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.

And the Winner Is. . .

Well, Super Bowl XLIII is finally over and the Steelers have their record breaking sixth Lombardi Trophy. Oh, wait, the Cardinals won? Oh, hey congratulations to them on their first Super Bowl win. Hmm, so the Steelers did win? Are you sure? In addition to the wild shoot out that we witnessed in the fourth quarter, there is also a bit of controvery and it appears that for the second time in four years, Pittsburgh has come out on top of a game that had some questionable calls.

Anyway, here are just a few thoughts on the Super Bowl as I wonder if Kurt Warner might have been able to pull off a last second touchdown with five seconds remaining and the ball on the Steelers 29 yard line:

As it relates to the last play by the Cardinals where the official on the field ruled it a fumble by Warner, I'm not sure what happened. When the play first happened, I called it a fumble. When they showed it on the replay, I was even more convinced that it was a fumble. The rule is that a coach can not challenge any play in the last two minutes of the game because any close or potentially controversial call is automatically reviewed. So on a play that Warner appears to be clearly moving his arm forward, fumbles the ball and it's recovered by the opposing team in the last ten seconds of the NFL's biggest game, there is no review. Can you please explain to me how that makes sense?

And if you're Arizona head coach Ken Wisenhunt, how do you not charge onto the field and demand a stop in the play so that the referees can get the call correct? Instead, you choose to just stand there and get screwed over.

I also don't understand how 11 Arizona Cardinals can't chase down James Harrison on his 100 yard interception return. That was a poor display of effort by those guys. I just don't understand how someone with mediocre speed can break away from the pack. Where are the Cardinals' wide receivers, tight ends and their running back on the return? Seriously, check out the photo to the left. Why isn't 81 involved in the play at all on the run back? He's only five yards away from him. Are you telling me that he couldn't catch him from behind? And as far as Harrison goes, how do the referees allow him to stay in the game in the fourth quarter after throwing several punches at one of the Cardinals during a punt?

If you watch the Super Bowl for the commercials, you've got to be disappointed. Being in marketing and advertising, I don't understand how an agency could come in, pitch some ridiculous concept and have people agree that these commercials are good. Perhaps that's why some of these companies are also making layoffs, going into bankrupty and begging for a government handout.

Before the Steelers go and enshrine Super Bowl MVP Santonio Holmes into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, let's not forget that he was caught with marijuana earlier this year and has admitted smoking it. I'm not sure how he's avoided a suspension by the NFL but he now has something in common with Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps.

I don't see the Cardinals making a return trip to the Super Bowl any time soon. I have to imagine that their division will be tougher next year, with Seattle, San Francisco and St. Louis all making offseason changes and brining in new draft picks. And while their run to the Super Bowl was fun to watch, I don't see that they can catch lightning in a bottle two years in a row.

Watching Ben Rothlesberger play quarterback has me wondering how long he'll be in this league. I have no clue how he escaped the grasp of the Arizona defense on numerous plays but that same kind of sand lot scrambling will eventually lead to a serious injury and that's a fact. Rothlesberger is now the second youngest quarterback to ever win two Super Bowl's, which is bested only by Tom Bray's three in his first five years.

As I'm typing this post, Curt Schilling is on WEEI radio talking about the Steelers victory. Apparently he's a big Steelers fan from his days in Philadelphia. Listening to him talk has made me decide that I don't want him back if he decides to pitch next year. Seriously, just keep you mouth shut for once, Curt.

Anyway, congratulations to the Steelers. You persevered all year and were able to beat two of the worst playoff teams to ever appear in the post season in San Diego (division winner at 8-8) and Arizona (division winner at 9-7) while miraculously avoiding having to play the likes of New England, Indianapolis, and New York- it pains me to say the Giants but do you really think the Jets are any threat to the Steelers?

