Luck is usually at winner's side

Giants won the super bowl, and Eli delivered at the fourth quarter, again.

Despite the fact that bookies had the Patriots as the favorite, when you ask people around in New York, New Jersey area, everyone including their grandmother would tell you that Giants would kick the Patriots\' butts. But that\'s Americans, and that\'s typical New Yorkers. It doesn\'t matter whether they know the sport or not, and it doesn\'t matter whether their teams are winning or sucking, they always say that they will win.

I am not a New Yorker (according to lots of fine-tuned definition, just like how Chinese define 北京人 or 上海人)， and I don\'t know much about Football, but for some reason, after following the Giants team a few years, especially this year, I kind of grow that thinking pattern - Giants is going to win. Who cares their regular season record wasn\'t impressive, who cares that Giants had to win so many road games to get here, and who cares they are actually facing the Patriots featuring Belichick and Tom Brady, I just believed the Giants would win. Is it because that I am slowly Americanized or Newyorkernized? No, that\'s just how a winner makes you believe.

Enough talk of peaking at the right time, enough props to Giants\' young and balanced defense, enough flowers to Eli and the offensive line, but what about luck? Recovered fumbles, incredible catch in the fourth quarter, or opponents\' unforced mistakes going back to past few games etc etc. In soccer, basketball, hockey, any sport you name it, all those great teams were all kind of lucky in key moments of their great wins.

Maybe it isn\'t luck after all. It\'s just how winners win. In games like last night, 2 great teams facing each other to fight for the ultimate prize. Lots of times, it\'s not just about how you outperforming your opponent, but rather how you make one less mistake. Bob Costas asked Tom Brady in an interview before super bowl, what Tom would rather have, 2 minutes to go, the ball in the hand or a 3-point lead. Tom Brady said he always wants the ball in that situation, and he also knows what Eli could do with the ball in that situation.

I had my doubts at the end of first half and the beginning of second half. The well-lubed Patriots\' offense started to roll despite early shock, and Tom Brady had all the time he needed to complete play after play. But Giants weren\'t bothered, they inched back points by points. 3+ minutes to go, 15-17, and Eli got the ball. All of the sudden, I didn\'t have doubt any more, and I knew Eli will deliver somehow. Then he just threw that incredible pass, and Manningham made that unbelievable catch before he was knocked out of bounds. A fraction of a second difference in any move by anyone involved could have changed the outcome of that play and maybe the game, but Giants got it done. It was unfortunate for Patriots and kind of lucky for the Giants.

But if you look back, when everyone, not just your teammates or fans, but also your opponents, knew you were going to do something unbelievable in closing minutes, and you just did that. It wasn\'t luck, and it\'s just winning.

Eli Manning and the Giants are certainly winners. All of the sudden, the struggle in the early season, the doubt on the team and the coach, and the underdog status, all become testimonies of that winner. Winners come through adversities, and win on the end.

After all, luck sides with winners.