200 family members."

He even got closer to his new "relatives" by giving them his phone number.

The generous NFL star was in New York to finalize a deal on a new VH1 reality show that chronicles his upcoming marriage to Evelyn Losado titled, "Eva and Ocho."

Poor Evelyn, she probably doesn't know she just picked up 200 more in-laws.

New York Giants to get "blue carpet" treatment at film screening

Super Bowl winners Eli Manning, Jason Pierre-Paul, Antrel Rolle, Mario Manningham and Hakeem Nicks will be strutting down the "blue carpet' at tonight's screening of a new DVD that captures the New York Giants season leading up to their upset victory over the New England Patriots in  Super Bowl XLVI.

Some might even call the DVD a remake of the Giants Super Bowl XLII win because there are so many similarities between the two championship runs.

In both scenarios, the Giants' season seemed to be over before the underdog squad gets hot down the stretch and defies all odds by making the playoffs.  Combine that with freakish last minute catches and comeback wins— over the Patriots— in both Super Bowls and you can see how the two championship runs look alike.

The two-time Super Bowl MVP Manning and the other players will be getting front-row seats for tonight's event at the Regal Theater in Times Square for the V.I.P. showing of NFL Films and Vivendi Entertainment's "Super Bowl XLVI Champions: New York Giants" which will be released today.

According to a sneak peak by The New York Post, the DVD begins with clips of the Giants' stunning upset of the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII then fast-forwards to to reveal how "eerily similar" the first championship was to the second.

The game by game account of the season highlights themes like Manning's ascension to "elite" status, the emergence of Victor Cruz and the steady hand of head coach Tom Coughlin.

After the comeback win over the Dallas Cowboys, Coughlin exclaims to his jubilant players in the locker room, "Take the star down off the mountain, put the NYG on top."

There is a slo-mo replay of Cruz's game-breaking 99-yard TD catch and run against the New York Jets and, of course, Manningham's unbelievable catch in the big game.

If those scenes don't get tonight's crowd cheering, nothing will.

Sprinkle those season-turning plays in with poignant sideline shots like Brandon Jacobs, sitting next to Manning, saying, "You're a beast, man, I can't say that enough" and there won't be a dry eye in the house.

Especially Patriots fans who will give it two thumbs down.

Even Bill Belichick gets a supporting role.  The Pats' coach commands his defense to concentrate on Cruz and Nicks before Manning lands the perfect pass to Manningham on the winning drive.

The only problem with this movie is everyone knows the ending but— as the credits roll over shots of the Giants parading up Broadway with ticker-tape raining down— Big Blue fans will already be waiting for a third installment in the series.

Cruz and Manningham Rock the Grammys

It's been quite a week for Victor Cruz.  Seven nights ago, the New York Giants upset the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis and it's been a a dance in the park for him ever since.

In the following days, Cruz finalized a new multi-million dollar contract, was in a Broadway ticker-tape parade and cut the ribbon at Lincoln Center to open Fashion Week.

Tonight, the Giants star receiver was rubbing elbows with the the music industry's top recording stars at the Grammy Awards in Los Angeles.  He even handed out the award for "Best Rock Performance" alongside his teammate Mario Manningham.

During the whirlwind of a week, the only constant for Cruz at all of the events was re-enacting his famous touchdown salsa dance.

Tonight, Cruz was asked to do the Latin dance once again.

Cruz and Manningham were joined on the Grammys stage with NCIS star Paula Perrette who introduced the two players to cheers and shouts of "Cruuuz" from the audience.

Perrette then told Cruz, "This is a music show.  So you need to give us a little salsa."

Cruz obliged and managed a few steps before he was cut off by the Super Bowl hero Manningham.

"OK, OK," interrupted his fellow receiver.  "Save it for the field."

The award went to the Foo Fighters for their rousing rock song "Walk."

It seemed fitting because both players walked the walk on their way to the Lombardi trophy.

Bradying replacing Tebowing as latest Web craze

Tom Brady's hunched over pose during the Super Bowl loss to the the New York Giants has started new Web craze by fans that could soon replace Tebowing in popularity.