My Super Bowl Prediction

I've finally broken down the offenses and defenses of both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Arizona Cardinals. I've studied film of the special teams players for each Super Bowl representative, as well as their running games, wide reciever play and how they each use their tight ends to camoflage screen passes. I've analyzed the coaching careers for both Mike Tomlin and Ken Wisenhunt, how they came into the league, whom they were mentored by, where they got their breaks and how they like their coffee. I've even taken it a step further and looked at the ownership and fan base of each team, how they play on the road, in good weather, in bad weather and what time of day each team plays their best. But you know what? None of it means squat.

All you need to know is that while the Arizona Cardinals are gearing up for the biggest game of their lives, the Pittsburgh Steelers are still looking in their rear view mirror at the New England Patriots. How else do you explain the t-shirt to the left? Because everyone knows that you still have to go through the Patriots to be considered the best. This is similar to the feeling of winning the World Series and not beating the Yankees in the process. It's just not the same.

So while the Steelers are laughing at Tom Brady and the Patriots and planning their Super Bowl parade, I believe that Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Kurt Warner and the Edge will be the ones laughing at the end. Screw the stats, screw the defense, screw the fact that Kurt Warner is one of the most over rated players ever, screw the fact that the Cardinals haven't been here before, screw the fact that they'll be considered the worst Super Bowl winner ever, I'm picking them.

Final Score:
Arizona Cardinals 38
Pittsburgh Steerls 21

This is the NFC's Super Bowl Representative?

Over the last month, I've really been ragging on the Arizona Cardinals. For one, they won the weakest division in the NFL at 9-7 so right away you know that they're not very good. More importantly, this was a team that came to Foxboro the second to last week of the year and got completely embarassed 47-7. As I've written before, the score wasn't even that close.

They had a decent win at home the first week of the playoffs against an up-and-coming Atlanta Falcons team and then watched Jake Delhomme of the Carolina Panthers put on a turnover clinic for their benefit. Back at home last week, they gritted out a tough win against the Philadelphia Eagles and Donovan McNabb's mother to earn their first trip to the Super Bowl.

I was embarassed for the Cardinals when they lost to New England, I was embarassed when they made the playoffs and now I'm embarassed that they're in the Super Bowl. Which is why I think I'm going to pick them to win. Then the Patriots can say that they beat the Super Bowl champions. Although, they can say the same thing about the previous year, too. I feel sick.

The Road to the Super Bowl

This week's AFC and NFC Championship games feature one that looks like it will be an old fashioned grudge match between Pittsburgh and Baltimore and one that features two teams that didn't even win ten games in the regular season. The only real appealing Super Bowl match up that there is would be Philadelphia against Pittsburgh and that's one of the reasons that I'm picking against both of those teams this weekend. The love fest between Andy Reid and Donovan McNabb is making me feel uncomfortable and I don't think I could take two teams from the same state playing in the sports biggest game of the year. Plus, I pretty much hate both of these teams (I know, that's real objective, huh?)

Even though it's championship weekend, winning team is still in CAPS.

Philadelphia at ARIZONA
I can't believe that I'm doing this but I'm picking the Cardinals. Less than a month ago the Cardinals came to Foxboro and got embarassed 47-7 and the score wasn't even that close. The fact that they've rebounded from that loss and won a home playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons and then went on the road and embarassed the Carolina Panthers, with some help from Jake Delhomme, says a lot about this team. I know that Philly beat the defending Super Bowl champs last weekend but that was a beat up and worn down Giants team that they were playing.

BALTIMORE at Pittsburgh
If my prediction is correct, we'll have a Super Bowl that virtually no one will care who wins outside of each home town, along with a team that was only in the playoffs because of a better conference record than the Patriots. While Pittsburgh seemingly destroyed the Chargers last weekend, there were just too many fluky plays in that game to say that the score reflected the actual play on the field. I think that Ben Rothlesberger is more banged up than we're being led to believe and I think that Willie Parker is one big hit away from going out for the game. The Ravens defense is relentless and if they can control the field position game it will give rookie quarterback Joe Flacco the confidence he needs to earn his first trip to the Super Bowl.

So it'll be Arizona and Baltimore in this year's Snoozer Bowl.