Chicago Bears Problems Lie In Defense, Not Offense

The Chicago Bears defense, once great, is now old and worn out. They get run over by receivers, and read like a book by opposing quarterbacks. With Jay Cutler, the Bears offense should be able to provide solid production, but defense does, and will always, win games.

The Bears defense has declined in talent after the Super Bowl loss to the Colts in 2006. It was ranked 5^th in the league that year. They also posted a 13-3 record that year. In 2007 the rank dropped all the way to 28^th in the league, and so did the win percentage. The team’s record in 2007 was 7-9. It was a huge disappointment after playing in the Super Bowl the season before. Last season the defense wasn’t great but was at least better than the 2007 season, ranked at 21^st. The defense was hit with injuries, and it seemed like the receivers were always open. Still, despite their problems, the Bears were one play away from making the playoffs. Unfortunately they didn’t make the cut with a 9-7 record.

The Bears are known for having a stellar defense. The 2006 defense was being compared to the ’85 Bears D (although not so much in the ’07 season). Another trait of the Bears is not having a franchise quarterback. They have mostly relied on their running back and defense to put up the points. In 2006 the Bears offense was ranked 15^th, proving that having a great defense but a mediocre offense could take you deep in to the postseason.

The 2008 team’s offense was also ranked 15^th but the defense was a miserable 21^st. A better defense would have had the Bears in the postseason. Bringing Jay Cutler helps the offense a lot, but the defense is the one that needs the help. I really like the Cutler trade because it gives us some years to improve the defense now, and not having to worry about what quarterback to start.

Some people say Cutler has no one to throw to, but that’s not true. He has one of the best Tight Ends in the league with Greg Olsen, a great receiving running back with Mate Forte, and a maturing receiver in Devin Hester. Earl Bennet and Juaquin Iglesias will also split the catches.

The offense is set for years to come, but it’s the defense that is rebuilding. Who knew the Bears could have a better offense than defense?

Who’s Got Six? Super Bowl 43 Gives Browns Fans and NFL a Much Needed Reality Check

By Much Needed Reality Check, Proud Non-Midwesterner

Super Bowls: for the denizens of Ohio, they’re like the 4-feet-two kid reaching for the cookies up on the 6-feet-high shelf. When you’re from Pittsburgh, however, they’re like an icy cold six-pack (sweet sweet appropriate image!) waiting for you in the fridge, just chilling, anytime you’re ready to crack one open.

As a Steeler fan, then, I feel it’s my duty to inform you poor deprived souls of what it’s like to watch your team win it all. (Call it charity, maybe I can write it off.) As someone who actually just returned from the big show, I’m in an especially fine position to do so.

So, what’s it’s feel like to see your team claim the biggest sports prize of all? Well, it’s hard to describe exactly, but let me try:

It’s like getting a call from those just-turned-legal blonde twins who’ve set up a threesome with you – saying they’ll be late because they forgot to pick up the Cristal and the blow.

It’s like hitting the lottery exactly one day after your divorce papers come in the mail.

It’s like a getting a one-way ticket out of Cleveland – to anyplace you want.

As for the experience itself, allow me to recount. First stop: the President’s club at the airport, for a couple of cocktails Friday night before the flight to Tampa. A couple more on the plane for the movie – let the party begin!

Arrive in Tampa, surrounded by a sea of black and gold. Is Steeler Nation awesome or what? Smirk at a couple of poor schmucks in red, gawking at the sheer awesomeness of the Steeler fans gathered around them. (Wait til they get a load of us at the game!)

Saturday afternoon: tickets waiting for the NFL Experience. Kick a field goal, toss a couple passes through some hoops (picked off, if you’re a Cleveland fan), walk over to the pavilion for a couple of exclusive NFL Films presentations.

Exercise done, down a couple of beers in the warm Florida sun. Smile as you think of the poor bastards shivering up north. Wave to – who’s that? — why yes it is! – Jerome Bettis, passing by on his way to the NBC booth. Now there’s a guy who know’s a thing or two about Super Bowls. Who’s that guy carrying his bags – is that Brady Quinn? Sure looks like him.

Saturday night: dinner at Bern’s or one of the town’s other finer steakhouses. Sip after-dinner cocktail, looking forward to the evening.

Saturday night, later. Tampa’s got two main industries: cigars and strip clubs. Enjoy both, not necessarily in that order. Have pretty girl wave Terrible Towel – gets a big cheer from the other Steeler faithful gathered! Can it get any better than this?

Sunday late morning: why maybe it can! Go to massive Steeler tailgate at lots just outside Raymond James (no partying allowed in the parking lot) – gaze at rows and rows of cars and RVs decked out in black and gold. Cold beer, smooth shots and lots of loud music. Who’s that in the lot next to us? Why none other than Luke Steelerstahl, JRod’s favorite mayor. If only I had my cam, I’d have taken a shot of him hoisting an ice-cold Iron (note that six-pack theme running through here!). But put that image in your mind.

Sunday late afternoon: all warmed-up and ready to hit the stadium, aka “Heinz Field South.” Find your seat – watch the team stretching on the field. Ben Roeth looks calm – see how that plays in about, oh, four hours. Pre-game highlight: the Air Force jets whooshing over the stadium. If you’ve never had the chance to experience this live, before a Super Bowl, pray you get the chance someday. (If you’re from Cleveland, pray extra hard.) Swim in a sea of yellow towels – no fan base travels like the Steelers’!

Almost kickoff time – time to grab one more beer. Back in seat just in time to see Big Ben come out smokin’ on that first drive. I won’t go into a game recap, as you all know what happens. But let me say this: maybe the sweetest moment of it all was knowing how giddy all you haters got when Fitzgerald scored that last TD – only to have your candy yanked away, like little babies, crying in your cribs.