Dejected after the New England Patriots upset loss to the Giants, Brady sat on the ground with his head bowed on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium.  Now that pose is being imitated around the country and Bradying is becoming the latest Internet fad.

Bradying is a lot simpler than Tebowing and less dangerous than planking.

It all started with the widely published photo of Brady on his butt with his legs splayed, hands clasped, shoulders slumped and head resting on his chest.

There are different reports of where the trend originated.  Most people agree Bradying started with a series of pictures posted on Boxden.  The post showed numerous people copying the Brady pose at various locations.

Tebowing had been the rage but Bradying already has an official website to document fans imitating the depressed quarterback.

While Tebowing celebrated the Denver Broncos quarterback's victories, Bradying was spawned by losing.

"It's a humbled position— shoulders down, head down— that's all about being humbled," said former Army anti-terror instructor Greg Hartley, an expert on body language and interrogation techniques.

Brady has remained silent about the fad he inadvertently started, but it's a sure bet his outspoken supermodel wife could end up ranting about it in public.

Call it Bundchening.

Cruz and Strahan salsa together at ceremony honoring NY Giants

This morning, an estimated 1 million fans lined the sidewalks of lower Broadway during a ticker tape parade honoring the New York Giants come-from-behind Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots.

Afterwards, at the Key to the City ceremony on the steps of City Hall, Mayor Michael Bloomberg and former Giants player Michael Strahan stood at a podium and honored all of the Giants players and staff by handing them each a ceremonial key to the city.

One of the highlights of the fete was when wide receiver and favorite target of Eli Manning, Victor Cruz, stepped to the front of the stage with the crowd's cheers of "Cruuuz" filling the air and performed some of his patented salsa dance moves with Strahan.

Cruz made the hip-shaking dance popular by doing it every time he scored a touchdown this season.

Strahan may not have had as much practice as Cruz has shaking his booty lately— he did have a sack dance years ago— but did hold his own alongside the smiling Cruz under the bright blue skies.

The confident Strahan— wearing a "GMEN" sweatshirt— actually nudged Cruz and coaxed him into dancing.

Something tells me that it won't be the last time we'll see someone grab Cruz to do the Latin dance in New York this winter.

Eli Manning on Tom Brady: "I don't know if he likes me"

Eli Manning has been racking up a lot of quotes to go with his frequent flier miles since leading his New York Giants team over the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI on Sunday.

After post-game celebrations in Indianapolis, the Giants quarterback flew down to Disney World Monday morning and later up to the Ed Sullivan Theater in New York City where the Super Bowl MVP appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman.

The normally uncontroversial Manning was asked by the host about his relationship with his Patriots counterpart Tom Brady.

"I don't know if he likes me," Manning said with a smirk to the supportive audience..

Manning showed up about an hour late for the taping but it was excusable since it was only a few hours before that he was riding in a parade in the Orlando, Florida theme park.

Manning walked onto the theater's stage to a standing ovation while band leader Paul Shaffer and the CBS orchestra played "We Are The Champions."

The normally quiet and reserved quarterback joked about going right to bed after the game after Letterman opened the interview by asking if it was "lights out" after the victory.

"10:30, yeah, I had a big morning," he joked.  "I had to get ready for this, so I had to get my full sleep.  I've been preparing and practicing for this."

Letterman asked Manning if his receivers ever disobeyed any of the plays he calls in the huddle.

"No.  They're trained," he laughed.  "It's like a dog."

The relaxed and confident Manning touched on everything from how happy he was for his teammates that didn't already have a Super Bowl ring to head coach Tom Coughlin's philosophies.

"It was their first Super Bowl," he said. "When you have one you have to really do it for the other guys who never had that experience."

Letterman reminded Manning about Coughlin's "frozen face" in Green Bay four years ago and asked if he was a good motivator.

"He has settled down because he has confidence in his players," he replied.  "He's big on preparation and effort and studying.  Now he knows we'll be ready."

