Last night's Crystal Castles/HEALTH show at Chicago's Abbey Pub was an excursion into insanity.
HEALTH, a noise rock band from Los Angeles, scorched the stage with a cathartic blend of shapeless vocals, distorted guitars and frantic rhythms. Jacob Duzsik and Jupiter Keyes, HEALTH's two guitarists, thrashed across the stage, striking -- not strumming -- their guitars as if being exorcised by some unearthly priest. John Famiglietti used his bass guitar and an electronic drum pad to produce malformed sounds that fused with the glorious chaos. BJ Miller attacked his drums with such wicked force that I was stunned his set survived the band's entire performance. Keyes and Famiglietti occasionally smashed a spare floor tom, producing tribal-like rhythms. The sound ejaculated by HEALTH was not music. It was not noise. It was the ceremonial sound of a tortured savior's crucifixion and angry resurrection.
Crystal Castles, the night's main event, have been dubbed "the most exciting and original band in the world" by the UK's Loud & Quiet. If that opinion is true, the future of music won't be about creativity and inspiration but packaging and presentation. Crystal Castles are an electro/punk/dance duo from Toronto. Alice Glass (vocals) and Ethan Kath (keyboards and programming) incorporate a drummer for their live performances -- and three strobe lights that flicker throughout the show. There is no denying Alice's stage presence: she straddles strobe lights, writhes on the stage, climbs things and stage dives. She is the master of her domain and impossible to ignore. A magnet of adoration.
However, behind the walls of the Castles are kings and queens who praise repetitive music void of emotion. But as long as the court jester is blanketed by flashing strobe lights and thrives on a pulsating beat, the music is background. A prop that's easily ignored.
Pitchforkmedia.com Photos: Crystal Castles / HEALTH [Chicago, IL; 02/27/08]
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28 February 2008
27 February 2008
thrash_thrash_thrash
In just a few short hours, I'll be on my way to the Windy City, and if I don't make it back alive, blame the bodyrocking, electro-thrash sounds of Crystal Castles.
xx
xx
20 February 2008
10
Obama is a Buy; Clinton is a Sell
Here's Why
By CNN.com's John Helton
If Ohio and Texas weren't already must-win states for Sen. Hillary Clinton, they certainly are now.
Sen. Barack Obama is swaying away the core parts of Sen. Hillary Clinton's voter base.
Sen. Barack Obama continued his winning streak since Super Tuesday two weeks ago, picking up his ninth and tenth states in a row -- Wisconsin and Hawaii.
But as significant as Obama's accelerating momentum is how he is increasingly swaying voters that Clinton could count on at the beginning of February.
While Obama has been solidifying his base of younger, college-educated, higher-paid voters, he has steadily been chipping away Clinton's base of blue-collar, older, working-class voters.
On Tuesday, Obama captured 53 percent of Wisconsin's white voters compared to 41 percent of those voting on Super Tuesday. He won 48 percent of women in Wisconsin compared to 41 percent on Super Tuesday.
He increased his standing with white seniors by 8 points, from 31 percent to 39 percent since Super Tuesday. He split the non-college-graduate vote 50-50 with Clinton compared to getting 42 percent of it on Super Tuesday.
Obama won almost half of the Catholic vote compared to a third of it two weeks ago, and he did the same thing with the rural vote.
He also seems to be taking the economy away from Clinton as an issue. He won 44 percent of those voters who said that was the most important issue for them on Super Tuesday, but he won 55 percent of those voters on Tuesday.
Obama also scored a projected win in the Hawaii Democratic caucuses, the state where he was born and still has family. There were 20 delegates at stake in that race.
Heading into Wisconsin, most thought the contest was a toss-up. Obama's sweeping win there Tuesday can't be encouraging for the Clinton camp heading into Ohio as there are a lot of similarities between the blue-collar, Rust Belt states.
If the demographic trends continue, it doesn't look good in Texas. Obama won the Latino vote in Maryland and Virginia last week, a segment of the electorate that was solidly in the Clinton camp at the beginning of the race.
Polls in Texas show the contest there being a dead heat, but they showed the same thing in Wisconsin. The two Democratic candidates will both be in Texas Thursday night for a live debate on CNN at 8 p.m. ET.
Clinton's post-primary speech on Tuesday might be setting the tone for the next two weeks. She says Obama is offering rhetoric while she's offering solutions.
