Is the Super Bowl a Bland Game?
by Chris Clement
Super Bowls typically are rather boring games. Last year, most thought the Steelers would cruise to victory. While the score favored that notion, several terrible calls at key junctures marred that game. Big Ben didn't get in, DJax's push-off was way too ticky-tack, and the Steelers got away with a lot of holding penalties on Tubbs and Wistrom. In spite of the egregious calls, that still doesn't keep me from saying the Steelers won, thanks to some great playcalling from Whisenhunt.
Point is: Most Super Bowl are pretty bland. Let's look briefly at the last ten for further evidence.
XL- Pittsburgh defeats Seattle in a terrible game. The Hawks get their one TD after Jeramy Stevens drops five or six passes.
XXXIX- Patriots over Eagles. Pretty lackluster. Nice catch from Greg Lewis. McNabb pukes and the Eagles seem futile in their final drive.
XXXVIII-Patriots over Panthers. DeShaun Foster has the play of the game. Bunch of sloppy posessions in a bad first quarter. Kasay shanks a key kickoff. Brady does it again. Very average.
XXXVII-Tampa Bay spanks Oakland. Barrett Robins got more attention than any other Raider. Gannon throws 2 TDs to the Raiders and 3 to the Bucs. Simeon Rice gets jobbed for the MVP by Dexter Jackson of all people. BORING to watch Michael Pittman run well.
XXXVI-New England over St. Louis. Ty Law owns Kurt Warner. The Rams play sloppy and the Proehl TD and Brady's drive make the 4th quarter the only quarter worthwhile. It was a good upset, but not the "American Dream" story that Boston sportswriters tried to make it.
XXXV-Baltimore over NY Giants. Wow, this one sucked balls. Giants scored their only TD on special teams, no less. Collins sucked. Ray had 6 tackles and an MVP.
XXXIV-Rams over Titans. PLEASE don't overrate this. It was a fantastic 4th quarter, but sucked until then. Mike Jones' tackle should've earned him an MVP. Warner somehow threw for 400+ yards this game.
XXXIII-Denver over Atlanta. Should've been the Vikes, if not for the ageless Gary Anderson. FB Howard Griffith had two TDs. Elway's swansong sucked. Eugene Robinson's arrest was the highlight for the Falcons.
XXXII-Denver over Green Bay. Probably the best of the bunch. Good 1st, sloppy second and third, and Elway was fantastic in the 4th. The helicopter was fun. Still, nothing compared to Bills/Giants (which is the best Super Bowl of my lifetime that I watched).
XXXI-Green Bay over New England. Nobody thought New England had a shot. Reggie was great, Favre was Favre, and Desmond Howard stole the spotlight. It wasn't nearly as exciting to see as John Madden tried to make it.
XXX-Dallas over Pittsburgh. Cowboys played flat, but won thanks to Larry Brown being lost and Neil O'Donnell finding him. Great signing, Jets. As for the game, Switzer was the coach. By the way, Gumby could've coached this team to victory.
As for this year, I could analyze all day, but I won't. Honestly, I have zero idea. Colts can't fall behind by 10 to this team. But isn't Rex due for a pick-six? Or two of them? Or three? Who knows? I would like to see Peyton/Dungy/Harrison overcome it, but Rex with a ring sounds like my favorite f-u to the media. Or "POW!" as Armin likes to say.
I'm just glad that I won't have to watch Belichick in his ridiculous sweatshirt with cut-off sleeves this weekend. Tool.
Editor's note: PHSports Super Bowl Predictions will be out tomorrow!
by Chris Clement
Super Bowls typically are rather boring games. Last year, most thought the Steelers would cruise to victory. While the score favored that notion, several terrible calls at key junctures marred that game. Big Ben didn't get in, DJax's push-off was way too ticky-tack, and the Steelers got away with a lot of holding penalties on Tubbs and Wistrom. In spite of the egregious calls, that still doesn't keep me from saying the Steelers won, thanks to some great playcalling from Whisenhunt.
Point is: Most Super Bowl are pretty bland. Let's look briefly at the last ten for further evidence.
XL- Pittsburgh defeats Seattle in a terrible game. The Hawks get their one TD after Jeramy Stevens drops five or six passes.
XXXIX- Patriots over Eagles. Pretty lackluster. Nice catch from Greg Lewis. McNabb pukes and the Eagles seem futile in their final drive.
XXXVIII-Patriots over Panthers. DeShaun Foster has the play of the game. Bunch of sloppy posessions in a bad first quarter. Kasay shanks a key kickoff. Brady does it again. Very average.
XXXVII-Tampa Bay spanks Oakland. Barrett Robins got more attention than any other Raider. Gannon throws 2 TDs to the Raiders and 3 to the Bucs. Simeon Rice gets jobbed for the MVP by Dexter Jackson of all people. BORING to watch Michael Pittman run well.
XXXVI-New England over St. Louis. Ty Law owns Kurt Warner. The Rams play sloppy and the Proehl TD and Brady's drive make the 4th quarter the only quarter worthwhile. It was a good upset, but not the "American Dream" story that Boston sportswriters tried to make it.
XXXV-Baltimore over NY Giants. Wow, this one sucked balls. Giants scored their only TD on special teams, no less. Collins sucked. Ray had 6 tackles and an MVP.
XXXIV-Rams over Titans. PLEASE don't overrate this. It was a fantastic 4th quarter, but sucked until then. Mike Jones' tackle should've earned him an MVP. Warner somehow threw for 400+ yards this game.
XXXIII-Denver over Atlanta. Should've been the Vikes, if not for the ageless Gary Anderson. FB Howard Griffith had two TDs. Elway's swansong sucked. Eugene Robinson's arrest was the highlight for the Falcons.
XXXII-Denver over Green Bay. Probably the best of the bunch. Good 1st, sloppy second and third, and Elway was fantastic in the 4th. The helicopter was fun. Still, nothing compared to Bills/Giants (which is the best Super Bowl of my lifetime that I watched).
XXXI-Green Bay over New England. Nobody thought New England had a shot. Reggie was great, Favre was Favre, and Desmond Howard stole the spotlight. It wasn't nearly as exciting to see as John Madden tried to make it.
XXX-Dallas over Pittsburgh. Cowboys played flat, but won thanks to Larry Brown being lost and Neil O'Donnell finding him. Great signing, Jets. As for the game, Switzer was the coach. By the way, Gumby could've coached this team to victory.
As for this year, I could analyze all day, but I won't. Honestly, I have zero idea. Colts can't fall behind by 10 to this team. But isn't Rex due for a pick-six? Or two of them? Or three? Who knows? I would like to see Peyton/Dungy/Harrison overcome it, but Rex with a ring sounds like my favorite f-u to the media. Or "POW!" as Armin likes to say.
I'm just glad that I won't have to watch Belichick in his ridiculous sweatshirt with cut-off sleeves this weekend. Tool.
Editor's note: PHSports Super Bowl Predictions will be out tomorrow!
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1 comment:
3/4 of the game had resounding blandness. Good post, Clement.
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