Hartley's Column----January 30th, 2009 Edition 195

 

Sunday is Super Bowl!! On this day, millions of North Americans will be partying, eating food, sitting in front of large screen TV’s, and of course, enjoying the most hyped football game of the year.

 

Yes, whether you live in Prince George. B.C., Pottsville, Pennsylvania or any other city, this four hour game (including the lengthy half time show) has become a North American tradition. Indeed, this is a time when even non fans will tune in, just to catch a glimpse of all the excitement.

However, with last year’s game being an exception, seldom does the “sizzle equal the steak”. Yes, Super Bowl 42 certainly was an entertaining game. The New York Giants, ruining the perfect season bid of the New England Patriots in 2008, provided one of the biggest upsets in football and sports history; the drama was compelling. This year, my expectations for another terrific game are low.

This weekend, two weeks of hype are about to end when the Pittsburgh Steelers face the upstart Arizona Cardinals in Tampa. Arizona finished the season with a 9-7 record which was enough to capture the crown in the weakest division in the league before scoring three playoff victories against three favored teams.

 

I suspect most non-partisan fans will cheer for the underdog Cardinals. After all, Arizona is making its first Super Bowl appearance and has long been considered one of the most underachieving franchises in NFL history (second to Detroit?). So, sentiment is certainly on the Cardinal’s side.

Pittsburgh, on the other hand, after finishing the regular season 12-4, is aiming for a record 6^th Super Bowl. If the Steelers win this game, the team can claim the rightful distinction as the NFL’s best franchise. It was just three short years ago, at Detroit’s Ford Field, that the Steelers, behind MVP Hines Ward captured their 5^th title, a 21-10 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks.

 

The story lines have been scripted and are ready for the show. The plot includes 37-year-old quarterback Kurt Warner of Arizona vs “Big" Ben Roethlisberger, the Steelers signal caller. Both have won a Super Bowl. The Cards, led by Larry Fitzgerald, have three of the best receivers in the game. In fact, Fitzgerald, in 3 post season games, has been on a record-setting pace, managing to gather over 430 yards through the air, surpassing the all-time record once held by Jerry Rice.

The Steelers counter with James Harrison, who won the AP's Defensive Player of the Year Award. They also have #43 Troy Polamalu, a leader and dominate force on defence, creating a presence similar to Baltimore’s Ray Lewis of Baltimore. Polamalu's interception for a TD against the Ravens clinched the AFC title. And let's not forget, Ward, who almost certainly will be a factor, despite a sprained knee.

 

I won’t pretend to know it all and guarantee an outcome, but nevertheless, here is my best guess. I believe the Steelers will win handily; possibly, double digits, or even more than two touchdowns. Pittsburgh is favored by seven, which is five less than New England a year ago. So, there is always hope for the underdog. 

 

However, logic suggests, the Steelers are the superior team. Why? I believe that, in any sport, a strong defence will usually beat a strong offence in a championship game. The Steelers were the top ranked defence in the regular season, while the Cardinals ranked 19th. Pittsburgh is a physical team with a powerful running game. Arizona is a finesse passing team. The Steelers also have many more players with “big game” experience. Arizona did win last season’s meeting, 21-14, but I don't put much stock in that considering the circumstances.

So, I, like you, will watch with interest hoping for a memorable game. 32 of the past 42 super bowls have ended with a seven point margin of victory, or more. I suspect on Monday morning that number will be 33 of 43 with the Steelers emerging as one-sided winners. After all, it’s all in the “Cards”.

 

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The NHL went too far in disciplining Detroit’s Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk for missing the all-star game. They were required to sit out Tuesday's game in Columbus. I realize the league needed to do something in order to make sure the all-stars fulfill their commitment, but forcing them not to play one regular season game as a result is too harsh. Lidstrom, in particular, has participated in many all-star games; so he misses one-----big deal. Columbus hockey fans were paying the price. What purpose does it serve to have a struggling U.S. Market, like Columbus, not see two of the best players in the league?
The NHL needs to re-address this issue and come up with a better solution than what is in place now.

 

 

 

 

From the quote rack:

 

 

Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

“English amateur soccer team Bishop Auckland FC was mourning the death of one of its greatest players, 85-year old Tommy Farrer when it found out that Farrer was, indeed, alive. Yeah, I think the same thing happened last season with the Seahawks and Shaun Alexander.”

Bill Littlejohn

John Gaglardi, the 82-year-old football coach at St. John's University in Minnesota

“The University of Tennessee is spending $5.3 Million on coaching salaries this year. That's almost as much as the alumni club is paying the players.”

 

Comedy writer Jim Barach of WCHS-TV in Charleston, W.Va (http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.com/)

 

Cam Hutchinson of the Saskatoon StarPhoenix

 

Contributor Derek Wilken of Calgary (http://smacksport.blogspot.com/)

Comedy writer Jerry Perishohttp://monologuewriter.blogspot.com/

“How big was Obama’s inauguration? It was an event of such Olympic proportions that NBC almost tape-delayed it on the West Coast.”
Contributor Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California (www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com)

 

Janice Hough

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