I could just hear you: ooh the Steelers are going down! Ooh ooh! I turn to my buddy, admittedly looking a bit grim, and say: “don’t worry, their defense sucks and we’ve got number 7.” And then, sure enough, in a mere two football minutes, your hater dreams are crushed by the greatest drive in Super Bowl history. (Insert Dr. Evil laugh here.) Yep, some teams get the glory of legendary drives – some teams are forever known as the victims of them.

It’s over! Pop the champagne and let the confetti fly! Stay to watch Ben and Holmes raise big number six – hey there Mike Tomlin, youngest coach ever to win the big one! You goin’ to Disney World too? Watch that last little scattering of Arizona fans leave all crushed – have a safe trip home! Oh and see ya later, too, Dallas and San Fran fans – enjoy your mere five Lombardis.

Then off to the after-victory, fire up those Churchills – quote Robert Duvall “smells like victory!” Sure does! Party on into the warm night surrounded by 50,000 or so of your closest friends. Life is sweet and creamy as the cigar right now!

Monday: late breakfast, coffee tastes like victory too. Hangover? A hangover never hurt so good! Even a rainy day like this is beautiful when your team wins the Bowl.

Anyway, back to you, JRod. But before I go, let me just say…

If there were bulletin-board material for fans, this would be it:

——————————————————————
Ryan Russell
Aug 27th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
Much needed reality check,
Talk as much shit as possible before the season starts, because the Steelers will be lucky to beat out Baltimore for 3rd place in the division. Nobody outside of Pukesburgh thinks that Big Gay Ben is carrying that douche-squad into the playoffs.
I dare you to come back to this site after week 9 when the Steelers are 2-6 or 3-5.
——————————————————————-

Thanks for the inspiration, Rusty. I couldn’t have done it without ya.

From Sixburgh, this has been Much Needed Reality Check asking “got six?”

The Anchor’s Desk with Scott Reister: Super Bowl not Super Enough to Change College Football Format

by Scott Reister

Just watched the best Super Bowl I can remember. So did 98.7 million other viewers across the country, making it the highest-viewed Super Bowl ever. XLIII’s ratings haul was second to only (you guessed it) that unbeatable 1983 MASH finale I always hear about and have never seen.

Pittsburgh’s amazing win was the culmination of a thrilling 12-team playoff, with surprises and high-ratings at every turn.
Don’t you think the college football power brokers would see the eye-popping profitability of that format and at least consider switching to a playoff system?

Not a chance.

College bowl game ratings for a single game will never approach that of a Super Sunday, but when there are 34 bowl games, including five Bowl Championship Series games, it’s okay if none of them are “super.”

Collectively, everyone in the system is getting their piece of the pie, and that pie is getting larger and larger. As ridiculous as the current system is, it has made the decision-makers and participating schools stinking rich.

As much as it pains me to do it, I’ll play devil’s advocate and tell you why the common arguments are not enough to change college football for the better. The response to each argument for a playoff? Money. (For more detailed ratings and revenue info click here.)

POINT: Without a playoff, there’s not a true national champion.

COUNTERPOINT: Most fans don’t believe that. More and more are watching, validating the system’s authority and perverse logic. The five BCS bowl games averaged 17.6 million viewers each, up 14 percent from last year. That’s a total of 88 million viewers, more than a lot of Super Bowl games. And that’s just the BCS games. If the TV says a team won the national title game, we believe it. Who do you remember more from 2004? LSU or USC? LSU, because they won the BCS title game. USC won the AP vote.

POINT: It’s not fair to the smaller schools. Boise State went undefeated and played in the Poinsettia Bowl!

COUNTERPOINT: The smaller schools are the ones that profit the MOST from this wacky system. For every small school that gets denied a BCS title shot, there are 30 more getting a big payoff and a national TV audience. 34 bowl games. 68 teams. It’s a very profitable pity party and everyone over six wins is invited. Bowl payouts ran an estimated $240 million last season and have totaled 1.84 billion over the last 10 seasons. Over the next 10 years, bowls are projected to pay $2.5 billion to the teams and conferences in the Football Bowl Subdivision who participate. Any change in postseason format would jeopardize the appeal of the lesser bowls. School presidents won’t rock that boat, especially when it’s a boatload of money.

POINT: Even President Obama wants to change the system!

COUNTERPOINT: In this case, it’s change we can’t believe in.

College football, which makes its partners tons of money, has broadcast commitments from every major media sports outlet: ESPN on ABC, CBS Sports, Fox Sports, NBC Sports, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN Classic, ESPN360.com, the Big Ten Network, CBS College Sports Network, NFL Network, Fox Sports Net. Fox’s current BCS TV contract runs through 2010. ESPN has acquired rights from 2011-2014.

That’s a lot of standing contracts with a lot of people. Try changing that.

Furthermore, each bowl game has dozens, if not hundreds, of employees working year-round to maximize attendance and profits. An entire industry has been born from the lack of a college football playoff. A system that frustrates Joe Q. Fan has the decision-makers laughing all the way to the bank. Bowl game attendance was an all-time high last year at 85 percent combined stadium capacity.

College football fans would love to see a playoff, but we don’t matter. Money matters. So enjoy the bowl games next year, it is football after all. But the most competitive, meaningful bowl on my viewing list will always be the Super Bowl.

Scott Reister is a featured contributor to Midwest Sports Fans, as well as Dallas Sports Fans.

He is a Sports Anchor for the NBC affiliate in the Tri-Cities and Spokane, WA. To learn more about Scott, visit the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Scott Reister bio page on Midwest Sports Fans or check out the Local Sports page on KNDU.com.

To contact Scott: sreister@hotmail.com

LOTD: Video – James Harrison Breaks Super Bowl Record For Longest Play

I figured I’d whip up a quick Super Bowl 43 edition of the Link of the Day in the aftermath of one of the most entertaining Super Bowls in my lifetime.

This one easily ranks right up there with all of the Patriots’ recent Super Bowl appearances and the Rams-Titans game. Just a great game between two teams that gave everything, and it came down to the last minute of play.

Unbelievable.

