Triple Crown Thoughts

Today's Belmont Stakes features a potential triple crown winner, Big Brown.  Our Big Blue World Champions face a crowded field of contenders, and, like Big Brown, Big Blue starts from the number one post position.  In horse racing, that means getting squeezed against the rail, fighting through the pack, establishing a lane, and breaking when the opportunity presents. So it is with the New York Giants.  Dallas and Philadelphia will squeeze them against the rail for the NFC EAST, certainly.  Look for Dallas to fade a little as the austere and powerful gaze of Bill Parcells transforms into a distant memory for the players, who are getting used to Wade Phillips' more laid back style -- something akin to the good cop/bad cop routine, a situation that resembles the substitute teacher taking over for the master.  The voice of inspiration and determination is changed -- so let's see how Dallas deals with the loss of a legendary coach in its second year under a different inspirational voice, one not as successful nor as dynamic as its predecessor.  Look for Philadelphia to bounce back strong.  Good big people.  Smart QB in McNabb.  New toys for McNabb in DeSean Jackson and Lorenzo Booker, the swift running back they got from Miami.  The Eagles have added some speed. They show some age in the defensive secondary (see Brian Dawkins age -- see Asante Samuel's muscle strain -- boy did they overpay for him!) -- but Philadelphia adheres to the essential pigskin principle that large, tough, determined people win football games. Washington remains something of an enigma but remember how Jim Zorn played?  He got the job done quite well as a player, a versatile QB, a tough player, achievements accomplished despite a poor supporting cast in Seattle. They might be sneaky good on offense.  The defense? We'll see -- they lack pass rush speed and defensive depth in general.  But watch Clinton Portis thrive in Zorn's attack. Also, they did not draft three recievers in the second round of this year's draft for nothing.  That brings me to The World Champs. The New York Football Giants. We've improved the secondary with the additions of S Kenny Phillips and CB/S Terrell Thomas in the draft. Recent addition Renaldo Wynn says he detects hunger in his new team mates -- the guts to repeat.  The hunger -- the want-to that is, more than anything, the essence of the Manning to Tyree Super Bowl play -- Eli had some want-to in his escape and throw.  Tyree had some want-to in bringing that baby in. Well, last time I checked, two comes before three. So the repeat will come before the three peat.  Triple Crown winner -- Big Brown?  Triple Crown winner -- Big Blue?  Not so far fetched. Coming soon -- a game by game analysis of the coming season's schedule.