Eli The Great, Mother's Day Thoughts

I've refrained from writing this post until now because Mother's day is tomorrow and this is the appropriate time for reflection on the relationship of sports and life.  I had the grand misfortune to lose my mother on January 23, in the midst of the Giants incredible run to the Championship.  During this incredibly difficult time, the only distraction and source of joy had been the New York Football Giants and the masterful playoff performance of Quarterback Eli Manning.  That Championship game in Green Bay should be remembered as one of the best in NFL history. (THANKS PLAXICO BURRESS as well).  When the harshest realities of life hit you square in the jaw like a Joe Frazier left hook, after you wake up and get off the canvas, you discover that despite the ugliness and temporary nature of this life, it is full of wonderment and unexpected joys.  Watching our QB play with confidence and agility and determination made me think -- what gifts did my late mother pass on to me -- and I figured out that it's an inside job.  By that I mean, our parents lend us a notion of character, a work ethic, a drive, and a certain form of compassion which can inspire an entire team and drive them, individual personalities all to be sure.  The collective character of a team is determined by the character of its individuals.  Eli Manning is no longer "the kid."  He's a Super Bowl MVP and a World Champion like his older brother. I predict right here and now there will be at least two more Super Bowl Championships for the Giants with Eli, this a prediction I made to an Eagles fan last November, before the great run, before this first championship.  Why?  Because he was raised with character.  In a recent interview, Archie Manning described his incredible good fortune and described parenthood as the wonderful gift that it is.  He said that he and Olivia did not care whether they had sons or daughters, and never anticipated two starting NFL QBs -- not in their wildest dreams.  What they hoped for was a happy, healthy child, boy or girl, for them to love as much as humanly possible -- like all parents do. What makes Eli great is not so much the great arm, quick reads, and dynamic will to win -- it's the strong base from which he functions, the core instilled by loving parents.  In the midst of a great storm of tragic personal loss, duing the Giants platyoff run, I watched my dear and loving mother diminish each day, until the end.  During that time, Eli Manning and the Giants provided me and other New York Giants fans everywhere with moments of unexpected joy, with an exhibition of character that lightens the burden of grief a little bit.  They did it.  I still can't believe we stomped 'em. We did it. We are The Champs.  Funny that something as seemingly insignificant as a football game can inspire and distract and through those activities begin the process of healing. A performance for the ages by Eli the Great. Sure there are plenty of bumps in the road, but we keep on, we play hard, we try to inspire, we fall down, get up, and when we glimpse David Tyree in the middle of the field with Harrison draped over his back, we break the vice-like grip of swift and powerful tacklers and chuck it deep because we just know Tyree's going to haul it in. Sports relate to life because sports set an example that inspires and sustains us. It's a noble game and a difficult life, and sometimes life's as hard to manage as keeping an inflated pig bladder of a football stuck to the side of a wide receiver's helmet, survive the crash to the ground, and hang on to the football.  The relationship of sports to life is exactly this: it shows us that what we are, what's inside, what we inherit from our parents.  The Giants have a Championship Quarterback who, despite every adversity, plays his best when times are tough and dares to be great.  These next few years are going to be great ones for Giants fans.  Thanks Ernie Accorsi.  Thanks Mr. Mara.  Thanks Mr. Tisch.  Thanks Archie and Olivia.