One of the oldest (and thus most accurate) notions in football is that, before a game, you either say nothing about your opponent, or you praise them. 

Or you make them, and everyone else, nauseous with a Lou Holtz routine about how they’re the best organized sports team in the history of the country, if not the world.

So, as Super Bowl XLII approaches, the New York Giants are either playing with fire — or blazing a new trail.

Ignoring the potential motivational effect that their words might have on the 18-0 Patriots, the Giants are pulling a collective Joe Namath, announcing to all who will listen that they plan to win.

And as the game approaches, the Giants are only getting more brash.

On Monday, receiver Plaxico Burress predicted a 23-17 win.  Defensive end Michael Strahan declared, “History will be ours.”

Maybe they’re simply taking a cue from upstairs.  After all, co-owner Steve Tisch claimed on Friday night that the Giants will win.

In a way, it all makes sense.  Between the lines, trash talking now pervades all of sport.  Why should the chatter not begin before the players take the field?

Still, the risk is great.  The Patriots surely say nothing publicly, but coach Bill Belichick will paste together these various comments, predictions, and guarantees to work his guys into an absolute frenzy as 6:20 p.m. EST approaches on Sunday.

 And when you can sprinkle that kind of emotion over an 18-0 team that is one of the best to ever play the game, it’s a dangerous combination.

After all, David didn’t drop smack on Goliath before he planted a stone into his skull.  If the New York Giants can find a way to knock off the NFL’s giants after chirping for a couple of weeks about how they plan to do so, the outcome of this one really will be on par with Jets-Colts in Super Bowl III.