\n INDIANAPOLIS - They're baaaacck.\n<\/p>\n
\n Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have returned to the Super Bowl, and
\n once again the New England Patriots quarterback and head coach
\n are a victory away from adding their names to the record books.\n<\/p>\n
\n They've already made their mark in the NFL, obviously, and will
\n set at least another at kickoff by becoming the starting
\n quarterback-coach tandem with the most Super Bowl appearances,
\n with five.\n <\/p>\n
\n But Brady and Belichick struck out at matching the four Super
\n Bowl titles of quarterbacks Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw and
\n coach Chuck Noll the last time they made it to the NFL final.
\n The Patriots, of course, lost to the New York Giants four years
\n ago.\n <\/p>\n
\n And once again, those Giants stand in the way of history in a
\n rematch that is likely to set records of a different kind - for
\n hyperbole.\n <\/p>\n
\n Still, there is no overstating what is at stake for both teams
\n in Super Bowl XLVI and for Belichick and Brady, who have the
\n opportunity to join a select few.\n <\/p>\n
\n \"I was a 49er fan growing up, so Joe Montana and Steve Young
\n were my two favorite players,\" said Brady, who was born and
\n raised in San Mateo, Calif. \"It was always a special time for
\n me to go out there [to Candlestick Park]. My parents had season
\n tickets and we'd go sit up down in the end zone about ten rows
\n from the top of the stadium.\"\n <\/p>\n
\n Montana won Super Bowls for San Francisco in 1982, '85, '89,
\n and '90. Bradshaw and the Pittsburgh Steelers set the bar with
\n championships in 1974, '75, '78, and '79. Brady won three in
\n four years - 2001, '03, and '04. If New England beats the
\n Giants, he will join Roger Staubach as the only other
\n quarterback to win Super Bowls six years apart.\n <\/p>\n
\n Belichick would match Cowboys coach Tom Landry in that regard
\n with a victory. But to win four is the goal and would place him
\n on par with Noll, an achievement Grace Ybarra, a 12-year-old
\n from the Scholastic Kids Press Corps of Indianapolis, noted
\n when she asked the taciturn 59-year-old coach what it would
\n mean.\n <\/p>\n
\n \"It's very flattering to be mentioned in the same sentence with
\n Chuck Noll,\" Belichick said. \"So thank you for doing that.\"\n <\/p>\n
\n Belichick and the Patriots aren't normally welcomed to this
\n Midwest city with open arms. New England beat the Colts, for
\n many years their chief rivals, in the playoffs on the way to
\n two crowns.\n <\/p>\n
\n \"I never had too much hospitality here till I went for it on
\n fourth and 2,\" Belichick quipped, referring to the 2009
\n regular-season game against the Colts when he went for it from
\n his own 28-yard line.\n <\/p>\n
\n The Patriots touched down here Sunday at 5 p.m. Earlier in the
\n day, 25,000 fans gave the team a send-off at Gillette Stadium.
\n At the rally, Brady said, \"We're going to give it our best and,
\n hopefully, we have a lot more people at our party next
\n weekend.\"\n <\/p>\n
\n A few New York media outlets characterized the statement as
\n Brady guaranteeing a victory, Joe Namath style.\n <\/p>\n
\n \"Well, it was a pep rally,\" Brady said. \"People are pretty
\n excited.\"\n <\/p>\n
\n The Giants, who arrive Monday, don't need extra motivation.
\n Quarterback Eli Manning and coach Tom Coughlin are also trying
\n to make history by joining the Super Bowl two-timers club.\n <\/p>\n
\n Belichick was asked if New England had revenge on their minds.
\n The Giants not only upset the Patriots, 17-14, in Super Bowl
\n XLII, but they dashed their hopes of finishing 19-0.\n <\/p>\n
\n \"I don't think [it] has very much bearing on anything,\"
\n Belichick said. \"I think the team that wins Sunday will be the
\n team that performs the best.\"\n <\/p>\n
\n Brady and Belichick have often been on the team that performed
\n the best. No matter what happens Sunday, both already have
\n their exalted place in the annals of the game.\n <\/p>\n
\n \n <\/p>\n
Gronk update<\/p>\n
\n Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski, who suffered a high ankle
\n sprain in the AFC championship, wore an air cast off the
\n airplane.\n <\/p>\n
\n Though his father, Gordy, recently told a New York radio
\n station that his son would play Sunday, Belichick was evasive
\n when asked for a prognosis on his Pro Bowl tight end.\n <\/p>\n
\n \"I'd say day-to-day,\" Belichick said.\n <\/p>\n
\n A high ankle sprain typically takes more than two weeks to
\n completely heal, but signs point to Gronkowski giving it a go.\n <\/p>\n
\n \n <\/p>\n
\n Contact staff writer Jeff McLane at 215-854-4745, Visit link: INDIANAPOLIS - They're baaaacck. Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have returned to the Super Bowl, and once again the New England Patriots quarterback and head coach are a victory away from adding their names to the record books. They've already made their mark in the NFL, obviously, and will set at least another at kickoff by becoming the starting quarterback-coach tandem with the most Super Bowl appearances, with five. Continue reading
\n jmclane@phillynews.com<\/a>
\n or @Jeff_McLane on Twitter.\n <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\nBelichick and Brady playing for Super Bowl immortality<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"