Patriots tipped to win Super Bowl

Sunday, February 05, 2012

From the Diary of Robbie Earle at the 3rd Annual ESPN Super Bowl at Sea aboard the Oasis of the Seas

I'M a soccer man. I play the real football — like we know it in the Caribbean. But you can't live in the United States and stay immune to the excitement that surrounds the Super Bowl.

My gut feeling is that the New England Patriots are going to win.

It's like a rematch for the 2008 game that ended in that nailbiter of a loss for the Patriots.

This is their chance to even the score and I always believe that when you get such an opportunity, you come stronger and with a greater determination to win.

I think the Patriots have the edge. Their star quarterback Tom Brady is in fine form and will surely be looking to make headlines.

The Giants' have their own star in Eli Manning and I expect, as in all good matchups, both will be playing to win.

Of course, nothing is ever certain and today the prestige of the game might result in nerves that could overwhelm even the most gifted player.

Having said that, I still think the Patriots have the edge. They have been playing very well and have a score to settle with the Giants. I expect Brady's skill and Belichick's strategic maneuvering will secure a Patriots' victory.

Editor's note: Robbie Earle is a football analyst for ESPN and a panelist on ESPN Soccernet Press Pass. He is a former professional football player who had an extraordinary football career, playing in over 600 league games and scoring approximately 150 goals. He captained Wimbledon for five years and was also the Captain of the Jamaican national team for two years. Robbie made history in 1998 when he scored Jamaica's first goal in the World Cup Finals against Croatia, on the first occasion that Jamaica had qualified for the competition. Since his retirement, Robbie has successfully established himself as a respected sports journalist, enjoying regular work on both radio and television. Earle is one of several ESPN sports commentators, analysts, renowned soccer and NFL athletes and special guests currently sailing the Western Caribbean on the ESPN Super Bowl at Sea cruise.