Super Bowl

bsp; This phenomena reared its head during the regular season, but in the biggest game of the year, Super Bowl XLIII.  Why is the leader of such a sub par offense (22nd in the league during the regular season) the engineer of so many come from behind wins? When examined, two major reasons can be found.

Continue reading "Why Ben Roethlisberger Will be the ..."

Coming off a super bowl victory last season, hopes couldn't be higher for the 2009 Pittsburgh Steelers, as they should be.  While the team is returning 20 out of 22 starters from that super bowl run (only losing Larry Foote and Bryant Mcfadden), things begin to look bleak as we look at the possible roster a year from now.  In 2010, the Steelers will have an alarming number of key players that will be free agents if these players do not re-sign.

Continue reading "Trouble Ahead for the Steelers"

Arizona:  This should be an amazing Super Bowl…aren’t they all?  Even the blowouts are fun…because it’s the biggest game of the year!  These two teams know each other fairly well.  The coaching staff of the Cardinals is littered with Pittsburgh connections.  Some say that this should give the Cardinals the advantage…and I agree.  The Steelers may have the No. 1 defense in the league, but that won’t make a difference to Kurt Warner and the Cards.  Look for a high scoring affair in this contest.  Boldin should have a great game, with everyone keying on Fitzgerald.  He may even give Warner a run for MVP honors.  Pittsburgh will keep it close until the 3rd quarter, but then the Cards will fly to victory and bring the Lombardi Trophy to the desert.  Arizona 41, Pittsburgh 27.   

Continue reading "Predictions Super Bowl XLIII"

Despite the fact that I would kind of like to see the Arizona Cardinals pull off an upset victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, I think that the Yellow and Black will prevail in this one.  The way I see it, the Cardinals are good enough to score two TDs, but not more than one field goal.  The Steelers, on the other hand, will also get two TD scores against an Arizona defense that really isn't that great (unless they can force turnovers, which the Steelers don't give up), plus kick a few more field goals to pull out the win.

Continue reading "Super Bowl Prediction: Steelers 23, Cardinals 17"

The first year I ever watched a Super Bowl was after the 1996 season, when the Green Bay Packers (whom I, ironically, as a Vikings fan, was rooting for) beat the New England Patriots thanks in large part to a kickoff return by Desmond Howard for a touchdown to open the second half (if my memory serves me right).

Continue reading "My Favorite Super Bowl"

the freakin' Cardinals are in the Super Bowl. For me this is just something that I've thought was impossible for at least the last 20 years. I am not a Cardinal fan at all. I just have a mutual respect for them out of the love for the game that I have. I also had the pleasure of serving in Iraq with late Pat Tillman. I follow the Cardinals kind of like my In-Laws. When something important happens I take notice, but most of the time I could care less. What a fool I was!

Continue reading "Super Bowl set for Sunday!!!"

ts right now I should be doing nothing but preparing for the "holiest" of all days...Super Bowl Sunday.  Now don't get me wrong, I will watch the game on Sunday and enjoy it, but I really don't get into all the hype that precedes it.  In fact, I really dislike the fact that two weeks must commence between the AFC/NFC Championships and the overall title game (although I DO like the fact that it gives the players a chance to rest up in order to give their best performances).  However, at about this time every year, I start to become hooked by another sport...bowling.  I'm usually just a baseball (Twins) and football (Vikings) guy (I haven't watched an entire basketball or hockey game in years), so that February-March void needs to be filled with something (and Spring Training doesn't quite cut it).  Thus, I turn my attention to bowling.  Whether it be lacing up the flattened shoes at the actual alley or watching the pros break a sweat over every ball, I love what the sport of bowling represents: the idea that a task (knock down ten pins) that looks so easy can be so frustrating.

Continue reading "The Third Season"

ionships, Gruden has got to be heralded as the greatest coach in Bucs history delivering their only Super Bowl in 2002. They have had several playoff years in his tenure, and despite an unexpected collapse at the end of this season were on pace to make the playoffs again safter starting 9-3.

Continue reading "Passing the Torch in Tampa?"