Manning quoted the softer side of the coach's pre-game speech: " The most important thing is love.  Love of teammates is the most important thing."

The host told his guest that Eli was his favorite Manning.

"I know.  I get a Christmas gift from you every year.  I got a jacket," joked the younger Manning.  "Peyton doesn't get a jacket."

Letterman asked Manning if he is going to tease his older brother by shoving the two rings on his fingers in Peyton's face.

"No," he plainly said.

The younger Manning said he expects Peyton to play again but had no idea where it would be.

 Eli even touched on the label of "elite" that he imposed on himself during the pre-season.

"I got set up a little bit," he claimed by answering the question "Do you think you are an elite quarterback?" on a radio show.

When Letterman commented that Manning looked a lot younger than four years ago— when the Giants last won the Super Bowl— the guest out-zinged the host.

"I started shaving this past year," he joked.

Shaving or not— Eli Manning is definitely all grown up.

Gisele goes off on hecklers and Tommy's teammates

Tom Brady's supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen defended her husband after she was heckled by Giants fans right after the New England Patriots 21-17 Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants.  Too bad she also threw some of Brady's teammates under the bus as well.

After a  Giants fan shouted "Eli owns your husband" outside Lucas Oil Stadium, the Brazilian stunner shot back, "My husband cannot f---ing throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time.  I can't believe they dropped the ball so many times."

The slinky model was criticizing Patriots receivers who dropped a couple of key throws from Brady during critical times during the game.

Bundchen— who sent a new-age sounding email to "My sweet friends and family" pleading with them to pray for her "Tommy" to win before the game on Sunday— just made that mailing list a lot shorter.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the high-paid model has never endeared herself to Patriots players wives either.

A veteran team staffer said: "She may have had a point, but she should have left it to the sportswriters and other Monday morning quarterbacks... she is already not liked by many players and their wives due to her arrogant attitude... This sure won't help improve things."

According to the newspaper, Brady's wife has very few friends among his teammate's better halves.

Another source— close to the Patriots players' wives told the Sun Times, "Gisele is... so stuck up and treats them all like yahoos... In many cases, the other wives are not all that sophisticated , but Gisele has been openly snotty to all of them— making cracks about how they dress and use to much makeup.  Stuff like that."

Bundchen may be elegant on the runways but the cover girl doesn't seem to be as graceful after Tommy loses.

It sounds like the Almighty didn't see her email.

Gisele Throws Hail Mary Plea For "Tommy" Brady Win

Tom Brady's supermodel wife Gisele Bundchen sent out a private e-mail to all of their friends and family asking that all of them pray for the New England Patriots quarterback to lead his team to victory over the New York Giants in Super Bowl XLVI.

The new-age sounding e-mail— which was picked up and published by the New York Post— began by saying that Sunday "is a really important day in my husband's life" and "now they need us more than ever to send them positive energy so they can fulfill their dream of winning this super bowl..."


The Wed. night e-mail read:

"My sweet friends and family.
   I feel Tommy really needs our prayer, our support and
love at this time.
   So I kindly ask all of you to join me on this positive
chain and pray for him, so he can feel confident, healthy
and strong.  Envision him happy and fulfilled
experiencing with his team a victory this sunday.
   Love, G :)"

Bundchen responded to a Post e-mail and said, "I am surprised that you received this e-mail; it was a private note only sent to close friends and family."

The couple started dating right before the Giants upset "Tommy" and the Patriots in Super Bowl XLII in 2008.  They married in 2009.

Earlier in the week, Brady said wifey gave him some Super Bowl pointers before he arrived in Indianapolis.

"Throw the ball quickly," he said she told him.  "She doesn't like it when I get hit often."

Last Sunday, at a pep rally, Brady himself told 25,000 Patriots fans, " We're going down there, and were going down there for one reason... hopefully we'll have a lot more people at our party next weekend."

Maybe the Brazilian model— who earns millions more than her hubby— just doesn't want Brady to lose the deposit he put down for the brazen victory party guarantee.

