Like 99% of the sports fans in America living outside of Boston, I have been gagging all year long on the mountain of superlatives heaped on the 2007 New England Patriots.  "The Greatest Team in History; the Greatest Offensive Juggernaut of All Time; Tom Brady-the greatest Quarterback in NFL History etc."-every week another passel of glowing paens to the Cheaters from Beantown.  It seemed we would never get relief.

Of course, all of these speculative exercises in compartive sports history were merely subjective -perhaps fun to entertain, especially if you are a Chowderhead. Well, at least now we have a proven superlative that fits: Grass-stained Tom Brady and the high powered offensive machine that scored a whopping 14 points in the biggest game of their lives have proven themselves to be the biggest choke artists in the history of sports.    Goliath was a slim favorite over David compared to the edge given to the Pats prior to kick-off.   Secretariat went off at shorter odds than the tight-collared fold-ups from New England.   Kobiyashi squaring off against the Olson Twins in a hot dog eating contest would be a less prohibitive favorite.

Yet they appled it up.  Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.  Even here in February, the Giants have given sports fans the gift that will keep on giving throughout sports history.  Mighty Brady has struck out.  Darth Belichick has been slain by Eli Skywalker.  Who woulda thunk it?

The 1972 Miami Dolphins finally got to uncork that champagne, and I imagine this is the sweetest their toast has ever tasted.   Despite the fact that those '72 Dolphins remain the only undefeated team in modern NFL history, no one ever thought to hail them as "The Greatest Team in History."  And for good reason.  While Shula's team was a great team, going unbeaten in any given NFL season requires a dicey combination of scheduling, luck and consistent performance.   Those 1972 Dolphins had all three and sit alone in the record books.

 There are a number of other great teams deserving consideration as the Greatest of All Time, including the 1985 Bears with their lone loss, Lombardi's Packers of Super Bowl I & II, and various Steeler, Cowboy and 49er Super Bowl Champs. They have one thing in common that allows them to be in the running:  they won their Super Bowl to cap a magnificent season.

 These Patriot  Pretenders to greatness ultimately couldn't finish the job.  Like George H.W.Bush vs. Saddam Hussein in the first Gulf War;  like Mike Tyson against Buster Douglas;  like the Russian National Hockey Team vs. Team U.S. A.  in the 1980 Olympic Games, the Belichicks got tossed into the dust-bin of NFL history by a valiant, and certain to be beloved New York Giants cadre of scrappy underdogs.

God Bless them every one.