Top Ten Thoughts on Super Bowl XLII

I'm just barely recovering from the physiological turmoil that Sunday night's game caused in me. I have not even approached my saturation point from the post-game media blitz. The emails from friends are still pouring in (my favorite: "Is it too extreme to say it makes everything better? Cuz I think it *does.*"). And then I up and went to the Giants victory parade.

With all the commotion, there've been too many disparate thoughts prompted by Super Bowl XLII for me to pick just one. So in an effort to streamline the rants and raves swirling around my head, I've decided to go with a list. Everybody seems to love a good top ten.

In no particular order, here's what I can't stop thinking about:

1. Even Hollywood couldn't have scripted a more dramatic and satisfying conclusion to an NFL season: I laughed, I cried, I wanted to watch it again and again.

2. Never has there been a more petulant loser in professional sports than Bill Belichick. Michael Wilbon on PTI suggested he be penalized for leaving the field before the final play of the game, and I couldn't agree more. Proving he's got the sportsmanship thing down too, Eli joked on Letterman that Belichick must have been trying to beat traffic.

3. While we're at it, the challenge of the no-call for 12 men on the field was lame at best. I'm not going to get into the tuck rule incident, but as far as bad sportsmanship being engraved into the rule book, we're looking at it. A no-call challenge? What's next, no-call challenges for pass interference, or name-calling?

3. Brotherhood: Eli's won one for youngest brothers everywhere. Peyton hasn't got a lick of middle child complex, insisting his little brother gets family bragging rights now. And Cooper has got to be the most self-secure man with a boring job EVER.

4. New York has enough going for it to not need major sports championships to boast as well, but it just felt so good for our city. A parade and celebratory speeches downtown instead of stump speeches and disputes over redevelopment. Groups of fans navigating the labyrinth of security barriers near Broadway, chanting, "Poor-ly Or-gan-ized" to cops. Drunks on the subway at 10am. Beautiful.

5. "The Play." Not just "The Catch." "The Play." And yes, it's got to be the greatest ever in Super Bowl history.

6. Do. Not. Let. Spagnuolo. Leave. The Giants are throwing money around, but no promises for eventual promotion. That makes me very nervous, especially since the other team in question is a division rival.

7. Strahan must stay.

8. Let's hope the New York media doesn't lay off Eli next season when he's less than perfect, since it seems scrutiny and criticism do the trick for him.

9. It still hurts a little that the Packers were part of the sacrifice required for the Giants' storybook ending, and I'd be lying if I said I'm not already hankering for a Green Bay Super Bowl victory next year (with Favre back, of course).

10. No real football until August. Oh god....