By Glen Farley, ENTERPRISE STAFF WRITER FOXBORO — Their last postseason meeting resulted in a postgame dance a number of folks in San Diego took exception to.When the Chargers and Patriots meet at Gillette Stadium this afternoon, they’ll be vying to advance to the NFL’s “big dance.”“We’re 17-0 and that’s great,” Patriots quarterback Tom Brady said following his NFL record-setting passing performance (26-of-28, 92.9 percent) in New England’s 31-20 AFC divisional playoff win over Jacksonville at Gillette last weekend, “but it all comes down to this week.”A win over the Chargers in today’s AFC Championship Game will keep the Patriots perfect and advance them to Super Bowl XLII in Glendale, Ariz., on Feb. 3.A win by the underdog, and perhaps undermanned, Chargers would advance them to their first Super Bowl since No. XXIX and more than avenge their 24-21 divisional-round loss to New England at Qualcomm Stadium last year.That was when San Diego players found Patriots cornerback Ellis Hobbs’ version of “Dancing with the Stars” — his postgame impression of Chargers outside linebacker Shawne Merriman’s “Lights Out” dance on the team logo at midfield — downright offensive.The Patriots have been extremely offensive this season.The Pats’ 589 points erased the previous NFL-record 556 points in a season the Minnesota Vikings posted in 1998 and featured a league-record 50 touchdown passes by Brady and a league-record 23 TD receptions by wide receiver Randy Moss.“Bill’s known as a defensive guy,” Chargers head coach Norv Turner said of his Patriots counterpart, Bill Belichick, “but what they’ve done with this offense and the way they’ve kind of taken the league by storm … Everyone knows that New England right now is playing the best football in the league and it’s going to be a real challenge for us.”
The real challenge for a Patriots team that is stingy with turnovers (a league-low 15 during the regular season; none against the Jaguars last weekend) will be a Chargers team that thrives on them (a league-leading 48 during the regular season; five in two postseason games).“They lead the league in turnovers,” Patriots wide receiver Jabar Gaffney pointed out, “and when they get the ball they usually win. We’ve got to keep it and not give it to them.”In last Sunday’s 28-24 divisional playoff win in Indianapolis, the Chargers survived a 402-yard passing attack by picking off Peyton Manning twice and recovering a fumble by wide receiver Marvin Harrison.
“It’s remarkable the things we’ve done defensively,” said Turner. “The ball goes up in the air and we have a lot of good athletes back there and it seems like one guy tips it and it goes up in the air and one of our guys finds a way to get it.“The combination of being able to pressure the quarterback, get pressure and create some errant throws and then our guys rallying to the ball to get it … We have a bunch of guys back there that really could play on offenses as receivers.”The two teams met once this regular season, back on Sept. 16, with the Patriots overpowering the Chargers, 38-14.On the one hand, that Week Two win came long before the Chargers got their act together under Turner, who replaced Marty Schottenheimer following last season’s postseason loss to the Patriots.On the other hand, it came when running back LaDainian Tomlinson (knee), quarterback Philip Rivers (injuries to both knees) and tight end Antonio Gates (dislocated toe) were a whole lot healthier than they are today.While Tomlinson is fully expected to start today, the conditions of Rivers, Gates and even defensive tackle Jamal Williams (ankle) are less certain.Jolted by their injuries in the backfield, the Bolts were forced to rely on a cast headlined by Michael Turner, Darren Sproles and Billy Volek last Sunday n a crew one would be more likely to see getting snaps in the second half of a preseason game rather than a postseason matchup to advance to the conference championship.
What to expect when Giants have the ball: Management. The team is operating as if it were a business. The CEO: Eli Manning. His charge: to “manage” matters, meaning to take what is there and to eliminate mistakes. Through his past three games, the junior of the quarterbacking brothers has made the club’s offense resemble something that a Fortune 500 company could envy. No errors. Well, one. In this interim (including two playoff games), Manning has completed 70.1 percent of his passes, eight for TDs, with one INT. This, with WR Plaxico Burress handicapped by an ankle injury. Before Manning took a place in Tom Coughlin’s executive suite, he had turned over the football 26 times in 15 games. Some transformation. For Manning to continue his immaculate play today, however, is going to be difficult. He doesn’t have TE Jeremy Shockey, eliminated with an injury. On the outside, his receivers – Burress, Amani Toomer and former USC whiz Steve Smith – are going to be confronted by two of the NFL’s most physical corner defenders, Al Harris and Charles Woodson. They’ll be eye-to-eye with the New York receivers at the line of scrimmage. Manning can hand off to Brandon Jacobs, a heavyweight running back with the thrust to wear down a defense, and to Ahmad Bradshaw, a rookie find who is tough and quick enough to get outside.Somebody unsung to look for: FB Madison Hedgecock (No. 39). He is considered one of the best lead blockers in the game.