Cedric Benson; ring any bells? Why the Bears elected to go with Benson instead of Jones after their Super Bowl run two years ago is beyond me. I think that Forte shows high aspirations of filling his shoes. While he seemed a bit banged up towards the end of the season, I think that he is a solid back that could leave Chicago as one of the greats in team history. I'm not sure he would rank with the likes of Jim brown, or Walter Payton, but only time will tell.

Continue reading "Chicago Bears Looking Ahead"

rsquo;m ready to face the other 11 steps… 

As you know, the NFL is getting ready for Super Bowl XLIII in Tampa, Florida.  The last Super Bowl to feature the Bengals was Super XXIII in Miami, Florida.  For those who prefer their numerals to be numbers, the Bengals’ last

Continue reading "Who Dey: The Musical!"

So after watching the Steelers/ Ravens game, I have noticed one thing about Pittsburgh... they are a dirty team.  Ryan Clark hit Willis McGahee helmet-to-helmet in the closing minutes of the Fourth Quarter to force a fumble, which was recovered by the Steelers.  Unfortunately for the NFL and for fans of the game, the referees did not call the hit illegal.  A very similar hit was called illegal (and a fine was given) earlier this season on Anquan Boldin, which knocked him out for several games.  These hits are very dangerous and can cause paralysis.  The league needs to be more uniform in the hits they call.  There are less calls made against offensive players making helmet to helmet blocks (see video of Hines Ward breaking Keith Rivers' jaw in a game against Cincinnati).  Also less frequent are helmet-to-helmet hits on running backs from defenders.  It's like the league feels that defensive players deserve to get hit this way, and since running backs are naturally taking the most hits, they deserve it in a way.  Receivers and quarterbacks are too fragile to allow these hits to be put on them, so the league fines players for hits on these guys.  Come on!  The reason some are called illegal is "to prevent injury".  All of these hits, regardless of position, can injure the guy.  (Did you see McGahee carted off the field on a stretcher, or Keith Rivers get his jaw broken?)  Bottom line, both of these hits referenced were by Pittsburgh Steelers players, and neither were fined or even called as penalties.  I feel like the NFL gives Pittsburgh a free pass because they have a reputation as a physical, hard-hitting football team.  The league needs to get their act together and fix this very baised system. 

Continue reading "Steelers' cheap shots"

(First of all, I want to sort-of apologize for this picture...I usually don't like to personally attack people on this blog without due cause, but it is just too funny not to put up!)

Now that the proper time to reflect on the Vikings' first-round playoff loss to the Eagles has been taken, I want to comment on what I feel is the biggest area the Vikes should address in the offseason...the Head Coaching position.

Continue reading "Dismiss the Sheriff, Promote the Deputy"

p; If you get the chance…read his book!  

The Eagles are flying high with their Super Bowl run, but I have to say I am disappointed with Donovan McNabb.  What was he thinking of when he picked up the telephone on the Giants sideline?  If that were Terrell Owens or Pacman Jones, Goodell would have suspended them by now.  D-Mac…you know better, don’t you?   

Continue reading "Divisional Round Review"

times this year.  The problem is that with all the pre-season hype about the Cowboys making a Super Bowl run, it’s somewhat of a disappointment that more players were not selected.  I’ll be the first to admit that having 13 players selected from one team is ridiculous.  No team is that good at nearly every position! 

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Hell, he's from Ohio. You remember what he did the last time he owned the 49'ers: 4 Super Bowl titles won, Joe Montana as QB, Jerry Rice as wide-out, Bill Walsh as coach. I think his credentials are solid. Imagine if he owned the Bengals (I know about Eddie's troubled past). Marvin Lewis would get all the help he needed on every front. Chad Johnson wouldn't be unhappy. Carson Palmer would get a better Q rating, and the fan base would get an infusion of energy. Just ask somebody who lives in San Francisco if they miss DeBartolo.

Continue reading "Wanted: A New Bengals Owner"

ting outcomes of football games, although last year I nearly predicted the exact final score of the Super Bowl while hitting on seven of my nine prop bets. (My prediction was 26-17, the final was 29-17.) For whatever reason I had a very good feel for that game. This year's

Continue reading "Super Bowl XLII Prediction"