Larry “LJ” Johnson and LJ
Smith Break Down the Duel in the Desert: Super Bowl XLII, The Patriots vs. The
Giants.
Halfway through the football season, most would imagine that
if either of the Manning brothers would make it to play to the big game,
without a doubt Payton would have been the one.
Much to our surprise this year, the elder brother will be
watching his younger brother Eli play in Super bowl XLII against the undefeated
New England Patriots.
Along the way in the playoffs, the New England Patriots ran
over the Jacksonville Jaguars 31 to 20 and ended the San Diego Chargers dreams
of making it to Arizona. The Patriots advance to their fourth Super Bowl in the
last seven seasons, and the seventh in franchise history. The Patriots improved
to 6-1 all-time in AFC Championship Games.
The underdogs in this match up, the New York Giants beat the
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 24 to 14, and then fought off the Dallas Cowboys by four
points. The last hurdle for the now reborn G -Men was a visit to the Green Bay
Packers, a game which they won by a field goal. That game, won in below-freezing
temperatures, enabled the Giants to clinch their first NFC Championship since
2000.
Now with days left until the big dance, we decided to get
some insight on this historical moment from members of the draft class of 2003.
We got a few minutes to speak with Larry “LJ” Johnson of the Kansas City Chiefs
and LJ Smith of the Philadelphia Eagles.
Johnson, the two-time Pro Bowler Running Back has
established himself as one of the NFL’s top ball carriers. He garnered a
single-season record of 1,750 rushing yards in just nine starts in 2005. Smith
is one of the league’s most prolific Tight Ends, and has caught 194 receptions
and 15 touchdowns over his five-year career in the city of brotherly love.
Although Larry and LJ were plagued by injuries this season,
when in the game, they both make a significant impacts for their team. They
spoke with AllHipHop.com about the playoffs, the upcoming Super bowl – and we
even got a score prediction.
AllHipHop.com: What is your most memorable highlight
from this season’s playoff?
Larry: The fact that the Giants beat the Packers – it was a
great moment. Soon as the game ended, it was crazy – and I was in New York at the
time.
LJ: The Giants game versus Green Bay. I was definitely
impressed with how the Giants played.
AllHipHop.com: Now Larry, In the Patriots/Chargers game, do
you think the outcome would have been different had LaDainian Tomlinson and
Phillip Rivers been at 100%?
Larry: I think so, anytime you have the best weapon not able
to take charge, it’s a problem. Whenever LT and Rivers are in the game they are
able to make big plays.
AllHipHop.com: Okay so LJ, on a scale of 1 to 10 with 10
being the most favorable, how much would you have rather seen a Brett Favre versus
Tom Brady Super Bowl?
LJ: Well, I love it the way it is now, as a player you never
want to put down another player. This is good for Eli, he’s always been in his brother’s
shadow. It does a lot for his career.
AllHipHop.com: What do the Patriots have to do against the
Giants to win the Super Bowl and make their mark in history Larry?
Larry: They have to stay true to themselves and Tom Brady
has to stay healthy. They are going to try and get at him because he is a
little hurt.
AllHipHop.com: Now LJ, since you played in the Super Bowl a
few years ago, what is one thing about the week leading to the Super Bowl that
stands out in your mind?
LJ: I remember being treated like a king; they give you a
car to do what ever you want. Everyone knows who you are and you have VIP
access to everything. My mom was down there meeting actors and actresses, and I
remember meeting Ice Cube.
AllHipHop.com: What advice would you give to the first
timers?
LJ: Try to stay out of the clubs and partying, you’re there
for a reason – to do your job.
AllHipHop.com: Based solely on how you’ve seen both the
Giants and the Patriots play throughout the season and in the playoffs, who are
you both predicting to win the game?
Larry: I have to go with the AFC, the Patriots
LJ: Experience is key, the Patriots, they have a team full
of vets.
AllHipHop.com: Can you give me a prediction, what do you
think will be the final score of the game?
Larry: I’ll say 28 to 24
AllHipHop.com: I’m sure the both of you have been avid
spectators of NFL football for years. In your opinion, what was the greatest Super
Bowl moment of all time?
Larry: New England versus the Bears. Refrigerator Perry 300
hundred pounds running the ball.
LJ: I have to be selfish, the touchdown I caught in the
Super Bowl, and I was the first one to score in the game. It seems as if it was
in slow motion.
AllHipHop.com: If you both were playing in the big game,
name one Hip-Hop song that you would listen to before the game to get you
pumped up and ready?
Larry: Well right now it would have to be Rocko featuring Young
Jeezy and TI “Umma Do Me.” I even go crazy when I hear that song in the club.
LJ: I just pop in the second DMX album, and I always listen
to Method Man “Bring The Pain.”
Futhermore, Larry believes that the Giants regular season 4th
ranked rushing attack and the Patriots 10th ranked rush defense will
be a crazy match up, especially with someone as strong as Brandon Jacobs. Though
many Giants fans began to give up hope with the loss of Jeremy Shockey, LJ isn’t
surprised about how well they have done with without their key player, mainly
because of two names: Amani Toomer and Plaxico Burress.
New England and New York each have much to gain from this
win. The Patriots can make history by becoming the first team to go undefeated
in both the regular and post season. The Giants have a shot to end the Patriots
perfect season and stop their chance at making history.
Larry and LJ unanimously selected the Patriots to win. But I
still have high hopes for the G-Men to bring it home to New York!
