Some Quick Hit Super Bowl Reactions

-While I've heard many already talking about how this could be the best Super Bowl ever, that's probably overstating things a little bit. One need not even look so far back to find one that was more entertaining, last year in Arizona, when the Giants ACTUALLY stunned the world and beat the Patriots in the greatest upset in the history of the game.

-Despite not winning the game, Kurt Warner, who belongs in the Hall of Fame (that argument, in full, coming tomorrow) and Larry Fitzgerald had unbelievable second halves. Warner passed Joe Montana's record of 1142 yards in Super Bowls with his 377 passing yards.
(preview of the Warner HOF argument: Warner not only holds the record for most all-time Super Bowl passing yards, but all three of his SB appearances are now the top three for single-game passing in a SB.)

-Fitzgerald, who already passed Jerry Rice for most receiving yards in one post-season before this SB even kicked off, now owns the record for most receiving TD's in one playoff year with 7 after his two second half grabs in the big game.

-Though the number may have been off, my prediction of a 21-17 Steelers win did get the spread (4) exactly on the button

-The Canadian feed of the game got maybe three of the real Super Bowl commercials...the CRTC blows.

-Though I did end up having a good time, my Super Bowl party turned into more of a shmooze-fest than a football-frenzy. There was more buzz over Jennifer Hudson and Bruce Springsteen (who I actually thought was awesome) than in the last four minutes of the fourth quarter, that's just not right.

- Ben Roethlisberger, who now has two Super Bowls and has won more games than any other QB in their first five seasons, belongs in the Hall. It's one of those no-brainer things. A fourth quarter comeback drive was to win the game was what sealed it.

-James Harrison, the 2008 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, returned an interception 100 yards on the final play of the first half for a touchdown. It was the longest single play (special teams included) in SB history. (NB: In the Steelers last SB appearance, Willie Parker blasted a 75 yard TD run, which still is the longest running play in SB history).

-Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Steelers, is the youngest person to coach in and win a Super Bowl (at 36, a year younger than Warner). He is also only the second black head coach to win the game, both in the last three years after recently retired Tony Dungy won with the Colts in 2007. Tomlin got this job two years ago partially because of the Rooney Rule which states that any team with a coaching vacancy must interview at least one minority head coach before making a hire. This rule was named after Steelers owner Dan Rooney and his pioneering efforts to have this put in place for the 2003 season.

-Speaking of pioneering efforts, President Obama called Rooney and coach Mike Tomlin right after the game. When asked what the President said to him Tomlin responded, "to be honest, he congratulated me and after that I couldn't hear a word he said."

-I don't usually buy into John Madden's brand of play by play. A lot of 'that was amazing' and 'this is a huge third down for the team'. But he made one of the more insightful comments of the night when he pointed out that while Big Ben's numbers were far inferior to those of Kurt Warner, it's often not about the numbers you get, but when you get them.
Roethlisberger was not at or near the top of any QB categories this year and was pretty average all year long. The only thing he did spectacularly well was ya know...win games. Isn't that what you want in a quarterback?

-How many times did Roethlisberger scramble away from a blitz, sometimes multiple times on one play, only to find an open receiver down the field or even just to throw the ball away and avoid a sack. That's why he's so successful despite his relatively low offensive numbers. That, and being huuuge in the clutch.

-Santonio Holmes, Super Bowl 43 MVP (the first ever to come out of Ohio State), made the catch to win the game with under two minutes remaining and it will go down as one of the clutch plays in Super Bowl history. For Big Ben to elude pressure on the play, point to the corner of the endzone where he wanted Holmes to run and then throw the ball into TRIPLE COVERAGE, made it only more spectacular when Holmes reached up, grabbed the ball out of mid air and tapped both feet in the very corner of the endzone and still maintain control of the ball when he hit the ground.
That was a special play.

-It happened with 0:35 left on the clock, the exact time that was left when Plaxico Burress caught the Super Bowl winning TD against the Pats last season...the 'Santonio Holmes shooting himself in the leg' watch is officially on!

For my money, the Pats should still be favoured the win it all next season, pending the full return to health of Tom Brady.
For the same money...Adrian Peterson will be the number one pick is this year's upcoming fantasy football draft.