ANDY'S PLACE...: MAKING MY PICK ON THE BIG GAME...

Well, I am finally down to making my prediction on the Super Boxl XLII. Even through my disappointment of being "replaced" by the "first stringer" Conrad, I press on to give y'all my best.

This has been a tough one since I don't really care which team wins. As a fan of the game, I'd like to see the Brady Bunch set a record that can't ever be topped. But at the same time, the Giants are a tough bunch that have played their hearts out to get there.

So I decided I would make my decision based on which team had the best-looking cheerleaders. Was I in for a surprise!

My first surprise was how skinny and ugly the New England Patriots cheerleaders are.

Skinny Patriot Cheerleaders

More skinny Patriot Cheerleaders

So I began to have my doubts right away about picking the Pats over the Giants. My next surprise came when I found out that the Giants don't even have cheerleaders! Can you believe that? Now, I've been to New York, and truthfully the gals ain't real pretty up there, but I bet they could bus some in from Alabama, or Florida, or LSU on Sundays.

Heck, I bet Jerry Jones would trade several of the Cowboys' Cheerleaders for a good cornerback (he can always get some more pretty ones in Dallas). My research also revealed that the NY Jets don't have cheerleaders either. I mean come on...is New York "Skaggville" or something?

I did run across an interesting article from 1959 though:

The New York Times, October 9, 1959:

New York Giants 1959 Cheerleaders: Bev Bush, Debbie Flood, Lynn Hoffman, Mimi Nolte, Peggy Flood, and their leader Betty Cashman

Football Giants Add Dimpled Cheer

10 Girl Cheerleaders to Lead Rah-Rahing at Stadium Games

by HOWARD M. TUCKNER

The ponderous beefeaters of football known as the New York Giants will turn to dimpled knees and twirling skirts to please the customers this season.
For the first time in the clubs thirty-five-year history, girl cheerleaders have been recruited by the Giant management. Their job will be to bring some organized rah-rahing to the home games and also to make it less painful for the players doing and dying for dear old Mara Tech.

Five of the ten-girl contingent and the blond scout who hunted them up presented an interesting study for photographers yesterday at the Giant's offices at Columbus Circle.
All the girls, ranging in age from 17 to 20, wore high heels. Two tenderly cradled footballs. None will have to lose a pound to make the team.
According to Miss Cashman, her cheerleaders will be no skirt and sweater wearers. The girls will be outfitted in royal-blue dresses of Bermuda length (Modern Juniors by Mona Roset) and blue-and-white turtleneck leotites.
"Our footwear will be distinctive too," Miss Cashman said airily. "My girls will wear blue, high-laced leather sneakers. They're by Capezio, you know."
As for the players themselves, they'll probably adore Miss Cashman and her fashionable cheerleaders. As yet, though, nobody's dared tell the players about the whole thing.

I don't know when the Giants dropped the gals from the squad, but evidently they did. So I guess I'm gonna have to take the Patriots. Their cheerleaders might be skinny and ugly, but at least they got some. Everybody knows that cheerleaders are worth a few extra points. And I figure a few extra points might just do the trick!

I also came across some cheerleader pictures I thought I'd pass along.