Super Bowl 43 also featured the longest play in the history of the Super Bowl, and ultimately proved to be one of the most pivotal plays of the game. On the last play of the first half, James Harrison picked off a Kurt Warner pass intended for Anquan Boldin and rumbled 100 yards for a touchdown. At a minimum, it was a 10-point play — if you assume a field goal for the Cardinals. It was a 14-point play if it kept the Cardinals from a TD. In the end, Harrison covering those last few inches to paydirt proved to be the difference in a closely contested 4-point game.

LOTD: Courtesy of Robert Littal over at Black Sports Online, here is the video:

James Harrison’s 100-yard interception return for a touchdown broke the previous record-long play in a Super Bowl, which was held by Jake Delhomme and Muhsin Muhammad who connected on an 85-yard TD. The previous record long for an INT return for a touchdown was held by Kelly Herndon of Seattle, who returned an INT 76 yards for a touchdown in Super Bowl 40 against the Steelers.

And now, some other early links in the aftermath of Super Bowl 43:

I GOT A FEELIN!!! The Pittsburgh Steelers win their 6th Super Bowl!!!! — (Steel Tradition)

Super Bowl 43 Images — (NFL Fanhouse)

Brenda Warner got hot — (Sharapova’s Thigh)

Yep, Santonio Holmes’ feet were both definitely down — (The Big Lead)

The Buzzsaw loses, and Will Leitch is sad — (Deadspin)

Commercial Critic: Super Bowl Special — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)

Lots of records set in Super Bowl 43 — (Pro Football Talk)

Santonio Holmes Gets High…light of Super Bowl 43 With Game-Winning Catch, MVP Award

I guess it is fitting that on the same day the sports world was rocked by the emergence of the Michael Phelps bong pictures that Santonio Holmes was the biggest star on the biggest stage in Super Bowl 43.

You may remember that earlier this season Santonio Holmes was busted for marijuana possession. To his credit, Santonio took full responsibility and came forward during Super Bowl week with a very candid account about his childhood in Florida and the year he spent dealing drugs. He said that he wanted to use his story as an example of what kids who look up to him should not do.

Well, Santonio Holmes will have an even grander stage to be a role model and a positive influence now, as he has forever etched his name among Super Bowl immortals with an amazing 9 rec, 131 yard, 1 TD performance on the way to the MVP award of Super Bowl 43.

And no catch was bigger than the one you can watch below, which effectively clinched the sixth Super Bowl title for the Pittsburgh Steelers and the MVP award for Holmes. (Special thanks to the great Robert Littal over at Black Sports Online for the video.)

Congratulations to Santonio Holmes, who became the sixth WR ever to be named Super Bowl MVP, joining teammate Hines Ward. Holmes certainly proved his resiliency by making the superb catch above one play after letting another game-clincher slip through his outstretched fingers.

As a Browns fan, it’s never pleasant watching the Steelers win the Super Bowl. But I have to tip my hat to Santonio Holmes, Mike Tomlin, Ben Roethlisberger, James Harrison, and the entire Steelers team. They had the toughest schedule in the NFL and fought off a very determined Arizona Cardinals team tonight. The Steelers earned it, and and can now lay claim to six Super Bowl titles, more than any other franchise in NFL history.

Pot Calls the Kettle Black: ESPN Talking Heads Say Big Ben Needs to Be Center of Attention

Late last night, I wrote a post about Pat Knight going apeshit that began with the cliche “imitation is the most sincere form of flattery.” Today, let me trot out another oft-used cliche: the pot calling the kettle black.

This morning on ESPN’s NFL Countdown, the talking heads (John Clayton, Steve Young, and Trent Dilfer, specifically) have been razzing Ben Roethlisberger for being a drama queen.

During a report about an hour ago, John Clayton downplayed any notion that Ben Roethlisberger’s rib injury, for which he needed X-Rays earlier in the week, would adversely affect him come game time. He also said that it always seems like something comes up related to injury with Ben Roethlisberger in big games.

Then, about five minutes ago, Steve Young and Trent Dilfer both spoke to the notion of Ben Roethlisberger needing to be the “center of attention” in big games. Steve Young surmised that it could relate to Ben Roethlisberger wanted a built-in excuse if something goes wrong. Trent Dilfer was a little more pro-Ben, saying that it is perhaps Roethliberger’s way of getting motivated for the game. Either way, Steve Young doesn’t think it will have any affect on the game, saying that the ribs are a perfect place of a pain-killing shot, so Ben Roethlisberger should be fine.

Of course, the irony of all of this being broadcast on ESPN jumped out at me immediately. ESPN’s outgoing ombudsman, LeAnne Schrieber, has chided the network for making itself the story far too often, as opposed to fulfilling the network’s stated purpose of covering news (not making it). ESPN consistently tries to make itself the center of attention and shine the spotlight on itself during big sporting events as stories, as much if not moreso than it shines the spotlight on the event.

Sure, Ben Roethlisberger has a history of drama-queenish actions. Heck, Matt Hasselbeck even called him a girl. And he does always seem to be fighting some nagging injury so he can look like Willis Reed out on the football field. So ESPN isn’t reporting anything erroneously. The juxtaposition is just ironic, and ESPN should probably look in the mirror before calling someone out for needing to be the center of attention.

Because, as the old cliche goes, don’t throw stones if you live in a glass house (or something like that).

And for the record, before you flame me Steelers fans, Big Ben is my pick for Super Bowl MVP. So while he is a drama queen and will probably milk the rib injury rumors for all they’re worth, I still think he comes up big tonight and brings another title to Pittsburgh.

Ray Lewis Ballets Around in Tights During Lizard Lake 3D Super Bowl Ad by SoBe

Ray Lewis is one of the baddest men on the planet.

He has spent one Super Bowl Sunday winning the MVP award and leading his team to a Super Bowl championship. Matt Light and Justin Tuck, Ray Lewis’ partners in a crime in one of the more ironic Super Bowl commercials you will see this year, have also spent Super Bowl Sunday securing their rings.

