Super Bowl XL: Your thoughts

[White Shogun]

I don't know about you, but I'm already annoyed. The pre-game "anthem" was horrible, unrecognizable as the Star Spangled Banner.

Is it just me or has the number of commercials in this year's Super Bowl already ratcheted up a notch? So far there has been 5 minutes of football and 20 minutes of commercials.

Not to mention that anemic first series from the Steelers. Judging from the cheers during the team's run onto the field and the number of terrible towels present, it seems like a Steeler crowd. But they still draw two false start penalties? Doesn't bode well for the favorites.

It looks like Hasselbeck has one guy on his mind already, too - Darrell Jackson, or as he likes to call himself, "D Jack." Five catches so far. Where's Joe Jurevicius?

 

[hedgehog]

Hasselbeck has not even looked at another receiver yet. He drops back and eye-balls jackson... If he keeps this up, Troy is going to pick him off.

 

[White Shogun]

Is an end around a gadget play?? According to John Madden, it is.

Big Ben just threw the first pick of the game. More to come? I hope not, I hope he doesn't let it rattle him.

I'm surprised the Bus hasn't played a lot yet. Kudos to Cowher for not letting the pre-game hype get to him and alter his game plan to get the Bus a lot of carries. Then again, maybe at this juncture the Bus might give the Steelers a spark?

 

[Bart]

The penalty in the end -zone taking away the Seahawks touchdown shouldn't have been thrown in a playoff game. Stevens fumbled the ball after making a catch, if you ask me.

 

[bigunreal]

So far, this game has been one of the most pro-wrestling like fixed ones I've ever seen. The last call, when Big Ben didn't come close to getting the ball across the goal line, and they upheld the wrong ruling on the field, cannot be defended by any reasonable person. You cannot tell me that an honest official looks at that play for more than 15 seconds and doesn't rule that the ball came up short. Combined with a couple other crucial calls against the Seahawks, especially a bogus call that negated the TD to Jackson, and the script seems to obviously call for a Steelers win. Wow- Hasselback just let about 20 seconds run off the clock for no reason. The playcalling by Holmgren has been incomprensible at times. At least one Seahawk defensive back (#28) is giving the impression he's not trying (did you see him not even attempt to knock down Big Ben's absurd fluttering lob that put them on the Seahawk 3 yard line- most grandmothers could have knocked that dying duck down.) So far, this game has been pure WWE-like theatrics. It has also been, like all Super Bowls, lame and unable to live up to the incredible pre-game hype.

 

[Don Wassall]

I'll say one thing -- the Seahawks' clock management at the end of the half was inexplicable. Reminiscent of the Eagles inexplicable super-lethargic performance at the end of the game last year, which was subsequently blamed on McNabb being out of shape.

 

[White Shogun]

Joe Jurevicius - 3 REC, 45 YDS
Darrell Jackson - 5 REC, 50 YDS

There have been a few questionable calls, Big Ben's touchdown the most glaring. But I don't believe Stevens had possession, and I'd call the pushoff in the endzone a legitimate penalty.

The Seahawk dback on the big pass play that set up the Steeler touchdown was going for the ball instead of just defending the pass. He could have easily knocked the ball down, as bigunreal pointed out, but instead hoped for the INT and tons of Super Bowl glory - but botched the play instead.

 

[hedgehog]

I got a kick out of the half time show, seeing Mick Jagger. He did alright, but his voice isn't near what it used to be. Keith Richards looked about 90 yrs old. That tells you something about the state of affairs of music in this country. On a side note, I had no idea the Rolling Stones had such a "diverse" fan base. Did you see the crowd down by the stage?

 

[GWTJ]

On the Steelers TD, I thought the ball clearly reached the white stripe. And the Seahawks receiver clearly pushed off while the ball was in the air. It was so obviously offensive pass interference I have no idea how anyone can say it wasn't. If anyone thinks that should have been a TD, then they must feel it is ok for the receiver to push off to get himself open.

The Steelers are giving up first downs but not the points. If the Seattle receivers had run their deep routes correctly, i.e. staying in bounds, they might have 20 points by now. They blew at least 2 TD's by going out of bounds on their own.

 

[White Shogun]

GW, I think Big Ben's touchdown was questionable, but with the ruling on the field a TD, there wasn't enough evidence to overturn it.

