Super Bowl FanHouse http://superbowl.fanhouse.com Super Bowl FanHouse http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/media/feedlogo.gif Super Bowl FanHouse http://superbowl.fanhouse.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/Ben Roethlisberger: 'I Thought I Blew It'http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/03/roethlisberger-i-thought-i-blew-it/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/03/roethlisberger-i-thought-i-blew-it/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/03/roethlisberger-i-thought-i-blew-it/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

When Ben Roethlisberger let go of the game-winning touchdown pass, he thought he had just lost the game.

Even though he had thrown the pass in just about the only spot it could have been thrown for a completion, Roethlisberger was worried that he had handed the Cardinals a win with an interception.
"I saw Santonio in the corner. As soon as I let go of it, I saw the defensive back going to get it. I thought it was intercepted. I thought I blew it," Roethlisberger said.
It's hard to say if Roethlisberger is just trying to be modest or really felt that way, since there really wasn't any Cardinal defensive back who had a shot at picking off that pass, but after throwing a crucial interception at the goal line in Super Bowl XL, it's understandable that Roethlisberger was worried about a repeat performance. Roethlisberger wasn't the funniest guest Letterman has ever had, and the rest of the interview is relatively bland, but it is available after the jump.



Roethlisberger's second Super Bowl in four years is likely to open the flood gates for Roethlisberger's endorsement opportunities. Hitting Letterman the day after the game is a first step on that path.

Ben Roethlisberger: 'I Thought I Blew It' originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Ben RoethlisbergerBenRoethlisbergerJJ CooperTue, 03 Feb 2009 08:44:00 EST Trophy Towel Is a Terrible Travestyhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/trophy-towel-is-a-terrible-travesty/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/trophy-towel-is-a-terrible-travesty/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/trophy-towel-is-a-terrible-travesty/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

As soon as the Super Bowl MVP hoists the Lombardi Trophy, the NFL always has a commercial ready to tell fans how they can buy overpriced hats and t-shirts "that are just like the ones the champions are wearing." It's harmless, and hey, if you want to spend $22 on a t-shirt or $30 on a Super Bowl cap, knock yourselves out.

But this year, the NFL has gone a step further and added a product that no self-respecting Steelers fan would ever purchase. For $24.99 you can buy a genuine Super Bowl champion "trophy towel." It's a towel that has "SB XLIIII champions" printed on it. Considering how much a hand towel costs, that's a nice 1,500 percent markup at least, but worse than that, the towel is a horrendously odious knock-off of something Steelers fans consider sacred.

The Terrible Towel is as much a part of Steeler fandom as Jerome Bettis, Art Rooney and the Immaculate Reception. It's also a great way to remember legendary radio announcer Myron Cope, who invented the towel in 1975. You can buy a Myron Cope Tribute Terrible Towel for $6.95 or a Super Bowl XLIII one for $7.95. Now the NFL is trying to get in on the act (30+ years later) and is marketing Trophy Towels for every team.

If you buy a Terrible Towel, at a reasonable $7.95, you will be supporting the Allegheny Valley School, a school that works with people with autism and other mental disabilities--Myron Cope donated the rights to the towel to the school back in the 1990s. If you buy a Trophy Towel at a gouge-you-till-your-eyes-bleed $24.95, you're just making the NFL richer.

So if you're looking to get a Super Bowl memento, grab a Terrible Towel, something any self-respecting Steelers fan would be happy to own. The NFL's Trophy Towel is something that no true Steelers fan should use as toilet paper. If you happen to have the misfortune to receive one as a gift, please burn it, as Steelers fans need to do everything we can to keep the NFL's copycat product from spreading.

Trophy Towel Is a Terrible Travesty originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 20:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>JJ CooperMon, 02 Feb 2009 20:33:00 EST Ashley Madison.com Ad Played on Local Houston Stationhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/ashley-madison-com-ad-played-on-local-houston-station/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/ashley-madison-com-ad-played-on-local-houston-station/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/ashley-madison-com-ad-played-on-local-houston-station/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Ashley Madison -- the Web site for married folks that want to have a discreet romp with other married folk -- understood that a Super Bowl advertising spot could really boost their already huge (and still growing) list of members. That's why they made one. But NBC and the NFL decided to squash their dreams, rejecting the ad. Fortunately, it still ran on a local Houston station, and we scored a copy of it.



After viewing the totally SFW ad, you can tell the NFL and NBC pretty much based their decision on the content and premise of the Web site itself, and not this commercial. Because, frankly, that was tastefully done. You can scope the site itself for the full version, provided your dayjob doesn't block pr0n. (/shakes fist at corporate overlords)

Ashley Madison.com Ad Played on Local Houston Station originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Ashley MadisonAshleyMadisonAshleyMadison.comWill BrinsonMon, 02 Feb 2009 15:00:00 EST The Super Bowl XLIII Zebra Reporthttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/the-super-bowl-xliii-zebra-report/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/the-super-bowl-xliii-zebra-report/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/the-super-bowl-xliii-zebra-report/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

FanHouse's resident referee will chime in quasi-weekly with thoughts on major topics relating to officiating. We call it The Zebra Report. Matt Snyder is a high school official with eight years experience. While this is like a third-year resident critiquing the work of a world-renowned surgeon, it's still better than someone who has never worn the stripes.

First of all, congratulations to the Pittsburgh Steelers. That was one hell of a Super Bowl with a dramatic ending. The first thing I want to say about the officiating is that I believe it was a very well officiated game. We'll delve right into the alleged controversial calls and sort things out.

1. Ben Roethlisberger scores a touchdown, and the replay overturned the ruling on the field. I'm no more qualified to judge this play than any other football fan. I saw what you saw: A big amoeba where you can't tell exactly what happened or exactly where the ball was when Big Ben's knee hit the ground. This was a very tough call, and I can't imagine how tough it would have been for the linesmen to make a full-speed judgment. I have no problem with the call on the field or the ensuing reversal.

Also, on this play, it appeared an offensive lineman grabbed Roethlisberger and aided his move toward the goal-line. Some people wanted the officials to call an assisting-the-runner penalty. While it's true there is a penalty for this, it rarely -- if ever -- gets called. In order for someone to garner a penalty for this, they'd pretty much have to pick up the ballcarrier and walk them forward. Generally speaking, you are never going to get a call for garden variety pushing and pulling your teammate. That's just the way the game is called.

2. James Harrison takes an interception back 100 yards for a touchdown. I believe it was the correct call to give him the touchdown. Immediately when he hit the ground, the ball was touching the goal-line. This was another one where it was very close.

3. Karlos Dansby is called for roughing the passer. He appeared to take a step and push Roethlisberger to the ground a split-second after releasing the pass. Personally, I didn't care for this one. I thought it was "bang-bang" enough to let it slide. On the other hand, roughing the passer has been called quite tightly all season, so they need to maintain consistency in the biggest game of the year. Plus, it's pretty stupid to shove the quarterback after he's released the football.

4. Roughing the holder on Adrian Wilson. This had to have been the easiest call Terry McAulay made all season. To answer the hypothetical questions ... Yes, you can have roughing the holder. You can also have roughing the snapper (on punts and field goals). McAulay did not announce the penalty correctly, though. He said, "unnecessary roughness," which would have meant the penalty enforcement would come on the ensuing kickoff. Roughing the holder, however, gives the offense an automatic first down and continues the drive. They enforced the penalty correctly for the call, though, so that's really all that matters.

5. Harrison receives an unnecessary roughness penalty. He should have been thrown out of the game. That was a dirty, uncalled for, pathetic reaction from a great football player. There's no room for that crap in the Super Bowl. The only explanation I can come up with is that the officials didn't see his punch, and only saw the shoving afterwards, because a punch is an automatic disqualification.

6. Holding called on the Steelers in the end-zone results in an Arizona safety. That was a great, gutsy call. You can't just tackle a defender and get away with it, but sometimes those calls get missed. In this case, the Steelers were just about to ice the football game, but the officials hung in there and made the correct call. Great work, boys.

7. Santonio Holmes uses the football as a "prop" in his touchdown celebration, and is not penalized 15 yards. Really, the only explanation is that no official saw this, otherwise they just ignored what is deemed to be an automatic penalty. Those 15 yards would have been huge for the Cards, too. I'm sure it was quite hectic down there on the field in the aftermath of the play, especially since they were headed to the replay booth. When you can't review things like this, and there are seven human beings trying to watch 22 guys, things of this nature will happen.

Last, and certainly not least ... the end of the game. Kurt Warner's hand was clearly moving forward when he fumbled the football. This is the fact the naysayers are clinging to, while conveniently ignoring the fact that he did not have possession of the football when his arm started moving forward. Look, I'm a fan at heart, and I was rooting for Arizona. Initially, when I saw the play, I started going crazy thinking they got it wrong. When you watch the replay, and can distance yourself from any fanatical thoughts, however, it's obvious the call on the field was correct. Again, Warner did not have possession of the football when his arm was moving forward. That's a textbook fumble.