Ray Lewis, of course, also infamously spent another Super Bowl Sunday being part of an entourage that got into a fight with another group of men that resulted in someone’s death. (He was charged with obstructing justice but got off.) It makes for an interesting juxtaposition thinking back to the images of Ray Lewis in his orange jail jumpsuit, and then seeing the advance photos from SoBe of Ray Lewis frolicking around in tights.

This Super Bowl Sunday, Ray Lewis, Justin Tuck, and Matt Light will have a decidedly different set of moves broadcast to billions: dancing a pas de trois in white tights to the tune of Tchaikovsky’s “Swan Lake”. The players’ national ballet career debuts this evening during the Super Bowl in the first set of ads after the 2nd quarter. According to the official website, you can pick up 3-D glasses to view “Lizard Lake” at various outlets where Pepsi or SoBe water is sold. (I just have one question: where exactly is Pepsi or Sobe water not sold?)

Anyway, here is the “Lizard Lake” ad, which was released online early:

The SoBe ad also doubles as a promo for an upcoming animated film: Monsters and Aliens. My favorite part of the ad has to be the gangsta lizard that is wearing a “SoBe” grille (pictured to the left).

SoBe also provides an interesting Behind-the-Scenes look at the making of the “Lizard Lake” commercial:

Follow the link to see some other pretty sweet Super Bowl commercials from year’s past.

LOTD: Some Pretty Ridiculous Real Super Bowl Prop Bets

Thanks to the wonderful thing that is BallHype, I came across this post from Coed Magazine, detailing some of the more ridiculous — but real — prop bets that you can place money on for this Sunday’s Super Bowl 43. As the author of the post writes, “Personally, I think betting on anything other than who’s going to win is ridiculous.” I tend too agree. I actually kind of think that betting on the NFL at all is ridiculous. I realize that a lot of people are able to make money betting on the NFL (although not as many as who lose money), but you better have a damn good system plus a good bankroll — or just get really, really lucky.

The NFL just seems to be totally random on most weekends. Teams you think are horrible will rise up and beat teams that are supposed to be powerhouses. And then when you add the spread into the mix…well it’s just a big money sucking quagmire that I like to stay away from.

With that said, if you’re going to bet on the actual game — and all the randomness that comes with it — I guess putting money on the following Super Bowl 43 prop bets isn’t really all that ridiculous. Per Coed Magazine, a few of the more interesting Super Bowl prop bets that are available at places like Bodog.com:

Super Bowl prop bet: How many types of food will John Madden mention during the game?

• Over: 2
• Under: 2

Super Bowl prop bet: How long will it take Jennifer Hudson to sing the National Anthem?

• Over: 2:01
• Under: 2:01

Super Bowl prop bet: Which Super Bowl commercial will have a higher rating on USA Today’s annual Ad Meter?

• Anheuser-Busch/Budweister: 5/6
• GoDaddy.com: 17/2
• Pepsi: 13/4
• Coca-Cola: 21/4
• McDonald’s: 29/4
• Doritos: 7/2
• Other: 9/4

Super Bowl prop bet: How many times will Al Michaels and John Madden reference Ben Roethlisberger as “Big Ben” during the game?

• Over: 5
• Under: 5

Super Bowl prop bet: Who will be tackled by his hair first in the game?

• Larry Fitzgerald
• Troy Polamalu

And the list goes on and on. It’s definitely worth a read. There are other Super Bowl prop bets for whether or not Matt Millen will pick the correct winner, what color the Gatorade will be that gets dumped on the winning coach, and what the first end zone celebration will be.

Good luck if you actually place bets on any of these. If so, as a cliche goes, I’ve got some oceanfront property in Iowa to show you…

LOTD: Absurd and Ridiculous Super Bowl prop bets — (Coed Magazine)

And now, more great links that I implore you to check out. In fact, I will judge you and look down upon you if you don’t. Seriously. Okay, I’m just kidding. But check them out anyway.

Hilarious “Separated at Birth” Super Bowl 43 photo gallery (thanks Kaner) — SI.com

Bye Week Buckets: A Little Cavs Magic — (Cleveland Frowns)

Thursday Metcalf-up-the-Middles — (Orange and Brown Report)

A very specific Super Bowl 43 prediction — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)

Help the Detroit Lions design a new logo — (Real Clear Sports)

Joe Torre’s book is already being made into a movie — (Cuzoogle)

Photo essay of Super Bowl Media Day hotties — (The World of Isaac)

Ben Roethlisberger is a human wrecking ball — (PSAMP)

NFL Coaching Turnover: Youth Prevails — (Sparty and Friends)

GoDaddy’s new commercial is sure to offend — (Deadspin)

Where’s Matt Millen? — (The Big Lead)

NBA All-Star Reserves Announced — (Black Sports Online)

Will a Cardinals Victory in Super Bowl 43 Make Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer?

As we approach Super Bowl 43, and the third appearance in the Big Game for Arizona QB Kurt Warner, the Hall of Fame credentials of Warner have become a hot topic of debate.

Warner’s career as a starter began in 1999, when he quarterbacked “The Greatest Show on Turf” in St. Louis to the Super Bowl crown. Along the way that season he racked up 4,353 yards, 41 TDs, and both an NFL MVP and Super Bowl MVP trophy. In many ways, considering the complete obscurity from which Warner came, it is one of the great single-season performances by an individual in not just NFL history, but in sports history.

In 2001, Warner brought the Rams to another Super Bowl (which they lost to New England) and won his second regular season MVP Award. He was not as dominant, throwing “only” 36 TDs against 22 INTs, but he set a personal record with 4,830 passing yards and still finished with a passer rating over 100 (101.4).

The next five years, however, were lost years for Warner. He battled injuries and ineffectiveness as he bounced from St. Louis to an infamously bad one year in New York and then to Arizona in 2005. While he was never truly terrible (Warner has never had a passer rating below 85.8 in any season in which he has started 10 or more games), Warner fell sharply off the radar screen from his days as the MVP in St. Louis.

