But this isn't one of the best Super Bowls ever. One of the best 4th quarters? YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT.
Madden: The gap between winning and losing is widest in sports.
Finally, succinct words.
Very below average first 3 quarters. Crappy commercials, too.However, the ending was memorable to say the least.
Mike Tomlin can stand proud. He delivered Pittsburgh its NFL-record 6th Super Bowl.
Credit: Yahoo! Sports
...Madden Moment of the Night...
Did anyone else notice Madden's idiotic comment on James Harrison's play?
"If you make that nice of a play and run all the way downfield...you deserve a touchdown."
It's a nice thought, for an idiot. You don't deserve anything in professional sports. You either earn it or fall short. This isn't the "nice effort" league. It's the NFL. So Mr. Madden, stick your fat foot in your fatter mouth after that comment. While Harrison was in for the score, if he wasn't...he doesn't deserve anything.
10:15 p.m. -- 15 4th Quarter Thoughts
1) I refuse to believe one team is holding this much more than another. Then after you see the replays, you see Arizona is holding these Pittsburgh 3-4 ends. 91 yards in penalties on the Cards. Never a ticket towards anything but a deficit - 13 points now - in a Super Bowl.
2) Why is Ben Graham punting for this team, with a sore hamstring no less? I 'm serious folks, he SUCKS. So what if he can hold snaps. He can't punt!!!
3) I'm gonna say it: Arizona needs a lucky defensive TD or they have 0% chance. Not even .01%.
4) I have never seen so many personal fouls. Half of them are garbage too. Steelers fans could care less. I don't blame them.
5) Darnell Dockett willed himself to that sack. Great play. You know Big Ben expected to escape that. Who can blame him, either? Arizona needs a fluke play, perhaps a CB downfield to fall or become distracted by some local fanfare. I'd love to see Pittsburgh with the ball and a 20-14 game. I need SOME drama!!!
6) Even when the Steelers give up a downfield pass, they lay out the Cardinal wideout. No huddle time. Let's see if Warner forces something. Nice to see you again - even for only 6 yards - Mr. Fitzgerald.
7) JJ Arrington exposes the middle of the field. With the safeties 30-yards off, where has this been before? Warner can't screw up again.
8) 3rd and goal at the 1 for Arizona. Interesting...
9) Ike Taylor played that well. However, "Swagger" lost out to Fitzgerald at the highest point. What a catch. You couldn't even dream of challenging it, too. WOW. (I'm rooting for a losing cause in Arizona. Sue me.)
10) We just might have a ball game. Dockett vying for underdog MVP honors. Then again, he might have to just enjoy a victory as the offense will need a touchdown to win. At least we finally have some drama again. Will the no huddle return? How about the Pittsburgh zone?
11) There's the stat. Basically, the Steelers don't lose with 11+-point leads. 152-1-1 (including postseason) is a daunting number.
12) Al Michaels just burned Ike Taylor. "Not swagging now". I just gained newfound respect for him. Mike Tomlin looks nervous...
13) I honestly thought I'd be chewing on my words after the Fitzgerald touchdown. What an amazing playcall. Troy Polamalu doesn't deserve this ring. Not after today's horrific performance.
14) Santonio Holmes has overcome the marajuana arrest, I suppose. He should be MVP. Harrison is a punk and a thug for what he did on that special teams play. How was he not ejected? I know! The refs have no stones.
15) Great 4th quarter. Much like 1999. Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald needed a stop on defense. It just wasn't meant to be. Pittsburgh earned it. No need to challenge the Warner fumble. 100%. Although I do wonder if a Favre, Ben, Brady, or Manning had it happen...would a review had come?
9:00 p.m. -- 10 3rd Quarter Thoughts
1) Edgerrin James running well early on in the 3rd quarter. Haley and Wisenhunt know that forcing something downfield won't work against this defense. Question is: will a deep ball to Fitzgerald be available for Warner and company. Is Anquan Boldin hurt again? Two words: uh oh.
2) You look at Pittsburgh's roster and you see just how well they draft; especially on the defensive side of the ball. Big stop by Pittsburgh on Warner and Harrison ends up with another turnover. Oh goodie. Fortunately, the refs made the right call (per review). Maybe we do need review. Why doesn't Arizona get 2 new challenges?
3) Pittsburgh is NOT winning this game because of the refs. However, I have two issues:
A) The facemask on Holmes would've been a 5-yarder; if the NFL kept that penalty and made the refs make judgment calls on facemask penalties.
B) Dansby's late hit wasn't a personal foul.
4) Adrian Wilson's personal foul was more idiotic than the woman screaming in the careerbuilders.com commercial. Guess which site I'll never recommend?
5) 20-7 score. How different might this game have been if it was 10-10 at the half? Not as different as you might think (I think).
6) JJ Arrington has been horrific returning kicks. Why isn't Breaston back there? Man, these commercials are horrific. Although I do want to see GI Joe and Transformers 2. Then again, I don't need a commercial for that either.
7) Too many underneath routes for the Cardinals. I can't remember a throw downfield outside of Boldin's. Eventually, they're going to have to take a chance with Fitzgerald. Polamalu, zone, or whatever withstanding.
8) Anquan Boldin looks disinterested. It's odd because I've always seen him as one of the more emotional players - even on a notoriously poor team - in the NFL. It's a real shame.
9) Through 3 quarters, Warner has attempted 1 - count 'em 1 - pass past 10 yards downfield. Not good.
10) 3 boring quarters. I don't see a 1999-like 4th quarter. We were spoiled last year. Don't let a short-term memory fool you. Another crappy Super Bowl.
