Super Bowl 44:
Well, being a South FL local, I'm kind of glad the circus will be leaving town this week. Seems as if every B list celebrity, wanna be, hustler, hooker, dealer, quack and shyster was in town this past week.
Roads a mess with tourist traffic and limos, vans, etc. I've heard from reliable sources that flocks of people magazine wanna be celebrity females have been trying to get at players. The groupies from all over the world are here. So finally the Hype Bowl is over.
The Actual Game:
First off, as someone mentioned, the lack of fundamentals was surprising. Indicative that overall skills have been on the downside for well over a decade. The castified scouts, coaches, media tend to salivate at the 'atheltic' side of things. Actual football playing fundamentals are secondary. It was evident this whole year and in this game. Not to nitpick, but - drop balls, missed tackles, no one could really run block it seemed.
Not exactly disappointed that N.O. won it. We just have to hear about the city coming back and overcoming, just like the team, how much the Saints mean to the city, etc. Yawn. The media desire for the human interest story and to try to sell sports as bigger then life. No, it is just a sport.
Brees played an amazing game and Manning will take the blame for the pick 6. On that play, they used Collie as the mid field decoy (he was open) and Manning telegraphed the out to Wayne. Porter sat on it, jumped at the right time and made a damn solid play. Wayne had passive body position and didn't try and box out the DB, Manning's out throw was too far in and that was it.
Game, set and match.
Also, even when they got down inside the 5 late and still would've needed the onside kick, poor decision making and execution did them in.
I thought they got away from the running game too quickly in the 2nd half. Perhaps relying on Manning too much. That last 4th down pass to Wayne went right through his hands because he was already cringing from the hit Shanle was about to deliver.
Saints made plays when they had to. They are a deserving Champion and beat all the best QBs this past year.
And one of the talking heads made the point we have to agree with: Saints realized they had to go out and make plays and take chances to beat Indy. They did so and executed them.
The onside kick was something most chicken coaches would never do. Reis must have felt the pain down in that scrum...seemed as if that pile went on forever.
Saints play D until the 'echo of the whistle'. Aggressive bunch who like to wear you down. You can move the ball on them a bit, but you get the feeling one pays for it in pain.
Colts played well let me add. They just didn't do enough in the 2nd half.
Glad for the Saints. The Colts need to get more balance and really lighten the Defense with some guys that have skills and leadership.