This season, however, Kurt Warner has rocketed back to prominence. His regular season numbers were outstanding: 4,583 yards, a completion percentage of 67.1%, 30 TDs, and a passer rating of 96.9. And don’t give me the whole “well he has Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin” argument. Joe Montana had Jerry Rice, Roger Craig, and John Taylor, plus Bill Walsh crafting the offense; and I don’t hear that argument when people extol the greatness of Montana.

Warner’s true greatness, however, can best be viewed through his performance in the 10 biggest games in which he has played: the playoffs. Heading into Super Bowl 43, Warner has a career playoff passer rating of 97.3. This is good for second all-time as the immortal Bart Starr has a rating of 104.8. Joe Montana is third with a rating of 95.6. Additionally, Warner has a 9-1 record as a QB in the playoffs, with his only loss thus far coming to the Patriots in Super Bowl 36. Of all quarterbacks with 10 or more playoff starts, Warner’s winning percentage is the highest.

Sunday night, Kurt Warner can further bolster his Hall of Fame resume. Not only does Warner have a chance to join Joe Montana, Bart Starr, Terry Bradshaw, and Tom Brady as the only two-time Super Bowl MVPs – Montana actually won it three times – but there is a significant Super Bowl record within Warner’s reach:

Kurt Warner needs 364 passing yards to break Joe Montana’s record of 1,142 career passing yards in the Super Bowl, which Montana accumulated in four games. Incidentally, 364 yards would be Kurt Warner’s lowest total in a Super Bowl as he threw for 414 and 365 yards in his previous Super Bowl appearances (good for 1st and 2nd on the single-game Super Bowl record list).

So let’s be hypothetical for a moment, and let’s say the Cardinals and Kurt Warner overcome the odds (literally, as Pittsburgh is a 7-point favorite) to win the Super Bowl and Warner is named MVP. This would be Kurt Warner’s Hall of Fame resume:

• 10-1 record in the postseason (best playoff winning percentage ever)
• 2-time NFL MVP
• 2-time Super Bowl MVP
• Only QB to be named Super Bowl MVP for two different teams
• Second-highest career completion percentage
• Highest career average passing yards per game
• Second-highest career playoff passer rating
• Most career yards in Super Bowl (you have to assume he’ll be throwing for a lot of yards if the Cardinals are to win)
• Intangible: the greatest rags-to-riches story in NFL history

Do the cumulative numbers stack up against the greatest QBs in NFL history? No, and they never will. Kurt Warner is already 37 years old and has maybe a couple more seasons left in him. He can move up the charts for wins, passing yards, TDs, etc., but his career numbers will never stack up against the greats.

What Warner will possess, if the Cardinals win and he plays great, is one of the greatest playoff and Super Bowl resumes of any player in NFL history. With as much emphasis as is placed on getting a Super Bowl ring and coming up big in clutch spots, Warner’s playoff resume will give him a tremendous boost when his name is called for HOF voting. Additionally, Warner will have done what no one thought possible: deliver a Super Bowl championship to the long-suffering Cardinals franchise.

If the Cardinals lose, even if Warner plays amazing, his candidacy will take a huge hit. Despite the two NFL MVP awards, Warner simply does not have a substantial enough regular season career to merit Hall consideration. He needs the incredible quality of his playoff resume to compensate for the fact that he has really only had 3 spectacular regular seasons. A 1-2 Super Bowl record and only one Super Bowl MVP award is a significant step back from a 2-1 Super Bowl record and two Super Bowl MVP awards. The rarified air that another Super Bowl win would place him in immediately vaults him into serious Hall of Fame consideration.

Kurt Warner would go into the Hall of Fame as one of the best playoff QBs of all-time – a player who was at his best on the grandest stage when his team needed him the most. His Hall of Fame candidacy will be built upon this clutch dominance. To merit legitimate Hall of Fame consideration, Kurt Warner needs to lead the Arizona Cardinals to a Super Bowl title on Sunday.

If he does, at least in my book, Kurt Warner will make himself a Hall of Famer.

What do you think?

Is Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer?

• Yes -- but the Cardinals must win Super Bowl 43 and Warner must be the MVP
• Yes -- but the Cardinals must win Super Bowl 43
• No
• Yes -- even if the Cardinals lose Super Bowl 43

View Results

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And, for the record, Jason Whitlock has a post today covering the same subject. He thinks even the question is “ridiculous”. If Namath is in the HOF, says Whitlock, then Warner has to be. And with a win Sunday, Whitlock places Warner among the top 10 QBs of all-time.

LOTD: Best Super Bowl Commercials Ever

Today’s Link of the Day comes from a site I know well and contribute to on occasion: Dallas Sports Fans. Yesterday, Robert wrote about the best Super Bowl commercials ever.

No matter what your team loyalties, the Super Bowl is always a great time for any football fan. Even if you cannot get into the game, or hate both teams, there is still one great part of the game, the Super Bowl Commercials.

Over the years there have been some real gems. Who can forget the “WAZZUP” commercial, or the “Nothing But Net” spot. As you prepare for the big game on Sunday, stop for a moment and re-live some of the best Super Bowl Commercials from the past.

He also included videos of his top picks, including Terry Tate, Jackie Moon, and a pretty controversial (at the time) Snickers ad that may make you cringe as a man. Head on over to DSF to see Robert’s full list and to remind yourself why getting up to leave during the breaks Sunday night is not a good idea:

LOTD: Best Super Bowl Commericals — (Dallas Sports Fans)

(Oh, and so much for the “economic woes” — MoonDog reports that Super Bowl ads this year are still costing $3 million for every 30 seconds of airtime.)

Now, with all due respect to Robert, I feel like there was one big one that he left off. This is understandable, because there have been a ton of good Super Bowl ads, and choosing just a few of them is particularly difficult. However, there is one Super Bowl commercial that simply cannot be ignored or forgotten. I wasn’t even old enough to watch this Super Bowl ad live, but I have seen the video, oh I don’t know, maybe 2,613 times or so.

