Super Bowl XLII: Upset in Glendale? It's Happened Before

For the past two weeks, the national media has been drilling into our minds every possible reason why the New York Football Giants can’t win Super Bowl XLII.

The media however, is overlooking one of the biggest factors of them all.

University of Phoenix stadium, in Glendale, has seen a post season upset or two or even three in its short time as a stadium. This modern marvel of a football stadium, designed by long time Giants season ticket holder, Peter Eisenman, is the home of college football bowl game upsets.

The first college bowl game ever hosted at University of Phoenix Stadium featured one of the greatest upsets ever to take place, the Boise State Broncos overtime victory over the once invincible Oklahoma Sooners.

A week later, Glendale was witness to another major upset, this time with the beat down of undefeated and top ranked Ohio State at the hands of the once beaten Florida Gators for the National Championship.

This past college bowl season another upset took place in Glendale, with familiar face Oklahoma losing to then interim head coach  Bill Stewart and his West Virginia Mountaineers, handily.

Will the trend of upsets in college post season games continue onto the next level, where they play for pay?

I fully expect so.

Nobody in their right mind would doubt that New England is a very good football team, but are they the best ever? I don’t think so.

The Jaguars and Chargers both played close with them in Foxboro on their way to the Super Bowl, after a near loss to the Giants in week 16 at the Meadowlands. Now the Giants get them “on the road,” where they are at their best.

The Giants are the first team ever to win 10 straight games on the road, and won’t be satisfied until they win their 11th straight. While the University of Phoenix Stadium might not be as old as stadiums filled with the Ghosts of legends, such as Lambeau Field in Green Bay, the football gods have certainly shined brightly through the retractable roof of University of Phoenix Stadium in the favor of the underdog recently.

Giants Co-Owner Steve Tisch said recently the Giants are a team of destiny. The Big Blue wrecking crew has improbably come too far to lose now. They are a balanced team that can win on the ground with solid backs Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw and through the air with a guy they call easy.

Defensive ends Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora and linebacker Antonio Pierce will help anchor the defense and prove the Pats might be the best, and only 18-1 team ever.

These Giants have traveled too far to cave in to the media, and they certainly won’t give up until the Lombardi Trophy returns to the state where the namesake of the trophy once coached high school football, before his glory days in Green Bay, New Jersey and the ticker tape rains down the canyon of heroes in New York.

Oh and the stadium factor can’t hurt, make room for another, Boise State, Florida, and WVU.

Go Giants!