On Tuesday, she told a crowd in Ohio that the Democratic race is "about picking a president who relies not just on words, but on work."
Obama was also the focus of part of Republican Sen. John McCain's victory speech on Tuesday. While not mentioning Obama by name, he suggested the general election would be a choice between his experience and the "confused leadership of an inexperienced candidate."
The Delegate Math
(Source: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/)
After last night’s contests, here’s where things stand: The NBC News Hard Count is Obama 1,168, Clinton 1,018. There are 53 delegates unallocated, including 19 in MD, 10 each in CO and GA, 6 in WI, 4 in HI, and one each in DC, TN, NY and IL. We estimate a conservative 27-26 split here.
The Superdelegate Count: Clinton 257 versus Obama 185. That’s a grand total of: Obama 1,355, Clinton 1,276.
Counting only the superdelegates he has now, plus his pledged delegates, Obama needs 65% of remaining PLEDGED delegates to hit the magic 2025 number. Reaching that is probably unrealistic, but when you add in the unaffiliated 353 superdelegates (76 of whom are not yet known yet and won't be appointed until April, May and June), his magic percentage number is down to 48%.
On the flip side, Clinton needs to win 58% of all remaining pledged delegates simply to get the pledged delegate lead back. Forget 2025. And if you assume Obama wins Vermont, Wyoming, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Montana, and South Dakota, then the magic percentage number in the states Clinton wins rises to 65% -- SIMPLY TO GET THE PLEDGED DELEGATE LEAD BACK.
Here's Why
\/ Below: The Delegate Math
By CNN.com's John Helton
If Ohio and Texas weren't already must-win states for Sen. Hillary Clinton, they certainly are now.
Sen. Barack Obama is swaying away the core parts of Sen. Hillary Clinton's voter base.
Sen. Barack Obama continued his winning streak since Super Tuesday two weeks ago, picking up his ninth and tenth states in a row -- Wisconsin and Hawaii.
But as significant as Obama's accelerating momentum is how he is increasingly swaying voters that Clinton could count on at the beginning of February.
While Obama has been solidifying his base of younger, college-educated, higher-paid voters, he has steadily been chipping away Clinton's base of blue-collar, older, working-class voters.
On Tuesday, Obama captured 53 percent of Wisconsin's white voters compared to 41 percent of those voting on Super Tuesday. He won 48 percent of women in Wisconsin compared to 41 percent on Super Tuesday.
He increased his standing with white seniors by 8 points, from 31 percent to 39 percent since Super Tuesday. He split the non-college-graduate vote 50-50 with Clinton compared to getting 42 percent of it on Super Tuesday.
Obama won almost half of the Catholic vote compared to a third of it two weeks ago, and he did the same thing with the rural vote.
He also seems to be taking the economy away from Clinton as an issue. He won 44 percent of those voters who said that was the most important issue for them on Super Tuesday, but he won 55 percent of those voters on Tuesday.
Obama also scored a projected win in the Hawaii Democratic caucuses, the state where he was born and still has family. There were 20 delegates at stake in that race.
Heading into Wisconsin, most thought the contest was a toss-up. Obama's sweeping win there Tuesday can't be encouraging for the Clinton camp heading into Ohio as there are a lot of similarities between the blue-collar, Rust Belt states.
If the demographic trends continue, it doesn't look good in Texas. Obama won the Latino vote in Maryland and Virginia last week, a segment of the electorate that was solidly in the Clinton camp at the beginning of the race.
Polls in Texas show the contest there being a dead heat, but they showed the same thing in Wisconsin. The two Democratic candidates will both be in Texas Thursday night for a live debate on CNN at 8 p.m. ET.
Clinton's post-primary speech on Tuesday might be setting the tone for the next two weeks. She says Obama is offering rhetoric while she's offering solutions.
On Tuesday, she told a crowd in Ohio that the Democratic race is "about picking a president who relies not just on words, but on work."
Obama was also the focus of part of Republican Sen. John McCain's victory speech on Tuesday. While not mentioning Obama by name, he suggested the general election would be a choice between his experience and the "confused leadership of an inexperienced candidate."
The Delegate Math
(Source: http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/)
After last night’s contests, here’s where things stand: The NBC News Hard Count is Obama 1,168, Clinton 1,018. There are 53 delegates unallocated, including 19 in MD, 10 each in CO and GA, 6 in WI, 4 in HI, and one each in DC, TN, NY and IL. We estimate a conservative 27-26 split here.
The Superdelegate Count: Clinton 257 versus Obama 185. That’s a grand total of: Obama 1,355, Clinton 1,276.
Counting only the superdelegates he has now, plus his pledged delegates, Obama needs 65% of remaining PLEDGED delegates to hit the magic 2025 number. Reaching that is probably unrealistic, but when you add in the unaffiliated 353 superdelegates (76 of whom are not yet known yet and won't be appointed until April, May and June), his magic percentage number is down to 48%.
On the flip side, Clinton needs to win 58% of all remaining pledged delegates simply to get the pledged delegate lead back. Forget 2025. And if you assume Obama wins Vermont, Wyoming, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Montana, and South Dakota, then the magic percentage number in the states Clinton wins rises to 65% -- SIMPLY TO GET THE PLEDGED DELEGATE LEAD BACK.
19 February 2008
the us is concerned about al-qaeda?
The following video is from Pastor Fred W. Phelps of the infamous Westboro Baptist Church (WBC). The WBC is known for condemning lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, Roman Catholics, Muslims and Jews.
The group has achieved national attention for picketing soldiers' funerals; the Church believes god is punishing America for its tolerance of homosexuality.
Here are some other notable WBC activities and statements:
For more info on this despicable group, visit the Anti-Defamation League's website HERE.
xx
The group has achieved national attention for picketing soldiers' funerals; the Church believes god is punishing America for its tolerance of homosexuality.
Here are some other notable WBC activities and statements:
- Phelps has characterized the AIDS Memorial Quilt as "100,000 living fags slobberin' around 45,000 dead fags" and declared Elizabeth Taylor, a fundraiser for AIDS research, to be a "world-famous filthy Jew whore." Other regular anti-homosexual slogans of Westboro include "Homosexuality = Death," "Fags Die, God Laughs," "AIDS: Kills Fags Dead."
- Picketed the funeral of Matthew Shepard, a young man from Wyoming who was beaten to death by two men because of his homosexuality. On one of the many WBC's websites, Phelps maintains a "Perpetual Gospel Memorial" to Shepard. Here are some direct quotes/images from the Shepard page: 1) A photograph of Matthew Shepard's face with animated flames dancing across it. When the cursor is moved across his face, viewers with a sound card will hear screams and a high-pitched voice shrieking "For God's sake, listen to Phelps!" 2) A counter which displays how many days Matthew Shepard has "been in Hell" 3) "WBC does not support the murder of Matthew Shepard: 'thou shalt not kill.' Unless his killers repent, they will receive the same sentence that Matthew Shepard received – eternal fire. However, the truth about Matthew Shepard needs to be known. He lived a Satanic lifestyle. He got himself killed trolling for anonymous homosexual sex in a bar at midnight."
- Pickets Billy Graham revivals, alleging that the evangelist will burn in Hell for failing to propagate the "God Hates Fags" doctrine. In October 2004, the group protested Graham's mass meetings, calling the 85 year-old preacher a "Hell-bound false prophet."
- In press releases from 2004, WBC referred to Topeka mayor James McClinton as a "wife-beating tyrant." McClinton, who is black, was portrayed in the press release as a gorilla in a suit with a swastika armband.
- In July 2005, WBC declared its intention to picket the memorial service of Cpl. Carrie French in Boise, Idaho. French, aged 19 years old, was killed on 5 June in the Iraqi city of Kirkuk, where she served as an ammunition specialist with the 116th Brigade Combat Team's 145th Support Battalion. Her death is seen by the church as divine punishment of the United States. Phelps Sr. was quoted as saying, "Our attitude toward what's happening with the war is [that] the Lord is punishing this evil nation for abandoning all moral imperatives that are worth a dime."
- On 15 January 2006 in Sago, West Virginia, Westboro members protested the memorial of the Sago Mine disaster victims claiming that the mining accident was God's revenge against America for its toleration of homosexuality.
- As of 19 February 2008, the headline of www.godhatesamerica.com -- a WBC website -- reads, "Thank God for the NIU massacre! They are in Hell! LORD willing we will preach the funerals!"