Here it is, the classic Mean Joe Greene Coke Super Bowl Ad:

Thanks Mean Joe! Gotta love it. It will be interesting to see what the ad agencies come up with this year. I know that a few companies are buying 1-second spots (Miller High Life, for example) and putting all sort of press about it. We’ll see how that works out. I’m sure there will be plenty of funny and entertaining commercials, but we’ll see if there is one with the timeless, classic appeal of the Mean Joe Greene Super Bowl commercial.

Now onto more links we think you should check out from around the web:

101 Sports Blogs and Bloggers You Should be Following on Twitter — (Hail Mary Jane)

For the record, really found the above post informative and helpful. And I just consolidated my personal account and the MSF Twitter account and took off the auto-feeding. So there will actually be real updates and interaction now. Definitely follow us on Twitter if you are an MSF fan. I’ll be on there pretty regularly and hopefully a lot of our other writers get accounts too.

Happy 1st Birthday to Sharapova’s Thigh — (Sharapova’s Thigh)

More to the story in “Mural Furor” in Cleveland — (Orange and Brown Report)

Tony Grossi had an interesting “interview” with Phil Savage — (Waiting for Next Year)

The Good, Bad, and Ugly of IU’s loss to Northwestern — (Inside the Hall)

David Cone: They were on “the program” — (Sparty and Friends)

5 Reasons the Steelers will be the Cardinals — (Black Sports Online)

So…Billy Gillespie is kind of a jackass — (The Big Lead)

The Power of LeBron — Lebron2010

Where’s the love for Luke Appling? — (Sox Machine)

Super Bowl 43: Steelers-Cardinals Prediction – Get Ready For Sadness and Nausea Browns Fans

We are still 4 days and 21 hours away (thanks NFL.com) from the kickoff of Super Bowl 43 as I write this Steelers-Cardinals prediction post. Yet, I feel pretty confident that no one is going to get injured or get in trouble between now and Sunday that could materially affect the outcome of the game.

Earlier today, I updated you on the current injury status of Pittsburgh WR and Super Bowl 40 MVP Hines Ward. His sprained knee is hurting, and he won’t be 100%, but he will play. And seriously, it’s Hines Ward. Would you expect any different? JJ Arrington is a different story for Arizona, but he is obviously far less critical to his team’s success than Hines Ward.

If you want need a refresher of any of the particulars for this Sunday’s game (time, date, location, halftime entertainment, etc) click on over to the Super Bowl 43 Quick Preview that we did last week. It should be able to answer all of your questions.

As far as the point spreads go, here are the latest lines, courtesy of our friends at DocSports:

• Sportsbook.com Point Spread: Steelers -6.5
• Bodog Point Spread: Steelers -7
• BookMaker Point Spread: Steelers -6.5
• SuperBook Point Spread: Steelers -7

And the Over-Under odds for the Steelers-Cardinals game:

• Sportsbook.com Steelers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5
• Bodog Steelers-Cardinals Over-Under: 47
• BookMaker Steelers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5
• SuperBook Steelers-Cardinals Over-Under: 46.5

So, as they have been all week, the Steelers sit at right around a one touchdown favorite with an over-under average just under 47 points. I don’t know whether or not the Steelers will cover — I will leave that up to spread experts like Fraschetti to decide, as he did in his Cardinals-Steelers prediction post — but I do think that the Steelers will win Super Bowl 43, and that the two teams will go above the over.

This, of course, means that all Browns fans will have to once again live in a world in which the Steelers are the Super Bowl champs for an entire year. I know…the thought of it makes me nauseous too.

But as Rasheed Wallace once said, “it is what it is, and it do what it do.” (Side note: who knew that Rasheed Wallace could be so existentially brilliant?)

Steelers-Cardinals Super Bowl 43 Prediction

Before I get into the three reasons why I think the Pittsburgh Steelers will in Super Bowl 43, let’s discuss three reasons why the Cardinals could win the game.

1 – As Fraschetti pointed out in his first Super Bowl 43 preview article, the achilles heel of the Steelers’ defense throughout the years has been vulnerability through the air. The Steelers are monsters up front, and make it difficult for any team to run the ball, but they have been susceptible to big pass plays. This year, the Steelers ranked #1 across the board in defense, so I’m not sure this reason really holds much water (hence why I think the Steelers will win), but if the Cardinals are going to outscore the Steelers, they will have to do it by throwing the ball.

2 – Piggy-backing off of #1, the Cardinals have an absolutely outstanding passing game. If the Cardinals were a run-first team, I would say they have no chance. But with Kurt Warner and his deadly trio of Larry Fitzgerald, a healthier and probably extremely motivated Anquan Boldin, and the underrated Steve Breaston, the Cardinals will be able to move the ball through the air. In fact, I think the Cardinals will make this a higher scoring game than people think and get the final score above the Over-Under. And Kurt Warner proved in the 4th quarter of the NFC Championship Game that he still has some of the magic that made him a Super Bowl MVP once before.

3 – The Cardinals defense has been playing better. I don’t buy into some of the over-hyping of the Cardinals defense that I’ve read this week by some purported “experts”, but this is a defense that has proven itself to be opportunistic. Super Bowls can often turn on defensive serendipity — being in the right place at the right time for turnovers. Just ask the Steelers, who suffered their only Super Bowl loss because Larry Brown just happened to be standing right in the path of two Neil O’Donnell misfires. If the Cardinals are going to win, the defense will have to come up with a couple of key turnovers.

However, I don’t see this happening enough to get the Cardinals over the hump, which leads me to the three main reasons why I think the Steelers will be victorious in Super Bowl 43.

1 – Ben Roethlisberger will have a big game and be named Super Bowl 43 MVP. Big Ben was just an inexperienced youngster in Super Bowl 40. He was managing games for a strong running team with a great defense and he played a pretty poor game individually against the Seahawks. He is older, better, and now the unquestioned offensive leader and lynchpin of this year’s Steelers. He has Santonio Holmes on one side and Old Reliable Hines Ward on the other, plus a healthy Willie Parker behind him. Roethlisberger will have two or three plays that he will try to force — he always does — and the Cardinals have to turn these plays into turnovers to have a chance.