One thing to discuss in this situation, though, is that they didn't send the play to a booth review. I'm surprised they didn't just give a courtesy review. It seems like they usually review any close call in the last two minutes of big games, so I'm actually shocked they didn't give this one the same treatment. This isn't to say the officials or the NFL did anything wrong, because they don't have to review anything. I'm just saying that I'm surprised they didn't send it to the booth to be sure.

It matters not, though, because the end result would have been the same. Kurt Warner fumbled the football. End of discussion. The question everyone should be asking, instead of going after the officials, was why did Warner hold the ball in the pocket for seven seconds?

As I said, this was a very well officiated game. The only real questionable call, in my mind, was the roughing the passer call on Dansby, and that was in line with how the game has been called all season. So, really, the guys in stripes did their job in the biggest game of the season.

The Super Bowl XLIII Zebra Report originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>adrian wilsonAdrianWilsonben roethlisbergerBenRoethlisbergerjames harrisonJamesHarrisonkarlos dansbyKarlosDansbykurt warnerKurtWarnersantonio holmesSantonioHolmessuper bowl xliiiSuperBowlXliiiterry mcaulayTerryMcaulayzebra reportZebraReportMatt SnyderMon, 02 Feb 2009 14:00:00 EST Super Bowl Studs and Duds: Santonio Holmes Was Hugehttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/studs-and-duds-super-bowl-santonio-holmes-was-huge/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/studs-and-duds-super-bowl-santonio-holmes-was-huge/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/studs-and-duds-super-bowl-santonio-holmes-was-huge/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Each week in the NFL, there are players that impress and players that distress. One week a certain quarterback might toss four touchdowns and run around with his finger in the air while the next he's laying on his back, holding his facemask as the other team returns one of his three interceptions for the game-winning score. With that in mind, here's a special Super Bowl XLIII edition of Studs and Duds.

Studs

Santonio Holmes, WR Pittsburgh (9 catches, 131 yards, 1 TD) -- If playing Hines Ward was meant to take some of the Arizona secondary's attention away from other receivers, it was a fantastic game plan. Holmes seemed to be open the entire game, and his incredibly nimble toes put the Steelers up for good at the end. You wanted Was this David Tyree for 2009? Those tippy-toes to stay inbounds for the touchdown might have been it. His performance was one for the ages, and it elevated him from "respectable receiver who once sent pictures of his male region to a female" to Super Bowl MVP and talk of the Terrible Towel town.

Larry Fitzgerald, WR Arizona (7 catches, 127 yards, 2 TDs) -- A friend of mine in Las Vegas bet all the prop bets involving receivers on the Cardinals not named Larry Fitzgerald. His theory was very simple -- "The Steelers will not allow Fitzgerald to beat them." What my friend (and myself, and most anyone else in the country) didn't realize is that Fitzgerald cannot be stopped. With the help of Kurt Warner, Sticky Fitz trashed a slow start by making a superstar play to put the Cards up 23-20 with just 2:37 left. If it wasn't for the man above, Fitz would be holding that MVP trophy.

Duds

 The Replay Booth -- Really, you aren't going to replay a fumble/incompletion in that juncture of the f-ing Super Bowl?!?! Warner admitted that with five seconds to go in the biggest game of his life, his arm was moving forward when LaMarr Woodley knocked it free, contradicting the fumble call on the field. After the game, vice president of officiating Mike Pereira said it was conclusively reviewed as a fumble in the booth. No matter if it was the most obvious fumble in the world, you review that. It is the Super Bowl. Review a controversial play at the end of the Super Bowl. Should we all repeat that together? If nothing else, it would have allowed NBC a chance to show a couple extra commercials.

Arizona Cardinals Rushing Attack -- In big games, your weakness is always exposed, and that statement couldn't be more clear than with the Arizona running backs. Three guys carried the ball 11 times for 33 yards, never establishing anything on the ground and putting more and more pressure on the offensive line and Warner. Maybe the dud is the coaching here, but you have to get something on the ground if you want any chance in the air. The Cards almost won the game with just one side working, but ask golfer Charley Hoffman how "almost" feels today.

Near Studly -- Kurt Warner, Ben Roethlisberger, and James Harrison.

Near Dudly -- Cardinals offensive line and Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie

Super Bowl Studs and Duds: Santonio Holmes Was Huge originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Ben RoethlisbergerBenRoethlisbergerDominique Rodgers-CromartieDominiqueRodgers-cromartieHines WardHinesWardJames HarrisonJamesHarrisonKurt WarnerKurtWarnerLamarr WoodleyLamarrWoodleyLarry FitzgeraldLarryFitzgeraldSantonio HolmesSantonioHolmesstudsanddudsShane BaconMon, 02 Feb 2009 13:00:00 EST Sorting the Super Bowl Pile: Big Ben = Best Game Manager Everhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/sorting-the-super-bowl-pile-big-ben-best-game-manager-ever/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/sorting-the-super-bowl-pile-big-ben-best-game-manager-ever/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/sorting-the-super-bowl-pile-big-ben-best-game-manager-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Sorting the Sunday Pile looks back at the NFL weekend that was. It's also an unofficial Mittens blog.

Ben Roethlisberger has started 82 games in his five-year career, winning close to 80 percent of them. Yet for most of the football-observing public not located in Western Pennsylvania, he's still nothing more than a game manager. A good quarterback who fell into a great situation and is just along for the ride.

That changed for good Sunday night.

You've no doubt seen the replays a few hundred times by now. With 157 seconds to go in Super Bowl XLIII, Roethlisberger and the Steelers started on their own 12-yard line. Needing a field goal to tie, Big Ben did what he does in such situations: He made plays that nobody else on the planet could make, impossibly avoiding pass rushers before inexplicably finding open receivers that, in retrospect, weren't all that open.

None were better covered than Santonio Holmes, who, with 42 seconds on the clock, found himself in the back corner of the end zone surrounded by three Cardinals defenders. Didn't matter to Roethlisberger. After taking the snap, moving right and then left to avoid pressure, Big Ben lofted a pass that, as Michael David Smith would tell me after the game, "looked like he was throwing it away." Instead, the ball just cleared the fingertips of a leaping Dominique Rogers-Cromartie before Holmes snatched it out of the air while simultaneously dragging both feet in bounds. Touchdown. Steelers 27, Cardinals 23. For all intents and purposes, ball game.

I'm not one for "instant history," but after David Tyree a year ago, Holmes' touchdown grab might've been the most clutch reception in Super Bowl history. The only thing more clutch than Holmes' catch? Roethlisberger.


Big Ben's professional career is chock full of late-game heroics, but this fact somehow escapes his detractors. Part of that has to do with his situation: Roethlisberger fell in the Steelers' lap after 10 other teams passed on him in the 2004 draft. Pittsburgh was coming off a 6-10 season, but returned basically the same personnel that won 10 games in '02, and 13 the year before.

Then-offensive coordinator Ken Whisenhunt kept it simple: use the run to set up the run. Run a little more, and on those rare occasions that a pass play is in order, give Roethlisberger easy reads and high-percentage opportunities. That's a slight exaggeration, but the plan worked flawlessly: Pittsburgh won 15 games and made it all the way to the conference championship game before running into Bill Belichick and the Patriots.

Unlike, say, Joey Harrington or David Carr, Big Ben didn't have to carry his team from Day 1. A strong running game, solid receivers and a stout defense made his job relatively straightforward: Stay out of the way and let your teammates do the heavy lifting.

Again, that's an oversimplification -- Roethlisberger certainly had his moments as a rookie. His tackle-breaking, making-something-out-of-nothing talents were evident in his very first NFL start against the Dolphins ... in hurricane-type conditions. He also lit up the undefeated Patriots in their regular-season matchup, and led an impressive game-winning drive against the Cowboys and Jaguars. Still, the perception remained: Big Ben, like Trent Dilfer, was the beneficiary of a great supporting cast. And that, more than any individual ability, had to do with his success.

Sometimes, though, perception skews reality. After the game, ESPN's Steve Young pointed out that nearly a third of the Steelers' wins this season were the result of a Roethlisberger fourth-quarter-comeback drive. During his career, Big Ben has accomplished the feat 19 times. Nineteen. There are quarterbacks currently in the Hall of Fame who can't make that claim. And not one of those 19 was more spectacular than his performance Sunday night.

Of course, the post-game talking heads immediately christened Roethlisberger an elite quarterback, lumping him in with Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. I'm not sure Ben's at that point yet, but you know what? He doesn't have to be. His game isn't that of the traditional in-the-pocket passer. Ben's a maverick (more John Elway than John McCain ... obviously), whose game is all about, as he's said for two weeks now, "backyard football."

At times it can be frustrating, particularly for an offensive line that has taken a beating with fans and the media commensurate with the sacks Ben endured on 46 occasions, many his own doing. But those moments are fleeting. After a forgettable three-week stretch against the Giants, Redskins and Colts -- a stretch that had many people, myself included, calling for Byron Leftwich to replace Big Ben until he was healthy enough to resume his behind-the-line weekly beatdowns -- Roethlisberger seemed to magically flip a switch.

The hows and whys for the sudden turnaround? Who knows. And I'd guess Big Ben couldn't tell you, either. But Pittsburgh would win six of seven to end the regular season, and half those victories were courtesy of a Roethlisberger-led fourth-quarter comeback.

And then the Super Bowl happened. Apparently, it's habit-forming. Not bad for the best game manager in the history of tackle football.

Sorting the Super Bowl Pile: Big Ben = Best Game Manager Ever originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Ben RoethlisbergerBenRoethlisbergerBill BelichickBillBelichickByron LeftwichByronLeftwichDavid CarrDavid TyreeDavidCarrDavidTyreeDominique Rogers-CromartieDominiqueRogers-cromartieJoey HarringtonJoeyHarringtonJohn ElwayJohnElwayKen WhisenhuntKenWhisenhuntPeyton ManningPeytonManningSantonio HolmesSantonioHolmessortingthesundaypileSteve YoungSteveYoungTom BradyTomBradyTrent DilferTrentDilferRyan WilsonMon, 02 Feb 2009 12:00:00 EST EA's Super Bowl XLIII Sim Was<br />Scary Accuratehttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/eas-super-bowl-sim-is-scary-accurate/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/eas-super-bowl-sim-is-scary-accurate/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/eas-super-bowl-sim-is-scary-accurate/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If there's one thing I've learned in life, it's to never question the outcome of an EA Sports simulation, particularly one that happens in the Madden NFL video game.

Why? Because computers, folks, are smarter than we are. How else do you think Alec Baldwin and Hulu are taking over the world? Seriously, though, when you see the results of EA's simulation of the Super Bowl, you're going to be straight up impressed at how close real and fake life coexist. Or something like that.
Outcome Madden Sim Real Result
Halftime Score Steelers 21-7 Steelers 17-7
Final Score Steelers 28-24 Steelers 27-23
Roethlisberger Stats 21/28, 238 yards 21/30, 256 yards
Warner Stats 27/38, 275 yards 31/43, 377 yards
S. Holmes Stats 8 catches, 131 yds 9 catches, 131 yds
Fitzgerald Stats 9 catches, 105 yds 7 catches, 127 yds

Now, sure, you could probably scream, "SAMPLE SIZE!" at me all day, but those are six pretty huge factors, folks. And maybe the game didn't go down exactly as the sim predicted (it inexplicably called for an Edgerrin James touchdown) but the result was the same.

All of that that tells me that Madden's claim as "the most authentic and adaptable game in sports video game history" is a pretty accurate one. Although it's worth noting that the particular stra-teg-eries employed in the sim were pretty different from the actual game: Clearly, the roster makeup of each team and the season-long successes they both had influenced Sunday's game, but anyone who thought Edge was going to run over the Steelers was probably reaching a bit.

Yet that didn't stop anyone at my party from not betting on the Cards to score a rushing touchdown. Sigh. So ultimately, it's not like listening to the Madden Sim could have hurt us; it's pretty tough to do worse than 0-for-12.


EA's Super Bowl XLIII Sim Was
Scary Accurate originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 11:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>alec baldwinAlecBaldwinedgerrin jamesEdgerrinJameskurt warnerKurtWarnerlarry fitzgeraldLarryFitzgeraldsantonio holmesSantonioHolmesWill BrinsonMon, 02 Feb 2009 11:30:00 EST Bruce Springsteen Slides Into Camera During Super Bowl Halftime Showhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/bruce-springsteen-slides-into-the-camera-during-the-super-bowl-h/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/bruce-springsteen-slides-into-the-camera-during-the-super-bowl-h/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/bruce-springsteen-slides-into-the-camera-during-the-super-bowl-h/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Bruce Springsteen's Super Bowl halftime performance, as I noted last night, was fairly uninspiring. But at least, since the rest of the country couldn't see any crotch shots in the middle of the game, Bruce obliged on that count, doing his classic slide across stage. As you'll see in the video below, it resulted in a much-talked-about close-up.



Video via the Piler, and don't click that pop-up ad at the end for whatever reason.

Bruce Springsteen Slides Into Camera During Super Bowl Halftime Show originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Bruce SpringsteenBruce Springsteen Halftime ShowBruce Springsteen Slide Into CameraBruceSpringsteenBruceSpringsteenHalftimeShowBruceSpringsteenSlideIntoCameraWill BrinsonMon, 02 Feb 2009 10:00:00 EST Super Bowl Officiating Was Just Finehttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/super-bowl-officiating-was-just-fine/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/super-bowl-officiating-was-just-fine/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/super-bowl-officiating-was-just-fine/#commentsFiled under: , ,

TAMPA, Fla. --The friendly young man who took my bag at the rental car area of the Tampa airport guessed I had been in town for the Super Bowl and wanted to talk football.

"Man, I couldn't believe some of those calls," he told me. "It's the Super Bowl. How do you call that stuff?"

I wasn't really in the mood for a conversation about the finer points of NFL officiating, but if I had been, I would have asked, in all sincerity, "What stuff?"

Maybe the tens of millions who watched on TV feel differently, but from my viewpoint in Section 206 of Raymond James Stadium, the Super Bowl XLIII officiating was just fine. Yes, we've all agreed that the roughing the passer penalty called against Cardinals linebacker Karlos Dansby was questionable at best. But that penalty wasn't too costly for the Cardinals; the Steelers ended up kicking a field goal on the drive, which is probably what they would have done anyway.

And other than that? I really didn't see much to complain about. Some people think the game should have been halted for a lengthy review of Kurt Warner's final fumble, but the right call was made on the field.

The Cardinals were assessed more penalties than the Steelers (11 to 7) for more yards (106 to 56), but that was because the Cardinals committed more penalties. You can always say holding should have been called here or shouldn't have been called there, but is that how we want to spend our Monday morning after the Super Bowl? There were no particularly egregious mistakes from referee Terry McAulay and his crew.

There were some high-profile mistakes by on-field officials during the 2008 NFL season, and those mistakes need to be addressed. But let's not go looking for problems with the officiating when there's nothing there.

Super Bowl Officiating Was Just Fine originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 09:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>karlosdansbykurtwarnerMDS at the Super BowlMdsAtTheSuperBowlMichael David SmithMon, 02 Feb 2009 09:45:00 EST Best Super Bowl Passers? Kurt Warner, Kurt Warner and Kurt Warnerhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/best-super-bowl-passers-kurt-warner-kurt-warner-and-kurt-warne/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/best-super-bowl-passers-kurt-warner-kurt-warner-and-kurt-warne/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/best-super-bowl-passers-kurt-warner-kurt-warner-and-kurt-warne/#commentsFiled under:

TAMPA, Fla. -- The player I'll remember most from Super Bowl XLIII is Kurt Warner. From the way he patiently answered every single press question (and, unfortunately for those of us who need juicy quotes, was media savvy enough not to say anything the slightest bit controversial), to his being named the NFL's Man of the Year just before kickoff, to his brilliant performance on the field Sunday night, Warner dominated this Super Bowl, even in defeat.

What kind of big-game player is Warner? Consider this: The NFL's official record book lists the top three performers in every statistical category. This year's book will say the following:
Most passing yards, Super Bowl game:
414 Kurt Warner, St. Louis vs. Tennessee, Super Bowl XXXIV
377 Kurt Warner, Arizona vs. Pittsburgh, Super Bowl XLIII
365 Kurt Warner, St. Louis vs. New England, Super Bowl XXXVI
In 43 Super Bowls there have been 86 starting quarterbacks. Warner represents three of those 86, and his three starts topped all of the other 83 in passing yards.

Warner threw for those 377 yards on Sunday despite a well-executed defensive game plan from the Steelers. This wasn't a case of Warner picking apart an inferior defense, this was a case of Warner getting every yard any quarterback possibly could against a great defense.

That Warner was only sacked twice Sunday was nothing short of amazing. The Steelers were bringing great pressure and the Cardinals' offensive line wasn't blocking particularly well, but Warner had such a quick delivery that the Steelers just couldn't bring him down before he got the ball away. He's just a brilliant football player.

Warner's contract is up, so he's about to become an unrestricted free agent, and he has said he might consider retirement. But I hope he stays right where he is, with these great receivers, as the quarterback of the Arizona Cardinals. He's super.

Best Super Bowl Passers? Kurt Warner, Kurt Warner and Kurt Warner originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Kurt WarnerKurtWarnerMDS at the Super BowlMdsAtTheSuperBowlMichael David SmithMon, 02 Feb 2009 08:00:00 EST Cable Company Replaces Super Bowl With Pornhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/cable-company-replaces-super-bowl-with-porn/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/cable-company-replaces-super-bowl-with-porn/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/cable-company-replaces-super-bowl-with-porn/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Comcast has technicians who fall asleep on the job, long-running battles with the NFL Network and sneaky attempts to ruin BitTorrent. Now they have Super Bowl porn as well.

Just after Larry Fitzgerald gave the Cardinals a lead with roughly three minutes to play, Tucson Comcast viewers saw the game replaced by about 30 seconds of male full frontal nudity, as the company's Club Jenna channel briefly interrupted the game feed. Considering that every television in Arizona was probably on the Super Bowl at the time, they only managed to make sure that every cable customer in the area got an eyeful.
The KVOA statement said the station was dismayed and disappointed that some Comcast customers and their families were subjected to the material.

"KVOA will continue to investigate what happened to our clean signal and make sure our viewers get answers," Nielsen said in the statement.
...
Tucson media outlets reported that they received calls from irate viewers about the pornographic material.
...
"I couldn't believe it. And I couldn't believe that my children were watching it either," Hilander said.
Parents started flooding complaint lines at Comcast and the local newspaper just after the game came back on. The Arizona Daily Star's story had 325 comments by early Monday morning, almost all of them from parents who are angry that their kids are now asking for the birds and bees talk earlier than they had planned.

The area's NBC station was able to vouch for the fact that it wasn't their problem. For their part, Comcast is baffled as to how it happened.

What I'm wondering is: why is it that whenever this happens it always seems to be a porn channel? You never hear of a cable screw-up leading to Food Network or Discovery Channel replacing the Super Bowl telecast. Nope, it's full blown hardcore porn that ensures that parents around the area are all checking out how they can switch to DirecTV.

Cable Company Replaces Super Bowl With Porn originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 07:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Larry FitzgeraldLarryFitzgeraldJJ CooperMon, 02 Feb 2009 07:18:00 EST Kurt Warner: 'I Was Definitely Moving My Arm Forward to Throw the Ball'http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/warner-i-was-definitely-moving-my-arm-forward-to-throw-the-bal/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/warner-i-was-definitely-moving-my-arm-forward-to-throw-the-bal/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/warner-i-was-definitely-moving-my-arm-forward-to-throw-the-bal/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Kurt WarnerA fantastic Super Bowl XLIII ended with a head-scratcher of a play, and Arizona is not exactly thrilled about it. After falling behind 27-23, the Cardinals had moved to Pittsburgh's 44-yard-line in the closing seconds when Kurt Warner dropped back to pass. Steeler LaMarr Woodley came around the edge and hit Warner's hand as he was cocking back to throw, knocking the ball loose.

Pittsburgh recovered the fumble, then took a knee for the win. But why was Warner's turnover not reviewed?
"I was really surprised on that one because I was definitely moving my arm forward to throw the ball," Warner said. "I thought I'd almost gotten the ball off, so yeah, it does surprise you that in that kind of situation - five seconds to go to decide the Super Bowl - you would think it was something they'd do. But maybe somebody saw it clearly."
On the play itself, Warner's arm, after being hit by Woodley, clearly moved forward -- as did the ball, which traveled several yards downfield before Pittsburgh recovered. There appeared to be at least some question about whether or not Woodley had knocked the ball loose prior to Warner completing his throwing motion.

NBC showed several replays of the play, but it never went to an on-the-field replay because the video replay official deemed it clearly a fumble.
According to NFL VP of Officiating Mike Pereira, the replay official upstairs did see the play clearly.

"We confirmed it was a fumble," said Pereira. "The replay assistant in the replay booth saw it was clearly a fumble. The ball got knocked loose and was rolling in his hand before it started forward. He has to have total control."
Woodley may have, at least, popped the ball free of Warner's complete control before he actually started to throw his pass. Still, the NBC replays were far from conclusive (meaning that it would've been hard to overturn), but at the moment the play occurred -- with just seconds left in the freakin' Super Bowl -- it seemed like a no-brainer to warrant further review.

Instead, the replay booth official took the decision into his own hands. It's hard to justify that decision, given the importance of the situation.

As for Warner, he played a great game, throwing for 377 yards and two touchdowns. Yet his night will be more remembered for his two turnovers: a 100-yard James Harrison interception return and the game-ending, controversial fumble.

Kurt Warner: 'I Was Definitely Moving My Arm Forward to Throw the Ball' originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 02:11:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Chris BurkeMon, 02 Feb 2009 02:11:00 EST 43 Observations From Super Bowl XLIIIhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/43-observations-from-super-bowl-xliii/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/43-observations-from-super-bowl-xliii/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/43-observations-from-super-bowl-xliii/#commentsFiled under: ,

TAMPA, Fla. -- NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said it best, just before awarding the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

"Some said we couldn't top last year's Super Bowl," Goodell said. "But the Steelers and Cardinals did it tonight."

That sentiment pretty well sums up what we just witnessed Sunday in Florida, but here are my other observations (43 of them, to be exact) after taking in Super Bowl XLIII at Raymond James Stadium.


1. I thought Big Ben was throwing it away ... From my seat in the end zone, I was watching the Cardinals' secondary on what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown, and it looked like Santonio Holmes was so well covered that Ben Roethlisberger was just throwing the ball away out of bounds when he let his pass go with 35 seconds left. Instead, he threw it where only Holmes could get it, and he made one of the biggest catches in Super Bowl history. (It was only when I finally saw the TV replay that it really became clear what a great pass Roethlisberger had thrown -- which shows how you usually have a better view at home than you do in the stadium.)

2. Holmes should have caught the previous pass ... Not to nitpick after he had a great game, but Holmes really should have had the pass Roethlisberger threw to him in the end zone before the game winner. It went right through his hands.

3. Jennifer Hudson brought down the house ... "The Star-Spangled Banner" has never sounded better.

4. So did Chesley Sullenberger ... People are in awe of the hero pilot of US Airways Flight 1549.

5. I love Heath Miller's downfield blocking ... Miller, the Steelers' tight end, had a textbook open-field block on a short pass to Holmes in the first quarter, and then kept it up all game.

6. The Cardinals should thank the Raymond James Stadium scoreboard operator ... Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt threw his red flag at the end of the Steelers' opening drive after looking at the Jumbotron and seeing a replay that showed that Roethlisberger's knee was down before the ball crossed the plane of the goal line. Another scoreboard operator, and maybe the Steelers' touchdown doesn't get taken off the board and replaced by a field goal.

7. Tomlin should have gone for it ... The scoreboard operator was only able to cost the Steelers four points because Mike Tomlin didn't go for it on fourth-and-goal from inside the 1-yard line. What was he afraid of?

8. Down in front! ... At the Super Bowl, there are far more journalists than there are seats in the press box, so most of the reporters with press passes were relegated to either the auxiliary tables (sort of makeshift desks in the stands) or the auxiliary press room (a spot in the bowels of the stadium where they were watching on TV, in less comfort than you would have at home). I was one of the lucky ones seated in the auxiliary tables. Right in front of us were a group of Steelers fans who, as Steelers fans are wont to do, stood and waved their Terrible Towels every time the Steelers made a big play. I didn't have a big problem with that because I don't mind standing myself when I need to, but some journalists complained and asked security to force the fans to stay seated. Good luck with that, fella.

9. Andy Rooney didn't have a good time ... I was seated about 10 feet from everyone's favorite 60 Minutes curmudgeon, Andy Rooney. As you might guess, the 90-year-old Rooney can't really get up and down out of his seat. That meant those fans in front of the press blocked his view. Rooney left the auxiliary table at halftime and didn't come back; I hope someone got him a seat where he could see.

10. Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie was a smart draft pick ... Sometimes "workout warriors" like Rodgers-Cromartie, the Cardinals' 2008 first-round pick, are derided by draft analysts who say you need more than just a good 40 time and a good vertical leap to be an NFL player. But Rodgers-Cromartie showed how important a great 40 and vertical can be when he used them to knock down what would have been a long touchdown pass in the first quarter.

11. Too much bandwidth usage ... Despite expanded coverage from cell-phone providers, service was spotty at Raymond James Stadium. (My own phone gave me a bright red "SERVICE OFF" message, which I've never seen in the two years I've owned it.) Connecting to the Internet was often impossible.

12. The Cardinals were ready for the Wildcat ... When the Steelers snapped the ball directly to running back Willie Parker in the first quarter, the Cardinals snuffed it out. It was clear that the Wildcat was something the Arizona defense spent plenty of time preparing for this week.

13. Thanks, Captain Obvious ... The PA announcer told the fans during second-quarter timeouts, "Ladies and gentlemen, please remain in your seats for the halftime show from Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band." Was there really a risk that anyone in the crowd was unaware of the Springsteen performance? Are there really people who pay $1,000 for a Super Bowl ticket and think they're going to see the Tampa Bay Central High School marching band?

14. "Larry Fitzgerald, Decoy" ... Those were the words colleague Kevin Blackistone said to me in the second quarter when the Cardinals finally started moving the ball, and doing so without throwing to their star receiver.

15. Larry Fitzgerald Jr. finally made two huge plays in the fourth quarter ... There's no one better in the league at getting higher than the opposing defensive back and grabbing the ball out of the air.

16. Larry Fitzgerald Sr. is stoic ... The sportswriting father of the Cardinals' receiver was sitting about five feet from me. He showed absolutely no emotion at any point in the game, not a smile or a fist pump or anything when his son scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

17. Steelers fans will travel ... It's amazing that even in this economy, tens of thousands of people will spend the money on airfare, a hotel and a Super Bowl ticket to support their team.

