5. Super Bowl XXXVI
Date: February 3rd, 2002
Location: Louisiana Superdome, New Orleans, Louisiana.
"THE BIRTH OF AN UNEXPECTED DYNASTY"
The New England Patriots over the St. Louis Rams, 20-17.
The Rams were favored by 14 points in this game and nobody really gave New England much of a shot. The Rams and Patriots actually played one another during the regular season with St. Louis winning the game rather handily. The Patriots were unexpected AFC champions defeating the Raiders in the infamous "Tuck Rule" game and then beating the heavily favored Steelers in the AFC championship game. St. Louis, led by all-pro quarterback Kurt Warner, was going for their 2nd title in three seasons. New England built a 17-3 second-half lead with the help of Ty Law's 47 yard interception return for a touchdown and quarterback Tom Brady's touchdown pass just before the half. The Rams came back with two late scores, including Kurt Warner's touchdown pass to Ricky Proehl to tie the game at 17 with 1:30 remaining. Just when it looked like we would have the first overtime in a Super Bowl, Brady marched the Pats down the field and set up Adam Vinatieri's 48 yard field goal as time expired. This would mark the first time a Super Bowl ended on the game's final play. Super Bowl XXXVI was the first one played in February has it had to be pushed back a week due to the September 11th attacks. I find this game pretty intriguing because, much like Super Bowl XIII between Dallas and Pittsburgh, it changed the legacy of both franchises. A victory for the Rams would have given them their 2nd title in 3 years making them a dynasty of sorts. Instead, the Patriots surprising victory launched their dynasty as they would go on to win 2 more championships over the next 3 seasons and become the last team to win 3 Lombardi trophies in a 4 year span. New England's legendary playoff-run and Super Bowl triumph helped make Tom Brady a superstar. Just a 6th round draft-choice out of Michigan, not much was expected from Brady when he became the starter in 2001 after Drew Bledsoe went down with an injury. Brady parlayed his initial success into a hall-of-fame career and one of the top one or two quarterbacks of this era. The Rams franchise really hasn't been the same since this game, plummeting to the doldrums of the NFL in recent seasons. Kurt Warner went on to play with the Giants and then the Cardinals where he led Arizona to a surprising Super Bowl appearance before his team suffered another heartbreaking loss.
4. Super Bowl XXIII
Date: January 22nd, 1989
Location: Joe Robbie Stadium, Miami, Florida.
"JOE MONTANA: COOL, COMEBACK KID"
The 49ers over the Bengals, 20-16.
This was the second Super Bowl meeting between these two teams and only the 3rd rematch in Super Bowl history. San Francisco was expected to dominate this game much like they did in their first Super Bowl victory over the Bengals following the 1981 season, but things didn't go as planned. Despite two very high-powered offenses led by quarterbacks Joe Montana and Boomer Esiason, the two teams traded field goals in the first half and went into the locker room tied at 3. They traded field goals again in the 3rd quarter, but Cincinnati's Stanford Jennings returned a kick-off 97 yards for a touchdown giving the Bengals a 13-6 lead. The 49ers answered immediately and capped off a game-tying touchdown drive with a Montana to Jerry Rice touchdown in the 4th quarter. The Bengals took a 16-13 lead with 3:20 left on Jim Breech's third field goal of the day. Montana then marched his team 92 yards, hitting John Taylor with the game-winning touchdown pass with 34 seconds remaining. San Francisco claimed their third title of the 80's. Jerry Rice was named game MVP with a record 215 receiving yards and a touchdown. Montana also set a record with 357 yards passing. This was the only great Super Bowl of the 80's. In the decade's 8 Super Bowls prior to XXIII, the average margin of victory was 21 points. And the come-from-behind, game-winning march by the 49ers was the first one in the history of the contest. 49ers head coach Bill Walsh went out on a high note as he would retire following this game. Despite this, San Francisco repeated as Super Bowl champions the following season, clinching their 4th title and becoming one of the greatest teams of all-time.
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
Trading Ben was a nice fairy tale
A couple of weeks ago, after the Georgia district attorney revealed the results of his investigation of the alleged sexual assault by Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, a lot of people became outraged and wanted him gone.
The fans wanted him gone. The media wanted him gone. There were even strong rumors that the Rooney family was working on a trade to get him out of town. In-fact, right up until hours before the draft, there was speculation that teams drafting in the top ten could get their hands on Roethlisberger in-exchange for their first round draft pick and maybe not much more.
Speaking as a Steelers fan, I was relieved that the draft came and went and Roethlisberger was still a Pittsburgh Steeler.
I know there are a lot of people out there who really hate Roethlisberger. Everyone who is a Steeler fan has probably heard the stories of Ben being a jerk when he interacts with people. And how he's an entitled jackass who thinks he doesn't have to pay his bar tabs and should get his food for free because of who he is.
Also, Ben Roethlisberger has never been the most popular player with his teammates. Outside the Lines chronicled that quite well the other day.
Ben probably is a jerk to the fans. And if there was a "Steelers Survivor" contest held in the locker room, he'd probably be the first one voted off.
But is this a reason to get rid of him? Is this a reason to cut ties with possibly the best quarterback in the history of the franchise?
I know that, more importantly, he's been accused of sexual assault, not once, but twice, and that would be a reason to trade him............if the allegations were true.
I'm not saying the allegations aren't true, but he's never been convicted of anything. In-fact, he's never been tried, charged or even arrested. And all we've heard is what the district attorney's findings were. We haven't heard from Roethlisberger or really his attorneys about his side of the story so we really don't know.
The people who are calling him a sexual predator are rushing to judgement. If the Georgia district attorney couldn't find enough evidence to even charge him with a crime, who are we to pass judgement?
And the people who are ripping the Ben supporters and saying stuff like, "What if that was your daughter?....." Well, what if your son was accused of a crime? How would feel if an entire city passed judgement on him without charges even being filed?
And the fans who are sending their number 7 Roethlisberger jerseys back to the Rooneys complete with a letter, come on.
This is all a huge overreaction. The only thing we know about Ben Roethlisberger's off-the-field conduct is that he's an immature douchebag, for lack of a better term.
People would like to see the Rooneys get rid of Ben in-order to restore the Steelers image. Please. There is no such thing as the "Rooney Way." It's a myth; an idealistic image that is not based in reality.
Steeler players have been getting into trouble with the law for as long as the team has been in existence. I'm not going to name any instances, just look them up.
I'm not worried about the Steeler's image and you shouldn't be either. Why do you care about their image? I've heard people say they're embarrassed to be a Steelers fan. Why the heck would you be embarrassed about the Steelers? It's not a reflection on you. I'm a die-hard sports fan but even I'm not serious enough about it to be embarrassed by anything any athlete does. The only people that should be embarrassed about Ben's behavior are Ben, his family, and maybe the Rooneys.
Roethlisberger has a very poor image right now, but he's going to get a chance to repair it so why not let him do it here?
Strictly from a football standpoint, trading Roethlisberger would be the worst thing the owners could have done.
Getting a first round draft pick or two for a once-in-a-generation franchise quarterback would hardly be an equal return.