I don’t see it happening. I think Ben Roethlisberger is extra, extra motivated to have a big game Sunday to erase the memories of his poor performance in Super Bowl 40 (no matter what he might say about not thinking about that game or it being in the past). He’s an athlete and he’s human. He’s thinking about it, and very much wants to compensate for it with a signature Super Bowl win. His legacy and the beginnings of his potential Hall of Fame candidacy — yeah, I said it — are on the line Sunday. He has burned the Browns too often for me to not have confidence that he’ll have a big game.

(For the record, I can’t believe I’ve somehow turned into a huge Ben Roethlisberger cheerleader, especially after writing this horrific post before the season started, but such is life when your team starts Ken Dorsey for half a season.)

2 – Troy Polamalu and James Harrison are two of the 5 best defensive players the Cardinals have faced all season. And this is an unscientific statement; I didn’t go down the Cardinals’ schedule this year. Polamalu and Harrison may very well be the two best defenders they have faced, bar none. Kurt Warner has proven that he is susceptible to fumbles when hit in the pocket — enter James Harrison and the zone-blitzing Steelers. Warner has also proven that he will force throws, especially to Larry Fitzgerald, when the pocket collapses — enter the eye-reader Troy Polamalu.

I have a feeling that both of these guys will be involved in crucial, game-changing turnovers that will prevent the Cardinals from scoring enough points to win.

3 – Mike Tomlin. He’s a Steeler, but I love this guy. In fact, I have absolutely no idea how Eric frickin’ Mangini is every going to beat Tomlin. He is tough, he is old school, and he is absolutely the heartbeat and emotional leader of this Steelers team. I like Ken Whisenhunt and I think he is a very solid coach (better than Eric frickin’ Mangini), but Mike Tomlin just seems to have that extra gear of will and enthusiasm that trickles down to his players and gets the Steelers over the hump.

Mike Tomlin inspires a physical style of play in the Steelers that the Cardinals have not seen this year. I think the Cardinals are too skilled offensively to not score some points, but when push comes to shove — and it will — the Steelers will out-tough the Cardinals to the victory.

So sorry Browns fans, the nightmare continues. I will be rooting for the Cardinals, and hoping to be dead wrong with this prediction — I just don’t think I will be.

My official Steelers-Cardinals prediction:

• Pittsburgh Steelers 27 | Arizona Cardinals 24 (Over-Under covered)
• Super Bowl MVP: Ben Roethlisberger

What is your prediction?

Who do you think will win Super Bowl 43?

• Arizona Cardinals
• Pittsburgh Steelers

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LOTD: Super Bowl Media Day Preview and a Look Back at the SB41 Photo Essay by Bill Simmons

It’s the Tuesday before the Super Bowl and we all know what that means: it’s Super Bowl Media Day time. Quickly, in case you are dying for this information, a few of the particulars about Super Bowl Media Day:

Super Bowl Media Day

• Date: Tuesday, January 27, 2009
• Time: Begins at 9:30 am ET
• Place: Raymond James Stadium
• Watch Online: NFL.com

Moving on, we get to today’s Link of the Day. And for today’s LOTD, we’re jumping in the time machine and going all the way back to February of 2007 in Miami. This was the time and site of Super Bowl 41 between the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears. It was also the inspiration for a hilarious photo essay from one of my favorites: the Sports Guy Bill Simmons.

(Note: The picture at the right was the fruit of an entertaining Friday night spend superimposing Greg Popovich’s hair, nose, and beard over Bill Simmons’ face. Follow the link to view that post if you so choose.)

You will have to open up the article to see the pictures, but here are a few of the funnier captions to quickly whet your funny bone:

1. Outside shot of Dolphin Stadium on a Tuesday morning. Hard to believe it was built only 20 years ago — this place has aged faster than Kirsten Dunst.
2. Definitely some interesting fashion choices. This photo doesn’t even remotely do that jacket justice — there’s a 65 percent chance it was pulled off a homeless man in Key Biscayne.
3. One of my favorite media day tricks: The player who’s not getting interviewed and pretends to be on his cell phone.
4. Wait a second … Lovie Smith is BLACK?
5. Steve Mariucci and Rich Eisen pretend they think Deion Sanders is funny for the 145,675th time in the past four months. We’re nearing some sort of record.

And finally this one, complete with the picture because the caption alone cannot possibly do it justice:

Check out poor Kyle Orton — he went Ron Burgundy on us! I kept expecting him to stand up and start staggering around the stadium while swigging from a carton of warm milk.

Follow the link below to view the rest of the Super Bowl 41 Media Day Photo Essay by the great Bill Simmons.

LOTD: Super Bowl 41 Media Day Photo Essay by Bill Simmons

And now some more links from our friends around the sports blogosphere:

Reading is Fundamental — (Cleveland Frowns)

The Browns Still Haunt Pittsburgh Cheerleaders — (Waiting for Next Year)

Keyshawn Johnson & Cris “Bullet” Carter Prove To Be Hypocrites Again — (Black Sports Online)

IU: Way, way better at rebounding than you think — (Inside the Hall)

Joe Crede: From 10,000 aches to 10,000 lakes? — (Sox Machine)

Super Bowl Memories and Trivia — (The World According to MoonDog)

Q&A With the Inventor (and Author) of “Instant Replay” — (Hugging Harold Reynolds)

Video of the OBR’s First TV Segment on ONN — (The Orange and Brown Report)

Martellus Bennett decides to become a rapper — (Dallas Sports Fans)

Love those objective Big Ten hater(s) — (Sparty and Friends)

Time Warp: Former Browns Players on the Hardwood — (Waiting for Next Year)

Let’s hear it kid: Bucks or Ducks? — (Cleveland Frowns)

List of Super Bowl MVP Winners by Year and a Super Bowl 43 MVP Prediction

As part of our week-long project to educate you on Super Bowl history and get you ready for Super Bowl 43 this weekend, yesterday we offered up the Super Bowl winners and losers by year, as well as the list of teams who have won and lost the most Super Bowls.

