Super Bowl Portfolio (1984-95)

All Photos by Tony Mangia

Eli Manning and Tom Brady postgame chat has fans thinking of third Super Bowl rematch

Eli Manning and Tom Brady are a couple of NFL warhorses who share a pair of epic Super Bowl match-ups on their distinguished resumes. The two future Hall of Fame quarterbacks also seem to possess a mutual respect for each other after the Giants' two dramatic victories.

Once again they met on the field — albeit a more serene environment — after they both sat out Thursday's preseason finale at Gillette Stadium, but it was their little postgame chat which has fans seeing something bigger.

"I didn't tell you this summer, but congrats on last season on the championship," Manning told Brady in the exchange. "It was awesome. It was a great game. Fun to watch. I'm proud of you."

And it was what was said as the two players headed to their respective Giants and Patriots locker rooms that has fans envisioning a third Super Bowl meeting in the future.

"See you down the road, I hope," Brady said.

"See you down the road," Manning replied.

#RESPECT @Bose pic.twitter.com/2yTwdbRlpI

— New York Giants (@Giants) September 1, 2017

The two teams do not meet in the regular season leaving only one option at seeing you down the road — meaning Super Bowl LII in Minneapolis. 

Talk is cheap but, whether or not you believe Manning's optimism or Brady's sincerity, a third meeting is quite a possibility for the two contending squads.

See you in February?

Gronk crashes Sean Spicer presser during White House visit

During the New England Patriots' visit to the White House Wednesday afternoon, party boy tight end Rob Gronkowski unexpectedly showed up at a Sean Spicer press conference.

As the Press Secretary was answering a question about NAFTA, Gronk casually poked his head in the room.

The mischievous NFL star asked Spicer if he needed some help.

Spicer replied, “I think I got this, but thank you.”

After more stunned looks from the press corps than the day after the election, the room broke out in laughter as Gronkowski left the room.

“That was cool," Spicer remarked. "How do you follow that?”

Gronk casually walking in on a White House briefing. pic.twitter.com/I3jDzsojJr

— Dave Portnoy (@stoolpresidente) April 19, 2017

Gronk also made his way to the Oval Office and had a chance to fist bump the Prez after the Patriots ceremony honoring the team's Super Bowl LI win.

Just glad the the big lug didn't start poking around while asking: What's this big shiny red button for?

Eli Manning lookalike arrested for throwing live alligator into Wendy's drive-thru (PHOTO)

A 23-year-old Florida man — with an uncanny resemblance to Eli Manning — landed himself in jail after the dimwitted prankster threw a live alligator into a Wendy's drive-thru window.

Joshua James is accused of assault with a deadly weapon and illegally capturing an alligator after throwing the scaly creature into a Royal Palm Beach Wendy’s fast food joint.

And damn, if he doesn't look like a young Eli.

Florida man charged on assault with deadly weapon after tossing gator in Wendy’s drive-thru https://t.co/womNaAHj2m pic.twitter.com/fDSIgjF9lM

— WPTV (@WPTV) February 8, 2016

The alligator wrangler allegedly picked up the gator off the side of the road before shoving the three and a half foot reptile from the back of his car through the cashier’s window and saying see ya later.

His mother told WPTV that her son is not violent and that the alligator was part of a joke aimed at his friend who works at the Wendy’s.

“He’s a prankster. He does stuff like this because he thinks it’s funny,” she said.

As for Eli, we all know how the former Ole Miss star must feel about Gators, but lucky for Peyton's brother, everyone knew where the stone-faced Giants quarterback was this weekend. And I mean everyone.

Reaction when somebody aced the test you were hoping to get a curve on. https://t.co/uiyMiC0zw8

— Eric Nolan (@heftylefty17) February 9, 2016

The alligator was not injured and released into a nearby canal.

As for Eli, he was only charged with looking dumbfounded ... again.

Osi Umenyiora to sign one-day contract, retire with Giants: Report

With no NFL teams seeking his services, Osi Umenyiora appears ready to call it an NFL career — but not before signing a one-day contract so he can retire a New York Giant.

The 33-year-old pass rusher, who spent nine seasons with the Giants before a brief stint in Atlanta, is in discussions with the team on a one-day contract that would allow him to bow out in blue, sources familiar with the situation told Around The NFL.