18. Cardinals fans have spirit ... They were outnumbered, but the Arizona fans in the house were vocal. Those small pockets of red in the sea of black and gold made noise. It was a great atmosphere for a football game, and not the stuffy corporate feel that so many Super Bowls have.

19. Adrian Wilson misses more plays than he makes ... I usually see the Cardinals on TV, and I've always been impressed with Wilson, their starting strong safety. But watching him in person, where you can see more of what happens in the secondary, it's clear that he's often too aggressive for his own good. It's great to have the speed to roam the field and the toughness to step up against the run, but Wilson takes himself out of position way too often to be an elite NFL defensive back.

20. Breaston is a burner ... The player whose speed really impressed me was Cardinals wide receiver/punt returner Steve Breaston. He looked like he had a gear the other players didn't.

21. Unsung Cardinals special-teamer: Michael Adams ... A second-year defensive back, Adams is the gunner on the Cardinals' punt team, and he flew down the field and made a great tackle late in the second quarter. That's my kind of special teams player.

22. Unsung Steelers special-teamer: William Gay ... A second-year defensive back, Gay is the gunner on the Steelers' punt team, and he flew down the field and made a great tackle in the fourth quarter. That's my kind of special teams player.

23. For a 300-pounder, Bryan Robinson can jump ... It was Robinson, a Cardinals defensive lineman, who jumped up and batted down Roethlisberger's pass late in the second quarter, leading to an Arizona interception.

24. Deshea Townsend had a big bump ... Townsend, the Steelers' cornerback, was covering Anquan Boldin on the last play of the first half, and he bumped Boldin just enough to knock him slightly off his route, helping Steelers linebacker James Harrison step in front of Kurt Warner's pass. Townsend also threw a big block as Harrison took it 100 yards for a touchdown.

25. Most impressive performance of the Super Bowl? The halftime stagehands ... Within a minute of the first half ending, hundreds of people rushed onto the field to set up Springsteen's stage in what must have been the most efficient construction project in history. By the time the TV audience returned from a commercial, the stage was set up and several hundred lucky fans were on the field in Springsteen's audience. Then they somehow managed to tear down the stage before the third quarter, without any visible damage to the grass.

26. Bruce Springsteen was outstanding ... Any surprise?

27. NFL cracks down on fan misconduct ... An enormous banner in the stadium urged everyone in attendance to report unruly fans via text message, and they made announcements over the public address system to that effect as well. I really didn't see any fans who qualified as "unruly," though. The Super Bowl isn't exactly Gate D at the Jets games.

28. Players had trouble with their footing ... I saw nothing wrong with the playing surface, but several players looked like they were slipping on the field.

29. Bad call against Karlos Dansby ... A roughing the passer penalty against Dansby cost Arizona 15 yards in the third quarter. I was watching Dansby closely on the play, and it was a bad call. Fifteen-yard penalties are supposed to be for cheap shots. Dansby was just playing football.

30. Good call against Adrian Wilson ... Later on the same drive, when the Steelers kicked a field goal, Wilson got a 15-yard penalty for drilling the Steelers' holder. That was a good call and a stupid play by Wilson. Fortunately for Wilson, it didn't cost the Cardinals: The Steelers eventually settled for a field goal anyway.

31. Idiotic penalty by Ike Taylor ... What on earth was he thinking, hitting Anquan Boldin and costing his team 15 yards when ahead by six with five minutes left?

32. Why wasn't James Harrison ejected? ... He's a great player, but his cheap shot on Aaron Francisco in the fourth quarter was totally inexcusable.

33. Oh, and Harrison could have been the MVP ... Which makes it even worse that he committed an ejection-worthy penalty.

34. Fans of both teams were in shock at the fourth quarter safety ... When the referee announced that a holding call against the Steelers in the end zone had given the Cardinals two points late in the fourth quarter, all the fans around me -- fans of both teams -- were looking at each other asking what happened.

35. Don't blame the officiating ... Yes, Cardinals fans, the officials called a lot more penalties on your team than they did on the Steelers. But that doesn't mean they were wrong. There are a few missed calls in every game, but I didn't see anything to make me think the officials gave the Steelers a significant advantage.

36. The NFL needs to give its bus drivers better directions ... With about 50 other reporters, after the game I boarded a bus, chartered by the NFL, from the stadium to the media center. The only problem? The bus driver had absolutely no idea where the media center was. He tried using a GPS, he tried making a phone call, and he tried winging it, but he had no clue how to get us back to the media center. Eventually one of the reporters told him how to get there. Shouldn't the NFL have made sure he knew the route before giving him this job?

37. Which commercials were the best? ... The only bad thing about going to the game is missing the ads. Someone has to fill me in.

38. Great game plan from Dick LeBeau ... The Steelers' defensive coordinator had the right approach, taking away the Cardinals' deep passes and forcing Kurt Warner to throw underneath. It didn't always work -- the Cardinals unleashed a couple of bombs -- but it worked enough. LeBeau also benefited from the knowledge that the Cardinals' running game is virtually nonexistent.

39. Mike Tomlin will get a bust in Canton some day ... He's the youngest coach to win a Super Bowl , and I think he's going to be a great one for years to come.

40. Kurt Warner is a Hall of Famer ... If the Cardinals' defense had stopped the Steelers' final drive, Warner would have become the first quarterback in history to win Super Bowls with two different teams. His team fell short, but his legacy in this game is secure.

41. Brett Keisel had a big game ... In addition to clinching the win by recovering Warner's fumble with seven seconds left, Keisel, a Pittsburgh defensive end, was roaming all over the field and generally making life difficult for the Cardinals.

42. Darnell Dockett was great for the Cardinals ... Five tackles, two sacks. A difference maker.

43. Best Super Bowl ever ... An instant classic.

43 Observations From Super Bowl XLIII originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:55:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>MDS at the Super BowlMdsAtTheSuperBowlMichael David SmithMon, 02 Feb 2009 00:55:00 EST Despite Slow Start, Larry Fitzgerald Almost Wins Arizona a Championshiphttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/despite-slow-start-larry-fitzgerald-almost-wins-arizona-a-champ/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/despite-slow-start-larry-fitzgerald-almost-wins-arizona-a-champ/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/despite-slow-start-larry-fitzgerald-almost-wins-arizona-a-champ/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Larry FitzgeraldLarry Fitzgerald was The Guy in the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLIII. And why not? Throughout the playoffs, the athletic wide receiver had been absolutely unstoppable, dominating Philadelphia in the NFC championship to such an extent that it looked like no one -- not even the Steelers' vaunted defense -- would be able to contain him.

For three quarters, Pittsburgh proved that theory wrong. While building a 20-7 lead over Arizona, the Steelers stymied Fitzgerald, limiting him to just one catch in the game's first 45 minutes. During the thrilling fourth quarter, though, Fitzgerald showed again why he's one of the game's best players right now, and nearly brought a title to the Cardinals in the process.

With the Steelers ahead 20-7 and about 11 minutes remaining, Arizona finally went out of its way to get Fitzgerald the ball -- and it paid off. Honestly, Cards fans had to be going nuts until that point, what with almost no passes heading in Fitz's direction. The combination of Pittsburgh's blanket coverage and tenacious rush kept Kurt Warner from finding his favorite target.

Fitzgerald's resurgence started quietly enough on Arizona's second drive in the fourth quarter -- a six-yard reception that moved Arizona to midfield. Two plays later, Warner found him for 18 yards, then hit the big guy again on a six-yard strike down to Pittsburgh's four-yard-line. After a run to the one, Warner tossed a fade pattern up for Fitzgerald who (of course) made the grab.

As Fitzgerald finally jumped into the limelight, Arizona's entire team responded. On Pittsburgh's next possesion, the fired-up Cardinals defense forced a three-and-out. The next Steelers series resulted in a safety, pulling Arizona within 20-16.

The Cards then quickly took the lead by finding Fitzgerald again.

Somehow, he broke free on a pass pattern across the middle of field. Warner hit him in stride, and Fitzgerald turned on the after-burners, splitting Pittsburgh's secondary and sprinting in for a 64-yard touchdown.

Even after Pittsburgh regained the lead very late, Fitzgerald did what he could to bring Arizona back. With time running down, Fitz somehow went into heavy coverage and hauled in a 20-yard pass, at least giving the Cardinals a last-gasp chance in their final drive -- an opportunity negated, obviously, by Warner's fumble.

I'm sure Fitzgerald and Warner would love to take another crack at things in those first three quarters. Still, Fitzgerald did more than enough in the final quarter to reiterate his burgeoning stardom.

Despite Slow Start, Larry Fitzgerald Almost Wins Arizona a Championship originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:23:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Chris BurkeMon, 02 Feb 2009 00:23:00 EST Lost in Comeback, James Harrison's Return Was Game-Winnerhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/lost-in-the-shuffle-harrisons-return-was-a-game-winner/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/lost-in-the-shuffle-harrisons-return-was-a-game-winner/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/02/lost-in-the-shuffle-harrisons-return-was-a-game-winner/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Santonio Holmes' snag in the end zone will likely be the lasting image of Super Bowl XLIII, but if James Harrison was one-tenth of a second slower on his 100-yard dash to end the first half, the Cardinals are likely hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

It's arguable that Harrison's play, the longest in Super Bowl history, was even more important than Holmes' catch. Arizona was looking to go into the half with a lead, instead, when Harrison picked off Kurt Warner and returned the interception for a record-breaking 100-yard touchdown, it was a 14-point swing that turned the entire momentum of the game.
Without Harrison's interception, the Cardinals would have gone into the half, at worst, likely tied 10-10. If Harrison hadn't scored, Pittsburgh would have gone into the half with a narrow 10-7 lead. The clock ran out as Harrison lumbered through the final yards of his return, so Pittsburgh would have been left without a chance to take advantage of Harrison's pick.

Without Harrison's play, Holmes would not have had a chance to be the Super Bowl MVP. If you look at Harrison's other stats (three tackles, one assist, no sacks) you may believe that he had a pedestrian game, but he actually was a dominating factor. Mike Gandy was flagged for three holding penalties, two of which came when he was trying to corral Harrison. And the Cardinals' emphasis on stopping Harrison helped fellow outside linebacker LaMarr Woodley pick up two more sacks (his fifth and sixth of the postseason).



The Steelers signed Harrison to a four-year contract extension back in 2006 when he was still a backup. That proved to be one of the best deals in Steelers' history, as Harrison has outplayed his four-year, $6.5 million-deal from the day after he signed it. He still has one year left on that deal, but considering how vastly underpaid he is, it wouldn't be surprising if the Steelers start talking to Harrison about a higher-salaried extension in the near future.

Lost in Comeback, James Harrison's Return Was Game-Winner originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Mon, 02 Feb 2009 00:12:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>James HarrisonJamesHarrisonKurt WarnerKurtWarnerLaMarr WoodleyLamarrWoodleyJJ CooperMon, 02 Feb 2009 00:12:00 EST Steel Toeshttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/live-bloggin-super-bowl-xliii/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/live-bloggin-super-bowl-xliii/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/live-bloggin-super-bowl-xliii/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


After a slow start, Super Bowl XLIII finished with an explosion of big plays, capped by Santonio Holmes' incredible sideline TD grab to give the Steelers the 27-23 win, as well as Pittsburgh's sixth Super Bowl championship. Relive the big game with our live blog recap.


6:05 PM ET: It's go time, as they say. We've endured approximately 360 hours of pre-Super Bowl hype, and it's actually time to, you know, play the game. Novel idea, that. As for the story lines you haven't been beaten about the head with: Kurt Warner will sport two gloves while Ben Roethlisberger is going with the one-glove, Michael-Jackson-circa-'83 look. That will almost certainly be the difference.

6:10: Al Michaels is on the public address system announcing both teams. In a shocking development, there are actually Cardinals fans and they've made their way to Tampa. Weird.

Seriously, the Super Bowl is a notoriously stuffy affair, with some 30 percent of the tickets going to corporate sponsors and the rest divvied up among fans. As long as it doesn't snow, I don't imagine the crowd will much affect the Cardinals tonight.

6:15: Kurt Warner's munificence knows no bounds: he's just been named the 2008 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year. He's then promptly ushered off the field to make room for Faith Hill (and approximately 150 backup singers), who's performing "God Bless America." (I guess Pink wasn't available.) And a few moments later, Jennifer Hudson sings the "Star-Spangled Banner." And Terrible Towels throughout the stadium were waved with much vigor.

6:28: James Farrior calls tails ... and it fails. Cards win the toss, defer, and the Steelers will get the ball first.

6:30: MDS is currently in the press box at Raymond James Stadium and weighs in with this: "A few hours before game time I noted that the fans tailgating outside the stadium were overwhelmingly pro-Steelers, so how about now? Using the highly unscientific process counting up all the fans who filed past me wearing jerseys, the Steelers fans in the crowd are a clear majority, with Ben Roethlisberger and Troy Polamalu the two most popular players. Larry Fitzgerald is the most popular Cardinal." Second-most popular Cards jersey? Neil Lomax.

1st Quarter

6:28: Neil Rackers kicks off to Gary Russell, he takes it at the four, and gets out to the Steelers 28. The biggest thing to watch early: Big Ben's nerves. Don't know if you've heard, but he played like crap in Super Bowl XL.

Willie Parker goes for three yards on first down before Roethlisberger runs a naked bootleg and finds peg-legged Hines Ward for a 38-yard gain. That'll work.

6:38: After two Fast Willie runs and a 21-yard Big Ben pass to Heath Miller in the face of some serious Cardinals pressure, the Steelers have first-and-goal from the one-yard line. Gary Russell is dropped for a four-yard loss, which, if you've watched Pittsburgh this season, should look very familiar.

6:32: On second down, Parker gets back to the original line of scrimmage. A play later, Big Ben rolls right and finds his receivers covered before bull-rushing his way into the end zone. Seahawks fans don't think he got in. And neither does Ken Whisenhunt. Red flag on the field.


6:42: Upon further review, Roethlisberger was down at the one-inch line. In comes Skippy Reed, he stripes the 19-yard attempt, and the Steelers lead 3-0.

Steelers: 3
Cardinals: 0

6:45: Here come the Cards. They'll start at their 27-yard line. Apparently, this Larry Fitzgerald fellow is pretty good. Might want to keep an eye on him. ... And Edgerrin James gets the ball on first down and gets about a yard. Obviously.

There's Warner to Steve Breaston on second down, and it's good enough to move the chains. A play later, Mike Gandy is cited for cheating (holding on James Harrison), and Warner and Edge almost lose a fumble on 1st and 20. Inexplicably, Arizona gives it to James on 2nd down and he goes for a couple. On third and long, the Steelers rush four but get a man free to Warner and he hurriedly throws incomplete. Bring on Ben Graham.

6:54: Pittsburgh starts their second drive from their own 31, and on the first play, Ben hits Santonio Holmes on a slip screen that is good for 25 yards. The Steelers come back with play-action to Nate Washington -- who was WIDE OPEN -- is underthrown by about a yard and Dominique Rogers-Cromartie is able to knock the ball away. Nice play.

Another quick pass to Holmes is good for five yards, and on third down ... center Justin Hartwig is flagged for a false start. After the penalty, Big Ben does what Big Ben does: runs around the pocket for what feels like minutes, avoids five or six would-be pass rushers, and finds Miller just beyond the sticks for a first down.

Good heavens, this is nuts. On the next play, Fast Willie lines up in the Wildcat, run wide right for a couple yards. And miraculously, the Steelers successfully run a screen pass to Miller for another first down. And that's followed by a Parker run for nine yards. On 2nd-and-1 from the Cards' 14, Ben throws to a slanting Holmes for five more. And that's that. The first quarter is in the books. Man, that flew by.

Steelers: 3
Cardinals: 0

2nd Quarter

7:04: Arizona managed 13 yards of offense in the first quarter. Just pointing that out.

The first play of the second quarter is another quick pass, this time from Big Ben to Miller, down to the Cards' one-yard line. Both teams are a tad chippy early on -- after the play there's pushing and shoving, the second such instance tonight. Shockingly, Hines Ward is right in the middle of it.

7:07: After a timeout and facing third-and-goal, the Steelers set up in the I-formation, give it to Russell, and for the first time in a long time (all season?), the offensive line gets a goal line push, and Russell scores the touchdown.

Steelers: 10
Cardinals: 0

7:10: In case you're busy stuffing your face with bourbon brownies and missed it, Brinson has a look at the early favorite for best Super Bowl commercial.

7:12: Inauspicious start for the Cards on their second possession. J.J. Arrington bobbles the kickoff in the end zone and is tackled at the 15. Warner has plenty of time in the pocket on first down, but throws incomplete just out of the reach of tight end Leonard Pope. A play later, Warner checks down to his safety valve James, and it's enough for a first down. No Fitz or Boldin sightings yet, but they're coming. You just know they just are.

Back-to-back completions to James and Breaston move Arizona to their 38-yard line. After a nothing James run, Warner goes back to him on a swing pass and it's good for 13.

Just a thought: maybe the Cards should quit running the ball. Even when they hold, they're only managing a couple yards. Tight end Ben Patrick is the latest culprit, pushing Arizona back to their side of the field. Warner hits Breaston for a 13-yard gain, setting up a very manageable 2nd-and-7.

Warner has days in the pocket and he dials up a nice sideline pass to Boldin. The pass and catch goes for 40-plus yards, down to Pittsburgh's two-yard line. A play later, Warner stumbles, gains his balance, throws a jump-ball in the back of the end zone to Patrick, and the tight end makes, well, a Fitzgerald-ian-type grab over linebacker Larry Foote. And just like that, we've got a game.

Steelers: 10
Cardinals: 7

7:25: On a 2nd and 4, Parker juked Adrian Wilson in the backfield and turned a sure loss into a first down. You don't see that very often.