For more info on this despicable group, visit the Anti-Defamation League's website HERE.
xx
09 February 2008
saturday night trifecta for obama
Sen. Barack Obama is projected to win all three Democratic contests tonight. Caucuses were held in Nebraska and Washington; the night's lone primary took place in Louisiana.As of 11:08 PM EST, Sen. Hillary Clinton has 1099 delegates, Obama 1039. A candidate must receive a total of 2025 delegates to win the 2008 nomination.
"The stakes are too high and the challenges are too great to play the same old Washington game with the same old Washington players and expect a different result," Obama told a hugely pro-Obama crowd of Democrats at the Jefferson-Jackson dinner in Richmond, Virginia.
"People want to turn the page. They want to write a new chapter in American history."
07 February 2008
chaos at camp clinton and more numbers from super tuesday
Chao$ at Camp Clinton
The New York Times Politics Blog on Wednesday reported that Hillary Clinton lent her own campaign $5 million -- and her advisers said she's considering another loan because of the financial drain of Super Tuesday's primaries!
Additionally, a source close to the Clinton team has told Time magazine's thepage.time.com that some senior staff have "voluntarily chosen to work without pay this month."
Meanwhile, Barack Obama's team is on pace to raise $30 million in February, politico.com is reporting.
Just How Close Was Super Tuesday?
According to Time magazine's time-blog.com, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 0.4%. Here are the raw numbers:
Clinton: 50.2% (7,427,942)
Obama: 49.8% (7,370,023)
Road to the White House -- Delegates Scorecard
2,025 delegates needed to win
Clinton -- 823
Obama -- 741
The New York Times Politics Blog on Wednesday reported that Hillary Clinton lent her own campaign $5 million -- and her advisers said she's considering another loan because of the financial drain of Super Tuesday's primaries!
Additionally, a source close to the Clinton team has told Time magazine's thepage.time.com that some senior staff have "voluntarily chosen to work without pay this month."
Meanwhile, Barack Obama's team is on pace to raise $30 million in February, politico.com is reporting.
Just How Close Was Super Tuesday?
According to Time magazine's time-blog.com, Hillary Clinton won the popular vote by 0.4%. Here are the raw numbers:
Clinton: 50.2% (7,427,942)
Obama: 49.8% (7,370,023)
Road to the White House -- Delegates Scorecard
2,025 delegates needed to win
Clinton -- 823
Obama -- 741
06 February 2008
medical examiner: accidental od killed ledger
| By AMY WESTFELDT Associated Press Writer | |
 | |
The cause of death was "acute intoxication by the combined effects of oxycodone, hydrocodone, diazepam, temazepam, alprazolam and doxylamine," spokeswoman Ellen Borakove said in a statement.
The drugs are the generic names for the painkiller OxyContin, the anti-anxiety drugs Valium and Xanax, and the sleep aids Restoril and Unisom. Hydrocodone is a prescription painkiller.
Borakove wouldn't say what concentrations of each drug were found in Ledger's blood, or whether one drug played a greater part than another in causing his death.
"What you're looking at here is the cumulative effects of these medications together," she said.
The ruling comes two weeks after the 28-year-old Australian-born actor was found dead in the bed of his rented SoHo apartment. Police found bottles of six types of prescription drugs in his bedroom and bathroom, and a rolled-up $20 bill near the bed.
Ledger's family returned to the actor's hometown of Perth, Australia, on Tuesday to prepare for his funeral. Arrangements were private.
In a statement released through Ledger's publicist, the actor's father, Kim, said Wednesday: "While no medications were taken in excess, we learned today the combination of doctor-prescribed drugs proved lethal for our boy. Heath's accidental death serves as a caution to the hidden dangers of combining prescription medication, even at low dosage."
Heath Ledger was discovered by his masseuse Jan. 22 after she arrived for an appointment that afternoon. She entered his bedroom to set up for the massage and found him unresponsive, and proceeded to call Mary-Kate Olsen three times over the next 9 minutes before dialing 911. Ledger had been dead for some time, and police say no foul play occurred.
Ledger, nominated for an Oscar for his role in "Brokeback Mountain," had returned to New York from London, where he had been filming a $30 million Terry Gilliam film, "The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus," days before his death. He said in a November interview that his roles in the Batman movie "The Dark Knight" and the Bob Dylan biopic "I'm Not There" had taken a toll.
