(1) Agreed. "Balls" is exactly what needed to be shown in this situation, the kind where SEA lines up and Marshawn waves at the NE defense while shouting "I'm coming for you." Three times in a row up the gut if need be. You do this to prove to the world (including the talking heads on ESPN) that you deserve the crown you walked away with, you lined up and proved you were bigger & badder than the guys opposite you. You do this on principle.
(2) I can't stand Tom Brady, mostly because he gets a ton of credit for the outstanding work of a solid O line and a receiving corp that earns its keep on yards after the catch. Oh, and he'd be light a ring or two without a solid D on the other side... not 2000's Ravens solid, but still champ quality. He's one of the greats in terms of wins (still notwithstanding the team effort), he usually makes good decisions and gets rid of the ball quick. He has next to no mobility and his deep ball has been suspect since coming off injury...
It takes a class act to hand over the keys like that. Bravo.
[OK, I'm done hiding my Patriot fanboism...]
Easiest no-brainer in the world if you ask me. If Carroll makes the call to hand off to Lynch and live or die by that, I don't think many people would fault him for it. They'd just say "we figured that our best running back would be able to get the TD if we gave him the ball 2x from the one". If he didn't score, then everyone gives kudos to the Pats for stopping arguably the toughest RB in the NFL, and if he scores, Seattle is celebrating right now. I don't think the slant call was a terrible one, but that the Seahawks staff just overcooked their logic and sort of spit the bit at the most critical time. This type of stuff is what Belichick is always preaching about: being prepared for all situations and making the right decision when it matters most. Contrast with the Green Bay on-side kick that was botched. The player was coached, but didn't execute (or perhaps didn't have it drilled into his head). For the Pats, the player was coached, and he DID execute. Of course, this is why they felt Butler was worth keeping on the roster. The guy obviously paid attention. This is all about coaching and sticking to your standards and just playing the game the way Belichick thinks it ought be played.
As for Brady, his teammates and coaches and most opponents have nothing but high praise for the guy. His dreamworld lifestyle makes him easy to hate, but he almost never takes any personal credit for his accomplishments and said that the MVP award should be going to the team. You can only lead a team like Belichick's Patriots if you earn your stripes as a warrior, and though Brady has the pretty boy all-american thing going on, evidently he is one of the hardest working fierce competitors that you could ever meet, again, according to those who work with him.
I do agree with you though, that Brady as MVP was a little hard to swallow, given that his two picks really cost the Patriots. Without them, the Pats may have won going away. Oh well. It's all about execution, and when Brady needed to get the ball off cleanly to his receivers, he did. 13 for 13 down the stretch during money-making time is pretty much what got him the MVP, and the win for the team. And they needed every one of those completions. If he falters on any of those critical throws, the Pats may not have scored on those last two drives. He got the Pats the lead and handed the keys to the defense to seal the win (barely), just as he did when the Giants beat the Pats those 2 times. That's about all you can expect from a QB and an offense in a Super Bowl.