DRC isn't playing like a rookie. He's now made two big plays in the first half, including defending a sideline bomb to Holmes. On second down, a screen pass to Parker goes nowhere, and the Cards' D is starting to play with some confidence. Arizona blitzes on 3rd and 12 but Big Ben makes a typical Big Ben scramble-and-complete for a first down ... except there was holding on the play.

On the do-over the Cards rush three and Pittsburgh can only get back to the original line of scrimmage. Mitch Berger punts to the very dangerous Breaston and, right on cue, he takes it to the Steelers 42-yard line, a 35-yard return.

7:37: After a stalled Cards drive -- punctuated by a LaMarr Woodley sack -- Michael Adams makes a great special teams play to bring down Holmes about a half-milisecond after he caught the punt.

Steelers start on their own 16 with just under three minutes to go in the second quarter. Pittsburgh runs the longest developing draw play in the history of the sport and somehow Mewelde Moore gains seven yards. A play later, Big Ben's pass is deflected at the line of scrimmage, and linebacker Karlos Dansby comes up with the pick at the Steelers 34.

7:43: Earlier in the week, Big Ben told Deion Sanders that he'd need to avoid turnovers to give the Steelers a legit shot at winning this thing, so he can't be all that jazzed right now.

Arizona looks like they want to run the option on first down but it's well covered and Warner has to throw the ball away. A play later, Warner is decked by Woodley, but gets the ball out just in time. It should've been intercepted by Ike Taylor but, well, Ike Taylor can't catch. That could prove costly.

A dump-off to Tim Hightower on third-and-10 turns into a pretty impressive first-down jaunt. And, yes, that was Taylor who missed the tackle on Hightower there. Warner finally finds Fitzgerald with 48 seconds to go in the half. First and 10 from the Steelers' 14, and Warner finds Boldin for seven yards. Back to Boldin for three more yards and it's first-and-goal from Pittsburgh's two-yard line with 18 seconds to go.

From the shotgun, Warner throws ... a pick to Harrison that, after a booth review, is ruled a pick-six.

Unfreakingbelievable.

I mean, the Cards should be headed to the half up 14-10. Instead, Harrison has just set a Super Bowl record with a 100-yard interception return and we're headed to the break 17-7. I need a cigarette.

Steelers: 17
Cardinals: 7

Commercial update, via Brinsanity: because we're a country of poor people, a lot of Super Bowl ads are movie previews. I suppose that's what happens when things like paying your mortgage is more important than dropping a few mil on, say, a Bud Light spot. The results: um, this. I got nothin'. Back for the second half after the Boss exposes his nipple.

8:19: Springsteen has just finished his set and no Courtney Cox sighting. I think I'm okay with that.

A quick recap before we get back to the game: Steelers started fast, went up 10-0, the Cards battled back, and were this close to going up 14-10 before Deebo Harrison took a Warner pass intended for Boldin 100 yards to the proverbial house. On the upside, Arizona will get the ball to start the third quarter.

3rd Quarter

8:29: On the very first offensive play of the quarter, Warner hits Boldin for a four-yard gain ... and Boldin goes off with what looks like a shoulder injury. Meanwhile, Edge takes a handoff and turns it into a nifty 10-yard gain. And he goes for seven more a play later. I guess he didn't hear about how he can't rush the football.

Boldin's back, but the Cards are strictly a running team. Of course, that won't last. Maybe it should have though: Warner gets sacked, allegedly fumbles (no way that's upheld), and -- you guessed it -- Harrison recovers. Red flaggie pending, no doubt.

8:38: As expected, the call on the ol' field is overturned and the Cards have to punt. As for Warner, he's taken a few hits tonight, which a lot of folks didn't think would happen. There's still a long way to go, but I'm not sure how many steam-rollings the old-timer can take before it takes a toll.

8:43: Hines Ward went missing after the 38-yard reception on the first drive, but makes a nice third-and-one grab to move the sticks. A play later, Karlos Dansby gets flagged on a very questionable roughing-the-passer call. In fact, I think that's the first time all season Big Ben's gotten the benefit of the doubt.

The penalty allows Roethlisberger and Holmes to continue to play pitch-and-catch down the field while DRC plays a good 10 yards off Holmes. Mix in a Fast Willie 15-yard sprint and the Steelers have first and goal with 4:30 to go in the third quarter. On 2nd down from the eight-yard line, Ben throws incomplete. A play later, from the shotgun, Roethlisberger somehow avoids a sack and manages to throw the ball away. No idea how he pulled that off.

In comes Reed and he splits the uprights on a 27-yarder. Holy Bejesus. Adrian Wilson treads the holder Mitch Berger. That's a personal foul, automatic first down. (To Wilson's credit, he didn't spit in Berger's face.) That is a huge penalty on a drive chocked full of them for Arizona.

Parker goes for a couple on first-and-goal from the five. Big Ben has another pass deflected at the line of scrimmage and Antrel Rolle was very, very close from pulling a "James Harrison" and going to the house. Third down: Roethlisberger runs the draw and only gets a yard. Great play by Gabe Watson. Skippy's back on the field, this time 21 yards away. Same result.

Great stand for Arizona, but now it's a 13-point game.

Steelers: 20
Cardinals: 7

9:02: After a 16-play Steelers drive, Arizona's offense gets the ball back with two minutes to go in the quarter. And unlike the previous three postseason games, Warner is having to settle for short-ish crossing patterns instead of going to Fitz deep. It looks like if the Cards are going to move the ball, it's going to require them to sustain a drive. And now they only have 15 minutes to do it.

4th Quarter

A little something to distract you from Kurt Warner's mittens -- More Super Bowl commercials, courtesy of Mr. Brinson.

9:10: After a stalled Cards' drive, the Steelers go three and out thanks, in part, to a Darnell Dockett sack. Berger has easily his best punt of the season, and William Gay plasters Breaston a half-second after he catches the punt. Arizona will try to get something going 90 yards from Pittsburgh's end zone.

9:21: Warner immediately goes to work, completing two passes for first downs. Arizona's now in the no-huddle and have the ball at midfield. Arrington takes a dump off for 22 yards, down to the Steelers' 28. It took three quarters, but Warner's warming up. Fitzgerald goes for 18 yards on the next play and the Cards are rollin'.

Fitz gets five more on first down before Pittsburgh burns a timeout. After the break, Hightower gets to the one-yard line. On third down, Warner to Fitzgerald, fade in the back of the end zone. That looks very familiar. Game on.

Steelers: 20
Cardinals: 14


9:31: Pittsburgh starts on their 24 with 7:24 to go, up by six. Parker goes for four on first down before Big Ben gets blowed up, Dockett style a play later. That brings up third and forever. From the shotgun, Ben finds Miller, but he's six yards short of the pretend yellow line.

Warner and Co. went 90 yards on the previous drive. They'll need 75 more to take the lead, and they'll have 5:28 to do it.

9:34: Probably worth pointing out: when the Steelers have at least an 11-point lead, they're 10-0 in the postseason. Not sure how much longer that perfect record will last.

Warner find Boldin for 10 yards, and Ike Taylor gets a personal foul penalty after the play. Arizona, now at midfield, go to the no-huddle. After a run for no gain, Warner finds Breaston over the middle, and he's down to the 26-yard line. Like clockwork, Gandy's flagged for holding Harrison. On first and 20, Warner almost pulls a "Flacco" and Polamalu almost obliges. Incomplete.

Another play, another incompletion, bringing up 3rd and 20. Woodley pressures Warner, forcing him to get rid of the ball early, a third incompletion on the drive, fourth down. Graham's punt is downed at the one-yard line. Pittsburgh's up against it, but they have a six-point lead.

9:41: Roesthlisberger throws incomplete on first down and Parker somehow avoids taking a safety a play later. Big Ben finds Holmes on a spectacular third-down play ... but instead of a first down, center Justin Hartwig is called for holding. In the end zone. Which is a safety. I just had a heart attack.

Steelers: 20
Cardinals: 16

9:46: Okay, crunch time. 2:53 on the clock, Cards start on their own 35. Boldin drops the first-down pass. On second down, Fitzgerald goes 65 yards to the house. HOLY CRAP.


Steelers: 20
Cardinals: 23

9:50: Okey doke, let's see what Big Ben's got. He's been labeled a game manager most of his career. Now he'll have 2:30 to prove his critics wrong. Not a good start: Steelers are called for holding on first down. Big Ben runs around like a maniac and somehow finds Holmes just before the two-minute warning.

On third and 6, another improbable Ben-to-Santonio completion for a first down. Ben to Nate Washington moves the sticks again. Roethlisberger then scrambles for four yards and the Steelers use their second timeout. On second down, Big Ben continues to stand tall in the pocket, magically avoids the rush, and finds Holmes for a 40-yard gain down to the Arizona seven-yard line.

Pittsburgh takes their last timeout with 49 ticks on the clock. Incomplete to Holmes on first down. On the next play, Roethlisberger sheds the game-manager label after finding Holmes for six on quite possibly the play of the game. And given what's happened the previous 59 minutes, that's saying a helluva lot.