There were friends of mine who were almost salivating at the prospect of trading Ben for a couple of first round picks. Unproven rookies are always a gamble, and even if they become good players, well, there are good players all over the league, but there are only a handful of players with the special skills that Roethlisberger has.
Sam Bradford might be the next great quarterback, but he could also be the next Ryan Leaf. You just never know with draft picks.
Franchise quarterbacks come along only so often and when Ben finally does retire, that's the end of Super Bowls for us for quite some time. You might not think I'm right, but I can almost guarantee you it's true.
It took the Steelers over twenty years to get another franchise quarterback after Terry Bradshaw retired. The Packers had to wait three decades in-between Bart Starr and Bret Favre.
And what about the Dolphins and Broncos? Dan Marino retired in 1999 and Miami hasn't come close to finding a quarterback like him.
John Elway retired in 1998 and the Broncos have had some OK teams but they can't find the quarterback to get them over the hump.
When a team gets a quarterback like Roethlisberger, Manning or Brady, history shows that they're not going to get a guy like him again for many, many years. You know how the Penguins had the best player in the land in Mario Lemieux, and then when he retired, we got to watch Jagre do his thing and then just a few years later, Sidney Crosby came along? Well, that's a freak thing. It's like winning a Powerball three straight times. In other words, the odds against that happening are very high.
I know people like Dennis Dixon, but that's no surprise. If there's one thing the Steelers fans love almost as much as the Lombardi trophy, it's the backup quarterback. If Kristofer Disharoon was the backup quarterback for the Steelers, the fans would be calling the talk shows and wondering if maybe the coaches should give him a shot and get Roethlisberger out of town.
But I digress. Dennis Dixon might be a good quarterback, and he might lead the Steelers to the playoffs, but is he good enough to lead them to a championship? Was Tommy Maddox good enough to do it? What about Kordell Stewart? How about Mike Tomczak? Remember Neil O'Donnell? And let's not forget Bubby Brister. All good quarterbacks who brought something to the table and gave us a lot of wonderful moments, but they all came up short in the Super Bowl department.
The Steelers have had many decent quarterbacks, but only two great ones, and not coincidentally, they were the two that brought us championships.
I'm not saying that the Super Bowl is the only thing for me. A good playoff run is great, too, and provides many memories, but if my team is in a big playoff game, I like their chances a lot better if they have a huge gun under center.
Roethlisberger is only 28 years old, and maybe the window is starting to close on the championships around here for a while, but as long as they have Roethlisberger, they will always have a chance, and that's why they had to keep him.
The fans wanted him gone. The media wanted him gone. There were even strong rumors that the Rooney family was working on a trade to get him out of town. In-fact, right up until hours before the draft, there was speculation that teams drafting in the top ten could get their hands on Roethlisberger in-exchange for their first round draft pick and maybe not much more.
Speaking as a Steelers fan, I was relieved that the draft came and went and Roethlisberger was still a Pittsburgh Steeler.
I know there are a lot of people out there who really hate Roethlisberger. Everyone who is a Steeler fan has probably heard the stories of Ben being a jerk when he interacts with people. And how he's an entitled jackass who thinks he doesn't have to pay his bar tabs and should get his food for free because of who he is.
Also, Ben Roethlisberger has never been the most popular player with his teammates. Outside the Lines chronicled that quite well the other day.
Ben probably is a jerk to the fans. And if there was a "Steelers Survivor" contest held in the locker room, he'd probably be the first one voted off.
But is this a reason to get rid of him? Is this a reason to cut ties with possibly the best quarterback in the history of the franchise?
I know that, more importantly, he's been accused of sexual assault, not once, but twice, and that would be a reason to trade him............if the allegations were true.
I'm not saying the allegations aren't true, but he's never been convicted of anything. In-fact, he's never been tried, charged or even arrested. And all we've heard is what the district attorney's findings were. We haven't heard from Roethlisberger or really his attorneys about his side of the story so we really don't know.
The people who are calling him a sexual predator are rushing to judgement. If the Georgia district attorney couldn't find enough evidence to even charge him with a crime, who are we to pass judgement?
And the people who are ripping the Ben supporters and saying stuff like, "What if that was your daughter?....." Well, what if your son was accused of a crime? How would feel if an entire city passed judgement on him without charges even being filed?
And the fans who are sending their number 7 Roethlisberger jerseys back to the Rooneys complete with a letter, come on.
This is all a huge overreaction. The only thing we know about Ben Roethlisberger's off-the-field conduct is that he's an immature douchebag, for lack of a better term.
People would like to see the Rooneys get rid of Ben in-order to restore the Steelers image. Please. There is no such thing as the "Rooney Way." It's a myth; an idealistic image that is not based in reality.
Steeler players have been getting into trouble with the law for as long as the team has been in existence. I'm not going to name any instances, just look them up.
I'm not worried about the Steeler's image and you shouldn't be either. Why do you care about their image? I've heard people say they're embarrassed to be a Steelers fan. Why the heck would you be embarrassed about the Steelers? It's not a reflection on you. I'm a die-hard sports fan but even I'm not serious enough about it to be embarrassed by anything any athlete does. The only people that should be embarrassed about Ben's behavior are Ben, his family, and maybe the Rooneys.
Roethlisberger has a very poor image right now, but he's going to get a chance to repair it so why not let him do it here?
Strictly from a football standpoint, trading Roethlisberger would be the worst thing the owners could have done.
Getting a first round draft pick or two for a once-in-a-generation franchise quarterback would hardly be an equal return.
There were friends of mine who were almost salivating at the prospect of trading Ben for a couple of first round picks. Unproven rookies are always a gamble, and even if they become good players, well, there are good players all over the league, but there are only a handful of players with the special skills that Roethlisberger has.
Sam Bradford might be the next great quarterback, but he could also be the next Ryan Leaf. You just never know with draft picks.
Franchise quarterbacks come along only so often and when Ben finally does retire, that's the end of Super Bowls for us for quite some time. You might not think I'm right, but I can almost guarantee you it's true.
It took the Steelers over twenty years to get another franchise quarterback after Terry Bradshaw retired. The Packers had to wait three decades in-between Bart Starr and Bret Favre.
And what about the Dolphins and Broncos? Dan Marino retired in 1999 and Miami hasn't come close to finding a quarterback like him.
John Elway retired in 1998 and the Broncos have had some OK teams but they can't find the quarterback to get them over the hump.
When a team gets a quarterback like Roethlisberger, Manning or Brady, history shows that they're not going to get a guy like him again for many, many years. You know how the Penguins had the best player in the land in Mario Lemieux, and then when he retired, we got to watch Jagre do his thing and then just a few years later, Sidney Crosby came along? Well, that's a freak thing. It's like winning a Powerball three straight times. In other words, the odds against that happening are very high.
I know people like Dennis Dixon, but that's no surprise. If there's one thing the Steelers fans love almost as much as the Lombardi trophy, it's the backup quarterback. If Kristofer Disharoon was the backup quarterback for the Steelers, the fans would be calling the talk shows and wondering if maybe the coaches should give him a shot and get Roethlisberger out of town.
But I digress. Dennis Dixon might be a good quarterback, and he might lead the Steelers to the playoffs, but is he good enough to lead them to a championship? Was Tommy Maddox good enough to do it? What about Kordell Stewart? How about Mike Tomczak? Remember Neil O'Donnell? And let's not forget Bubby Brister. All good quarterbacks who brought something to the table and gave us a lot of wonderful moments, but they all came up short in the Super Bowl department.
The Steelers have had many decent quarterbacks, but only two great ones, and not coincidentally, they were the two that brought us championships.
I'm not saying that the Super Bowl is the only thing for me. A good playoff run is great, too, and provides many memories, but if my team is in a big playoff game, I like their chances a lot better if they have a huge gun under center.
Roethlisberger is only 28 years old, and maybe the window is starting to close on the championships around here for a while, but as long as they have Roethlisberger, they will always have a chance, and that's why they had to keep him.
Sunday, April 25, 2010
2010 Steelers draft selections
Round 1: Maurkice Pouncey, center, Florida
Round 2: Jason Worilds, outside linebacker, Virginia Tech
Round 3: Emmanuel Sanders, wide receiver, SMU
Round 4: Thaddeus Gibson, outside linebacker, Ohio State
Round 5a: Chris Scott, offensive lineman, Tennessee
Round 5b: Crezdon Butler, cornerback, Clemson
Round 5c: Steveson Sylvester, outside linebacker, Utah
Round 6a: Jonathon Dwyer, running back, Georgia Tech
Round 6b: Antonio Brown, wide receiver, Central Michigan
Round 7: Doug Worthington, defensive lineman, Ohio State
Round 2: Jason Worilds, outside linebacker, Virginia Tech
Round 3: Emmanuel Sanders, wide receiver, SMU
Round 4: Thaddeus Gibson, outside linebacker, Ohio State
Round 5a: Chris Scott, offensive lineman, Tennessee
Round 5b: Crezdon Butler, cornerback, Clemson
Round 5c: Steveson Sylvester, outside linebacker, Utah
Round 6a: Jonathon Dwyer, running back, Georgia Tech
Round 6b: Antonio Brown, wide receiver, Central Michigan
Round 7: Doug Worthington, defensive lineman, Ohio State
Steelers draft review
Well, another NFL draft has come and gone and let the analysis begin. Who did well? Who didn't? What team changed its fortunes around? What team left us baffled and wondering if their staff was on crack?
There are no real answers to any of these questions right now (well, the Raiders are on crack, but not just because of any draft) but that doesn't stop people from trying to come up with answers.
The other night, after day-two of the draft, I was listening to some post-draft coverage on the radio and the host and callers were just ripping the Steelers. "What are the Steelers thinking?" "Tomlin doesn't know what he's doing!" "How can they draft an outside linebacker when they have so many other needs at different positions?" "Tomlin won a Super Bowl with Cowher's players!"
I love how these so-called experts break a draft down minutes after it's completed and actually judge it before these new players have even had their first press conference.
I know it's a cliche, but any draft is a crap-shoot and saying that team A did great and really helped themselves and team B set their organization back a decade just hours afterwards is totally irrational.
I know this is what the experts do because it's a way to fill time and stir the pot, and I know this is material that radio talk show hosts use in-order to attract callers, but that doesn't make it any less silly.
Hey, don't get me wrong, it's fun to speculate. Take me, for example. I LOVE Maurkice Pouncey, the center/guard out of Florida that the Steelers drafted in the first round. I was begging for them to draft an offensive lineman high for years and they finally did it. From what I understand, he could probably step right in and play guard and then move to center after Justin Hartwig leaves in a year or so.
He could be an all-pro for years to come and redefine the center position like Mike Webster and Dirt Dawson, Steelers centers from years passed. Of course, he could also be the next Tom Ricketts or John Rienstra.
I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Pittsburgh grabbed Jonathon Dwyer, a running back from Georgia Tech, in the 6th round. It was surprising because he was projected to be a 1st or 2nd round selection. To get him that late in the draft could be a real find.
Of course, we won't know any of this until we see how it actually plays out.
That didn't stop the piling on Friday night or even yesterday when the Steelers continued to make these "puzzling" selections. "Why outside linebacker Jason Worilds from Virginia Tech in round two? Why not wide receiver Golden Tate from Notre Dame?" My brother was one of those people who really wanted to know the answer to that question. "We don't need another outside linebacker. We have so many! We need a receiver!"
People were calling Worilds the next Alonzo Jackson, a defensive end/OLB the Steelers drafted years ago in the second round who was a complete bust. That's kind of ridiculous. People were also calling Lawrence Timmons the next Alonzo Jackson back in '07. That's two times in three years you guys have pulled the "Alonzo Jackson" card. You can't do that for another seven years.
I know the Steelers have two special outside linebackers in James Harrison and Jamarr Woodley, but Pittsburgh runs a 3-4 defense, and a 3-4 defense without great outside linebackers is like a car without wheels. It simply cannot function. Yeah, right now, the Steelers don't really need someone to come right in and start, but what if Harrison or Woodley gets hurt? What if Woodley becomes such a great pass-rusher, that when his contract is up in a year or so, he decides to go to the highest bidder? What if James Harrison, who is 32 years old, loses a step or two or three and is only a shadow of his former self? Who's going to step in and fill the void? I'm not saying this Jason Worilds will be anything, but that doesn't mean you don't draft him. They need depth at that position. Football is a pretty physical sport and quality depth is at a premium. The Steelers also grabbed two more outside linebackers in the 4th and 5th rounds. This led to more speculation, but I think it's pretty clear that the Steelers are trying to beef up their special teams units. Linebackers are perfect for special teams play. Let those guys earn their keep by covering punts and kicks. Hey, maybe one or two of them will become special teams demons and the unit won't give up 4 kick-off returns in 5 games like last year.
And in a couple of years, if one of those above mentioned scenarios plays out, maybe one of these young linebackers will be able to step in and excel.
People were also pretty angry that they drafted wide receiver Emmanual Sanders out of SMU. "He's too small. The Steelers already have too many small guys. They don't need more smurfs!" "Does this mean that Limas Sweed has no chance to make the squad now? Have the Steelers given up on him completely? They re-acquired Atwaan Randle El and signed Arnaz Battle. Where's Sweed going to fit in?" First of all, Arnaz Battle is Arnaz Battle and just because the Steelers signed him doesn't mean he's an automatic to make the squad. The Steelers are going to give Sweed another chance and if he flourishes, do you really think they'll cut him so they can keep Arnaz Battle? Coaches, scouts and general managers do not like to admit their mistakes when it comes to player evaluations and they drafted Sweed pretty high two years ago so I'm pretty sure they're hoping and praying that he makes it.
Besides, Hines Ward isn't getting any younger and who knows when his all-out style of play will finally catch up with him.