Key matchup: MLB Nick Barnett is the hub of the Green Bay defense. Negating him falls to which center the Giants utilize, Shaun O’Hara (who has been injured) or Grey Ruegamer.
What to expect when Packers have the ball:Anything. Brett Favre can improvise, as he did last week when, stumbling and about to go down, he underhanded a pass for a first down during his side’s conquest of Seattle. Favre may be in his 17th season, but his arm strength has not been impaired. “That’s going to be the last thing that leaves Favre,” Fox Sports analyst Troy Aikman said. Favre is without peer at drifting, keeping a play alive by moving laterally, then directing one of his fastballs downfield. His receivers, Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, are as good after the catch as any two in the league. TEs Donald Lee and Bubba Franks also are useful. At his age, however, Favre is going to be challenged by the New York rush. “As you get older, you don’t tend to move as well,” Aikman said. “It seems as if you’re in concrete.” The Giants attack a QB in many ways, operating from different fronts in an attempt to confuse the man with the football. DEs Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora represent an elite pair. At times, defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo has another DE, Justin Tuck, join them. Anything to complicate matters. Favre must make full use of RB Ryan Grant. When the Pack pried Grant from the Giants for a sixth-round draft pick during the preseason, they obtained a rusher who hit the Seahawks for 201 yards and has the look of one of the NFL’s ranking backs. He has size, and he can take it to the casa.
Somebody unsung to look for: Atari Bigby (No. 20) is a second-year strong safety out of Central Florida. A 211-pounder, he made a series of concussive hits against Seattle.
Key matchup: Strahan shows up in the soup commercials, but the Giants’ most explosive pass rusher is Umenyiora. On him, the Pack will have 320-pound Chad Clifton, with Mark Tauscher part of a bookend pair of tackles.
Prediction: Giants 26, Packers 20.
– JERRY MAGEE
http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/nfl/20080120-9999-lz1×20picks.html
The romantic comedy “27 Dresses” will work best for people who have never seen a romantic comedy. If you have, you might find it amusing to tally up the steals – I mean, homages.
What’s unusual about “27 Dresses” is that it doesn’t only filch from good movies, it also poaches the bad stuff. This is a movie that was practically inspired by “The Runaway Bride.”
Still, it’s January, folks, and any studio picture released this early in the year is almost, by definition, a dud. And so I’m pleased to report that “27 Dresses,” while it isn’t good, exactly, is no stinker. By January standards, it might even be said to be OK.
The main reason the movie is tolerable to sit through is Katherine Heigl, who plays Jane Nichols, always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Jane’s mother died when she was young, and ever since then she’s been the perfect helper to everyone from her younger sister Tess (Malin Akerman) to her large supply of marriageable female friends – 27 to be exact.
She’s also the perfect assistant to her wealthy boss, George (Edward Burns), who runs an outdoor equipment company. In a shocking plot development, we discover that Jane is hopelessly in love with George, who, of course, is clueless about her infatuation.
Enter Kevin (James Marsden), a roguish newspaper columnist who, in the real world, would be writing nasty gossip but here is consigned to his paper’s “Weddings” section. He has a soulful flair for writing up wedding announcements even though he claims to be cynical about marriage. In another shocking narrative twist, it turns out that he’s really a cream puff when it comes to romance.
The object of his ardor is, of course, Jane, who at first can’t stand him. He’s almost creepily persistent, though. They end up bonding in a roadhouse bar after their car breaks down in a storm and proceed to wail Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets” while the improbably ruly patrons gleefully chime in.
Jane and Kevin may not have “met cute” but they bond cute.
Since all romantic comedies have to have “heart” – i.e., heartbreak – Tess arrives on the scene to scoop up Jane’s one true love, George.
Soon they are engaged, even though Tess, a layabout with a taste for Eurotrashy men, has lied to him about her past. Once again, George, supposedly a man of the world, is clueless about what women want. And Jane, ever the helpmate, becomes her sister’s bridesmaid.
This is the kind of movie where the audience is meant to recognize the heroine’s one true love even before she does. It’s obvious that Jane and Kevin were meant for each other, which is why it takes almost the entire movie for them – or, more exactly, her – to realize it. She even gets to act out that hoariest of scenes – the one where the girl kisses the guy she’s supposed to be in love with (George) and realizes the sparks just aren’t there.
Heigl, a regular on “Grey’s Anatomy,” made her big movie splash in “Knocked Up,” and her sunny insipidity helped to leaven some of that film’s raunchiness. She was charming in that film and she’s delightful in “27 Dresses,” too, although director Anne Fletcher overdoes the smiling-through-tears close-ups.
Heigl doesn’t need the camera to do her work for her. She’s a bit like Amy Adams – Hollywood’s other It girl. They both radiate a sweetness that can’t be faked (or at least they’re doing a great job faking it).
As her wisecracking co-worker, Judy Greer has the best lines and she knows how to deliver them. Marsden, who was the cartoonishly handsome prince opposite Adams in “Enchanted,” does a variation on that role here. Akerman is a one-note temptress but then again, her role is barely a grace note.
Like I said, it’s January. You want good? Wait until the spring. Grade: C+
Rated PG-13 for language, some innuendo, and sexuality.
The Post was not able to acquiesce to Holmes’s publicist’s requests — especially that the celeb not be asked about a certain Los Angeles-based church. Several publications apparently agreed to this condition, but not us. Until it fell to pieces, we were prepared to go for broke with the following questions . . .- We have a guest bedroom and bathroom in our apartment, almost zero neighborhood paparazzi, and the fridge is full of diet sodas and healthy snacks. You could stay as long as you like, and we promise not to tell a soul. Would you like to leave with us right now?(Note: Ask again, offering her the option of just blinking twice if the answer is yes.)- How much cash do you have on you, at this moment? Could you break a 50? (It’s related to the movie!)- You just told David Letterman that your 2-year-old daughter — her name is Suri, right? — always sleeps from 11 p.m. until 9 a.m., uninterrupted, every night. Other than a crack staff of nannies, we’re sure our readers with young children want to know: What’s your secret?- Did you feel all totally Juno, getting pregnant and giving birth before you got married? When did you decide to keep your baby? When did you tell Dawson that it was (allegedly) Tom’s?
After weeks of back-and-forthing between our people and hers, the Style section regrets that we blew our chance to sit down with Katie Holmes in New York last week to talk about her new film, “Mad Money.” (The one where she, Diane Keaton and Queen Latifah make like D.C. property tax office managers and steal piles and piles of cash — buthilariously.)
PARK CITY, Utah (Reuters) - Whatever people may think, Robert Redford and his daughter Amy Redford say that her debut as director of “The Guitar” at the Sundance Film Festival was all Amy’s doing — no help from the Sundance Kid.
“It’s a very basic question, and one I would ask,” Amy Redford, 37, told Reuters. “But the thing I feel good and confident about is that I’ve been involved in other films that haven’t made it, and it’s a democratic selection process.”
The elder Redford, who founded the festival named after his role as the outlaw Sundance in the 1969 film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,” told reporters at a separate news conference that his only role was as a father who supported his daughter.
“I’m happy to say she is here on her own drive,” he said.
The Sundance Film Festival, which began on Thursday and ends January 27 at the Utah ski resort of Park City, is the premiere gathering for U.S. independent film. Each year thousands of filmmakers submit movies in hopes of gaining entry and, perhaps, the exposure that can make them Hollywood stars.
Of the more than 3,600 movies submitted this year, only about 120 were selected from 25 countries around the world, so it’s natural that some people might suspect nepotism was involved in “The Guitar” winning a spot.
Yet, the festival employs many programmers to screen all those films, utilizes a selection committee to pick entries, and Robert Redford is not in that group.
“The Guitar,” which tells of a young woman finding her own true spirit and independence, debuted at Sundance on Friday, and like any first-time director Amy Redford said she was nervous
