If case you didn’t notice, and judging by the comments, you didn’t, I spent the last two week counting down the greatest Super Bowl moments in anticipation of Super Bowl XLIII last night. In 42 previous games I found some great moments and had a blast re-living the greatness of the Super Bowl.
As I have made the sports rounds today, there is serious discussion of last nights game as the GREATEST SUPER BOWL ever. Not one or two random radio hosts, but respected sports journalists are talking about XLIII as the greatest of all time. I would like to take a moment and respond.
ARE YOU NUTS?!?!?
Was it a good game? Yeah. Was there some drama at the end to make it compelling? Sure. But keep these things in mind.
The first three quarters: Harrison returned a interception 100 yard at the half and “scored”. (see below) Other than that, I was looking for anything to keep my attention. The fourth quarter was exciting, the first three were not. Rarely, is a Super Bowl great from beginning to end so I would let this slide but…
The favorite won: Upsets are compelling. The Jets in Super Bowl III or the Giants in XLII should have never been close but won the game. I realize the Steelers were favored by 7 but the favorite still won. But the big one…
The officiating: It’s been a big issue in ther NFL all season but the officiating in this game was awful. And as unfortunate as it is, the bad calls came out one sided against the Cards.
- Big Ben’s first touchdown, which had to be overturned.
- Harrison didn’t make it into the endzone at the end of the first half, but it was called that way on the field so I wouldn’t expect them to overturn it.
- The roughing the holder penalty, what was that? He’s wearing pads and it wasn’t a vicious hit.
- The missed call on using the ball as a prop after the Holmes TD. How was it missed? That is an automatic call and the 15 yards could have made a heck of a difference for the Cards.
- And finally, the non-review on the second to the last play of the game. Warner’s fumble should have been immediately reviewed. Would they have overturned it? I’m not sure, I feel like it would have been. But that is the reason we have the Instant Replay system in place…to make sure the calls are correct on the field. The fact that the officials did not review this play is inexcusable and the spin the NFL has put on it with “the review took place upstairs and the play was upheld” smacks of covering up a screw up talk…It never, never happens that way in the NFL…take the 2 minutes and make sure the call is correct Cardinals fans and the rest of the NFL fans deserve it.
Add all of this to the fact that it just happened last night and why don’t we wait a few months and see where this game fits into the list of great Super Bowls…But like the great Denny Green, I’m just not ready to crown it’s ass.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
My friends and I thought the game was downright awful until the 4th quarter. Then it became unbearable because we realized Big Ben was going to become a Hall of Famer and be known as “clutch” despite playing horribly most of the night.
And yes, the officiating was terrible, particularly at the end.
Also, I read all of the Super Bowl moments and thoroughly enjoyed the posts. Very well written, and I learned a lot. I hadn’t seen any of the moments in question, so I didn’t feel I had anything to add in the comments.
Thank God there are other reasonable people out there. This might have been the most boring game I’ve ever watched (not just Super Bowl) for the first three quarters. I was falling asleep (admitedly, the heavy drinking may have been a part of that) and I know people who actually changed the channel to something else because they couldn’t take it anymore.
Harrison’s elbow and/or knee was definitely down before the ball crossed the plain. The refs called everything in favor of the Steelers and had to be overturned twice (Rothlisberger “TD”, 1st Warner “Fumble”) and should have been overturned two more (Harrison “TD”, 2nd Warner “Fumble”).
It’s the ESPN superlative mentality where we have to talk about everything and everybody as the greatest ever. Give it a fucking rest. Last year’s game was 1000% times more exciting from beginning to end and the Eli scramble to Tyree catch was the greatest play in sport’s history let alone football or Super Bowl(not Harrison’s “Touchdown” as all of these “professional” journalists are trying to claim).
In short, an exciting 5 of the 4th quarter could not make up for the shitty 55 minutes before it and ABSOLUTELY DOES NOT make for the Greatest Game Ever. Fuck you ESPN/sports journalists.
Agreed. This is twice now that the Steelers have jerked some atrocious franchise’s best shot at a title thanks to the referees.
the first thing is that the interception on harrison turned to a touchdown.”know for people who don’t like steelers well it was the closest game that I have ever seen.hold on.. give me a thought about that…”THAT WAS TOTALLY ASWOME FOR THAT TOUCHDOWN”.Mabye people doen’t really like the super bowl 43.Know amajin the next super bowl.Personally like the cheerleaders,watching them do there thing is cool and the commericals are sometimes anoing because when there is something about to happen the cut to the commercials.Half time shows are fun to watch people sing.I would say this super bowl was aswome.
samething as randy there but i like cardinals more then the steelers.I was angry because me and a friend were beting that ifthe steelers won I would have to give him a beer case and if i won then he would ow me.But at the end I still had fun yelling, screaming,hollering and of course hooting for the cardinals.
That was totyally aswome and funny of what you said ha ha baby