In addition to another intriguing draft class, the Steelers also reacquired cornerback Bryant Mcfadden from Arizona. All they had to give up was the 5th round selection they got from the Jets for Santonio Holmes so essentially, they traded Santonio Holmes for Bryant Mcfadden. I was pretty excited when I heard that news. Honestly, I was a little curious as to why they didn't draft a corner back early in the draft, but getting Mcfadden back is way better because he's a proven commodity.
I was sorry to see Mcfadden go two seasons ago. After the 2008 season, it was pretty apparent that the Steelers weren't going to re-sign him. Not because he was a bad player, but because his asking price was going to be too high. Plus, Tomlin really liked William Gay and since he did a great job filling in when Mcfadden was injured, most didn't think it would be a big drop off. However, it was a HUGE drop off as Gay was the target of most offensive coordinators last year. Quarterbacks shredded him to pieces. I think Gay is better suited as a nickle back and that's where he'll probably wind up next season.
Adding Mcfadden to the secondary can only make it better, and if Troy stays healthy next year, I think the defensive backs can go from an area of weakness to an area of strength.
I can't believe this offseason. Even without the whole Ben and Santonio mess, it's been an offseason like none I have witnessed in years. They brought back Mcfadden. Randle El and Larry Foote. Who's next? The Bus? Is he going to be the short-yardage back?
There I go speculating and analyzing. I guess that's what blogging is all about.
There are no real answers to any of these questions right now (well, the Raiders are on crack, but not just because of any draft) but that doesn't stop people from trying to come up with answers.
The other night, after day-two of the draft, I was listening to some post-draft coverage on the radio and the host and callers were just ripping the Steelers. "What are the Steelers thinking?" "Tomlin doesn't know what he's doing!" "How can they draft an outside linebacker when they have so many other needs at different positions?" "Tomlin won a Super Bowl with Cowher's players!"
I love how these so-called experts break a draft down minutes after it's completed and actually judge it before these new players have even had their first press conference.
I know it's a cliche, but any draft is a crap-shoot and saying that team A did great and really helped themselves and team B set their organization back a decade just hours afterwards is totally irrational.
I know this is what the experts do because it's a way to fill time and stir the pot, and I know this is material that radio talk show hosts use in-order to attract callers, but that doesn't make it any less silly.
Hey, don't get me wrong, it's fun to speculate. Take me, for example. I LOVE Maurkice Pouncey, the center/guard out of Florida that the Steelers drafted in the first round. I was begging for them to draft an offensive lineman high for years and they finally did it. From what I understand, he could probably step right in and play guard and then move to center after Justin Hartwig leaves in a year or so.
He could be an all-pro for years to come and redefine the center position like Mike Webster and Dirt Dawson, Steelers centers from years passed. Of course, he could also be the next Tom Ricketts or John Rienstra.
I was also pleasantly surprised to see that Pittsburgh grabbed Jonathon Dwyer, a running back from Georgia Tech, in the 6th round. It was surprising because he was projected to be a 1st or 2nd round selection. To get him that late in the draft could be a real find.
Of course, we won't know any of this until we see how it actually plays out.
That didn't stop the piling on Friday night or even yesterday when the Steelers continued to make these "puzzling" selections. "Why outside linebacker Jason Worilds from Virginia Tech in round two? Why not wide receiver Golden Tate from Notre Dame?" My brother was one of those people who really wanted to know the answer to that question. "We don't need another outside linebacker. We have so many! We need a receiver!"
People were calling Worilds the next Alonzo Jackson, a defensive end/OLB the Steelers drafted years ago in the second round who was a complete bust. That's kind of ridiculous. People were also calling Lawrence Timmons the next Alonzo Jackson back in '07. That's two times in three years you guys have pulled the "Alonzo Jackson" card. You can't do that for another seven years.
I know the Steelers have two special outside linebackers in James Harrison and Jamarr Woodley, but Pittsburgh runs a 3-4 defense, and a 3-4 defense without great outside linebackers is like a car without wheels. It simply cannot function. Yeah, right now, the Steelers don't really need someone to come right in and start, but what if Harrison or Woodley gets hurt? What if Woodley becomes such a great pass-rusher, that when his contract is up in a year or so, he decides to go to the highest bidder? What if James Harrison, who is 32 years old, loses a step or two or three and is only a shadow of his former self? Who's going to step in and fill the void? I'm not saying this Jason Worilds will be anything, but that doesn't mean you don't draft him. They need depth at that position. Football is a pretty physical sport and quality depth is at a premium. The Steelers also grabbed two more outside linebackers in the 4th and 5th rounds. This led to more speculation, but I think it's pretty clear that the Steelers are trying to beef up their special teams units. Linebackers are perfect for special teams play. Let those guys earn their keep by covering punts and kicks. Hey, maybe one or two of them will become special teams demons and the unit won't give up 4 kick-off returns in 5 games like last year.
And in a couple of years, if one of those above mentioned scenarios plays out, maybe one of these young linebackers will be able to step in and excel.
People were also pretty angry that they drafted wide receiver Emmanual Sanders out of SMU. "He's too small. The Steelers already have too many small guys. They don't need more smurfs!" "Does this mean that Limas Sweed has no chance to make the squad now? Have the Steelers given up on him completely? They re-acquired Atwaan Randle El and signed Arnaz Battle. Where's Sweed going to fit in?" First of all, Arnaz Battle is Arnaz Battle and just because the Steelers signed him doesn't mean he's an automatic to make the squad. The Steelers are going to give Sweed another chance and if he flourishes, do you really think they'll cut him so they can keep Arnaz Battle? Coaches, scouts and general managers do not like to admit their mistakes when it comes to player evaluations and they drafted Sweed pretty high two years ago so I'm pretty sure they're hoping and praying that he makes it.
Besides, Hines Ward isn't getting any younger and who knows when his all-out style of play will finally catch up with him.
In addition to another intriguing draft class, the Steelers also reacquired cornerback Bryant Mcfadden from Arizona. All they had to give up was the 5th round selection they got from the Jets for Santonio Holmes so essentially, they traded Santonio Holmes for Bryant Mcfadden. I was pretty excited when I heard that news. Honestly, I was a little curious as to why they didn't draft a corner back early in the draft, but getting Mcfadden back is way better because he's a proven commodity.
I was sorry to see Mcfadden go two seasons ago. After the 2008 season, it was pretty apparent that the Steelers weren't going to re-sign him. Not because he was a bad player, but because his asking price was going to be too high. Plus, Tomlin really liked William Gay and since he did a great job filling in when Mcfadden was injured, most didn't think it would be a big drop off. However, it was a HUGE drop off as Gay was the target of most offensive coordinators last year. Quarterbacks shredded him to pieces. I think Gay is better suited as a nickle back and that's where he'll probably wind up next season.
Adding Mcfadden to the secondary can only make it better, and if Troy stays healthy next year, I think the defensive backs can go from an area of weakness to an area of strength.
I can't believe this offseason. Even without the whole Ben and Santonio mess, it's been an offseason like none I have witnessed in years. They brought back Mcfadden. Randle El and Larry Foote. Who's next? The Bus? Is he going to be the short-yardage back?
There I go speculating and analyzing. I guess that's what blogging is all about.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
A "Best of Myspace" blog: It's all about Big Ben
Originally posted on January 23rd, 2009
It's all about Big Ben
As I said the other day, the Steelers are going for their second Super Bowl title in the last four seasons next week when they face off against the Arizona Cardinals.
I can't wait, but I'm enjoying the build-up. I actually think the two-week break, the hype, the media-day, the speculation, etc, is all part of it and it wouldn't be the same experience without it. I got more than just a feeling Pittsburgh is, indeed, going to the Super Bowl in Tampa, Fla. next weekend. Yes sir!
Now, about these two Super Bowls in less than a half-decade. Do not make the mistake of thinking it's just a coincidence that our beloved Black and Gold finally made it to the Promised-land three years ago and are one big win away from getting there again after they drafted Ben Roethlisberger with the 11th pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft.
After the Steelers dynasty of the 1970's had finally run it's course in the early 80's and the team started getting older and players started retiring, naturally, the performance of the team started to suffer and they weren't the Super Steelers any longer. That's pretty common in sports, especially the NFL where parity is the name of the game. If you draft near the bottom of the league season-after-season like Pittsburgh did in the 70's, you're not going to be able to accumulate the top-level talent that you need in-order to stay on top of the mountain, so to speak.
Pittsburgh suffered a great deal at the quarterback position after Terry Bradshaw retired following the '83 season. Cliff Stoudt replaced Bradshaw initially, and was followed by David Woodley, Mark Malone, Scott Campbell, and Bubby Brister. Those were just the quarterbacks from 1984 thru 1991. Neil O'Donnell took over in 1992 and did a pretty good job leading the Steelers. In-fact, he was good enough to lead them to Super Bowl XXX following the 1995 season. If you're a fan, you know Neil threw a couple pretty bad interceptions and Pittsburgh lost to Dallas in their first attempt to get that one for the thumb. O'Donnell was a decent quarterback but he hit his ceiling in the Super Bowl. He was good enough to lead them there, but not good enough to finish the job. That's ok.
Jim Miller took over for O'Donnell after he left for the Jets via free agency. Miller's start lasted a half a game until head coach Bill Cowher replaced him with Mike Tomczak. Tomczak was an ok quarterback who had a bad habit of throwing into triple, and sometimes quadruple coverage, but he was good enough to lead them to the playoffs in 1996. Mike was just the caretaker for the position until Kordell Stewart was ready to take over the reigns in 1997. Stewart was known as "Slash" for his ability to play various positions in his first two seasons in the league. In addition to quarterback, he played receiver and even a play or two at running back as the coaching staff sought out ways to get this talented young player on the field but he wanted to play his college position of qb and he would get his chance in '97.
Stewart showed flashes of brilliance in his first season at the helm. He electrified the Steeler crowds with his ability to break long runs and his ability to make things happen down field with his arm. He made his share of mistakes, but he led the Steelers from behind on several occasions that season and took Pittsburgh all the way to the AFC championship game where they fell at the hands of the Denver Broncos.
The Steelers lost several very key free agents following that season and the departures finally took their toll as 1998 marked the end of the team's six year playoff run. Who took the brunt of the blame? You guessed it, Kordell. The fans were brutal and there was even a vicious rumor circulating about him. Anyone who knows anything about football knows what I'm talking about.
Stewart was yanked in and out of the lineup over the next three seasons as Cowher went with Tomczak from time-to-time and guys like Kent Graham. I don't know what was worse for Stewart: The horrible rumors or losing his job to Kent freakin Graham.
The Steelers ended their playoff drought in 2001 and once again, made it back to the AFC championship game only to fall to the New England Patriots. Stewart was 0-2 in that game. I guess he was only good enough to make it to the AFC championsip game. That was his ceiling. Oh well.
The following year, Stewart lost his job to Tommy Maddox who quickly became the toast of the town. He led an exciting attack that season and Pittsburgh had a pretty good run in the postseason before losing to the Tennessee Titans in the second round.
In 2003, the Steelers had a pretty bad year in-which they posted a 6-10 record. The silver-lining in this wreck of a season was they were able to draft high-enough to pick Ben Roethlisberger with the 11th overall pick of the 2004 draft.
Not much was expected from him initially but he found himself the starter by week 3 when Maddox went down with injury. He led the team to the AFC championship game that year. Pretty impressive for a rookie quarterback. The job was his. Could he finally be the quarterback the Steelers needed to win a World championship?
In 2005, the Steelers barely made the playoffs, but they entrusted Roethlisberger with the keys to the offense and he carried them all the way to Super Bowl XL. Despite a medicore performance in the game, he was able to make enough big plays to help the team win their first championship in over a quarter century.
His resume speaks for itself: undefeated in the regular season as a rookie starter. Youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl. Youngest to win a Super Bowl. Fastest quarterback to 50 wins, and, oh yeah, his second Super Bowl appearance in the last four seasons.
The Steelers waited over twenty years to get a quarterback like Roethlisberger.
Quarterbacks are always underappreciated and criticized in this city. After the roster of quarterbacks I named earlier, I'm sure it's easy to see why, but even Bradshaw faced it. I don't know why we always want the backup instead of the starter, but that's Pittsburgh.
Roethlisberger is the real deal. Teams need quarterbacks like him in-order to win championships. It's already been proven. The Steelers had many great teams in the 1990's. During that six-year run that I mentioned, they were Super Bowl contenders just about the entire time. They had a dominating defense with guys like Rod Woodson and Greg Lloyd. They had an exciting running game year after year, and they even had a fairly decent passing attack most seasons. How could a team that talented never get over the championship hump? Simple, they didn't have the quarterback to get them there.
It takes a special kind of quarterback to lead a team to a Super Bowl championship (in most cases anyway.) Of the previous 42 Super Bowl champions, 28 were led by quarterbacks that are either already in the hall of fame or are sure-bets to make it once their careers are finally over.
You can't just take the quarterback position lightly. A team almost always needs a top-flight quarterback to get anywhere in the NFL. Take this season for example. Of the 12 teams that made the playoffs, 9 of them had starting quarterbacks that were drafted in the first round.
Ben Roethlisberger is special and he can beat you so many ways. People scream at him to get rid of the ball quickly. That's just not his game. The man is dangerous when he rolls out of the pocket. It's like asking Marino to scramble. I have said that I think he's the most talented quarterback to come into the NFL since John Elway. And there isn't anyone I'd rather have as my starting quarterback late in the game with a chance to win it. He's proven that his entire career.
Yet, there is a very loud faction of this city that would rather have Byron Leftwich or Charlie Batch as Pittsburgh's starting quarterback. It makes no sense. Back ups are back ups for a reason.
Not only is Roethlisberger the best quarterback on the Steelers roster, he's one of the two or three best in the league. When was the last time you heard a Steeler quarterback mentioned in that way? Heck, in years past, it was hard to make the argument that Pittsburgh's starting quarterback was the best on the team, let alone the entire league.
Pittsburgh, you can't just put anyone under center calling the signals and expect him to take your beloved team to the Super Bowl. If you want the Steelers to go on another string of Super Bowl triumphs, you better get on board with Ben because believe me when I tell you, he's the man to lead you there.