"Last week I probably slept an average of two hours a night," Ledger told The New York Times. "I couldn't stop thinking. My body was exhausted, and my mind was still going." He said he had taken two Ambien pills, which only gave him an hour of sleep.
super tuesday 2008 - jigsaw falling into place?
McCain is Front-Runner; Dems' Race Not Settled
(CNN) -- Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain will win California, Super Tuesday's biggest prize, CNN projects.
McCain padded his lead in the Republican presidential race, capped by taking California's 170 delegates.
While most Republican contests are winner-take-all, most Democratic contests are awarded proportionally based on the number of congressional districts won.
Clinton took the larger share of California's 370 Democratic delegates.
After having been nearly written off last summer, McCain finally felt comfortable enough to call himself the front-runner.
"Tonight I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party front-runner for the nomination of president of the United States. And I don't really mind it one bit," he said as results came in Tuesday.
McCain also won Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Delaware and Arizona, his home state, according to CNN projections.
McCain has gathered 475 delegates so far in his presidential campaign, including tonight's projections. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has 151 delegates, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has 105.
In Georgia, Huckabee edged out McCain, who held a slim margin over Romney.
Romney got wins Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana and Utah.
In addition to Georgia, Huckabee picked up Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia.
In all, 1,020 Republican delegates are up for grabs Tuesday. To clinch the nomination, a candidate must win 1,191 delegates.
On the Democratic side, Barack Obama was winning more states, but Clinton was winning the states with higher delegate counts.
Clinton was also projected to win her home state of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, and the larger share of the 329 delegates at stake in those states.
Clinton also won Arizona, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee, and the larger share of the 235 delegates in those states.
The biggest prizes that Obama won were his home state of Illinois and Georgia, and a larger share of the 288 delegates in those states.
Obama also won Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Utah. Between those states, he would be awarded the larger share of 278 delegates.
Republican conservative voters appear to be evenly split between Romney and Huckabee, according to preliminary exit polls of Super Tuesday voters.
Of those who voted for Huckabee or Romney, about 80 percent identified themselves as conservative, according to the polls.
Only 49 percent of McCain's voters said they were conservative, a sign that the Arizona senator's efforts over the last week to placate conservative voters has not paid off.
On the Democratic side, those who made up their mind in the last three days appear to be torn between Obama and Clinton. According to the exit polls, Obama and Clinton are essentially splitting those voters, with 47 percent going for Obama and 46 percent for Clinton.
Road to the White House
CNN total delegate estimate as of 2.06 AM, 6 February 2008
2,025 delegates needed to win
Clinton -- 657
Obama -- 541
(CNN) -- Sens. Hillary Clinton and John McCain will win California, Super Tuesday's biggest prize, CNN projects.
McCain padded his lead in the Republican presidential race, capped by taking California's 170 delegates.
While most Republican contests are winner-take-all, most Democratic contests are awarded proportionally based on the number of congressional districts won.
Clinton took the larger share of California's 370 Democratic delegates.
After having been nearly written off last summer, McCain finally felt comfortable enough to call himself the front-runner.
"Tonight I think we must get used to the idea that we are the Republican Party front-runner for the nomination of president of the United States. And I don't really mind it one bit," he said as results came in Tuesday.
McCain also won Connecticut, Illinois, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Delaware and Arizona, his home state, according to CNN projections.
McCain has gathered 475 delegates so far in his presidential campaign, including tonight's projections. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has 151 delegates, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee has 105.
In Georgia, Huckabee edged out McCain, who held a slim margin over Romney.
Romney got wins Colorado, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana and Utah.
In addition to Georgia, Huckabee picked up Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia.
In all, 1,020 Republican delegates are up for grabs Tuesday. To clinch the nomination, a candidate must win 1,191 delegates.
On the Democratic side, Barack Obama was winning more states, but Clinton was winning the states with higher delegate counts.
Clinton was also projected to win her home state of New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, and the larger share of the 329 delegates at stake in those states.
Clinton also won Arizona, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Tennessee, and the larger share of the 235 delegates in those states.
The biggest prizes that Obama won were his home state of Illinois and Georgia, and a larger share of the 288 delegates in those states.
Obama also won Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota and Utah. Between those states, he would be awarded the larger share of 278 delegates.
Republican conservative voters appear to be evenly split between Romney and Huckabee, according to preliminary exit polls of Super Tuesday voters.
Of those who voted for Huckabee or Romney, about 80 percent identified themselves as conservative, according to the polls.