Kurt Warner has 35 seconds.

Steelers: 27
Cardinals: 23

10:05: Alright, I'm hooked up to an oxygen tank for the final half-minute here. Not sure if I'm going to make it. We'll see. Warner finds Fitz, up to the Cards' 44-yard line. Timeout, Arizona (one left). Warner to Arrington for 12 more yards and another timeout. Fifteen ticks on the clock, Cards' down four.

On first down from the Steelers' 44, Warner has all sorts of time, can't find an open receiver, scrambles, and as he tries to throw the pass, he's sacked by Woodley and fumbles in the process. Brett Keisel recovers and that, thankfully, is that. I will now go shotgun a 12-pack to calm my nerves.

Steelers: 27
Cardinals: 23



Steel Toes originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:05:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>adrianwilsonantrelrollebengrahambenpatrickbenroethlisbergerbrettkeiseldarnelldockettdeionsandersdominiquerodgers-cromartieedgerrinjamesgaryrussellheathmillerhineswardiketaylorj.j.arringtonjamesfarriorjamesharrisonjustinhartwigkarlosdansbykenwhisenhuntkurtwarnerlamarrwoodleylarryfitzgeraldlarryfootemeweldemooremichaeladamsmikegandymitchbergernatewashingtonneilrackerssantonioholmesstevebreastontimhightowertroypolamaluwilliamgaywillieparkerRyan WilsonSun, 01 Feb 2009 23:05:00 EST In Final Seconds, Santonio Holmes Was Steelers' Only Optionhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/in-final-seconds-holmes-was-the-steelers-only-option/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/in-final-seconds-holmes-was-the-steelers-only-option/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/in-final-seconds-holmes-was-the-steelers-only-option/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Steelers No. 1 receiver Hines Ward gutted his way through the entire game, but with a strained MCL, he was not much more than a gimpy decoy. Pittsburgh No. 3 receiver Nate Washington hurt his shoulder on his only catch of the game with 1:33 to play, which meant he was running routes with not much more than one arm.

So when Ben Roethlisberger hopped into the huddle with 48 seconds to play, he really had one option among his top three receivers -- Santonio Holmes. On both of the Steelers' two goal-line plays in the final seconds, everything was set up to get Holmes open.

On first down, the Steelers put Holmes on the left side of the field lined up in a stack formation with Mewelde Moore behind him. On the other side of the field, the Steelers lined up Washington and Ward (the decoys) along with Heath Miller in a bunch formation. At the snap, Roethlisberger looked to his right and pump faked to try to draw the linebackers and safeties over.

At the same time, Holmes was running a route to the back of the left corner of the end zone. Moore trailed behind Holmes and stopped right at the goal line. After his pump fake, Roethlisberger shifted his eyes to Moore, in the hope that cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie would abandon Holmes for Moore. It worked for just a split second, which was enough to give Holmes a window. Roethlisberger let fly with a good enough pass that could have been the game-winner, but Holmes let it slip through his hands.

On second down, the Steelers ran the same concept out of an entirely different formation. This time, the Steelers put Washington and Miller on the left side, while Ward came in motion to end up lined up behind Holmes at the snap, just like Moore was behind Holmes on first down. This time, Moore was in the backup spot, flanked out to Roethlisberger's right.

In Final Seconds, Santonio Holmes Was Steelers' Only Option originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:01:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>Ben RoethlisbergerBenRoethlisbergerDominique Rodgers-CromartieDominiqueRodgers-cromartieHines WardHinesWardNate WashingtonNateWashingtonSantonio HolmesSantonioHolmesJJ CooperSun, 01 Feb 2009 23:01:00 EST Santonio Holmes Becomes Steeler Legend, Wins Super Bowl MVPhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/santonio-holmes-becomes-a-steeler-legend-wins-super-bowl-mvp/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/santonio-holmes-becomes-a-steeler-legend-wins-super-bowl-mvp/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/santonio-holmes-becomes-a-steeler-legend-wins-super-bowl-mvp/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Santonio HolmesAll those questions about Santonio Holmes' mentality and, certainly, his ability should now be answered definitively. With the Steelers trailing 23-20 after a stirring Arizona rally, Pittsburgh put the ball in Ben Roethlisberger's hands -- and Roethlisberger promptly sent it to Holmes. The Pittsburgh wide receiver made four catches on the Steelers' final drive, including a spectacular TD catch in the corner of the end zone for the win.

Not surprisingly, Holmes was then named the Super Bowl MVP. He finished the game with nine catches for 131 yards, both game-highs, surpassing the incredible efforts of Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald (seven grabs for 127 yards).

There are almost no words for the job Holmes did down the stretch for Pittsburgh -- heck, he almost all-but-wrapped the game up earlier, hauling in a difficult catch in traffic on a play that was eventually reversed on a holding call and safety.

Arizona pulled within 20-16 on that safety, then stormed ahead on a long Fitzgerald TD run. Pittsburgh got the ball back, down by four with 2:37 left, and promptly got called for holding. Of the 88 yards that the Steelers then drove for the victory, 73 of them came on Holmes' receptions -- two solid grabs, then one 40-yard catch-and-run that set up the final score.

Long story short, in an amazing game of amazing performances, Holmes' late work basically stole the victory from Arizona and handed it to Pittsburgh.

No one was really sure how Hines Ward would bounce back from a knee injury in this game -- he had just two catches for 43 yards. And while Heath Miller turned in a strong game for the Steelers, they needed someone to step up and get the job done on offense. Holmes answered the call, and then some.

Fitzgerald, meanwhile, had both the Super Bowl and MVP trophies wrapped up after staking Arizona to the lead. He was held almost completely in check for three quarters, but finally found some openings in the fourth quarter. Once he got going, there was no stopping him.

Unfortunately for Fitzgerald and Cardinals fans everywhere, his go-ahead TD left more than two minutes on the clock, and that proved plenty for Holmes to save the day for Pittsburgh.

Santonio Holmes Becomes Steeler Legend, Wins Super Bowl MVP originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>ben roethlisbergerBenRoethlisbergerlarry fitzgeraldLarryFitzgeraldsantonio holmesSantonioHolmesChris BurkeSun, 01 Feb 2009 22:44:00 EST Santonio Holmes Impersonates LeBron James on Super Bowl-Winning TD Catchhttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/santonio-holmes-impersonates-lebron-james-on-super-bowl-winning/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/santonio-holmes-impersonates-lebron-james-on-super-bowl-winning/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/santonio-holmes-impersonates-lebron-james-on-super-bowl-winning/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Santonio Holmes had a pretty good night at Super Bowl XLIII. Not only did he snare nine Ben Roethlisberger passes for 131 yards, but he scored the game-winning touchdown on a highlight-reel catch with 35 seconds left.

The Roethlisberger throw was picture-perfect. The catch was better. Holmes barely was able to drag his feet near the out-of-bounds line while stretching as far as he could stretch to haul the ball in. His celebration afterward was clearly an homage to another Ohio sports star.

Holmes is from Florida, but played his college football at Ohio State. Obviously, he recognizes that LeBron James is the state's biggest sports star, because he copied James' pregame ritual for his touchdown celebration.

If you don't ever watch NBA basketball, here's what James does before tipoff:



Holmes will certainly be fined for "using the football as a prop" or whatever. He pretended to pour resin onto his hands with the football, and then he threw the pretend resin in the air a la James.

As far as touchdown celebrations go, this one was pretty cool. Paying homage to one of the biggest stars in all of sports on the biggest stage in sports? I'm down with that.

Santonio Holmes Impersonates LeBron James on Super Bowl-Winning TD Catch originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>ben roethlisbergerBenRoethlisbergersantonio holmesSantonioHolmesBruce CiskieSun, 01 Feb 2009 22:00:00 EST Super Bowl Fan MVP Voting Is a Jokehttp://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/fan-mvp-voting-is-a-joke/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/fan-mvp-voting-is-a-joke/http://superbowl.fanhouse.com/2009/02/01/fan-mvp-voting-is-a-joke/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The fan voting for Super Bowl MVP is an election that any Chicago politician would love. This is one vote where you are encouraged to vote early and often.

You can vote for Mitch Berger if you want (which is just funny), but more annoyingly, you can vote as many times as you want. To check it out, I voted at NFL.com for James Harrison once. Once you vote, the biggest box left is "Vote Again." Vote once more, and it asks you to vote again. This goes on for as long you want to vote.

If you don't mind wasting your time, you can sit and stuff the ballot for several hundred votes. If this was just a fan vote for conversation that didn't matter it would be one thing, but fan voting counts for 20 percent of the voting, so it actually means something.

If the NFL is aiming for getting plenty of fan votes, they are succeeding but at the cost at having legit balloting for the MVP award.

Super Bowl Fan MVP Voting Is a Joke originally appeared on Super Bowl FanHouse on Sun, 01 Feb 2009 21:30:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

 

Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

]]>James HarrisonJamesHarrisonMitch BergerMitchBergerJJ CooperSun, 01 Feb 2009 21:30:00 EST