He's done it once and he'll do it again. You think I'm wrong. Tune in to NBC in about nine days. You'll see what I mean.
It's all about Big Ben
As I said the other day, the Steelers are going for their second Super Bowl title in the last four seasons next week when they face off against the Arizona Cardinals.
I can't wait, but I'm enjoying the build-up. I actually think the two-week break, the hype, the media-day, the speculation, etc, is all part of it and it wouldn't be the same experience without it. I got more than just a feeling Pittsburgh is, indeed, going to the Super Bowl in Tampa, Fla. next weekend. Yes sir!
Now, about these two Super Bowls in less than a half-decade. Do not make the mistake of thinking it's just a coincidence that our beloved Black and Gold finally made it to the Promised-land three years ago and are one big win away from getting there again after they drafted Ben Roethlisberger with the 11th pick in the first round of the 2004 NFL draft.
After the Steelers dynasty of the 1970's had finally run it's course in the early 80's and the team started getting older and players started retiring, naturally, the performance of the team started to suffer and they weren't the Super Steelers any longer. That's pretty common in sports, especially the NFL where parity is the name of the game. If you draft near the bottom of the league season-after-season like Pittsburgh did in the 70's, you're not going to be able to accumulate the top-level talent that you need in-order to stay on top of the mountain, so to speak.
Pittsburgh suffered a great deal at the quarterback position after Terry Bradshaw retired following the '83 season. Cliff Stoudt replaced Bradshaw initially, and was followed by David Woodley, Mark Malone, Scott Campbell, and Bubby Brister. Those were just the quarterbacks from 1984 thru 1991. Neil O'Donnell took over in 1992 and did a pretty good job leading the Steelers. In-fact, he was good enough to lead them to Super Bowl XXX following the 1995 season. If you're a fan, you know Neil threw a couple pretty bad interceptions and Pittsburgh lost to Dallas in their first attempt to get that one for the thumb. O'Donnell was a decent quarterback but he hit his ceiling in the Super Bowl. He was good enough to lead them there, but not good enough to finish the job. That's ok.
Jim Miller took over for O'Donnell after he left for the Jets via free agency. Miller's start lasted a half a game until head coach Bill Cowher replaced him with Mike Tomczak. Tomczak was an ok quarterback who had a bad habit of throwing into triple, and sometimes quadruple coverage, but he was good enough to lead them to the playoffs in 1996. Mike was just the caretaker for the position until Kordell Stewart was ready to take over the reigns in 1997. Stewart was known as "Slash" for his ability to play various positions in his first two seasons in the league. In addition to quarterback, he played receiver and even a play or two at running back as the coaching staff sought out ways to get this talented young player on the field but he wanted to play his college position of qb and he would get his chance in '97.
Stewart showed flashes of brilliance in his first season at the helm. He electrified the Steeler crowds with his ability to break long runs and his ability to make things happen down field with his arm. He made his share of mistakes, but he led the Steelers from behind on several occasions that season and took Pittsburgh all the way to the AFC championship game where they fell at the hands of the Denver Broncos.
The Steelers lost several very key free agents following that season and the departures finally took their toll as 1998 marked the end of the team's six year playoff run. Who took the brunt of the blame? You guessed it, Kordell. The fans were brutal and there was even a vicious rumor circulating about him. Anyone who knows anything about football knows what I'm talking about.
Stewart was yanked in and out of the lineup over the next three seasons as Cowher went with Tomczak from time-to-time and guys like Kent Graham. I don't know what was worse for Stewart: The horrible rumors or losing his job to Kent freakin Graham.
The Steelers ended their playoff drought in 2001 and once again, made it back to the AFC championship game only to fall to the New England Patriots. Stewart was 0-2 in that game. I guess he was only good enough to make it to the AFC championsip game. That was his ceiling. Oh well.
The following year, Stewart lost his job to Tommy Maddox who quickly became the toast of the town. He led an exciting attack that season and Pittsburgh had a pretty good run in the postseason before losing to the Tennessee Titans in the second round.
In 2003, the Steelers had a pretty bad year in-which they posted a 6-10 record. The silver-lining in this wreck of a season was they were able to draft high-enough to pick Ben Roethlisberger with the 11th overall pick of the 2004 draft.
Not much was expected from him initially but he found himself the starter by week 3 when Maddox went down with injury. He led the team to the AFC championship game that year. Pretty impressive for a rookie quarterback. The job was his. Could he finally be the quarterback the Steelers needed to win a World championship?
In 2005, the Steelers barely made the playoffs, but they entrusted Roethlisberger with the keys to the offense and he carried them all the way to Super Bowl XL. Despite a medicore performance in the game, he was able to make enough big plays to help the team win their first championship in over a quarter century.
His resume speaks for itself: undefeated in the regular season as a rookie starter. Youngest quarterback to start a Super Bowl. Youngest to win a Super Bowl. Fastest quarterback to 50 wins, and, oh yeah, his second Super Bowl appearance in the last four seasons.
The Steelers waited over twenty years to get a quarterback like Roethlisberger.
Quarterbacks are always underappreciated and criticized in this city. After the roster of quarterbacks I named earlier, I'm sure it's easy to see why, but even Bradshaw faced it. I don't know why we always want the backup instead of the starter, but that's Pittsburgh.
Roethlisberger is the real deal. Teams need quarterbacks like him in-order to win championships. It's already been proven. The Steelers had many great teams in the 1990's. During that six-year run that I mentioned, they were Super Bowl contenders just about the entire time. They had a dominating defense with guys like Rod Woodson and Greg Lloyd. They had an exciting running game year after year, and they even had a fairly decent passing attack most seasons. How could a team that talented never get over the championship hump? Simple, they didn't have the quarterback to get them there.
It takes a special kind of quarterback to lead a team to a Super Bowl championship (in most cases anyway.) Of the previous 42 Super Bowl champions, 28 were led by quarterbacks that are either already in the hall of fame or are sure-bets to make it once their careers are finally over.
You can't just take the quarterback position lightly. A team almost always needs a top-flight quarterback to get anywhere in the NFL. Take this season for example. Of the 12 teams that made the playoffs, 9 of them had starting quarterbacks that were drafted in the first round.
Ben Roethlisberger is special and he can beat you so many ways. People scream at him to get rid of the ball quickly. That's just not his game. The man is dangerous when he rolls out of the pocket. It's like asking Marino to scramble. I have said that I think he's the most talented quarterback to come into the NFL since John Elway. And there isn't anyone I'd rather have as my starting quarterback late in the game with a chance to win it. He's proven that his entire career.
Yet, there is a very loud faction of this city that would rather have Byron Leftwich or Charlie Batch as Pittsburgh's starting quarterback. It makes no sense. Back ups are back ups for a reason.
Not only is Roethlisberger the best quarterback on the Steelers roster, he's one of the two or three best in the league. When was the last time you heard a Steeler quarterback mentioned in that way? Heck, in years past, it was hard to make the argument that Pittsburgh's starting quarterback was the best on the team, let alone the entire league.
