Photo credit: Tom Brady #12 of the Patriots chats with his wife Gisele Bundchen after losing to the Giants.(Getty)

Gisele Bundchen, the Brazilian supermodel wife of New England Patriots QB Tom Brady, all but blamed the Pats’ receivers for the team’s Super Bowl loss to the Giants.

“You [need] to catch the ball when you’re supposed to catch the ball,” Bundchen said in a video posted on TheInsider.com.

“My husband cannot —-ing throw the ball and catch the ball at the same time,” she said after fans jeered about Brady at her. “I can’t believe they dropped the ball so many times.”

Though Bundchen, 31, didn’t name names, it was clear she was talking about Aaron Hernandez, Deion Branch and Wes Welker, all of whom dropped crucial passes.

Anna Benson, star of VH1′s “Baseball Wives,” said that while Bunchen was just reacting to the disappointing loss, she and the team would have been better off if she kept her thoughts to herself.

“I think she was probably angry and they caught her at the wrong time … but everybody knows why they lost, you don’t have to point it out,” Benson told amNewYork.

“Fans don’t [care] what the wives think, and if anything all you’re gonna do is upset them real bad,” she added.

Ricky Keeler, a writer for Patriots blog FoxboroBlog.com, said Bundchen’s “comments were unfair,” and her presence around the team may cause friction in the locker room.

“She is getting close to becoming a distraction like Jessica Simpson was to Tony Romo,” Keller said.

Bundchen also had her supporters, as well, including celebrities Arsenio Hall and Kristen Cavallari.

“Kind of loving how Gisele stuck up for her man, Cavallari tweeted.

Bundchen’s rep and the Patriots didn’t return requests for comment.

(with Amanda Dallas)

Follow reporter Tim Herrera on Twitter: @tim_herrera

Bill Belichick is a smart guy. That goes without saying, but we should be reminded of it. The New England Patriots head coach owns five Super Bowl rings and one of the most innovative defensive minds in all of football. It’s a mind that doesn’t work like yours or mine, and it’s one that might or might not have had a defense willingly surrender the game-winning score in football’s biggest game.

With his team losing by two, deep in its own end and facing an imminent score, Belichick instructed his defense to give up a touchdown. Yes, a defensive coach, a man who has spent over 30 years keeping opponents out of his end zone, rolled out a red carpet for the New York Giants. In the Super Bowl. The discussion of whether or not it was the optimal call is secondary to the fact that such a decision was even on the table.

Let them take the lead, Belichick told his defense.

The oddest part about the decision is that it actually made sense.

The Patriots’ 17-15 lead had all but evaporated when Mario Manningham wandered out of bounds for a first-and-goal. No intelligent football fan could second guess the call. Had Belichick’s defense held the line, only one of two things could have been expected. Either the Giants successfully drain the clock for a last-second field goal from Lawrence Tynes (and the Patriots lose), or New York scores that touchdown of their own volition and Brady takes over with even less time than he had in actuality (and the Patriots, most likely, still lose).

Instead, Belichick made the only decision he could: He folded his defense and got the ball back into the hands of his Hall Of Fame quarterback. Even less than a minute of Tom Brady is better than no Tom Brady at all, which is what New England would have had if they had defended their goal line. So they didn’t.

And for all of it, the Giants tried not to score. Even Ahmad Bradshaw, the Giants running back who played through a broken bone in his right foot, tried to take a knee at the one, defying every offensive instinct instilled into his body. He approached his intended landing area on a second-and-six dive, bent his knees and staggered. But instead of downing himself at the one, he toppled over the goal line. Momentum, and over 100 years of football history, seemed to carry Bradshaw in for six points and, it seemed, a chance to lose the game.

Belichick did get the ball back into the hands of his best player, but materials were sparse, even for the future Hall Of Fame signal-caller, to build a comeback. Brady hurled a ball to an open receiver downfield on first down. Deion Branch dropped it. Tight end Aaron Hernandez, on a crossing pattern, followed suit on the next play. And if the load of carrying his team wasn’t enough, it was when Justin Tuck jumped on Brady’s back for a third-down sack.

A fourth-down completion to Branch on the left sideline kept the drive alive. Brady found Hernandez for another first down on the next play but would not complete another pass for the rest of the game. A desperate heave to the end zone would be Tom Brady’s last throw of the game, and when time expired, so did the Patriots.

