The Andy Barch post-Super Bowl Interview

1. What was the biggest reason the Giants won Sunday?

AB: The pass rush. Nobody wants to hear this, but Tom Brady isn't as great as people think. He was knocked on his ass a ton on Sunday and he began to see things that weren't there because there was almost always someone in his face.

When you take the Golden Boy out of his element and expose his immobility, you've made him an average quarterback, and he was average at best on Sunday.

2. Will anyone remember this Patriots team in 10 years (for something other than losing their last game)?

AB: Absolutely not. With that loss on Super Sunday, they became the worst 18-1 team in league history. A team that scored tons of points throughout the season, and they were held to just 14 points in the biggest game of the year. This is a forget-fast league, and it don't mean a thing if you ain't got that ring. So they went 18-0, so what?

They lost the only game that mattered, that's why they won't get remembered.

3. What is the future like in New England? Do you think they'll represent the AFC next year in the Super Bowl?

AB: They won't re-sign Asante Samuel, but they will re-sign Randy Moss. It's difficult to see this offense not coming back in tact next year, however, they were able to avoid injuries at the skill positions for most of the year. That usually doesn't happen. On defense, they are getting old fast, and you have to wonder how many good years are left in that linebacking corps. They do have a top 10 pick, but they won't pick again after that for a while.

If I were to guess right now, I'd say no, they won't represent the AFC in the Super Bowl next year.

4. What did this game tell people like us about Eli Manning?

AB: It tells us that he's not as bad as we thought, and maybe he was worth the picks that the Chargers used on Shawn Merriman and Phillip Rivers. Ask the Chargers how well that has worked for them so far. If you think they'd not trade in all those playoff appearances and division titles for a Super Bowl, then you need to see a therapist. He is calm, he is poised and most importantly, HE HAS THE RESPECT AND TRUST FROM HIS TEAMMATES. Even when their superstar running back retired last year and attempted to make a big splash by throwing Eli under the bus at the beginning of the year, Manning's teammates quickly came to his side and defended their leader. It just goes to show that you dont have to be a yeller or a screamer to be a leader or be successful in this league. Manning had a much better game than Brady and he didn't buckle under the pressure like so many fans thought he would.

5. What do you think will be the lasting memory of the 2007 season?

AB: David slaying Goliath. The Giants knocking off the mighty Patriots and making a team looking for a perfect season nothing more than a one-loss team that didn't win the Super Bowl.

AB: The odds were against the Giants. Before the season they lost their star running back, their stud defensive end was absent for all of training camp and contemplated retirement. They were coming off an 8-8 season and started out 0-2 with their fans pressing the panic button and their coach on the hot seat. Their playmaking wide receiver played hurt all year long and hardly practiced. In the final game of the season they lost their star tight end and somehow, they ran off three (or four depending on how you view the super bowl) straight road wins in the playoffs. Not to mention, they ran off 11 straight road victories going into Super Sunday, which is unheard of. Oh yeah, and they did this in the NFC's toughest division, one of the toughest in all of football. This should tell you why the game is so great. A team can overcome all this adversity, and just when it looks like the bag of turds is ready to hit the fan, a team can come together to turn it around stand alone at the top of the mountain.