Best Super Bowl Ever?

Since Sunday a lot of national writers have come out and said that the Steelers victory over the Cardinals was the best Super Bowl ever, including one Peter King. I'm not buying it and think that this is just an over reaction to an entertaining game. In fact, I think that writers who are calling this the greatest game ever should probably turn their press passes in and try a different career path.

Here's are a few of my reasons:

Too much controversy: Just like the Steelers' Super Bowl win a few years ago, too much controvery surrounds this game. From the two challenges thrown by Cardinals head coach Ken Wisenhunt (both of which were overturned), to the James Harrison interception return for a touchdown, to the "fumble" by Kurt Warner and even the game winning catch, which I clearly think was, in fact, a touchdown. Each of those plays could have gone the other way and some of them probably should have.

The officiating: How can you overturn one fumble by Kurt Warner earlier in the game by going to instant replay and then not even review an almost identical play a few minutes later with the game on the line? The NFL has yet to give a good explanation for this other than to say that someone up in the replay booth said the play was a fumble. Okay, then, why was the Santonio Holmes touchdown catch reviewed on the field by the referees? It makes no sense to me.

The coaching: Wisenhunt's decision not to recieve the ball to start the game was really odd. Would you rather have your questionable defense on the field to start the Super Bowl or your explosive offense? Hmmm, let me think about this one. Also, why was Larry Fitzgerald nearly invisible until the last 12 minutes of the game? Here's an idea for you: try to get your best reciever involved early in the game.

The officiating, part deux: Were there enough penalties and play stopages for you? But I'm not even going to get into specific calls that they did make. Instead, what about the two that they didn't make. First, on the Harrison interception for a touchdown, you have an Arizona player clearly getting blocked in the back right near an official. That non call changed the game, in case you didn't realize. Second, after Holmes' catch to put the Steelers up with 35 seconds left, he does some cockamammy touchdown dance and then uses the ball as a prop, which should be an automatic 15 yard penalty. I think the official was too busy celebrating with the Steelers to throw the flag, though.

So please spare me the talk about the greatest Super Bowl ever. This was an entertaining game with an amazing finish but it doesn't stand up to the Patriots first Super Bowl in 2001. This was right after 9/11 and we had the Patriots being introduced as a team, U2 as the halftime show, Ty Law picking of Warner for a clean TD, the Patriots defense completely shutting down Marshall Faulk and the so called greatest show on turf, Tom Brady securing his place in history as one of the youngest Super Bowl MVP's, the original "we shocked the world" game, and a last minute drive by the Patriots where John Madden repeatedly said that the Patriots should just run out the clock and go into overtime as Adma Vinatieri is making a last second field goal to win the sport's biggest game.

You know what? As much as it pains me, I'd even go as far as to say that last year's Super Bowl was even better for the sheer magnitude of what it meant. You had an 18-0 behemoth coming in against a hot New York Giants team that somehow found a way to shut down the Patriots' record setting offense, while making big play after big play to score the winning touchdown in the last minute of the game.

Anyway, here are some of the highlights from the game. Pay attention at the 3:16 mark for the illegal block in the back. This is also where you can see Fitzgerlad coming down the sidelines and getting blocked by his teammates on his own sideline. Way to cost your team the Super Bowl, guys.