There’s nothing like a New York-Boston rivalry to get the blood boiling, whether it’s the baseball New York Yankees and hated enemy the Boston Red Sox or the hockey New York Rangers against the Boston Bruins.
In Sunday’s battle for football’s biggest prize, the New York Giants face the New England Patriots in what appears to have all the ingredients for a terrific Super Bowl game.
Here’s what our pollsters have to say.
Gary Kennedy, former UPEI great, loves the Patriots: “Brady is too much, he had an off game (two weeks ago) against Baltimore, but tomorrow is a different story. The Pats and Brady by a touchdown.
Neil Connaughton, another former UPEI player under coach Ed Hilton: “The Pats have a much improved defence and they have quarterback Tom Brady, which means New England by a touchdown.”
Summerside’s Fred Ripley, a Saint Dunstan’s University great from the late 1960s era offered: “Quarterback Tom Brady and head coach Bill Belichick will have a winning game plan. The Patriots by a field goal.
Souris resident Roger Outhouse, a fast and punishing defensive back from the mid- 1970s era, suggests that Brady had an “off-week” (two Sundays ago) and (this) Sunday we will see the real Brady.
“The Patriots by a touchdown or better.”
Another former Hilton graduate, Tom Corcoran, who according to many “bleeds blue Patriots blood”, can’t see anyone but a Patriots victory.
“Gronkowski (No. 87) plays, the Pats’ defence stands tough and the Pats win by a touchdown.”
Holland College president Brian MacMillan echoes similar sentiments and likes New England by a field goal in a very tight game.
Mike Lyriotokis, the former All-Canadian UPEI linebacker, loves the New York Giants.
“Defence wins games and the G-Men have the best defence. The Giants by at least a field goal.”
Sock MacDonald, who starred with Lyriotokis on Hilton’s good teams and later signed with the Montreal Alouettes, thinks the Giants are too much for the Patriots.
“The Giants by 10 points or more, better offence, better defence, not a close game.”
Tex MacDonald, a running back at Saint Dunstan’s and long-time football coach at Colonel Gray High School, thinks the Giants are slightly better than the Patriots.
“The Giants by a field goal.”
The Sports Prophet looks strictly at the form.
The Patriots were fortunate to beat Baltimore two weeks ago and the same can be said of the Giants over San Francisco.
However, the Patriots’ Tom Brady had an “off day” suggesting he may have been hurt.
We know for sure that Patriots tight end Gronkowski is seriously hurt with a high ankle sprain and may not be near 100 per cent.
He is a big part of the Pats’ offence.
The Pats still have a lot of weapons, but Gronkowski is a huge apart of their attack.
In addition, Wes Welker was used a lot less by the Patriots than normal in the Baltimore game which tells me he may not be fully recovered from his knee injury.
Each club has a similar Achilles’ heel and that’s the deep pass defence.
Each team has a terrific quarterback and each team is well coached.
In fact, Belichick may just be the best ever.
For these reasons, my money stays in my pocket, this is a watch game only.
For those that can’t take the betting plunge without the Prophet’s advice, let me tell you that I am confident the G-Men will get the job done.
From what I have seen in the last two weeks, there is not much separating the two clubs.
The Giants, however, are much, much healthier and for that reason I’m picking the Giants by a touchdown.
We’ll see next week.
As always, pay the mortgage first, the picks are for fun.
Island sports scene
Today’s sports generation may not remember Bob LeClair, but he was a top basketball player in Charlottetown in the 1960s.
He was also the quarterback of the 1963 Saint Dunstan’s High School’s Potato Bowl champions, and according to LeClair’s team-mate Paul (Hump) Connolly, the first from that team to pass on.
Bob was a great guy and good friend of Mike Duffy, the senator from P.E.I.
My condolences to all connected to this gentleman.
Gerry Lajeunesse and Ken Hubley, two football standouts from the past, have organized a group that has established a scholarship for a UPEI student that plays for the Holland College Hurricanes football team.
What a terrific idea.
For more information, call Gerry at 368-7445
Another top athlete from the late 1960s era, John Irwin, who was a talented and fiery hockey player but better known as a golfer, enjoyed a holiday last week in Florida.
John fired a 65, his age, at one of the courses in the Sunshine State, which is some kind of feat.
I know a guy, Ray Murphy, who can do that, and he only needs nine holes.
Local hockey fans are anxiously awaiting the events related to the Scotiabank Hockey Day In Canada with the entire province hosting numerous games and gatherings celebrating hockey.
Next Saturday, CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada will come from Credit Union Place in Summerside with Ron MacLean and Don Cherry on one set and with Caissie Campbell-Pascall and Bruce Rainnie providing colour from another.
Caissie’s father, Don Campbell, played junior hockey in Summerside and senior hockey in Charlottetown with Sandy’s Royals.
The show will also feature clips from other Island locations which should make for an interesting evening.
Liam Corcoran, the lead singer for the popular band Two Hours Traffic, will also release his new hockey song which he wrote specifically for the hockey week in Canada.
The concert called Stolen From A Hockey Card will feature Corcoran and numerous artists, including former NHL superstar Brian Trottier, Lennie Gallant and others.
The concert is next Thursday at the Confederation Centre of the Arts.
And let’s not forget Maureen Campbell’s play The Dressing Room, which goes next Wednesday at Summerside’s Jubilee Theatre with shows at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m.
There will be a large number of celebrities in the province next week and I’ve heard that Doug MacLean, one of hockey’s best analysts, will be here to help the Island celebrate the big week.
Doug has a big audience across Canada and is extremely popular especially in his home province.
Around the tracks
In harness racing up country, Woodmere Ultimate (by Western Success) got a perfect pocket trip from driver Anthony MacDonald and stepped to a new lifetime best of 1:53:2 in winning a $20,000 overnight race at Woodbine last Monday night.
Co-owned by Brett Revington, the personable “racing experience director” at Red Shores Charlottetown and by his brother Gary, Woodmere Ultimate has since been sold to the Ron Burke Racing Stable.
Wendell MacDonald‘s good trotter Caliban Hanover was a solid second in 1:58 last Thursday night at Rideau Carleton in a $10,700 trot for driver John MacDonald.
Talked to Jamie MacKinley the other day and he tells me that Chasin Racin will stand at stud on Prince Edward Island for the 2012 season.
A son of The Ponderosa, Chasin Racin has earned more than $700,000 lifetime and will make a nice addition to the stallion ranks on P.E.I.
Jamie MacKinley can be reached at 394-2023.
The local harness racing community was saddened to learn of the passing of Sterling Nicholson, a chartered accountant and one of the most astute handicappers in the game.
To his brothers Eldred and Gordon and all those connected to this gentleman, my condolences
Horsemen are reminded of the benefit for Gilles Barrieau which goes today at 2 p.m. at Exhibition Park Raceway.
Barrieau, who is a diabetic, suffered a broken leg when kicked by a yearling six weeks ago.
He will likely be sidelined until late April.
Fred MacDonald’s column appears in
The Guardian each Friday. He can be
reached at fiddlersfacts@hotmail.com.