Did Bill Belichick make the right call?

Did Bill Belichick make the right call?

Yes.

No.

Total votes: 3

It’s custom for the losing Super Bowl coach to make himself available to the media after the game. Why coaches perennially surface from their locker rooms for such masochism is one of the great mysteries of the game. It’s a chance for us to get a jump start on any skewering and second-guessing that we feel the losers might deserve, and such an interview serves little other purpose.

We can wait until Monday morning to hear that the coach’s hat is off to the other team, that his guys played hard, that they gave it all they had, that it just wasn’t their day. Perhaps Belichick agreed or sought the need to defy convention in the Super Bowl one last time.

Belichick may not be a Hall Of Fame human, or a Hall Of Fame dresser, but his knowledge and experience in the professional game leave him without peer. And if he said, in the waning minutes of the biggest of games, that the best defense was no defense, we have little platform for a rebuttal. 

Michael Robinson wouldn’t miss being in State College yesterday for anything in the world.

He wouldn’t even allow the more than 5,500 miles that stand between Honolulu, Hawaii and State College, Pa. from him being at the Bryce Jordan Center on Thursday.

Robinson was asked by the Paterno family to represent the players that played for Joe Paterno from 2000-2010 by speaking at the memorial service.

But the former Penn State quarterback has been in Hawaii this week practicing for Sunday’s Pro Bowl.

He was selected to his first Pro Bowl earlier this month when he replaced injured Green Bay Packer John Kuhn.

Robinson said he got into State College just three hours before Thursday’s memorial service was scheduled to begin, and was scheduled to fly back to Hawaii after the service concluded.

Although he played quarterback and wide receiver at Penn State, Robinson was selected to the Pro Bowl as a fullback. He has been Marshawn Lynch’s lead blocker and helped open holes for Lynch’s 1,204-yard season.

Robinson said Thursday that Paterno always told Robinson he saw him as a Pro Bowl running back or full back.

And like so many times before, the legendary coach’s words were proven true.

While some NFC all-stars were asking Robinson at practice this week why he was flying 11 hours each way to speak at a two-hour memorial service, his response to his teammates was simple and direct.

“Don’t make me choose,” Robinson said.

Although, he could have been enjoying the warmth of the Hawaii sun as a reward for being in his first Pro Bowl, Robinson said he wouldn’t want to be any other place right now.

He felt the more than 22 hours he would spend in the air were the least he could do to honor a coach that was one of the most influential people in his life.

“Other than God and my mother, Joe is the main reason why I am in the Pro Bowl, and why I am even on this level right now,” Robinson said in his speech.

Perhaps Robinson’s most cherished memory with Paterno was after the team won a dramatic Orange Bowl in 2005.

The coach and quarterback were up on stage to accept of Orange Bowl trophy on a warm January night after a long, hard-fought game against another legendary coach — Bobby Bowden and his Florida State Seminoles.

The win came at a time when Paterno’s doubters were growing and becoming louder and louder. The team was coming off a 3-9 record in 2003 and a 4-7 record in 2004.

But in 2005, Robinson said Paterno made them realize their potential. The team’s potential turned out to be an 11-1 record and No. 3 finish in the final polls.

“To win a Big Ten championship and an epic Orange Bowl after two down years made me appreciate Joe even more because of the faith he had in our team, it never wavered,” Robinson said.

Even though Paterno would never admit it to his team, Robinson said that January night atop the stage in Miami was a “look at me now” moment for the coach to his critics.

And even with the cries for Paterno continuing to get louder and louder before the 2005 season, Robinson said Paterno never once came to him with an added sense of urgency to win games.

Paterno’s message to the team remained constant –– “Dominate every opponent on the schedule.”

Before coming to Penn State, Robinson was a highly sought after recruit from Richmond, Virginia.

Although growing up in the heart of ACC country and after talking to numerous other big name head coaches throughout the recruiting process, Robinson saw something different in Paterno.

“He didn’t lie to me,” Robinson said of his former coach.

Paterno didn’t promise cars, money or even a starting quarterback spot in exchange for coming to Penn State.

The only thing Paterno did promise to Robinson was an education that would be second to none and an opportunity to compete on a team with the best fans in the country.

Robinson said he came to Penn State a young boy, and with the help of Paterno, left a young man.

At the end of his speech, Robinson asked the crowd to not let Paterno’s values that he worked so hard to instill in everyone go away because he is now gone.

“He’s in all of us,” Robinson said.

The day Osama bin Laden went down, is the day the whole world became acquainted with the legendary SEAL Team 6.

After taking down *the* most wanted terrorist in the earth, you’d think people will be interested who exactly did him. Surely it’s not some random US soldier. This top tier military group is so top secret its existence has been denied by the authorities, that is until they decided to announce to the world who’s responsible for Osama bin Laden’s epic death.

Their missions can be classified as something a plot of a Hollywood action flick would have. Lying covert in the jungle. Blasting explosives in the desert. Taking out terrorists underwater. Team 6 is like a legend to the public because of the mystery that surrounds it.

Too bad proud Americans can’t pay homage to the now famous Team 6 as they are not only told to keep their mouths shut, they are also prohibited from even showing their faces. Makes sense, of course, if they don’t want to be the next casualty. But as their team’s popularity rose, drawing more attention on them and their families, it’s just a matter of time that someone would blurt out their identities and ruin the whole purpose of their existence.

Some might have heard the story of how the elusive Team 6 was conceptualized. It was to prevent another disastrous rescue mission like the one that has happened in the 1980 Iran hostage taking. The result was an epic fail and they were so taken aback that it prompted them to create a small team which would operate in total secrecy, solely dedicated to counter terrorism. The quiet professionals, as they are referred to, are outside the usual chain of command and report directly to the president and the defense secretary.

SEAL, which stands for Sea, Air and Land formed a team consisting of a handful of individuals who qualified from the special rigorous training, making them more efficient as they can handle everything in every circumstance. It’s as if they are specifically trained to become the ultimate defense/offense machine. They are what we call the real All-Star team.

One thing’s for sure, we could all count on a movie about this very soon.

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New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada smiles during a news conference where he announced his retirement, at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Photo: Seth Wenig / AP

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada smiles during a news…

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada becomes emotional during a news conference where he announced his retirement, at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Photo: Seth Wenig / AP

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada becomes emotional…

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada, second from left, sits with his family, wife Laura Posada, second from right, and his children Paulina Posada, left, and Jorge Posda Jr., during a news conference to announce his retirement at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Photo: Seth Wenig / AP

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada, second from left,…

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada becomes emotional during a news conference where he announced his retirement, at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Photo: Seth Wenig / AP

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada becomes emotional…

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada, center, is flanked by teammates Mariano Rivera, left, and Derek Jeter, while standing behind five World Series trophies during a news conference to announce his retirement at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Photo: Seth Wenig / AP

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada, center, is flanked…

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada smiles while standing behind five World Series trophies he helped to win during a news conference to announce his retirement at Yankee Stadium in New York, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. Photo: Seth Wenig / AP

New York Yankees baseball player Jorge Posada smiles while standing…

FILE – This 2010 file photo shows Jorge Posada of the New York Yankees baseball team. The Yankees say Posada is going to announce his retirement Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 at Yankee Stadium. The 40-year-old five-time All-Star catcher will end his 17-year big league career with the team that drafted him rather than pursue another team. The Yankees announced Posada’s decision in a statement Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Photo: Kathy Willens / AP

FILE – This 2010 file photo shows Jorge Posada of the New York…

FILE – In this Sept. 25, 2011, file photo, New York Yankees batter Jorge Posada takes a curtain call after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in New York. The Yankees say Posada is going to announce his retirement Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 at Yankee Stadium. The 40-year-old five-time All-Star catcher will end his 17-year big league career with the team that drafted him rather than pursue another team. The Yankees announced Posada’s decision in a statement Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Photo: Bill Kostroun / AP

FILE – In this Sept. 25, 2011, file photo, New York Yankees batter…

FILE – In this Oct. 19, 2009 file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada reacts after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of Game 3 of the American League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Angels, in Anaheim, Calif. The Yankees say Posada is going to announce his retirement Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 at Yankee Stadium. The 40-year-old five-time All-Star catcher will end his 17-year big league career with the team that drafted him rather than pursue another team. The Yankees announced Posada’s decision in a statement Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Photo: AP / AP

FILE – In this Oct. 19, 2009 file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge…

FILE – In this Oct. 26, 2009, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada celebrates in the locker room after winning Game 6 of the American League Championship baseball series, against the Los Angeles Angels, in New York. The Yankees say Posada is going to announce his retirement Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012 at Yankee Stadium. The 40-year-old five-time All-Star catcher will end his 17-year big league career with the team that drafted him rather than pursue another team. The Yankees announced Posada’s decision in a statement Monday, Jan. 23, 2012. Photo: Kathy Willens / AP

FILE – In this Oct. 26, 2009, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge…

FILE – In this Oct. 19, 2009, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada reacts after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of Game 3 of the American League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif. A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, that the five-time All-Star catcher will announce his retirement this month. Photo: Chris Carlson / AP

FILE – In this Oct. 19, 2009, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge…

FILE – In this June 26, 2011, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada hits a home run during the fifth inning of an interleague baseball game against the Colorado Rockies at Yankee Stadium in New York. A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, that the five-time All-Star catcher will announce his retirement this month. Photo: Bill Kostroun / AP

FILE – In this June 26, 2011, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge…

FILE – In this Oct. 3, 2011, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada signals for runner Russell Martin as they scored during the seventh inning on a hit by Brett Gardner in Game 3 of baseball’s American League division series against the Detroit Tigers in Detroit. A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, that the five-time All-Star catcher will announce his retirement this month. Photo: Duane Burleson / AP

FILE – In this Oct. 3, 2011, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge…

FILE – In this Oct. 31, 2009, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada makes the throw to first base on a Philadelphia Phillies’ Cole Hamels sacrifice bunt during the fourth inning of Game 3 of the Major League Baseball World Series in Philadelphia. A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, that the five-time All-Star catcher will announce his retirement this month. Photo: AP / AP

FILE – In this Oct. 31, 2009, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge…

FILE – In this Oct. 19, 2009, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada reacts after hitting a home run during the eighth inning of Game 3 of the American League Championship baseball series against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim, Calif. A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, that the five-time All-Star catcher will announce his retirement this month. Photo: Jae C. Hong / AP

FILE – In this Oct. 19, 2009, file photo, New York Yankees’ Jorge…

New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada greets U.S. Army Sgt. Al Betancourt, left, and Congressional Medal of Honor awardee Sgt. 1st Class Leroy Petry before ceremonies to honor the 10-year anniversary of September 11, 2001 before the baseball game between the Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday, Sept. 7, 2011, at Yankee Stadium in New York. Photo: Kathy Kmonicek / AP

New York Yankees’ Jorge Posada greets U.S. Army Sgt. Al Betancourt,…

New York Yankees five-time All-Star and designated hitter Jorge Posada looks down at his bat after taking batting practice before the Yankees baseball game against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium Sunday, May 15, 2011 in New York. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said Posada apologized to him in a face-to-face conversation one day after Posada took himself out of the lineup. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens) Photo: AP / CT

New York Yankees five-time All-Star and designated hitter Jorge…

FILE – In this Sept. 25, 2011, file photo, New York Yankees batter Jorge Posada takes a curtain call after hitting a two-run home run during the third inning of the first game of a baseball doubleheader against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in New York. A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press on Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012, that the five-time All-Star catcher will announce his retirement this month. Photo: Bill Kostroun / AP

FILE – In this Sept. 25, 2011, file photo, New York Yankees batter…

Jorge Posada acknowledges Yankees fans after receiving his 2009 World Series ring. According to reports Posada will announce his retirement in the next couple of weeks. Photo: Jim McIsaac/Getty Images / 2010 Getty Images

Jorge Posada acknowledges Yankees fans after receiving his 2009…

KANSAS CITY, MO – AUGUST 17: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees reacts after striking out to end the game as Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals looks on at Kauffman Stadium on August 17, 2011 in Kansas City, Missouri. The Royals won 5-4. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) Photo: Getty, Ed Zurga / 2011 Getty Images

KANSAS CITY, MO – AUGUST 17: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York…

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 09: Derek Jeter #2 and Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees laugh while sitting in the dugout against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on July 9, 2011 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) Photo: Getty Images, Nick Laham / 2011 Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 09: Derek Jeter #2 and Jorge Posada #20 of the…

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 09: Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees celebrates at home with teammates Jorge Posada #20, Mariano Rivera #42, Alex Rodriguez #13 and Curtis Granderson #14 after hitting a solo home run in the third inning for career hit 3000 while playing against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium on July 9, 2011 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Michael Heiman/Getty Images) Photo: Getty Images, Michael Heiman / 2011 Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY – JULY 09: Derek Jeter #2 of the New York Yankees…

TAMPA, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait on Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 23, 2011 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Al Bello / 2011 Getty Images

TAMPA, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees…

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 26: Head trainer Gene Monahan of the New York Yankees is met by Jorge Posada #20 during a retirement ceremony before the New York Yankees 65th Old Timers Day game on June 26, 2011 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) Photo: Getty Images, Al Bello / 2011 Getty Images

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 26: Head trainer Gene Monahan of the New York…

TAMPA, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees poses for a portrait on Photo Day at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 23, 2011 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Al Bello / 2011 Getty Images

TAMPA, FL – FEBRUARY 23: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees…

NEW YORK – JULY 18: (L-R) Jorge Posada #20, Andy Pettitte #46, and Robinson Cano #24 of the New York Yankees look on against the Tampa Bay Rays on July 18, 2010 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada; Andy Pettitte; Robinson Cano Photo: Getty Images, Jim McIsaac / 2010 Getty Images

NEW YORK – JULY 18: (L-R) Jorge Posada #20, Andy Pettitte #46, and…

PHOENIX – JUNE 21: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees bats against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the Major League Baseball game at Chase Field on June 21, 2010 in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks defeated the Yankees 10-4. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images) Photo: Getty Images, Christian Petersen / 2010 Getty Images

PHOENIX – JUNE 21: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees bats…

BOSTON – OCTOBER 16: Catcher Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees and Bill Mueller #11 of the Boston Red Sox react as umpire John Hirschbeck calls Mueller out on a two-run double hit by Orlando Cabrera #44 in the third inning during game three of the American League Championship Series on October 16, 2004 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada;Bill Mueller;John Hirschbeck Photo: Getty Images, Ezra Shaw / 2004 Getty Images

BOSTON – OCTOBER 16: Catcher Jorge Posada #20 of the New York…

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees hits a RBI single in the bottom of the second inning against the Texas Rangers in Game Five of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 20, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Jim McIsaac / 2010 Getty Images

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees…

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees hits a RBI single in the bottom of the second inning against the Texas Rangers in Game Five of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 20, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Al Bello / 2010 Getty Images

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees…

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Mariano Rivera #42 and Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees celebrate after the Yankees won 7-2 against the Texas Rangers in Game Five of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 20, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Mariano Rivera;Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Jim McIsaac / 2010 Getty Images

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Mariano Rivera #42 and Jorge Posada #20 of…

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees is safe at third base on a throwing error by Jeff Francoeur #21 of the Texas Rangers on ball hit by Curtis Granderson #14 of the Yankees in the bottom of the seocnd inning of Game Five of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 20, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Al Bello / 2010 Getty Images

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees is…

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees hits a RBI single in the bottom of the second inning against the Texas Rangers in Game Five of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 20, 2010 in the Bronx borough of New York City. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Nick Laham / 2010 Getty Images

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 20: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees…

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 18: Catcher Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees reacts as he walks back to the dugout in the bottom of the third inning against the Texas Rangers in Game Three of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium on October 18, 2010 in New York, New York. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Al Bello / 2010 Getty Images

NEW YORK – OCTOBER 18: Catcher Jorge Posada #20 of the New York…

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 7: Jorge Posada #20 and Mariano Rivera of the New York Yankees shake hands following a 5-2 win over the Minnesota Twins follow game two of the ALDS game on October 7, 2010 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien /Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada;Mariano Rivera Photo: Getty Images, Hannah Foslien / 2010 Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 7: Jorge Posada #20 and Mariano Rivera of…

MINNEAPOLIS – OCTOBER 06: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees gets a hit in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins during game one of the ALDS on October 6, 2010 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Elsa / 2010 Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS – OCTOBER 06: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees…

MINNEAPOLIS – OCTOBER 06: Derek Jeter #2 and Robinson Cano #24 of the New York Yankees celebrates the win with Jorge Posada after game one of the ALDS on October 6, 2010 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Yankees defeated the Twins 6-4. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Derek Jeter;Robinson Cano;Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Elsa / 2010 Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS – OCTOBER 06: Derek Jeter #2 and Robinson Cano #24 of…

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 6: Kerry Wood #39 and Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees talk on the mound during game one of the ALDS against the Minnesota Twins on October 6, 2010 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Kerry Wood;Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Hannah Foslien / 2010 Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – OCTOBER 6: Kerry Wood #39 and Jorge Posada #20 of…

MINNEAPOLIS – OCTOBER 07: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees gets a hit as Joe Mauer #7 of the Minnesota Twins defends during game two of the ALDS on October 7, 2010 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada;Joe Mauer Photo: Getty Images, Elsa / 2010 Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS – OCTOBER 07: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees…

MINNEAPOLIS – OCTOBER 06: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees is congratulated in the dugout after he scored a run in the sixth inning against the Minnesota Twins during game one of the ALDS on October 6, 2010 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** Jorge Posada Photo: Getty Images, Elsa / 2010 Getty Images

MINNEAPOLIS – OCTOBER 06: Jorge Posada #20 of the New York Yankees…

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—The New York Giants have their own Super Bowl formula: in overtime and on the road.

And with Lawrence Tynes’ foot.

Five plays after the 49ers’ Kyle Williams fumbled a punt, Tynes kicked a 31-yard field goal in overtime, sending the Giants to the Super Bowl with a 20-17 victory over San Francisco in the NFC championship game Sunday.

In another tight one in this decades-old postseason rivalry, both defenses made key stops before New York capitalized on a rare mistake in San Francisco’s resurgent season. Williams’ blunder put the Giants in perfect position for another sensational finish in a season full of them.

“That was a tough game. We had to fight for every yard that we got,” Giants quarterback Eli Manning said. “Defense was outstanding, special teams getting us two turnovers was huge. That led to 10 points.”

Manning and the Giants (12-7) will face the New England Patriots in the Super Bowl on Feb. 5 in Indianapolis as 3 1/2 -point underdogs. The last time the teams met for the NFL title, 2008, the Giants ended the Patriots’ bid for a perfect season.

Tynes had a hand, er, foot in getting the Giants to that one, too, kicking a field goal in overtime.

Devin Thomas put the Giants in position this time by recovering his second fumble of the game after Jacquian Williams stripped the ball from fill-in return man Kyle Williams, who also fumbled earlier to set up a New York touchdown.

Holder Steve Weatherford celebrated with a slip-and-slide on his back down the soggy field. Victor Cruz fell to his knees. Tynes quickly found his crying wife for a warm hug. Manning tossed his gloves into the temporary seats with a big smile, then received a surprise visit from big brother, Peyton, in the locker room.

Manning threw a go-ahead 17-yard touchdown pass to Mario Manningham with 8:34 remaining after Kyle Williams fumbled for the first time.

A 12-point underdog in the 2008 title game, the Giants battered Brady and got a last-minute TD pass from Manning to Plaxico Burress to win their third Super Bowl. Five months ago, Manning declared he was in the same class as Tom Brady. Now, he’ll get another chance to outdo him on the NFL’s biggest stage.

During this playoff run, he’s already outplayed Aaron Rodgers and the defending champion Packers, and fellow former No. 1 pick Alex Smith.

Cruz set the tone Sunday with eight of his 10 receptions in the first half and finished with 142 yards.

The 49ers’ Chris Culliver (29) watches as the Giants’ Devin Thomas recovers a fumbled punt by Kyle Williams in OT.(AP photo)

“It’s just been a tremendous effort by all of us, man,” Cruz said. “We understand that any one of us can get hot at any moment. As long as we’re all on the same page and just playing together, man, we’ve got a great group of guys.”

The Giants appeared on the verge of collapsing and Coughlin’s job status in jeopardy just a month ago, when they fell to 7-7 with an embarrassing loss to the Washington Redskins on Dec. 18.

They were facing elimination the following week against the Jets and Rex Ryan, but the Giants won 29-14. They followed with a 31-14 win over Dallas in the regular-season finale to win the NFC East and get to the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

New York dominated Atlanta at home in the opening round, and then came another stunner: a 37-20 victory at Green Bay.

Vernon Davis caught touchdown passes of 73 and 28 yards for the NFC West champions (14-4), who went from 6-10 a year ago to a contender and ended an eight-year playoff drought.

Notes: Davis joined Jerry Rice as the only 49ers with at least two touchdowns receiving in back-to-back playoff games. … Cruz caught a 36-yard pass from Manning on the first play of the second quarter, then Manning hit Bear Pascoe for a 6-yard touchdown seven plays later. … Giants C David Baas beat his former team. … Manningham missed the potential game-tying TD in a 27-20 loss here on Nov. 13.

