The New York Giants' major upset in the Super Bowl four years ago might explain why Sunday's rematch vs. the New England Patriots could feature the tightest point spread in 30 years. The Giants, who then toppled the unbeaten Patriots 17-14 after entering as 12½-point underdogs, are only three-point underdogs in Indianapolis reflecting betting as Las Vegas oddsmakers' belief the game is evenly matched. Besides the Giants' upset in 2008, they have won six in a row and were the last team to beat the Patriots, winning 24-20 in Foxborough, Mass., as nine-point underdogs in Week 9. The Patriots didn't look as good as people expected and the Giants looked a lot better than many thought.
With NFL Super Bowl Sunday the second bigest food consumption day in America behind Thanskgiving, American's in Saigon might be somewhat forgiven for heading down to the larger sports bars early on Monday morning our time to chow down for breakfast!
Phattys Bar at 48 Ton That Thiep is opening their doors early from 6.00am on Monday for NRL Superbowl fans. Get along their for famous Phatty's food menu including a special American Breakfast!
Catch Superbowl live action on six large screens plus the giant projection screen with surround sound!
Boston Sports Bar, at 28/4 Bui Vien in Pham Ngu Lau, attracts many of the travellers and residents living down in this area as it provides one of the few 24 hour/7 day locations for great all North American, western style food selections anytime, including various finger foods, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, pizza, BBQ ribs plus tasty Canadian Steaks! Head on down to Boston Sports for their all day breakfasts of eggs, sausages, bacon, hash browns and toast. Live screening of major sporting events daily including all American sports. Your friendly neighbourhood sports bar, 24/7, for expat residents and travellers at reasonable prices.
Activity around the sports bars this past week focused on the Australian Open tennis catching viewers. Following his herculean six-hour victory over Rafael Nadal in Sunday's Australian Open final, Djokovic, the Serbian star, has declared he has the game and the mental strength to win on all surfaces and his next mission will be the French Open. Djokovic's thrilling five-set win over the Spaniard, the longest major singles final at five hours and 53 minutes, makes him just the fifth player in open history to win three straight grand slam titles., joining Nadal, Rod Laver, Roger Federer and Pete Sampras, Djokovic believes he can join Laver and Don Budge as the only men's players to have won all four grand slam crowns within a year. Djokovic's 2011 season left commentators short of superlatives as the Serb won a total of 10 titles and went on a 41-match winning streak, until Roger Federer beat him in the semi-finals in Paris.
Playing in the first grand slam title match of her career, Australian Open champion Victoria Azarenka, the 22-year-old from Belarus showed nerves of steel to demolish 2008 champion Sharapova 6-3, 6-0 in one hour and 22 minutes. After making a slow start and going 2-0 down, the Belarusian won 12 of the next 13 games to sweep to the title with Sharapova unable to respond, matching the Russian's power from the back of the court and volleying confidently.
Premier League leaders Manchester City, three points clear, and Manchester United will look to put their respective League Cup and FA Cup defeats by Liverpool behind them when they return to league action. Liverpool snatched a 2-1 victory over Manchester United as the Merseysiders booked their place in the last 16 of the FA Cup.
Chelsea's narrow 1-0 FA Cup win over QPR on Saturday in a match that failed to live up to its potentially explosive billing, consolidated fourth-placed Chelsea who will want to strengthen its grip on a Champions League place against a promoted Swansea side which has been one of the success stories of this Premier League season.
Liverpool, five points behind Chelsea, may be in one Wembley final (the League Cup) and closing in on another, but forcing its way into the top four remains a key ambition. Villa and QPR will look for league consolation after FA Cup exits when they face each other on Wednesday.
Last week saw Australia demolish India in a 4 - 0 series whitewash with a 298 run win in Adelaide, with the lacklustre Indian team getting a lot of criticism for it's lack of drive and determination. Similarly, New Zealand had a solid series win against Zimbabwe to win by an innings and 301 runs.
Australia's new one-day wicketkeeper Matthew Wade wants to be more than just a fill-in for rested Brad Haddin. The Victorian was named in a 14-man squad for Australia's first three matches of the one-day triangular series against India and Sri Lanka on Monday, with selectors resting Haddin. Wade, already selected in Australia's two-match T20 series against India starting on Wednesday, will be making his ODI debut for Australia. Queensland batsman Peter Forrest, dumped from New South Wales' one-day cricket team a year ago, was the surprise inclusion, with Xavier Doherty the squad's only spinner. Injured quicks James Pattinson & Patrick Cummins, and allrounder Shane Watson remains out of contention due to injuries.
Shane Watson wants to continue to bat in Australia's top order but admits it's going to be tough because of his increasing bowling workload under new captain Michael Clarke. Watson has missed Australia's six home Tests this summer against New Zealand and India with hamstring and calf injuries. However, the good form of new opening pair Ed Cowan and David Warner in Watson's absence and the woeful performance of No.3 Shaun Marsh in the four-Test series against India has fuelled speculation Watson will slot in as number three for the tour of the West Indies in April. The strong form of skipper Clarke and veterans Ricky Ponting and Mike Hussey would appear to leave no gaps in Australia's middle order, with Marsh the batsman most under threat from the selectors' axe.
International rugby starts this weekend with matches in the Six-Nations kicking off. Flanker Chris Robshaw will captain England in their opening Six Nations match against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday. The 25-year-old Harlequins skipper has captained England in non-cap matches and also led the second-string Saxons side, takes over from Lewis Moody, who retired from international rugby following last year's World Cup.
After watching weeks of replays from the Rugby World Cup rugby followers can start off the new international season with the first of the RBS 6 Nations matches in UK. France v italy and Scotland v England on Saturday night, with Ireland v Wales on Sunday night.
The first of the HSBC Rugby Sevens is in Wellington with the USA Sevens next week with Star Sports channel showing some of the matches, or find a bar with internet coverage.
The Blues v Crusaders is the first match of this season's Super Rugby (previously Super 15) along with Brumbies v Force on Friday 24th. Three matches on Saturday with plenty of regular 6 Nations and Super Rugby through this month and March to keep you all happy.