Patriots or Giants? Time to take the Super Bowl Challenge

What a couple of great conference championships last Sunday, hard-hitting and packed with plenty of drama. Hopefully the football fans out there were paying attention, and are now ready to enter the Daily Bee’s 6th annual Super Bowl Challenge and a chance to win $50 in cash.

Will Golden Boy quarterback Tom Brady and curmudgeonly head coach Bill Belichick and the high octane Patriots win their fourth Super Bowl on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis?

Or will the Giants, led by a talented group of receivers and defensive linemen, continue their unexpected roll and upset the Patriots again in the Super Bowl, like they did in 2008 when they were 12-point underdogs?

The early Vegas line installed the Patriots as a three-point favorite, with the over/under set at 53. For the math impaired, the oddsmakers think the Pats will win 28-25.

Per tradition, the Daily Bee will employ its unique litmus test to arrive at a prediction. The method takes non-football related data from the Super Bowl cities and magically arrives at a final score.

Even though Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Rhode Island and Connecticut are technically in the New England area, for purposes of this formula, the city of Boston (located 20 minutes from Gillette Stadium) will serve as the rival to New York City.

n Yankees vs. Red Sox

The first professional baseball game I ever attended was at Fenway Park in Boston many moons ago, and while the game was mostly uneventful, I did get to see Cal Ripken Jr. play in person. I can still picture the vividly green grass and the iconic Green Monster like it happened yesterday.

I was also lucky enough to get to see a handful of games at the venerable old Yankee Stadium, and had the pleasure of watching Dwight Gooden no-hit the Mariners. I can still hear the Yankees fans chanting “Dr. No-No,” followed by the signature five claps as they left the stadium.

The no-hitter wins out, easily.

Edge: Giants.

Score: New York 8, New England 0.

n Cheers vs. All in the Family

Who can forget Sam “Mayday” Malone, fellow bartender Carla Tortelli, barfly Cliff Claven, and my personal favorite Norm on the cast of Cheers. One of the best lines ever was when Norm saddles up to the Boston bar and says “stop me at two . . .no, better make that 2:30.”

All in the Family was based in New York City and featured political themes that still resonate today. Archie Bunker, who would probably favor the tea party if the show were shot today, would argue politics with his liberal son-in-law, whom he called “Meathead” and “Pinko.” Meathead, played by director Rob Reiner, would probably be part of Occupy Wall Street if the show took place today.

Both shows were funny and stand the test of time, but Cheers gets the slight edge.

Edge: Patriots.

Score: New York 8, New England 3.

n Steven Wright vs. George Carlin

Wright, the deadpan and ironic Boston comedian, is known for gems like “I bought some powdered water the other day and I didn’t know what to add,” and “I bought some batteries but they weren’t included, so I bought them again.”

Carlin, from NYC, had a wealth of great material through many decades, including knee slappers like “forecast for tonight. . . dark” and “atheism is a non-prophet organization.”

Wright’s quirkiness and original shtick wins out.

Edge: Patriots.

Score: New England 10, New York 8.

n New England clam chowder vs. New York cheesecake

I’ve been known to put a serious dent in the all-you-can-eat clam chowder at The Hydra on Fridays.

And truth be told, not a lot of cheesecake goes to waste when I’m around.

Since this is football, being played in February, the “chowdah” gets the nod.

Edge: Patriots.

Score: New England 17, New York 8.

n Matt Damon vs. Robert De Niro

Boston native Damon, who played a “Southie” in the epic Good Will Hunting, has some acting chops, but he’s got a long way to go to be mentioned in the same breath with Bobby D.

“Are you talking to me?”

Easy call here.

Edge: Giants.

Score: New England 17, New York 15.

n Boston vs. The Beastie Boys

Boston’s “More than a feeling” goes up against Beastie’s “No, sleep, till Brooklyn.”

Not even a contest.

Edge: Giants.

Score: New York 22, New England 17.

n The Verdict vs. Dog Day Afternoon

Paul Newman is excellent as a burned out Boston lawyer, and so is Al Pacino as a bank robber in the taut New York City drama.

Tough call, but since Pacino was also excellent in Oliver Stone’s football drama Any Given Sunday, he gets the nod here, but only by a safety.

Edge: Giants.

Final score: New York 25, New England 17.

MVP: Victor Cruz.

Think you know who will win the big game? Want to win an envelope filled with $50 in cash? Then enter the free Super Bowl Challenge.

Simply email the winning team, the final score and your choice for MVP to “eplummer@bonnercountydailybee.com.”

On Super Bowl Sunday, the Bee will run a master list of every pick for fans to follow along with.

May the best fan win.