Report: Osi Umenyiora might sign 1-day contract with #NYGiants, ceremoniously retire. | http://t.co/loXcdZf06O #NYG

— WFAN Sports Radio (@WFAN660) July 27, 2015

Umenyiora was a key member of both Giants' Super Bowl runs over the past decade. He was a speedy threat in the team's NASCAR rush package, which twice beat great Patriots offenses.

But during contentious contract talks in 2011, Umenyiora called Giants GM Jerry Reese a liar for reneging on a promise to give him a raise or trade him. He finally became a free-agent in 2013.

Umenyiora had said that "whenever it is that I retire", I think it would only make sense for me to do that as a Giant." In the nine seasons, after the Giants drafted him in the second round out of Troy University in Alabama, Umenyiora recorded 75 sacks — fourth on the team's all-time list.

A few months ago Umenyiora still was planning to continue his NFL career, and he was really hoping to re-sign with his former team. At least sometime this summer he'll get his wish.

Even if it's only for one last day.

Tom Brady is No. 1 in NFL merchandise sales: Report

The DeflateGate scandal may have taken some of the air out of Tom Brady's title as Super Bowl Champion in some NFL circles, but seems to have pumped up the Patriots quarterback's selling power with fans.

That's because Brady is the top earner on the NFL Players Association's top 50 player overall retail sales list.

According to the NFLPA, the list is based on total sales of all officially licensed merchandise from March 1 through May 31. The list is released quarterly by NFL Players Inc.

Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson had been No. 1 in the last quarterly rankings, with Brady finishing third.

Brady's No. 1 ranking was powered by him outselling all players in Oyo Sports mini-figures, Forever Collectibles bobbleheads, Fatheads and Lids custom player headwear.

Brady ranked second in Nike jersey sales behind 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick. Brady also finished second in women's apparel, trailing Kaepernick.

The complete top 10 in total sales:

1. Patriots QB Tom Brady

2. 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick

3. Seahawks QB Russell Wilson

4. Packers QB Aaron Rodgers

5. Broncos QB Peyton Manning

6. Texans DE J.J. Watt

7. Seahawks CB Richard Sherman

8. Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr.

9. Titans rookie QB Marcus Mariota

10. Buccaneers rookie QB Jameis Winston.

Bill Belichick talks about Deflategate with David Letterman (VIDEO)

Bill Belichick appeared on “The Late Show with David Letterman” and got grilled, well... lightly roasted, about Deflategate once again. And the New England Patriots coach — almost unrecognizable without his trademark hoodie and frown —  had no problem playing straight man to his talk show host.

“I know you know exactly what happened. You know I know you know. And what it was was some kind of horseplay, am I right?” Letterman asked the four-time Super Bowl champion coach on Wednesday's show.

“No.” replied Belichick.

“Wait a minute I was told it was horseplay,” Letterman went on.

“Uh, no.” the coach said with a painful smile.

Letterman called the under-inflated balls controversy "nonsense" and then tried to get the coach to tell him where the allegations came from.

“Did it come from my Colts?” the Indiana native asked.

“Dave, we're just out there playing a game doing the best we can,” Belichick responded as the crowd broke out into applause.

Letterman then brought up the ballboy deflating the balls in the bathroom theory.

"I can't remember the last time I took a leak in 90 seconds," revealed the soon-to-be-retired host.

Even Belichick lost it at that point.

Iowa WR tops Odell Beckham's world record for one-handed catches (VIDEO)

After Odell Beckham Jr. teamed up this week with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees to set a Guinness World Record for most one-handed catches in a minute —  making 33 grabs in the allotted time — the mark has already been broken.

Make that obliterated.

Just days after OBJ set the once obscure record in Scottsdale, Ariz., Iowa receiver Tevaun Smith decided to give it a shot, and video shows he managed to catch an impressive 41 balls in one minute on Friday. Since there were no Guinness officials around to verify the record, it looks like the Iowa junior won't be getting one of those snazzy certificates to hang on his wall.

Smith — who caught 43 passes for 596 yards last season for the Hawkeyes — still has a long way to go before he is in Beckham's class but, at least he got his name on the map — if not in the books.