Super Bowl Footballs Will Give Sentimental Advantage To NY Giants

Every time a New York Giants or New England Patriots player looks at one of the 120 footballs used on the field during Super Bowl XLVI he will see the name "The Duke" embossed on the ball and might wonder 'Who the hell is that?'

It's more of a mystery for Patriots players than the Giants side because "The Duke" was the beloved Giants owner Wellington Mara— father of current owner John Mara— who passed away in 2006.

The older Mara was given the nickname by Giants players when he was a child growing up on the sidelines on the franchise started by his father Tim Mara.

And right there, prominently branded on all of this Sunday's balls— next to the "XLVI" logo and "Roger Goodell" signature— is the nickname of the deceased owner which some of the current Giants team knew and fondly remember.

The balls are made by Wilson Sporting Goods in Ada, Ohio and have been called "The Duke" for most of the league's history.

It all started when Wellington and his brother Jack made a deal with Wilson to become the official sponsor of the NFL's ball.  Former Chicago Bears owner George Halas, who partnered with Wellington on brokering the deal, suggested that the balls be named "The Duke."

From 1941 through 1969 the NFL's official ball carried the name "The Duke," but was eliminated after the AFL-NFL merger.

The name returned in 2006, after Mara's death, as a tribute to the Giants owner .

It looks like the Giants have at least sentimental advantage on the field over the Patriots.

Brady Already Planning Patriots Super Bowl Victory Bash

The New England Patriots landed in a gusty Indianapolis airport yesterday in preparation for Super Bowl XLVI but, along with the wind, Tom Brady got a little controversy swirling around the team as well.

After saying goodbye to 25,000 fans at a Gillette Stadium send-off, the confident Patriots quarterback— and New York Giants No. 1 target— Brady took it upon himself to predict a victory party celebration back home after his team faces the Giants next Sunday.

Brady's huffing and puffing also fanned the New York media's flames.


"We're going down there for one reason," said Brady before the team boarded their charter flight to Indianapolis and the showdown with the Giants.  "We're going to give it our best and hopefully we'll have a lot more people at our party next weekend."

Talk about putting a bigger bull's eye on your back.

Brady's words whipped the Foxborough crowd into a frenzy and high hopes against a team that beat them, 17-14, in Super Bowl XLII four years ago.

The Pat's QB later toned down his comments after he realized they had become bulletin board material for the Giants— especially their defense.

"Well, it was a pep rally," Brady said.  "People were pretty excited.  Certainly the players were excited.  I know the 25,000 fans who were there were excited as well."

Brady wasn't the first Giants opponent to send out victory party invites before a victory.

Vernon Davis, the San Francisco 49ers tight end had his fans ready to party before the Giants beat his team, 20-17, in overtime in the NFC Championship Game last Sunday.

The Patriots Wes Welker was asked by a reporter if his quarterback's remarks meant the Patriots were already planning a party?

"No. No, not at all," Brady's favorite target said. "We're planning on this game.  And putting a game plan together and getting ourselves ready to play is kind of objective number one."

Later, an even more subdued Brady lavished praise on the the four guys who will be in his face all day next Sunday—  the Big Blue pass rush.

"It's been a strength of the their team for as long as I can remember... Michael Strahan, as great a player as he was... and I think we played them in '03 and they were still harassing the quarterback so... it seems like they always have guys that rush the quarterback," said Brady.  "Justin Tuck is as good as they come.  Osi [Umenyiora], week in and week out, he's a player that can ruin a game  for an offense."

It sounds like Brady has put the party hats and Sam Adams beer on hold.

Giants Super Bowl XLII Ring On Sale For $47,995

A diamond-studded Tiffany ring presented to one of the New York Giants players after the team upset the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII is up for sale.

All it takes to get one of the historic ring is a deep-burning love of Big Blue and $47,995.

Tiki Barber, are you listening? 

"For whatever reason, back in 2008, we received eight players selling their rings within six months after they received them," Tim Robbins of Champions-Rings.net.  "The majority of them were still playing for the team, which is rather unusual."