Its all moot now; Willie Parker just sprang for a 79-yd touchdown run. MVP anyone?

 

[Don Wassall]

Jeremy Stevens now has two key drops on the only two passes thrown to him. And there was no excuse for Darrell Jackson being out of bounds on a play that should have been a touchdown, or for his pushing off on another play that should have been a touchdown. Even Hines Ward has had two drops.

Joe J. showed how to hang on to the ball after taking a hard hit.

 

[Bear-Arms]

ahem, it's "Fast Willie Parker"

 

[GWTJ]

Well, Big Ben just blew his shot as MVP today!

 

[White Shogun]

Why wasn't a flag thrown for the block in the back on Roethlisberger during the INT runback? He was clearly running in front of the play, back to the ball carrier, and was shoved hard and down to the ground. Is that not a penalty during any part of the game except punt and kickoff returns?

Big Ben has two INT, no TD passes, 1 TD run. Its Mike Vick!

Stevens finally held on the ball, but only when he isn't hit making the catch. Touchdown, Seahawks.

 

[Bart]

Well, Big Ben just blew his shot as MVP today!

It doesn't matter Parker's run would have over shadowed whatever Ben might have done. Hasselbeck has played better than anyone thus far.

 

[White Shogun]

Hasselbeck has played better than anyone thus far.

I agree, Bart. Can a player on the losing team still win the MVP?

If the Steelers hang on and win the game, I think my MVP at this point would go to Hines Ward. He's made some tough catches, e.g. the shoe string grab running toward the left sideline, and the end around that bailed out the Steelers on another drive. The Steelers defense has given up the yards but not the points, as commented earlier, but I haven't noticed any particular defensive player making enough plays to garner MVP.

Stevens is now 1 for 4, with his sole catch coming on a wide open touchdown. I think Joey Porter was right, Stevens does play soft.

 

[Don Wassall]

Stevens is now 1 for 4, with his sole catch coming on a wide open touchdown. I think Joey Porter was right, Stevens does play soft.

He's soft, and he has terrible hands. Hasselbeck has now started throwing to Ryan Hannum, who has far better hands. But Madden just called Hannum nothing but a blocker and Stevens "a pretty good receiver." Wonder if he'd have the same thing to say about a white TE who was stinking up the joint?

 

[Poacher]

What do guys think about the commercials so far? Haven't seen any that are too offensive although I stopped watching mid-way through the 3rd quarter.

Someone from another planet would think that all white men only care about beer.

 

[Alpha Male]

and cars...


Anybody notice Madden's description of Seahawks white defensive end (forget the name) after he made a sack;

"He's just one of those high motor players."

I think he is just plain quick and athletic.Edited by: Alpha Male

 

[White Shogun]

Wow, another penalty on the Seahawks brings back a big play. I bet Stevens will be disappointed - it was only his second catch of the night.

A sack on Hasselbeck and now an INT! Was that a poor throw or a bad route? Hard to tell but it looked like Hasselbeck was expecting the receiver to run a post instead of a slant. Anyone else?

And, it looks like Polamalu is limping. It was most noticeable on his long run across the field trying to make the hit on Bobby Engram.

 

[Bart]

One of the rare catches by Stevens near the goal line was overturned on a bogus holding penalty, then Hasselbeck throws an INT a couple plays later.

 

[White Shogun]

Wow! Helluva throw by Randle-El! He threw it on the run, perfect arc and perfect spiral right on target to my vote for MVP - Hines Ward. Great call and well executed play by the Steelers. This one might have put the game away.

They've announced that it was the first touchdown pass in a Super Bowl thrown by a wide receiver.

 

[GWTJ]

Are you ready for one of the refs obscure rules on this challenge?

 

[JD074]

On the Steelers TD, I thought the ball clearly reached the white stripe.

Me, too. The ball barely- just barely- broke the plane, and the defender knocked the ball loose afterwards. At that point, the ball was sandwiched between Ben and the ground, and out of the end zone. Then he grabbed it and put it in the end zone. So maybe that's why it looks questionable. We all have a different set of eyes, but to me it looked like he just barely got it in there.

 

[JD074]

and cars...


Anybody notice Madden's description of Seahawks white defensive end (forget the name) after he made a sack;

"He's just one of those high motor players."

I think he is just plain quick and athletic.

Any time a white player succeeds, it is for reasons other than athleticism. That's the Caste Code.