View From America: A comparison of Tom Brady's mob and the Chicago Cubs

This week America has been intrigued by two things: Tom Brady and the Chicago Cubs. Which is weird, because both live on the other end of the spectrum when it comes to winning titles.

Our US sportswriter Alex Ferguson has more……

When the Chicago Cubs fended off the St Louis Cardinals to advance to the National League Championship on Tuesday, the atmosphere inside Wrigley Field was so explosive you could swear that you were watching - even from a little bar in San Diego - a top-ranked NFL game.

The home runs that burst over the ivy-strewn walls (hit by Cubbies, of course) were greeted with roars. Every two-strike was cheered like Pittsburgh Steelers fans roar on their team during 3rd-and-long.

Actually, it wasn't loud. It was deafening.

And when Chicago finally won their first home play-off series since 1908, the release of joy was something you see out of a Super Bowl. And the Cubs only made the semi-finals.

And while the eyes of America were on Citi Field on Saturday night when the New York Mets take on the Chicago Cubs in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series, you can also be assured that they'll be glued to the TV on Sunday to watch Tom Brady and the New England Patriots play the Indianapolis Colts.

Brady got to start the first game of the season, and he's been sensational. His numbers? 1,387 yards and 11 TDs. And no interceptions. His counterpart - Andrew Luck - has been out for two games with shoulder problems. He's thrown for seven interceptions and been abysmal. The Colts 'D' has struggled with everybody bar the mighty Jacksonville Jaguars.

Looks like the Patriots should romp, right?

Well, on Sunday, all could change at Lucas Oil Stadium. Jim Irsay, the Colts owner, said that Luck's "feeling a lot better" and expects him to start.

And - as Chicago Cubs fans well know - weird things happen in big games.