According to the New York Daily News, one of Robbins clients bought the  ring back then, but last November, looking to turn a profit, decided to sell the ring back.  It now sits on a shelf among 1,200 or so championship rings that range from NCAA Championships to the Super Bowl.

Robbins said the rings are also awarded to team staff members— which are different from the ones the players recieve— and he was kind of surprised by the number of Giants that season who were looking hock their bling.

If you are a fan of TV's Pawn Stars, you already know that the players' rings are more valuable than the staff's.

The white gold and diamond rings are manufactured by the same famous silversmith that also makes the Lombardi Trophy every year.

"The Giants rings, being made by Tiffany, it was a little surprising to see that many," said Robbins.  "But there are so many die-hard New York Giants fans that it didn't take that much time to sell them at all."

"And if you wear this out," Robbins said.  "It's the best icebreaker in the world."

But this is a special ring— nicknamed a "10-table ring" by former Giants player Michael Strahan because he wanted people ten tables away to see his pride and joy.

Robbins said the ring has been on the market for over three months and blames the slow economy for it sitting on the shelf so long.  Normally, Giants rings "don't have a tendency to last that long," he said.

In 2008, when the rings were presented to the Giants players, they had a value of over $25,000.  The face of the ring features three Super Bowl trophies— one for each of the team's titles.  One side is engraved with the score of the game (Giants 17, Patriots 14) and the other side says "Eleven Straight on the Road" in reference to the NFL record set by the team in 2007.

 Strahan, Eli Manning, Amani Toomer and Shaun O'Hara were all consultants on the design of the ring.

Players sell their rings for a variety of reasons claims Robbins and it's not always financial hardship.

"You have players where their religion prohibits them from wearing jewelery," he said.  "So they just don't need the ring."

Robbins stands by his firm's privacy policy and won't disclose the name of the player who came in and unloaded his ring.  He just said the unnamed player wasn't a starter in the Super Bowl.

One person we can definitely leave out of that discussion is good ol' Tiki.

Married Women Would Rather Have An Affair With Eli Than Brady: Poll

Married women around the country would prefer to cheat with Eli Manning than Tom Brady according to a poll conducted by AshleyMadison.com.

Brady may have more Super Bowl rings, career yards and TD passes than the New York Giants quarterback, but— in fact— 54% of the married women polled said they'd rather have an affair with Manning because of his "boy-next-door" looks, claims the adultery-promoting website.

It sounds like the New England Patriots quarterback might be a little too metro-sexual for most of the women, according to the online poll.

They seem to think Manning would be "less of a hothead" than Brady and easier to relate to.

Apparently the lure of getting a free pair of Uggs isn't as great as Manning's 'Aw shucks' grin.

 Both players will meet in the Super Bowl on Feb. 5.

Manning, 31, is married to Abby McGrew, his college sweetheart from his football playing days at Mississippi while Brady is married to Brazilian super-model and former jet-setter Giselle Bundchen.

You don't need a poll to figure out which wife most married men would prefer to hit the No-Tell Motel with.

It wasn't much of a surprise that 86% of philandering New York women would have a dalliance with their home town quarterback and 97% of Boston cheaters would choose Brady.

Things get a little weirder when the home-wrecking women of Indianapolis— where Eli's older brother Peyton is the quarterback of the Colts— were polled.

According to the poll,  70% of the married Indy women said they would prefer a romp in the hay with the home town hero's younger brother over Brady.

Maybe Eli has caught up to Peyton in more ways than one.

Victor Cruz Teaches NYC Kids How To Salsa

New York Giants wide-out Victor Cruz showed some his post-touchdown salsa moves that he hopes to bust out at the Super bowl to a group of fans inside a Times Square sporting goods store.

Yesterday, the game-breaking Cruz showed dozens of children how to gyrate their hips just like he does after scoring a touchdown.

Cruz— and his famous touchdown dance called the "Silk City" salsa— has his own T-shirt with simple dance instructions printed on the back.

A representative of the sporting store chain said the new Victor Cruz T-shirt has become wildly popular is the fastest selling shirt ever.

The record-breaking receiver from Paterson, N.J. said he "never took salsa lessons or a class" and credits the Puerto Rican side of his family for showing him how to shake it.

"My grandmother showed me the step," said Cruz, "and I pay her homage every time I get in the end zone."

The speedy 25-year old debuted his dance on Sept. 25 after catching a 74-yard touchdown from Eli Manning in a 29-16 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cruz went on to catch eight more TD's, set a Giants single-season record of 1,536 yards receiving and become a huge fan favorite.

Everytime he catches a ball, cheers of "Cruuuuz!" ring out inside MetLife Stadium and— sometimes— even on the road.

"It started as a joke," he said,  "I wanted to do something for me and the team."

Stricter rules against over-celebrating in high school and college kept Cruz's moves limited to his living room before he could actually cut a rug in the pros.

"I knew I could not do it in high school," he said.  "[So] I started doing it in the NFL."

Cruz recently turned down a chance to appear on TV's "Dancing with the Stars" but left open the possibility of appearing down the road.

"My first career is doing pretty well," he joked.

For now Cruz is concentrating on the Feb. 5 game against the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl.

"As a kid, you dream about it.  Watching Super Bowls and game-winning kicks," Cruz said.  "Just to be a part of it this year has been amazing."

If the Giants win the Lombardi Trophy, expect to see a lot of shaking hips under a ticker-tape shower.

New York Giants Also Have An Oscar Nominee in the Family

This week keeps getting better for the Super Bowl-bound New York Giants and members of the team's first family— the Maras.

This morning, days after the team earned a spot in the NFL's biggest showcase, Rooney Mara— the 26-year old great-granddaughter of Giants founder Tim Mara— was nominated for acting's highest accolade— an Oscar.

The 26-year old actress is the daughter of Giants executive Chris Mara and Kathleen McNulty and her other great-grandfather is Art Rooney— hence her first name— the man who started the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The 84th Academy Awards winners will be announced three weeks after Super Bowl XLVI on Feb. 26 at the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles.

Mara was a surprise choice for the best actress nominee for her leading role in "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," the wildly popular trilogy of books being turned into Hollywood films.  It is her first nomination.

The "rookie" is a 40-1 long-shot in what looks like the Oscar's most competitive category this year.

Mara will be going up against a line-up of veteran actresses—Viola Davis for "The Help," Meryl Streep for "The Iron Lady," Michelle Williams for "My Week With Marilyn" and Glenn Close for "Albert Nobbs."

Bookies have Streep and Davis leading the pack.

The young Mara looks like a wild card compared to a few of those division winners.

After the Giants bang it out on the football field in Indianapolis, Mara will be letting it all hang out on the red carpet in Tinseltown.

Mara might want to take a cue from her family's team history.  While her chances of getting the little golden statue seem slim, so did the Giants chances of getting the big golden Lombardi Trophy against the New England Patriots in 2008.

As we have seen throughout this season's playoffs, don't ever count out the Mara family and their Giants as the underdogs.

Ray Lewis' Support Of Ravens Scapegoats Is Touching

Many people despise Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis' tough-talk and brutal play on the field but yesterday— after his team was defeated by the New England Patriots, 23-20, when a dropped touchdown pass and missed field-goal cost them a chance at winning the  AFC Championship in the waning seconds— they have to admit that the poster-boy for NFL helmet-to-helmet football sounded, well... sensitive.

A bobbled TD catch by Lee Evans— which could have won the game— and then a missed 32-yard field goal by Billy Cundiff with 15 seconds left that could have sent it into overtime were at the center of Lewis' Dr. Phil moment.

After the game, the 16-year veteran came to the defense of the team scapegoats and told reporters,"We win as a team.  We lose as a team."

As for the two dejected players, Lewis said they should "move on as men" and he would reach out to them.

Comforting words from a man who has had his own dark days.

Lewis should know about being some sort of a pariah because he is no stranger to scandal on the field or— more importantly— off of it.