Today, we are breaking down the history of the Super Bowl MVP award, as well as offering up a prediction as to who will be the MVP of Super Bowl 43.

Before we get into any predictions, let’s get a historical perspective by looking at the Super Bowl MVP winners by year, as presented to you in the table below:

* – Chuck Howley, the 1971 winner, is the only Super Bowl MVP from a losing team. The Cowboys were defeated by the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl V.

* – The Cowboys are also the only team to have Co-MVPS, when Harvey Martin and Randy White split the award in 1978.

* – The Super Bowl MVP breakdown by team goes as follows:

• Dallas Cowboys – 7
• Pittsburgh Steelers, San Francisco 49ers – 5
• Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots, New York Giants, Oakland/LA Raiders, Washington Redskins – 3
• Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins – 2
• Baltimore Ravens, Chicago Bears, Indianapolis Colts, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 1

* – The Super Bowl MVP breakdown by position goes as follows:

• Quarterback – 22
• Running Back – 7
• Wide Receiver – 5
• Defensive End, Linebackers, Safety – 2
• Cornerback, Defensive Tackle, KR/PR – 1

Based on history, there are a few things that we can reasonably anticipate about who will be the MVP in Super Bowl 43:

• There is better than a 50% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be the QB from the winning team.
• There is a better than 95% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be a player from the winning team.
• There is better than a 75% chance that the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be a “skill position” player from the winning team.
• If the MVP does come from the defensive side of the ball, he is usually one of the stars of a historically great defense.

With that being said, if I was forced to bet on whO the Super Bowl 43 MVP will be, my money would be on Ben Roethlisberger. I think that the Steelers are going to win the game, and after Big Ben’s putrid performance in Super Bowl 40, I think he will play well Sunday. Plus, while Arizona’s defense has been solid, they are not great by any stretch of the imagination. Roethlisberger should have a chance to put up pretty good numbers.

However, I would not be surprised to see either James Harrison or Troy Polamalu come away with the trophy. Kurt Warner, while he has been spectacular for most of his career and for most of this season, can be prone to turnovers. Additionally, the Steelers do have a historically great defense. Defensive players from the ‘85 Bears and ‘01 Ravens won the MVP trophy, and I could see one of the Steelers players getting the award too. Polamalu and Harrison would actually be my #2 and #3 choices for Super Bowl 43 MVP.

Assuming that the Steelers win, and assuming the percentages play out, an offensive player will be the MVP. I know that Hines Ward won the trophy in Super Bowl 40, but Big Ben was just a young pup then. He is absolutely the catalyst of the Steelers offense this year. If he does not play well, Arizona has a chance to win. If he does play well, he will get the requisite numbers to win the award. I don’t see another Steelers offensive player trumping him, unless something fluky happens.

Should the Cardinals somehow with the game, either Kurt Warner or Larry Fitzgerald will come away with the award. I think Fitzgerald would have to just be phenomenal to overcome the whole “storybook” aspect of Warner taking home another MVP trophy. Fitzgerald is certainly capable, but any numbers he gets would also go to Warner. My prediction, if Arizona wins, is that Kurt Warner takes home the trophy.

So, if I was handicapping the race, my Top 5 Players Most Likely to win the Super Bowl 43 MVP list would go something like this:

1. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
2. Kurt Warner, Cardinals
3. Troy Polamalu, Steelers
4. James Harrison, Steelers
5. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals

What do you think?

Who do you think will be the Super Bowl 43 MVP?

• James Harrison
• Larry Fitzgerald
• Someone not listed
• Kurt Warner
• Ben Roethlisberger
• Troy Polamalu

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Super Bowl Results: List of Super Bowl Winners and Losers By Year

Earlier today, we gave you a detailed table of the teams with the most Super Bowl wins in history, and the teams with the most losses. In this post, we take you year-by-year through the history of Super Bowl results with a list of Super Bowl winners and losers by year.

As I was creating this table of Super Bowl results, there were a couple of things that stood out; things I knew, but didn’t necessarily realize right off the top of my head.

1. Minnesota and Denver have both lost 4 Super Bowls. We always think about the Buffalo Bills as the biggest losers in history, because they lost four in a row; but Minnesota and Denver have struggled as well. At least Denver got a few after losing four in a row.
2. The Super Bowl has been dominated by about half of the teams in the NFL, with a bunch of other teams (that Atlantas, San Diegos, Cincinnatis, etc) fighting for table scraps.
3. If there is a Super Bowl that doesn’t include Pittsburgh or Dallas, it’s a suprise. Goodness. Counting this year, the two teams will have combined for 15 appearances and 11 titles (if Pittsburgh beats Arizona.)

Anyway, here is the table of Super Bowl results, with a list of Super Bowl winners and losers by year

Most Super Bowl Wins and Team Super Bowl Records

As this week goes along, we will be providing you with a wealth of information regarding the history of the Super Bowl. This year’s Super Bowl 43 matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals is historic in many different ways.

First, the Steelers are making their seventh Super Bowl appearance, which puts them one behind the Dallas Cowboys for the all-time record. With a win, however, the Steelers vault to the top of the list for all-time Super Bowl victories, as their Super Bowl record would stand at a sterling 6-1.

The Arizona Cardinals, on the other hand, are on the complete opposite end of the spectrum from the Steelers. The Cardinals are making their first ever appearance in the Super Bowl. Obviously they have some work to do if they want to move up the list of Super Bowl champs below.

In this post, we give you a table that lists the teams in order of most Super Bowl wins and then goes in reverse order of the losingest teams in Super Bowl history. Additionally, you can see the all-time team Super Bowl records for each organization that has participated in at least one: