It was a memorable Super Bowl. The Steelers had defense and a history of superiority that had resulted in five previous championships, while the Cardinals had only recently jelled for their playoff run; Arizona also had the better quarterback. Both squads’ offenses had to deliver in do-or-die drives at the end. With two minutes to go, we still didn’t know which side would have the Most Valuable Player, the sure sign of an exciting game. The Steelers won, 27 – 23, on a touchdown scored in the last minute of play.
My only quibble had little to do with the generally high standard of play. There were no shoo-in Hall-of-Famers on the field (although Cardinal QB Kurt Warner may have secured a spot in Canton from his valiant effort)--no Bradys, Mannings, or Favres to add luster to the proceedings and the pinch of gravitas that could have made it a Super Bowl for the ages.
Nevertheless, there were plays that will surely be featured in replay highlights years from now---the 100-yard interception runback that closed the half, the 64-yard catch that gave Arizona its first lead with a little over two minutes to go, and the final winning pitch to the end zone sideline, the receiver barely keeping his toes in bounds while he stretched and controlled the ball for the sufficient split second that won the Super Bowl for the Steelers with 35 seconds left.
There are few if any great teams, but the flip side is that NFL championship games have recently been close. TV ratings have stayed high for the duration of the contest. Connoisseurs, casual fans, advertisers, and NFL executives—all had something to be pleased about. It was a pleasant afternoon interlude for uncertain times. © 2009 Stephen Yuen
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