Lewis' touching display of forgiveness can't help but remind people of a dark side to his own past.

Early in his career, Lewis— who is often called heroic on the gridiron— paid a settlement to the families of two homicide victims in a still unresolved double-murder after.

In that 2000 case, Lewis copped to an obstruction of justice plea after the stabbing incident at a post-Super Bowl party outside an Atlanta nightclub.

Yesterday, Lewis said, "There's no one man that's ever lost a game."

As for the uplifting support of his teammates, the man just wants them to know there are bigger things in life to cope with.

Peyton To Eli: 'It's All About The Giants Now'

Peyton Manning was understandably proud of his younger brother Eli after the NewYork Giants 20-17 overtime victory over the San Francisco 49ers for the NFC title.

The Indianapolis quarterback had a a quick chat and embraced Eli before he  headed to the team bus for the flight back to New York and ultimately a trip to Indy for a Super Bowl rematch with the New England Patriots on Feb. 5..

"Go Giants," said Peyton.  "It's all about the Giants now,"

If the two siblings never get a chance to share the stage at MetLife Stadium— as Giants and Jets quarterbacks respectively— this might be the closest scenario.

And it sounds like big bro is more than happy to let Eli get the spotlight in Peyton's adopted hometown of Indianapolis.

Peyton had a lot to puff out his chest about.

This season, Eli stepped out of the shadow of his big brother— who was sidelined after neck surgery—in a big way.  The younger Manning will actually have as many Super Bowl appearances under his belt as the "elite" Peyton and is one win away from having one more championship ring.

"I'm just proud as a quarterback to watch him compete," Peyton said after watching his brother get battered by the fierce Niners defense and still win.  "And the way he's played, I'm even more proud of him as a brother."

While Eli's game yesterday wasn't a thing of beauty, it was a testament to his toughness.

Eli threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns with out any turnovers against a swarming San Francisco defense.  There didn't seem to be an easy throw for Eli all day and he was hit 20 times.  It seemed like he had a 49ers player draped on him during every play.

"It's what I expected him to do," said Peyton.  "I'm just proud of Eli and how well he's played this year.  He's been awesome.  he's been clutch."

It's twice as ironic that Eli could win his second Super Bowl title in  Peyton's adopted hometown— where fans have waited and hoped for four years to see their own Manning win in their home stadium—and against Peyton's arch-nemesis Tom Brady.

"Yeah, it's my home town," said Peyton. "I've just been proud of all year.  I've really gotten to see a lot more of his games since I've been injured.  It's fun to watch him play.  he's been clutch all season long.  Fourth quarter comebacks.  when they needed him, he was always there."

Peyton had little to say about the prognosis for his injury or where he'll be playing.  When asked about the possibility of playing for the Jets, he laughed, "Nahh.  Giants, man. Go  Giants."

For now, he's seems happy that in Super Bowl XLVI, at least one Manning is playing in front of the  Lucas Oil Stadium crowd.

Giants Punter Gets Really Excited About Going To Super Bowl

The most excited player on the field— after New York Giants kicker Lawrence Tynes booted the winning field goal to defeat the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship game— was the guy who held the ball— punter and holder Steve Weatherford.

After the 31-yard overtime kick defeated the Niners, 20-17, Weatherford could be seen running around the field trying to pull his helmet off his head and screaming what looks like, "I'm going to the f---ing Super Bowl!"

Weatherford had good reason to be happy because he had a lot to do with the victory.

His superb foot kept the 49ers out of good field position all night and his sure hands were fast enough to gather the ball for the winning kick after a bad snap from the center.  He prevented what could have been another long-snap fiasco in Frisco.

The defensive battle had him matching punts with the Niners Andy Lee all game long and the Giants punter kept pinning the Niners deep in their own side of the field.  Weatherford punted 12 times on the rain-soaked field inside Candlestick Park for a 46.4 average.

Even the winning score was set up on one Weatherford's punts after 49ers punt returner Kyle Williams was stripped of the ball by Giants special teamer Jacquian Williams into the arms of teammate Devin Thomas in 49ers territory.