7:45 p.m.-- 15 2nd Quarter Thoughts
1) Sum says it best again: "When did Larry Fitzgerald start wearing #89? Leonard Pope with an AMAZING catch. Maybe he should "bailout" our economy? Ha! No. No...
2) Using Edge in the pass game is a brilliant check-down. Warner tripping yet again. Not surprising. Bad drop by Edge on 3rd and 22 for field position.
3) Arizona's D needs to get a Steeler punt. It's not even about forcing a turnover or making a huge sack. Wrap up and don't give Big Ben unlimited time. Willie Parker is making the first guy miss, 5 yards in the backfield often, with relative ease (aka automatically). Still waiting for that holding call on the Stillers.
4) I am sick to my stomach that the Jets could've taken DRC instead of Gholston with the 6th pick. SICK!
5) Whadu know? Pittsburgh's gonna punt. Say it with me now. [Insert Chappelle's Show random memory: "Calvin's Got a Job!"]
6) Steve Breaston showed up today. He knew he'd have a lot available and he's ready. I hate to plug Michigan football these days, but Breaston played in plenty of big games. No blocks in the back either. Props to Stevie.
7) Penalties resulting from blitzes causes Cardinal penalties. OC Todd Haley needs to take that into account on rollout plays. 3rd time the Cardinals have had a down and 20+. First sack of the game ensues. LaMarr Woodley arrives...another Wolverine. 5th sack in the postseason. Impressive to say the least.
8) Missing: Larry Fitzgerald.
9) These commercials S-U-C-K. Fortunately, the game appears to be getting better.
10) Ben Graham sucks. I'll say it now and forever. Worst punter in Super Bowl history. Don't let Michael Adams' strong coverage fool you. The guy NEVER pins people inside the 10. EVER!
11) Quite the year for U of R (University of Richmond) football. First a national championship (FCS) and Tim Hightower has done the rest. You think the residents of "Swagger" liked Ike Taylor getting his ankles broken so badly on 3rd and long?
12) Welcome to the Super Bowl Larry Fitzgerald. Let's see if Warner can avoid going Sam Bradford in the redzone. Clever, right? Boldin takes some NASTY hits. I love the guy. Risky call to get that 1st down at the 2. Better be careful with those timesouts Kenny. (Have they mentioned Russ Grimm yet?)
13) James Harrison might've just won a MVP award with that run back. W-O-W. That may suck the Cardinals dry. That is one of the worst mistakes by a QB in Super Bowl history. Kurt Warner will be blamed if the Cardinals lose the Super Bowl. And he should. He should.
14) Longest play in Super Bowl history. And you know what? It ended this game. I guaran-damn-tee.
15) Don't worry, there won't be 45 3rd quarter thoughts. Do the math.
7:05 pm -- 5 1st Quarter Thoughts [Pittsburgh leads 3-0, driving for 10-0.]
1) Great challenge by Wisenhunt; nevertheless, I HATED him deferring to the second half. You might be getting the ball down 17-0 if Pittsburgh has early momentum.
2) Sum said it best: "House would be pissed with Tomlin kicking a field goal from 1-foot yard line."
3) 5 offensive plays in the 1st quarter for the Cardinals. If you told any of us that, we'd have guessed the score was worse than 10-0. Their first possession in the second quarter better be steady.
4) Heath Miller is exposing the Cardinal LBs and secondary. Not good.
5) Polamalu was quite quiet. That'll change. Especially if Breaston continues being open. He'll take a shot or two if Fitz and Boldin continue to struggle to be Warner's 1st option.
Note: I always have believed - and have plenty of evidence - that Pittsburgh gets away with more holds than any team in the NFL. Just watch for it. Really try and watch.
See you after the 1st quarter, my friends.
6:15 p.m. -- 10 Thoughts: Pre-Game Analysis
1) Nobody is prouder of Bob Costas than Bob Costas. I still cringe when I think
of him saying in the NBA Finals, “This could be the last time Michael Jordan (insert verb) on a basketball court.
3) It’s brutal to watch Matt Millen speak so profoundly and not forget how much of an absolute failure his way-too-long tenure in Detroit was.
4) Brenda Warner still scares me a little.
5) Mike Holmgren picked against the Steelers. Shocker.
6) National Anthem = meh. Unless it’s Whitney Houston bellowing it out in 1990 or Ray Charles singing “America, the Beautiful”, these are a dime a dozen for me. Sorry. Hudson did well, but the delay on the PA made it seem like she wasn't singing live.
7) Cris Collinsworth called Kurt Warner the best football player on the field. Troy Polamalu – my MVP pick – may have an argument tonight.
8) Al Michaels has traded in his hair piece of the past few years for a set of hair plugs. Either way, he and Madden both look like train wrecks in the booth. I really miss the Summerall/Madden booths of the earlier and mid-90s on CBS & FOX.
9) I love Springsteen, but the Halftime Show is for people over 40. They might as well give women – and some men – what they want and have Neil Diamond up there next year. Especially if the Panthers end up Super Bowl-bound.
10) Commercials. I love how they have been taken over as the “real thing to watch” by women. Oh women, we love you. First, it was being able to cook for us on the big day and now it’s the commercials. Just admit you just want to be around us lazy, balding, fatties during the top sporting event of the year. Admit it.
5:45 p.m.
Check in throughout the game for PHSports analysis - mainly from Clement's mouth - on Super Bowl XLIII.
We'll have quotes, referee call-outs, play-by-play analysis, and other random fanfare you might be able to live without, but know you're better off enjoying L-I-V-E.
See you shortly after kickoff...
***Check out the poll on the top right of the page NOW. Call your shot with the MVP for tonight's big game. Good luck.****
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