And he'll always have the video.

Odell Beckham Jr. breaks world record with 33 one-handed catches in a minute (VIDEO)

Odell Beckham Jr. has been one pretty busy NFL player during this year's Super Bowl week. In between destroying kids in dodgeball and whipping it on the runway, ODB added a Guinness World Record to his resume.

Beckham's one-handed catches were an NFL sensation this season and, with New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees throwing to him from 10 yards away, the Giants receiver obliterated the previous record of 10 one-handed catches in a minute, as he grabbed 33 in front of a crowd with the ESPN cameras rolling.

What can't this guy do and who even knew there was such a record?

Odell Beckham Jr. does the runway 'whip' at fashion show (VIDEO)

Odell Beckham Jr. had been showing off "The Whip" in NFL stadiums for most of last season. Now the Giants wide receiver is even bringing his trademark dance to the runway.

The rookie phenom did a mini-Whip, at the Suits and Sneakers Super Bowl event he hosted at the W Scottsdale hotel Wednesday night, wearing a casual plaid pants and loafers combination.

Apparently louder than Beckham's slacks was Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson egging his fellow model on. And it worked: 

Just guessing that Peterson won't want to see Beckham's celebratory dance the next time they meet on a football field though.

[NJ.com]

Bill Belichick says Mark Bavaro worthy of Hall of Fame

Bill Belichick might have the best tight end in the NFL right now in Rob Gronkowski but, it was another brutish tight end that the Patriots coach made his bones with and still hasn't forgotten: Mark Bavaro.

At Tuesday's Media Day session, Belichick reminisced about being the Giants' defensive coordinator when Bavaro played for the Giants and helped the team to Super Bowl victories after the 1986 and 1990 seasons.

Photo: Tony Mangia

Although Belichick wouldn't compare Rambo and Gronk directly — "it's a different era, a different game" — Belichick had nothing but praise for the hard-nosed Bavaro, a fourth-round pick out of Notre Dame whose career was cut short by a knee injury.

"I think Mark's in a really special category," Belichick said. "His toughness, his overall complete play as a tight end and blocker, just as a total competitor was just outstanding. I don't think Mark has ever gotten the recognition that any of us that coached him or played with him know that he deserves."

While Bavaro's silent, no-nonsense approach to the game differed greatly from Gronk's ebullient style, Belichick praised their similar all-round abilities on the field.

"He [Bavaro] blocked [Eagles defensive end] Reggie White better than most tackles blocked him," Belichick said. "That alone should put him in the Hall of Fame. This guy was a great football player."

Bill Belichick heaps praise on former Giants TE Mark Bavaro via @Newsday http://t.co/hugMANK2qr
— Bob Glauber (@BobGlauber) January 28, 2015

Belichick recalled his favorite memory of Bavaro, and it wasn't his catch-and-run in a 1986 Monday night game against the 49ers when he carried about half the Niners defense on his back before being brought down. 

"I would say if there's a memory in my mind, it's of training camp of all the times that LT [Lawrence Taylor] and Carl [Banks] would line up against from Mark in one-on-ones," Belichick said. 

"Those are back in the days of training camp where you practiced every day in pads. There were no better battles in my entire career than watching Carl and LT go against Bavaro one-on-one. I mean, it was just awesome. All three of them were so good, so competitive and so tough."

If you need a reminder, here's the play that most fans remember:

Hotel fire alarm wakes Patriots in middle of the night: Report

The New England Patriots players and coaches were able to get out of Boston before the big blizzard shut down the airports but, getting a good night's sleep in advance of Tuesday's Media Day? Not so easy.

NFL Media's Jeff Darlington tweeted early Tuesday that a fire alarm at the Patriots' hotel went off for about 10 minutes at approximately 1:30 a.m. local time.

According to Darlington, the front desk called the alarm "an anomaly." Thankfully, the hotel was not on fire.

Fire alarm lasted maybe 10 minutes. No big deal. Nothing these players didn't face during college away games once in a while. Just... loud.
— Jeff Darlington (@JeffDarlington) January 27, 2015

Just wondering if Bill Belichick mistook it for a burglar alarm.