I enjoyed the game. I usually don't. But I might have enjoyed it for improper reasons.
- I like a punting duel which the first quarter of the game basically was. Holding position until the quarterbacks figure out what was going on. It was like a CFL game between Hamilton and Winnipeg in early August for a while there. The beauty.
- I have no love or hate for Seattle but how the heck did they get to the Super Bowl? Remember how Elway or Montana or any number of other great quarterbacks led their teams in the last few minutes to marches down the field to get a gabazillion points in 12 seconds to win - like every time? Seattle apparently did not remember, never heard of the phenomena and thought the panic and waste time move was a better ploy. Bad playing lost them the game.
- Pittsburg were not smooth or masterful or anything but they had a lot of fun and made great plays. Bettis turned 3 yard runs into crowds into 7 yard runs into crowds through sheer inertia. Here is to guys with inertia. The reverse pass from wide receiver Antwaan Randle El to Ward, illustrated above, was one of the most fun plays in sports I have ever watched unfold because as soon as it started you could see it happening, the announcers could see it happening and the crowd could see it happening. Seattle's defence, however, could not.
- Best of all, after the game, I tuned into 1020 KDKA AM radio from Pittsburg to hear what sounded like a Catholic ministry radio hour. The nice but fairly square priest read the words to Queen's "We Are The Champions" earnestly but a little ponderously like he was reading Ezekiel then he read out the schools in the city which were operating on a two hour delay to Monday morning's start. It sounded like every one. Eleven year olds throughout Pittsburg cheered again.
Comments
David Janes - February 6, 2006 8:18 am
Even though I was cheering for Pittsburg, in a non-commital sort of way, the game left a bad taste in mouth -- too much was decided by marginal officiating.
And on the subject of Sting...
Alan - February 6, 2006 8:27 am
Frankly, it was more like No Doubt plus Sting. When else was ska for one moment the music of this world and not just of out there on The Planet of Beautiful Women?
Mike - February 6, 2006 9:19 am
I'm happy. I am a Steelers fan (life-long!) but I am trying to be objective in saying that I think that the smallest possible piece of the ball did break the plane on Ben's td while he was in the air. So, good call, and, as there was not conclusive evidence otherwise, good call on not reversing it.
But it's one of my many 'areas of concern' with American football. They shouldn't call it a touchdown, it should be a planebreak. (And, in rugby, they should call it a touchdown, not a try.) ... Point After Touchdown from right in front of the goalposts? why bother? bring it out from the place where the touchdown, er, planebreak occured. ... Ruling it a reception when they guy lands out of bounds because the mean old defender pushed him out? The defender did his frakking job! ...
Self-promotion of the night -- Al Michaels saying the crowd in Detroit was like Lake Placid when the US beat the Soviets. Do you believe in miracles?!?!
Hans - February 6, 2006 10:42 am
It was less Seattle's QB than it was his receivers who dropped balls and went out of bounds at the wrong time. The Seahawks left 14 points on the field.
GR - February 6, 2006 2:50 pm
I LOVE football, and I get disgusted when there is a stupid ad every few seconds. The game feels disjointed and disconnected. The interruptions and hype also seem to disrupt the players feel for the game, making for boring Super Bowls.
BUT, I am grateful to the Steelers for doing the cinderella thing and beating up on a few teams here at season's end and in the playoffs. They remind me of what a football team is supposed to be about: playing hard and fighting. Nobody seems surprised Seattle lost. Their coach seems like a real cold fish. Bill Cowher looks like he eats horseshoes and rocks for breakfast every day, and he knows how to yell and motivate: a very tough guy. HOWEVER, whenever he is interviewed, he has a sweet smile, intelligent things to say, and is polite. A real old-fashined football coach: tough as shoe leather, but a real gentleman.
Besides, as I have said before, Seattle has good coffee. You can't have everything.
brian - February 6, 2006 6:37 pm
GR- The ads disrupt the players' feel of the game? I guess I didn't realize that the players watch the commercials during the game. In fact, I really doubt they pay much attention to any ads, even the signs in the stadium.
For the record, Seattle was robbed two TD's. Simple as that.
Alan - February 6, 2006 7:22 pm
I dunno, Brian. The push-off interference penalty in the end was pretty clear cut.
brian - February 6, 2006 7:25 pm
Aww, he barely touched him! :) Agree to disagree?
Alan - February 6, 2006 7:34 pm
OK but only if you don't razz me on my feelings about CFL games.
brian - February 6, 2006 8:05 pm
No razzing from here!
GR - February 6, 2006 8:27 pm
Brian-A regular season game televised for both college and pro lasts about 3 hours. They have TV timeouts from time to time. Why do college bowl games and the Super Bowl last 4-4.5 hours? I am not saying the players watch ads, of course not, but there are more frequent TV breaks between plays and possesions, disrupting the usual pace. I am not sure what everybody on the field is doing during the breaks, but simply playing the game straight through keeps the focus on the game.