Pittsburgh, you can't just put anyone under center calling the signals and expect him to take your beloved team to the Super Bowl. If you want the Steelers to go on another string of Super Bowl triumphs, you better get on board with Ben because believe me when I tell you, he's the man to lead you there.
He's done it once and he'll do it again. You think I'm wrong. Tune in to NBC in about nine days. You'll see what I mean.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
D-Day
The Steelers draft this week will either be just another draft in-which they try to re-tool their team for another run at the Super Bowl or it will be the most talked about draft in franchise history. But that's a blog for another day.
I'm excited about this year's draft because it'll be the first one I'm able to watch in seven years. The last draft I was home to see was the one where the Steelers drafted Troy Polamalu. For years, the event was held on Sundays and I watched it religiously every April. The first year at my new job in '03, the NFL moved the first round of the draft to Saturdays and soon after that, working Saturdays became a permanent thing for me. I was reduced to listening to it on the radio while at work. Needless to say, I was super-excited when I heard they were moving the first round of the draft to Thursday nights. Other people may not like it, you know who you are with your Monday-Friday jobs, but some of us have to work weekends.
Many years ago, before it became the phenomenon it is today, the draft was held on Tuesdays and it started very early, 7am, I believe. The last year it was held on Tuesdays, my mother let me stay home from school to watch it. It was the year the Steelers drafted Rod Woodson. Not a bad pick, if you recall. Starting in 1988, the draft was held on Sundays and I knew I'd be able to watch it without pesky school getting in the way. That was when my obsession really grew. I thought all week about who the Steelers would draft. I was hoping they'd draft Lorenzo White, a running back from Michigan St. The Steelers picked around the same position they're drafting this year, 18th or 19th, and I didn't think White would be there. Fortunately, he kept falling and falling and when it was Pittsburgh's turn on the clock, Lorenzo was still available. I jumped up and down and screamed for joy. The Steelers didn't waste any time with their pick. They probably only used a minute of their allotted time to make their selection. When the commissioner went up to the podium to read the Steeler's choice, I just knew it was going to be Lorenzo. "With their 1st selection in the 1988 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select...........Aaron freakin Jones. Defensive end, Eastern Kentucky." The commissioner didn't say "freakin," but I did that day. In fact, I was so distraught that I spelled Aaron's name "Erin" by mistake on the sheet of paper I was using to keep track of the selections.
After a while, I convinced myself that Jones was a good selection, but ultimately, he never lived up to the status of a 1st round pick. As for Lorenzo White, he didn't have a hall-of-fame career, but he had a decent career, much better than Aaron freakin' Jones.
I'm not as nuts about the draft as I used to be, but I am very intrigued about this year's Steelers choice. Who will they pick with the 18th choice in the first round tomorrow night? Will they go offensive line? Will they address their defensive back deficiencies? Maybe they'll try and add some more depth to their defensive line. Maybe they'll feel the need to draft yet another wide receiver following the Santonio trade.
In my opinion, they must address the offensive line with the first pick. There is one guy I really love: Mike Iupati, 6'6 330lb guard from Idaho. From what most scouts are saying, he could be the next Alan Faneca. That's some pretty lofty praise right there. Scouts have been known to be wrong, but if he's there, I think the Steelers should grab him. From what a lot of people are saying, however, he will be gone by 18. The last mock draft I saw had them taking Maurkice Pouncey, center from Florida. I wouldn't have any problem with that, either. More and more teams are switching to 3-4 defenses and the Steelers need someone to take on some of these monster nose tackles in the NFL. Bottom line is they need a stud on that line. They have an OK line, but nobody even close to being an all-pro. I think every unit needs at least one stud. You saw what happened to the Steelers secondary when Troy was injured most of last year. It went from being a good secondary to one of the worst. Just goes to show you what one great player can do for an entire unit.
Speaking of the secondary, if they don't go offensive line, I think they should go for a cornerback in the first round. How many games did they lose last year in the 4th quarter? I don't know, I lost count. Joe Haden, cornerback from Flordia, is said to be the cream of the crop and no way will he be there. Kyle Wilson from Boise st. might be a possibility.
This is supposed to be one of the deepest drafts in years so no matter who they draft in the first round, they'll be able to address the other needs in the later rounds.
In any event, I will do everything in my power to be sitting in front of a television somewhere tomorrow night when the Steelers make their pick.
I'm excited about this year's draft because it'll be the first one I'm able to watch in seven years. The last draft I was home to see was the one where the Steelers drafted Troy Polamalu. For years, the event was held on Sundays and I watched it religiously every April. The first year at my new job in '03, the NFL moved the first round of the draft to Saturdays and soon after that, working Saturdays became a permanent thing for me. I was reduced to listening to it on the radio while at work. Needless to say, I was super-excited when I heard they were moving the first round of the draft to Thursday nights. Other people may not like it, you know who you are with your Monday-Friday jobs, but some of us have to work weekends.
Many years ago, before it became the phenomenon it is today, the draft was held on Tuesdays and it started very early, 7am, I believe. The last year it was held on Tuesdays, my mother let me stay home from school to watch it. It was the year the Steelers drafted Rod Woodson. Not a bad pick, if you recall. Starting in 1988, the draft was held on Sundays and I knew I'd be able to watch it without pesky school getting in the way. That was when my obsession really grew. I thought all week about who the Steelers would draft. I was hoping they'd draft Lorenzo White, a running back from Michigan St. The Steelers picked around the same position they're drafting this year, 18th or 19th, and I didn't think White would be there. Fortunately, he kept falling and falling and when it was Pittsburgh's turn on the clock, Lorenzo was still available. I jumped up and down and screamed for joy. The Steelers didn't waste any time with their pick. They probably only used a minute of their allotted time to make their selection. When the commissioner went up to the podium to read the Steeler's choice, I just knew it was going to be Lorenzo. "With their 1st selection in the 1988 NFL draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers select...........Aaron freakin Jones. Defensive end, Eastern Kentucky." The commissioner didn't say "freakin," but I did that day. In fact, I was so distraught that I spelled Aaron's name "Erin" by mistake on the sheet of paper I was using to keep track of the selections.
After a while, I convinced myself that Jones was a good selection, but ultimately, he never lived up to the status of a 1st round pick. As for Lorenzo White, he didn't have a hall-of-fame career, but he had a decent career, much better than Aaron freakin' Jones.
I'm not as nuts about the draft as I used to be, but I am very intrigued about this year's Steelers choice. Who will they pick with the 18th choice in the first round tomorrow night? Will they go offensive line? Will they address their defensive back deficiencies? Maybe they'll try and add some more depth to their defensive line. Maybe they'll feel the need to draft yet another wide receiver following the Santonio trade.