Only 49 percent of McCain's voters said they were conservative, a sign that the Arizona senator's efforts over the last week to placate conservative voters has not paid off.
On the Democratic side, those who made up their mind in the last three days appear to be torn between Obama and Clinton. According to the exit polls, Obama and Clinton are essentially splitting those voters, with 47 percent going for Obama and 46 percent for Clinton.
Road to the White House
CNN total delegate estimate as of 2.06 AM, 6 February 2008
2,025 delegates needed to win
Clinton -- 657
Obama -- 541
04 February 2008
big blue wrecking crew win super bowl XLII
"The Play"
Giant Piece of History; Big Blue Authors Biggest of Upsets
By Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (http://www.nypost.com)
February 4, 2008 -- GLENDALE, Ariz. - The imperfect team picked the perfect time to deny perfection.
There was 2:39 remaining last night in Super Bowl XLII and the New York Giants had fought the good fight, the gallant fight but after all their pummeling of Tom Brady and inspired play they were trailing 14-10 after Brady's touchdown pass to Randy Moss seemed to finally save the Patriots and send the Giants home as lovable losers.
As Eli Manning stepped onto the grass one last time at University of Phoenix Stadium, all along the Giants sideline players were keeping the faith, nearly chanting in unison. "I was thinking about an Eli Manning great comeback," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "We were running up and down the sideline yelling 'Believe'."
Michael Strahan needed more. He screamed, over and over, "17-14!" demanding all within earshot buy in. "I said 'Believe it .... don't just say it, believe it'!"
In the huddle, Manning barely raised his voice.
"We're going to go down and score," he stated.
"We believed in him," guard Chris Snee said. Perhaps that is why they won.
"I'll tell you what," co-owner John Mara said. "It's the greatest victory in the history of this franchise, without question."
Completing an astonishing season with a game for the ages, the Giants shocked the world, denied history and defeated the Patriots 17-14 in a remarkable Super Bowl XLII stunner.
Manning's 13-yard pass to a wide-open Plaxico Burress - who ran past a stumbling cornerback, Ellis Hobbs - with 35 seconds left set the final dagger in one of the greatest contests and upsets in Super Bowl history. Manning directed a 12-play, 83-yard drive - kept alive by a miracle Manning escape and 32-yard pass to a sky-walking David Tyree - to outduel the usually immaculate Brady to win the MVP award that his big brother Peyton won one year ago with the Colts.
"Every team is beatable," said Tom Coughlin, the jubilant comeback coach. "The right moment, the right time, every team is beatable." What was supposed to be the coronation of the Patriots' immaculate 19-0 season instead became one of the most unexpected defeats in this game's storied history. The Pats sought to copyright the 19-0 trademark; instead, they'd better get busy printing up those "18-1" shirts.
"It's unbelievable," Eli Manning said. "It's the fight of this team."
There was no time for the battered Brady to stage a comeback and when rookie Jay Alford dropped Brady for the Giants fifth sack and two more desperation passes fell incomplete, Manning took a final knee and the Giants erupted in celebration.
"They were so relaxed at the end when we were driving down it was unbelievable, like ho-hum, they're going to give it to us and we didn't give them anything," said receiver Amani Toomer, a champion after 12 seasons with the Giants. "During the drive [defensive end] Richard Seymour said to us 'Get ready to go home guys.' I don't care what they say, they were expecting us to crack. We're a tough team in a tough city and that's what we represent."
That city will open its arms and hearts to the Giants tomorrow will a ticker-tape parade. "They moved the parade from Boston to New York City!" exclaimed Strahan, who came back for a 15th season and soon will be fitted for a championship ring.
"We shocked the world," Antonio Pierce said. "But not ourselves."
The Giants (14-6) won their record 11th consecutive non-home game after trailing in the final minute, only the second time that has happened in the 42-year history of the Super Bowl. They deserved everything they got, often dominating with an always fearsome, relentless defensive posse that limited the most prolific offense in NFL history to 274 total yards.
Burress last week boldly predicted to The Post that the Giants would win 23-17 and he actually shortchanged his defensive teammates. "I opened my big mouth last week," Burress said. "I put a little pressure on the defense; if it wasn't for the defense we wouldn't have even been in the game."