The San Francisco 49ers and the New York Giants will meet on January 22 in the NFC Championship game. On the line is a berth to the Super Bowl for the two storied franchises. San Francisco had a 13-3 record in the regular season and is coming off of a memorable divisional round victory over the New Orleans Saints. San Francisco fans have been ecstatic about the success of their team all season long and have had high hopes for the 2011 season.

In the midst of their current playoff run, San Francisco has seen several local rap artists release songs dedicated to the football team. Songs are being remixed from their original versions and dedicated to the 49ers. As a fan of the team, I enjoy the songs about the team and the creativity involved in the makeup of them.

LoveRance from Interscope Records recently released his song “Up (Niners Remix)” in dedication to the San Francisco 49ers. Up is a popular song LoveRance recorded along with the popular artist 50 Cent. The Niners Remix is his own version with lyrics specific to the San Francisco 49ers and their players. It is available to stream for free on the popular music website soundcloud.

Other artists include rapper Bailey who recorded his song “Who’s Got it Better”. The song is a take on coach Jim Harbaugh’s slogan commonly used by the team throughout the season. The song has nearly 500,000 plays on YouTube and is also available for sale on iTunes.

Rapper Ashkon released a song titled “Niners in Paris” that is a take on a Jay-Z and Kanye West song. This song has received over 330,000 plays on YouTube.

Each of the songs listed are available for 49er fans to play and listen to online. It’s been a long time since San Francisco fans have been this excited about their team. The songs are tributes to the outstanding play on the field of the 49ers. These songs show the excitement level of San Francisco fans everywhere. Fans enjoying the songs leading up to gameday hope that they will have another two weeks to enjoy the teams success. The Super Bowl is on February 5 in Indianapolis and San Francisco fans hope to see their team playing in it.

Kyle Rapoza is a Featured Contributor for the Yahoo! Contributor Network and grew up in Northern California rooting for the 49ers teams led by Joe Montana and Steve Young. Follow him on Twitter @kyler11.

Note: This article was written by a Yahoo! contributor. Sign up here to start publishing your own sports content.

The main way to keep trust within a group is a principal that I call ACE = Accountability Communication and Effectiveness. With accountability each member is ultimately responsible for the outcome of their particular section. Where there is accountability there is also trust. These two principals go hand in hand because it is how we measure effectiveness. Communication is perhaps the best way to solidify the trust of the group.

Members are less likely to issue a vote of no confidence if they are informed of the challenges and given the opportunity to contribute through brain storming. It is only when there is a lack of communication coupled with a disastrous outcome that we end up with a total breakdown of trust.

A great way to build team trust is to allow the team to interact in order to accomplish most of the objectives of the group. In my earlier example of the Presidential Cabinet we find many different members working separately in order to accomplish one goal. I can also draw additional comparison from two popular television shows American Idol & Dancing with the Stars.

On the show American Idol each contestant is judged individually in order to determine if they are considered the best of a list of contestants. But in the show Dancing with the Stars every member of the team had to work together in order to produce the best performance. What works well for American Idol or a Presidential appointment is not always the best measure of results of a group. Once all of the members are challenged to work together in order to accomplish one goal, you will find that not only will they establish and maintain trust but they will also develop a greater appreciation for the diversity of the group.

Heather Muenchen

Sometimes, these things take time.

The Rams’ previous coach, Steve Spagnuolo, was not hired until later in January 2009, on the 17th. The other NFC West teams hired their current coaches between the seventh and 14th days of January in various years.

My thoughts on Fisher and the Rams at the moment:
Upgrading is key. Spagnuolo’s 10-38 record made staying the course untenable. Still, firing him was the right move only if the team could upgrade the position. Fisher is one of 16 coaches in NFL history to coach 262 or more games. His Tennessee teams posted five seasons with double-digit victories in the 2000s alone, and six overall. The Titans also went 8-8 five times and 7-9 twice. The Rams were never better than 7-9 under Spagnuolo. Fisher has been better than 7-9 in 11 of his 16 full seasons as a head coach. That makes Fisher an upgrade.
Perceptions matter. The Rams worked hard and spent money buying up tickets to avoid local television blackouts this past season. They need victories on and off the field to build any sort of lasting momentum, however. Landing Fisher would be a big one. Losing him would hurt perceptions amid reports Fisher has reservations about the team relocating. The locals already know owner Stan Kroenke can break the team’s lease with the Edward Jones Dome following the 2014 season. They fear the team will move. Kroenke isn’t helping perceptions, in my view, by interviewing Fisher and the other candidates from Denver instead of St. Louis.
Settling for backup candidates. The Rams continue to conduct and arrange interviews with candidates other than Fisher, as they should. Carolina’s Rob Chudzinski and Denver’s Dennis Allen are among the names confirmed by the team. Some of these candidates might do a better job than Fisher would have done, but if the Rams thought this were the case heading into the process, they would not have put Fisher atop their list. Making a play for Fisher was smart and bold. The Rams had to like their chances. But what if they fail? The Rams went 2-14 last season despite employing two of the NFL’s more highly regarded schemers in Spagnuolo and Josh McDaniels. They would be fortunate to upgrade from those two while taking their chances with less accomplished coordinator types. Either way, though, the next coach will almost certainly fare better than 10-38.

Gotta run. Hope to see you at the NFC West chat, set to begin here at 1 p.m. ET.

Our good friend Mike Silver of Yahoo! Sports has penned yet another intriguing and thought-provoking item.  This one focuses on the possible reasons for the termination of Raiders coach Hue Jackson.

Silver’s theory is that Jackson knew too much about how poorly late owner Al Davis used to treat his son, Mark Davis, and that Mark Davis wants to remove from the organization anyone with direct knowledge of those interactions.  “To project an image of authority,” Silver writes, “Mark Davis needs to surround himself with employees who didn’t see him routinely disparaged and condescended to by his legendary father.”

Silver believes that Mark Davis is the classic Chris Farley (pictured) character known simply as “Tommy Boy,” and that Mark Davis couldn’t stomach “the thought of presiding over a team with a brash, intelligent and charismatic coach who knew how dismissively his father used to treat him.”

It’s funny and it’s fresh and it’s clever, but it’s also quite possibly dead wrong.

Upon the passing of his father, Mark Davis promptly sought the counsel of John Madden and Ron Wolf for assistance in finding the right person to assume the reins of the football organization, and Mark Davis accepted their advice that Reggie McKenzie is the right man for the job.  Silver criticizes Mark Davis for not going through the motions of interviewing other candidates, praising 49ers owner Jed York for doing the same thing last year when a stream of second-tier possibilities rolled through the offices at a time when everyone knew Trent Baalke was getting the job.  But York was, in the opinion of many, simply was setting up a phony competition that Baalke would be able to win.  Mark Davis decided not to waste time and money by bringing in a bunch of guys with no shot at the job, something Al Davis routinely did when hiring a coach, if only to pick their brains regarding the things other teams do.

Moving forward, Silver thinks that Mark Davis will urge McKenzie to dump any members of the football operation who know about the way that Al Davis supposedly used to mistreat Mark Davis.  If that happens, then perhaps Silver’s theory is right.  If it doesn’t happen, then Silver’s hypothesis is wrong.

For now, Mark Davis deserves the benefit of the doubt.  Mark Davis acknowledged on Tuesday that he knows what he doesn’t know, a rare trait among NFL owners who think that knowing a lot about something other than football gives them the ability to figure out a game that is far more difficult than it looks on TV.  By all appearances, Mark Davis has handed the keys to McKenzie, and Mark Davis plans to get out of the way.

Likewise, the annual sense of urgency that often characterizes the latter years of an aging NFL owner’s life likely will evaporate now, with a longer-term view of the franchise replacing the continuous tweaking that Al Davis surely felt compelled to do in order to get one more Lombardi Trophy during his lifetime.

And maybe, in the end, Mark Davis is opting not to “kneecap” (as Silver puts it) guys like Hue Jackson because they know too many embarrassing facts about Mark Davis.  Maybe Mark Davis opted to move on from Hue Jackson because Hue Jackson behaved too much like Al Davis — and maybe Mark Davis believes the Raiders can be run without big egos, hot tempers, or dismissive comments.

Maybe Mark Davis really is Tommy Boy.  In the end, however, Tommy Boy figured out how to save the company.  If Mark Davis, like so many other owners smart enough to know the limitations of their abilities do, defers to the football experts, the company owned by Al Davis may not only survive, but once again thrive.