newjerseynewsroom.com

BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

The playoff battle between the New York Giants and the San Francisco 49ers has suddenly gone beyond the playing field and into the stands.

Columnist Filip Bondy wrote a column Saturday calling 49ers fans the most overrated in the NFL, calling them “soft.” He offers reasons such as these:

There aren’t enough people in San Francisco to make noise, and it’s too warm there for people to get angry. The people are too rich and think too much, they’re not fat enough, and San Francisco has cute cable cars, as opposed to the D train, according to the New York Daily News.

Scott Ostler of sfgate.com responds: “New York will close the income gap difference with their next Ponzi scheme, and San Franciscans don’t eat meat like New Yorkers because they want to live beyond 40. New Yorkers sprinkle chunks of steak on their Frosted Flakes. And the cable cars are cute. … except when one snaps its cable and careens downhill at about 140 mph.”

New York Daily News reports that 42-year old Giants fan Joe Ruback has gone to all 283 games At Giants Stadium. Ruback has spent $12,000 for four front-row, 50-yard-line tickets for Sunday’s playoff, and last Sunday he paid $2,400 for two front-row tickets in Green Bay. His season totals are estimated at $22,000 for road game tickets, and $2,500 for tickets at home.

Meanwhile, back on the playing field, Giants running back Ahmad Bradshaw, who was out with a foot injury when the 49ers beat the Giants in November, is looking forward to the rematch. He told the New York Post, “If we can go out and execute, I think we’ll be fine.”

The Giants running game was last in the league during the regular season with 89.2 rushing yards per game, but has averaged 133.5 in postseason play. San Francisco was No. 1 in run defense in the regular season, allowing 77.2 yards per game.

The game forecast calls for rain and wind.