Never did the Giants look in awe. They took a 3-0 lead with a opening drive of nearly 10 minutes but were wasteful in the red zone and trailed 7-3 at halftime. That's the way it stood after three quarters, with Strahan and Tuck and Osi Umenyiora applying lethal pressure on Brady, dealing with Moss but barely slowing Wes Welker.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Manning found rookie tight end Kevin Boss on a 45-yard catch-and-run, hit rookie Steve Smith for 17 more and finally found Tyree - who did not have a scoring catch all season - on a strike over the middle for a 5-yard touchdown pass. With 11:05 remaining the Giants led 10-7.
The proud Patriots responded Brady drove them 80 yards and when cornerback Corey Webster slipped, Moss had an easy 6-yard scoring catch with 2:42 to go. Perfection was there for the taking, but Manning had other ideas. Manning hit Toomer for 11 yards. Brandon Jacobs on fourth down picked up the first down. And then, on third-and-5, Manning was all-but sacked, in the clutches of Seymour and Jarvis Green and the Giants were finished. "I don't know how he got out of there," Seymour said.
No one knew, but he did, escaping and floating a pass that Tyree had no business catching, but he did, out-leaping Rodney Harrison on the New England 24. A sideline pass to Smith set up the play heard around the world, as Burress made Hobbs and the Patriots pay for defending him with one player.
"Nobody thought we could do it," an emotional Toomer said.
They did it.
Giant Piece of History; Big Blue Authors Biggest of Upsets
By Paul Schwartz of the New York Post (http://www.nypost.com)
February 4, 2008 -- GLENDALE, Ariz. - The imperfect team picked the perfect time to deny perfection.
There was 2:39 remaining last night in Super Bowl XLII and the New York Giants had fought the good fight, the gallant fight but after all their pummeling of Tom Brady and inspired play they were trailing 14-10 after Brady's touchdown pass to Randy Moss seemed to finally save the Patriots and send the Giants home as lovable losers.
As Eli Manning stepped onto the grass one last time at University of Phoenix Stadium, all along the Giants sideline players were keeping the faith, nearly chanting in unison. "I was thinking about an Eli Manning great comeback," defensive end Justin Tuck said. "We were running up and down the sideline yelling 'Believe'."
Michael Strahan needed more. He screamed, over and over, "17-14!" demanding all within earshot buy in. "I said 'Believe it .... don't just say it, believe it'!"
In the huddle, Manning barely raised his voice.
"We're going to go down and score," he stated.
"We believed in him," guard Chris Snee said. Perhaps that is why they won.
"I'll tell you what," co-owner John Mara said. "It's the greatest victory in the history of this franchise, without question."
Completing an astonishing season with a game for the ages, the Giants shocked the world, denied history and defeated the Patriots 17-14 in a remarkable Super Bowl XLII stunner.
Manning's 13-yard pass to a wide-open Plaxico Burress - who ran past a stumbling cornerback, Ellis Hobbs - with 35 seconds left set the final dagger in one of the greatest contests and upsets in Super Bowl history. Manning directed a 12-play, 83-yard drive - kept alive by a miracle Manning escape and 32-yard pass to a sky-walking David Tyree - to outduel the usually immaculate Brady to win the MVP award that his big brother Peyton won one year ago with the Colts.
"Every team is beatable," said Tom Coughlin, the jubilant comeback coach. "The right moment, the right time, every team is beatable." What was supposed to be the coronation of the Patriots' immaculate 19-0 season instead became one of the most unexpected defeats in this game's storied history. The Pats sought to copyright the 19-0 trademark; instead, they'd better get busy printing up those "18-1" shirts.
"It's unbelievable," Eli Manning said. "It's the fight of this team."
There was no time for the battered Brady to stage a comeback and when rookie Jay Alford dropped Brady for the Giants fifth sack and two more desperation passes fell incomplete, Manning took a final knee and the Giants erupted in celebration.
"They were so relaxed at the end when we were driving down it was unbelievable, like ho-hum, they're going to give it to us and we didn't give them anything," said receiver Amani Toomer, a champion after 12 seasons with the Giants. "During the drive [defensive end] Richard Seymour said to us 'Get ready to go home guys.' I don't care what they say, they were expecting us to crack. We're a tough team in a tough city and that's what we represent."
That city will open its arms and hearts to the Giants tomorrow will a ticker-tape parade. "They moved the parade from Boston to New York City!" exclaimed Strahan, who came back for a 15th season and soon will be fitted for a championship ring.