In my opinion, they must address the offensive line with the first pick. There is one guy I really love: Mike Iupati, 6'6 330lb guard from Idaho. From what most scouts are saying, he could be the next Alan Faneca. That's some pretty lofty praise right there. Scouts have been known to be wrong, but if he's there, I think the Steelers should grab him. From what a lot of people are saying, however, he will be gone by 18. The last mock draft I saw had them taking Maurkice Pouncey, center from Florida. I wouldn't have any problem with that, either. More and more teams are switching to 3-4 defenses and the Steelers need someone to take on some of these monster nose tackles in the NFL. Bottom line is they need a stud on that line. They have an OK line, but nobody even close to being an all-pro. I think every unit needs at least one stud. You saw what happened to the Steelers secondary when Troy was injured most of last year. It went from being a good secondary to one of the worst. Just goes to show you what one great player can do for an entire unit.
Speaking of the secondary, if they don't go offensive line, I think they should go for a cornerback in the first round. How many games did they lose last year in the 4th quarter? I don't know, I lost count. Joe Haden, cornerback from Flordia, is said to be the cream of the crop and no way will he be there. Kyle Wilson from Boise st. might be a possibility.
This is supposed to be one of the deepest drafts in years so no matter who they draft in the first round, they'll be able to address the other needs in the later rounds.
In any event, I will do everything in my power to be sitting in front of a television somewhere tomorrow night when the Steelers make their pick.
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Part-two of the Ten Greatest Super Bowls of All-time
I hope you enjoyed the first part.
Here's part two:
7. Super Bowl XIII
Date: January 21st, 1979
Location: Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida.
"TEAM OF THE DECADE"
Steelers over the Cowboys, 35-31.
This was the first repeat match-up in Super Bowl history (the Steelers and Cowboys met in SBX with Pittsburgh winning, 21-17.) Super Bowl XIII was a very well-played contest with a lot of memorable moments. The lead changed hands three times in the first-half with Pittsburgh taking a seven point lead at the break. This game is probably best known for the touchdown that never was. Late in the 3rd quarter with Dallas down, 21-14, Cowboys tight end Jackie Smith dropped an easy pass in the endzone that would have tied the score at 21. Dallas had to settle for a field goal and Pittsburgh pulled away with two quick scores in the 4th quarter to go up, 35-17, with 6 minutes left. Much like he often did in that era, Roger Staubach (Captain Comeback) rallied the Cowboys late, but unfortunately for Dallas, they came up four-points short and Pittsburgh became the first team to win 3 Super Bowls, earning them the rightful claim of "Team of the Decade." The Cowboys were the defending champions and also going for their 3rd title. The Steelers went on to repeat as champions the following year, and with 4 titles in 6 seasons, became arguably the greatest football dynasty of all-time. Had the Cowboys won this game and claimed their 3rd title, who knows what would have happened the following year, and more importantly, who knows how history might have judged them. Maybe they would have been considered the greatest dynasty of all-time.
6. Super Bowl XLIII
Date: February 1st, 2009
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida.
"LORD OF THE RINGS"
Steelers 27 Cardinals 23.
Pittsburgh controlled most of the game taking a 20-7 lead into the 4th quarter. However, quarterback Kurt Warner, a Super Bowl veteran, and all-world receiver Larry Fitzgerald, almost single-handedly brought Arizona back with two late touchdown connections giving the Cardinals a 23-20 lead with 2:37 to go. Fortunately for Steeler Nation, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger marched Pittsburgh to the promised land and hit receiver Santonio Holmes with the game-winner with 35 seconds to go giving the Steelers the 27-23 victory. Holmes' acrobatic, tip-toe catch helped earn him mvp honors and is considered one of the greatest catches of all time. The Cardinals, making the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, were only the second team to make the show after finishing the regular season with a 9-7 record. Interestingly, the Steelers also played the first 9-7 Super Bowl participant when they faced the Los Angeles Rams in SBXIV. In addition to the "Ben to Ten" game-winner, this game is also known for linebacker James Harrison's marathon-like jaunt at the end of the first half, also known as the "Harrison Hundred." With the Cardinals driving and looking to take a 4-point lead into the lockerroom, Harrison picked-off a Kurt Warner pass and zigged and zagged his way 100 hundred yards for a Steelers touchdown and a 17-7 lead. The play is regarded by many as the greatest play in the history of the Super Bowl. Some have said it's the greatest play in the history of the league. This victory gave the Steelers franchise a record 6Th Lombardi trophy, setting a new standard of excellence.
Here's part two:
7. Super Bowl XIII
Date: January 21st, 1979
Location: Miami Orange Bowl, Miami, Florida.
"TEAM OF THE DECADE"
Steelers over the Cowboys, 35-31.
This was the first repeat match-up in Super Bowl history (the Steelers and Cowboys met in SBX with Pittsburgh winning, 21-17.) Super Bowl XIII was a very well-played contest with a lot of memorable moments. The lead changed hands three times in the first-half with Pittsburgh taking a seven point lead at the break. This game is probably best known for the touchdown that never was. Late in the 3rd quarter with Dallas down, 21-14, Cowboys tight end Jackie Smith dropped an easy pass in the endzone that would have tied the score at 21. Dallas had to settle for a field goal and Pittsburgh pulled away with two quick scores in the 4th quarter to go up, 35-17, with 6 minutes left. Much like he often did in that era, Roger Staubach (Captain Comeback) rallied the Cowboys late, but unfortunately for Dallas, they came up four-points short and Pittsburgh became the first team to win 3 Super Bowls, earning them the rightful claim of "Team of the Decade." The Cowboys were the defending champions and also going for their 3rd title. The Steelers went on to repeat as champions the following year, and with 4 titles in 6 seasons, became arguably the greatest football dynasty of all-time. Had the Cowboys won this game and claimed their 3rd title, who knows what would have happened the following year, and more importantly, who knows how history might have judged them. Maybe they would have been considered the greatest dynasty of all-time.
6. Super Bowl XLIII
Date: February 1st, 2009
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida.
"LORD OF THE RINGS"
Steelers 27 Cardinals 23.
Pittsburgh controlled most of the game taking a 20-7 lead into the 4th quarter. However, quarterback Kurt Warner, a Super Bowl veteran, and all-world receiver Larry Fitzgerald, almost single-handedly brought Arizona back with two late touchdown connections giving the Cardinals a 23-20 lead with 2:37 to go. Fortunately for Steeler Nation, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger marched Pittsburgh to the promised land and hit receiver Santonio Holmes with the game-winner with 35 seconds to go giving the Steelers the 27-23 victory. Holmes' acrobatic, tip-toe catch helped earn him mvp honors and is considered one of the greatest catches of all time. The Cardinals, making the first Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, were only the second team to make the show after finishing the regular season with a 9-7 record. Interestingly, the Steelers also played the first 9-7 Super Bowl participant when they faced the Los Angeles Rams in SBXIV. In addition to the "Ben to Ten" game-winner, this game is also known for linebacker James Harrison's marathon-like jaunt at the end of the first half, also known as the "Harrison Hundred." With the Cardinals driving and looking to take a 4-point lead into the lockerroom, Harrison picked-off a Kurt Warner pass and zigged and zagged his way 100 hundred yards for a Steelers touchdown and a 17-7 lead. The play is regarded by many as the greatest play in the history of the Super Bowl. Some have said it's the greatest play in the history of the league. This victory gave the Steelers franchise a record 6Th Lombardi trophy, setting a new standard of excellence.
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