A few running plays and the sudden-death kick later, the Giants were heading to Indianapolis for a rematch with the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LXVI.

Maybe after the Giants next game, Weatherford will be yelling, "I'm going to Disney World."  But without the expletives.

CBS Wants Tebow For Playoff Studio Show

Think you've seen the last of Tebow-time after the 45-10 thrashing of the Denver Broncos quarterback at the hands the New England Patriots?  Don't count on it.

Hoping to cash in on the Tim Tebow craze, CBS is trying to put the TV ratings-maker on television screens next Sunday even though he won't be playing in the AFC Championship game.

USA Today reports that the network has asked Tebow to appear as a guest analyst in its studio show.

"We've had conversations with his people,' said Sean McManus, CBS Sports chairman.  "We have a request in.  We haven't heard back."

CBS said they are expecting to get an answer from Tebow by mid-week.

The network may have to get on one knee and Tebow to lure in additional viewers.

The much ballyhooed rematch between Tebow and Tom Brady was, relatively, a ratings bust— probably due to the one-sided dominance by the Patriots.

While Tebow-mania was building over the past few weeks, so were the Nielson ratings until Saturday.

Early stats reported by USA Today that the audience for the Broncos-Patriots AFC divisional playoff game peaked early between 9 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. ET, during the game's first half.  Viewers turned away as Tebow floundered and Brady helped the Patriots build up a big lead.

The blowout drew a 20.6 overnight rating, slightly behind the New Orleans Saints-San Francisco 49ers game it followed.  Still, the game was up 14% from the Green Bay Packers-Atlanta Falcons game in the same time-slot last year.

"If it [the game] had a chance to build [drama], it could have been a record rating," said McManus.  "But I'll take it."

CBS analyst— and former Broncos tight end— Shannon Sharpe said he thinks Tebow should take advantage of a national stage (pulpit?) while he can.

"The fans love this guy," said Sharpe.  "I don't know if (another player) can come in there and get an honest shake at beating him out for the starting job."

Not so fast says ESPN analyst Merril Hoge— a frequent Tebow critic.  He thinks that Tebow-mania will fade away like other trends.

"It's kind of like barbed-wire tattoos or bell bottoms.  (Tebow has been) a fad." Hoge said.

Doesn't Hoge realize that tattoos don't disappear and Jordache jeans are already making a comeback in hipster neighborhoods?

Pittsburgh Mayor 'Tebows' After Losing Bet

It's probably safe to say that not many people in Pittsburgh thought there was a chance in hell that their Mayor Luke Ravenstahl would ever lose a playful wager with Denver Mayor Michael Hancock over last Sunday's playoff game— but there he was, getting down on one knee and striking the contemplative Tebowing pose on Tuesday after losing the bet.

The "Mile High Messiah" strikes again.

Ravenstahl was so confident that his Denver counterpart would end up losing the bet and donning a Steelers jersey while waving a Terrible Towel that he boasted about it in a phone call to Hancock.

"Fortunately for me, I have won more of these than I have lost," Ravenstahl boasted.  "If somehow Denver pulls off a miracle and wins Sunday, I will wear a Denver Broncos jersey and 'Tebow,' I think they call it, in front of a historic landmark here in Pittsburgh."

Ravenstahl— like just about everyone outside Denver— couldn't have foreseen the 29-23 overtime upset by the Broncos on the horizon.

Even insiders inside the Denver mayor's office said they were preparing to purchase a Pittsburgh jersey and Terrible Towel on Monday morning.

Fortunately for Hancock, another Tim Tebow miracle did occur.

Yesterday, the Pittsburgh mayor sheepishly put on the Broncos quarterback's No. 15 jersey and knelt in Roberto Clemente Memorial Park in the pose made famous and often imitated by the Denver Broncos player.

In the meantime, Hancock is figuring out what his wager will be with Boston Mayor Thomas Menino for Saturday's playoff game against the New England Patriots.