"We shocked the world," Antonio Pierce said. "But not ourselves."
The Giants (14-6) won their record 11th consecutive non-home game after trailing in the final minute, only the second time that has happened in the 42-year history of the Super Bowl. They deserved everything they got, often dominating with an always fearsome, relentless defensive posse that limited the most prolific offense in NFL history to 274 total yards.
Burress last week boldly predicted to The Post that the Giants would win 23-17 and he actually shortchanged his defensive teammates. "I opened my big mouth last week," Burress said. "I put a little pressure on the defense; if it wasn't for the defense we wouldn't have even been in the game."
Never did the Giants look in awe. They took a 3-0 lead with a opening drive of nearly 10 minutes but were wasteful in the red zone and trailed 7-3 at halftime. That's the way it stood after three quarters, with Strahan and Tuck and Osi Umenyiora applying lethal pressure on Brady, dealing with Moss but barely slowing Wes Welker.
On the first play of the fourth quarter, Manning found rookie tight end Kevin Boss on a 45-yard catch-and-run, hit rookie Steve Smith for 17 more and finally found Tyree - who did not have a scoring catch all season - on a strike over the middle for a 5-yard touchdown pass. With 11:05 remaining the Giants led 10-7.
The proud Patriots responded Brady drove them 80 yards and when cornerback Corey Webster slipped, Moss had an easy 6-yard scoring catch with 2:42 to go. Perfection was there for the taking, but Manning had other ideas. Manning hit Toomer for 11 yards. Brandon Jacobs on fourth down picked up the first down. And then, on third-and-5, Manning was all-but sacked, in the clutches of Seymour and Jarvis Green and the Giants were finished. "I don't know how he got out of there," Seymour said.
No one knew, but he did, escaping and floating a pass that Tyree had no business catching, but he did, out-leaping Rodney Harrison on the New England 24. A sideline pass to Smith set up the play heard around the world, as Burress made Hobbs and the Patriots pay for defending him with one player.
"Nobody thought we could do it," an emotional Toomer said.
They did it.
01 February 2008
passage
Take your pills
And smoke another cigarette,
Sip from the glass marked by your fingertips
And let the spirits slip down your throat
Until they churn and erupt inside your stomach.
The sun is gone
And the cold moon is shrouded by shifting clouds,
You stare at the clock
Hanging on the naked wall,
The tick
The tick
The ticking of seconds sail from your room
And vanish into the night
That treacherous night
Where street lamps burn for no one
And snow slides out of the sky
And the footprints of strangers silently speak to the vacant streets:
"I was here
I occupied this space for a fleeting moment
And then I slipped away . . .
Somewhere."
Like time.
The past is a digression
An incidental remark that etches itself inside . . .
Somewhere.
The past is a stained reflection in the mirror
Its permanence, startling
Staring
Unmoving.
The past progresses
Relentlessly burying the casualties of withered seasons
And these are the artifacts of the absent:
A tombstone
A phone message
Restroom graffiti
The lover's letter
A forgotten photograph.
Take your pills
And smoke your cigarettes,
The future is the last bus departing the depot
Slipping into that unstoppable night
Taking you . . .
Somewhere.
xx
And smoke another cigarette,
Sip from the glass marked by your fingertips
And let the spirits slip down your throat
Until they churn and erupt inside your stomach.
The sun is gone
And the cold moon is shrouded by shifting clouds,
You stare at the clock
Hanging on the naked wall,
The tick
The tick
The ticking of seconds sail from your room
And vanish into the night
That treacherous night
Where street lamps burn for no one
And snow slides out of the sky
And the footprints of strangers silently speak to the vacant streets:
"I was here
I occupied this space for a fleeting moment
And then I slipped away . . .
Somewhere."
Like time.
The past is a digression
An incidental remark that etches itself inside . . .
Somewhere.
The past is a stained reflection in the mirror
Its permanence, startling
Staring
Unmoving.
The past progresses
Relentlessly burying the casualties of withered seasons
And these are the artifacts of the absent:
A tombstone
A phone message
Restroom graffiti
The lover's letter
A forgotten photograph.
Take your pills
And smoke your cigarettes,
The future is the last bus departing the depot
Slipping into that unstoppable night
Taking you . . .
Somewhere.
xx
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