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Super Bowl XLIII: A Week Later

Steeler's HelmetSome random thoughts about the Super Bowl that was…

  • Anyone talking about the refs doesn't watch enough football. There were lots of penalties (almost all of which were deserved) as well as many calls that weren't made for both teams. Want three against Arizona? Warner taking his helmet off to argue with a ref, Fitzgerald running 40 yards well out-of-bounds before tackling Harrison, and the numerous times Harrison was held when rushing. It was a fairly called game.
  • I agree that the refs could have "taken the time" to review the play at the end of the game, but the play was reviewed upstairs and ruled a clear fumble. What's to review? The right call was made. If a Cards fan wants to be pissed at someone, let them be pissed at Whisenhunt, who didn't do a thing to cause them to re-consider their quick review of the play.
  • Santonio's game-winning TD celebration: do you really want a Super Bowl decided by a ticky tacky "celebration" penalty? It happened a full minute after the play ended and Santonio was alone. Nobody was looking and it wasn't done to show anyone up. And if that's using the ball as a prop, how is spiking the ball not doing so? Or dunking it over the crossbar? Simple celebrations are allowed.
  • I'm tired of hearing how well Steelers fans "travel." They don't travel - they exist everywhere. 15,000 fans don't drive from Pittsburgh to Denver or wherever - they simply live nearby. America's Team? No contest. It's the Steelers.
  • John Madden is a horrible announcer. He's hated the Steelers since the Immaculate Reception. Calling for a Steeler (Harrison) to be ejected from the game for playing football is way, WAY beyond his responsibilities as an announcer, particularly when the guy who received the shoves (all legal) from Harrison makes a habit of going for people's knees.
  • I always supported the hiring of Mike Tomlin. I predicted he'll win three Super Bowls in 15 years, and he's one third of the way there (in only two years). When he accepted the trophy, he wasn't nearly as excited as you'd think he would have been. Why? Because he has a plan, and that plan doesn't involve winning just one Super Bowl.
  • The Steelers are by far the best operation in pro sports. Find another one that's better? The Rooneys deserve all the credit in the world here.
  • Bruce Arians, despite winning a Super Bowl, needs to be fired. Nine goal-to-go situations and the Steelers got six points? The goal-line playcalling has been perhaps the worst, but Bruce's playcalling everywhere else is horrible too. Only when Ben freelances and goes no-huddle - removing Arians from the equation - do the Steelers move the ball regularly. I could go on and on and on here - the lack of plays to the tight ends and to Mewelde Moore-type running backs, and on, and on…
  • The press is still failing to recognize Ben Roethlisberger as the big-time QB than he is. He's won more in his first five years than anyone ever. He's got far more fourth-quarter comebacks. He's done so all while being sacked and harrassed nearly an order of magnitude more often than Brady or Manning and without nearly the same corps of top-end wide receivers. And lest we forget, he nearly died! But hey, you media guys can keep blowing Peyton and Tom - Ben will probably just keep winning.
  • The offensive line somehow found a way to improve - not much, but just enough - in the playoffs. Despite Ben's post-game comments, this may be the worst OL to win a Super Bowl.
  • I have no idea why Arizona didn't play more of the offense that had success, but I think it's a great example why Ken Whisenhunt was not my choice for head coach in Pittsburgh. The Cardinals probably could have won the game 42-17 if they had played to their strengths on offense.
  • The Troy Polamalu re-make of the Mean Joe Greene commercial? Vomit.
  • Unless Kurt Warner 100% believes he can win a Super Bowl next year, he should retire, because this is as "on top" as he'll get. Brett Favre should have stayed retired.
  • Why on earth would the Cardinals defer? With their high-powered offense, that call made no sense. Throughout the playoffs they built their leads in the first half.
  • If you cheat, you can't claim to be the team of the decade. Sorry, Cheatriots. I'm not saying the Steelers are, but the Pats aren't.
  • Before the season started, I honestly didn't think, with Bruce Arians and the offensive line the Steelers had, they'd make the playoffs. Credit belongs to Mike Tomlin - and the Cleveland Browns, who were predicted to do well this year - there.
  • A pair of Super Bowls and a Stanley Cup Final ((Doesn't appear to be happening this year, but there's still time…)) in the past three to four years. Wow. If only the Pirates were owned by someone who didn't have his head up his ass…
  • Best Super Bowl of all time? Top three for sure, I'd say. Not willing to go more than that.

8 Responses to "Super Bowl XLIII: A Week Later"

  1. But you are not biased or anything?

    1. [quote comment="52705"]But you are not biased or anything?[/quote]

      Who said I wasn't? I'm a Steelers fan. I don't hide that.

  2. Is there a rule about not running out of bounds on a interception return and you are trying to tackle the interceptor?

    Only thought it was on kicking/punting plays.

    Nonetheless, a very enjoyable Superbowl, except for all the penalties.

    1. [quote comment="52706"]Is there a rule about not running out of bounds on a interception return and you are trying to tackle the interceptor?[/quote]

      Yup. Same reason a wide receiver can't run out of bounds and come back into the field of play and make a catch.

      It comes up most frequently on kicks because kicks are one of the few times a player can run 40+ yards in a line on a play (and because other players can block you and push you out of bounds).

  3. Harrison should have been ejected. It was a pussy move and was clearly shown on the replay.

    1. [quote comment="52730"]Harrison should have been ejected. It was a pussy move and was clearly shown on the replay.[/quote]

      Sorry, I don't buy it. In fact, the blocks weren't even illegal.

      The refs penalized Harrison because they think he continued blocking (pushing, shoving) after the play ended. That's debatable since you can see the players still running in the background).

      The blocks themselves were perfectly legal.

  4. [quote comment="52709"]Yup. Same reason a wide receiver can't run out of bounds and come back into the field of play and make a catch.

    It comes up most frequently on kicks because kicks are one of the few times a player can run 40+ yards in a line on a play (and because other players can block you and push you out of bounds).[/quote]

    From MMQB:On kickoffs and punts, players cannot run out of bounds unless they are blocked out of bounds. On all other plays, there is not a rule about where they may run.

    (Starts at "PLAYERS CAN RUN OUT OF BOUNDS ON NON-KICKOFFS").

    1. I stand corrected. Thanks.

      Still wonder what prevents, say, a wide receiver from running out of bounds on a route, though. Heck, the tackle was made from out of bounds in this instance - Fitzgerald never got back into the field of play.