Home » Archives » February 2007 » Sports Rant - Super Bowl Edition
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02/05/2007: "Sports Rant - Super Bowl Edition"
First, let me thump myself on the back - take away a couple of points from each side for the rain and I nailed the score. Now to the rantage:
- Say what you want about the game, but the right team won. On paper, the Colts were superior, and even on a muddy track they were the better team last night. They won the game with their brains, being the first to adapt to the changing conditions and to attach the opponent's weaknesses. Just because the game was stinky doesn't take away from the validity of their championship.
- I was initially in disagreement with the selection of Peyton Manning as MVP, as he didn't really have a Manning-like performance. What he did do, however, is the same thing he did against the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. He learned from his very first pass that he wasn't going to be able to use the "laser rocket arm" in wet Miami, so he took what they gave - dump and dink to a running back or short West Coast-style crossing routes. A willingness to sacrifice personal glory for the team goal - that a leader, and that's an MVP.
- Everyone wondered if we'd get Good Rex or Bad Rex, but I don't think anyone foresaw getting Putrid Rex. Spotted a pair of touchdowns courtesty of a Hester return and a monster Jones run, Grossman's highlight film for the game was limited to the single short pass he snaked in for the second TD. There pretty much wasn't any portion of his game that was sound - he threw interceptions and dropped snaps like he was the scout team QB - and was clearly in over his head when forced to try and play catch up. The Bears claim that his position is secure, but I don't know how anyone who saw this game - or most of this season - could believe that. Of course, when your only other options are Brian Griese and Kyle Orton, maybe it's not so hard to understand ...
- You just knew that a pair of running backs would stuff the ball down the throat of the defense, but I certainly didn't think that pair would be Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes. Rhodes in particular had a career game, going over 100 yards for the first time in several years. The vaunted Bear defense wasn't just bad - they were missing. Linebacker Brian Ehrlacher was good but not great, and the rest of the squad played like graduates of USC's ballroom dancing class. Once it was clear that no one on the Chicago side had any plans to tackle the runners, you just knew that they'd get a solid diet of draw plays - and they did.
- They say that teams tend to take on the personalities of their coach, and never was that more evident that during the first quarter last night. Down 14-6 and seemingly doing nothing right, the cool demeanor of coach Tony Dungy was apparent in his team. No panic, no desperation, just calm resolve to fix the problems and move on. In the end, their failure to panic was the key in overcoming the sloppy start.
- I know it's not manly, but if you have the worst kick return squad in football and you have two weeks to prepare, why in God's name do you let Devinn Hester field the opening kickoff? Six seconds in the game and they were down six points. Fortunately, it did not more damage long-term than Ted Ginn's game-opening return against Florida, but not a great way to start.
- I cringed when I heard Prince would be the half-time entertainment, since nothing makes me more uncomfortable than watching old bands try to regain their past glory ("This Saturday at the County Fair - REO Speedwagon, Journey, Loverboy and Starship"). But Prince was reasonably entertaining and didn't show the ravages of time. Stevie Nicks, on the other hand, needs to be put out of her - and our - misery ...
