OT: Super Bowl Sunday

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Posted By: marshall barkman

Rhys you are correct. Do you realize in the safety call that their was a ref standing right next to big Ben and did not throw the flag? I saw about 5 to 7 holds on the Steelers during crucial plays and nothing was thrown. To be honest the refs were horrible all season, probably the worst officiating for a entire season. Congrats to the Steelers for not folding and they need to send a present to the Defensive Coordinator of the Cards because he should have had two men on the line of scrimmage and just smashed Holmes immediatly once the score was 23-20.

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Posted By: Pennsylvania Ted

There is no joy in Mudville, for the mighty Cardinals have struck out

But, here in Pennsylvania there is happiness all about.


Now, how many days till Pitchers and Catchers ?


TED Z

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Posted By: Paul

Ted, I think it's 14 days, 2hrs, & 10 minutes from now.

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Posted By: leon

We had about 4 families at my house, for the game, and I was the only person rooting for the Steelers. Actually I couldn't have given a rat's patoot but figured I would be the contrarian, as usual...It was a good game.

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Posted By: marshall barkman

Leon......i hope you had a few crown and cokes (-: it was one of the most exciting Super Bowl games and i'm sure it crippled alot of folks because the Steelers took alot of cash -6 1/2.

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Posted By: James Feagin

There may be wild celebrations now, but native Steelers fans still have to live in Pittsburgh. There must be some consulation for Cardinals fans (or Steelers haters) in that

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Posted By: Anonymous

OK.

As we approach the midnight hour let's consider other world events.

Will Punxsutawney Phil be wearing a Steeler Jersey when he predicts the winter forecast in the morning?

Go Steelers!

Good game, Cardinals.

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Posted By: stefan

low blow James.... Yes Pittsburgh isn't the greatest of city's but were better than some.... hint... hint...LOL.

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Posted By: peter ullman

What a great ending to one of the poorest officiating displays I've ever seen! Looks like I'll go without that super wet...soy cappuccino from starbucks tomorrow.

And boy did the commercials suck...but the boss was...THE BOSS!!!

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Posted By: davidcycleback

It looked like a foreword pass to me.

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Posted By: marshall barkman

The Cardinals actually had two correct challenges on horrible calls. Can you imagine if their was not instant replay. Where are they finding these refs at? They could not ref a high school game much less the high speed NFL game. I saw Steeler guards literally dragging down Cardinals and also several hands to the face and none were called. They also almost blew the safety call which was so obvious and blatant because it happened right up the middle.

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Posted By: Mark

Refs did the same exact thing to help Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl against Seattle a few years back. So many disproportionate calls... it takes lots of the fun out.

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Posted By: Anonymous

Now, it should be pointed out that Big Ben did not get a touchdown this time on a quarterback sneak. The knee was down. Against Seattle the ball broke the plane of the end zone.

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Posted By: Marty Ogelvie

Great game! Too much yellow on the field which probably kept it from being the greatest Super Bowl of all time.

I'm no Steeler, never have been but I certainly appreciate their franchise and even though I was rooting for the under dog I certainly have no beef with the Champs. Great team, great coach and by the way, I have been to Pittsburgh a zillion times and I consider it one of the best cities in the country. There is only so much wine and cheese you can stand, give me a beer and a brat any day!

Marty

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Posted By: Jason L

I won't say the Cards should have won it, but other events should have transpired at the end.

Holmes wasn't inbounds with both feet DOWN. the replays clearly show that the feet were not even. I don't understand how I am seeing something different from everyone else, but if you look, the right foot is clearly higher (off the ground), and only the left toes tap the turf inbounds.

Also, Warner's arm was clearly moving forward and that was not a fumble at the end of the game.

All that said, Steelers could have still won, but not the way it happened. Great theater, regardless.

This is precisely why i don't gamble.

That, and the fact I don't have any money.

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Posted By: Jeff Lichtman

Jason, keep in mind that the call on the field can only be overturned by uncontroverted proof via replay -- and such proof didn't exist. I thought it was a good call. Bad call on the end of the game fumble but it wouldn't have made a difference. As I had said above, what an incredibly painful loss if you're a real Cardinals fan, one you won't shake for a long, long time.

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Posted By: marshall barkman

The play by Holmes was incredible and it was a catch. The one replay clearly showed both feet down. In regards to the end of the game what is warner doing in the first place? You have 18 seconds left so drop back and heave it, horrible dancing around and then winding up from the hip to throw it 50 yards, hell Flacco can toss it 50 going backwards.

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Posted By: davidcycleback

I didn't see anything definitive to overturn the Holmes touchdown, which is all that matters.

I thought the last play at least deserved a review, but it was an entertaining fourth quarter where either team could have won. I thought the most interesting score was the safety, where the offensive lineman scored for the other team.

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Posted By: Bob

Now that Pittsburg has replaced the Cowboys as America's team, the love they are getting is suffocating. A very good team but all week long the comparisons of ther defense to the original Steel Curtain are ridiculous. The 70's Steelers 24
The 08 Steelers 6 (2 field goals)
Mean Joe and company make hand puppets out of Big Ben and his offense.

Thank God baseball is right around the corner...

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Posted By: Cy

David,

They did review the last play in the game. It wasn't necessary to state it because the game ended.

Cy

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

they didn't stop play to review it. Instead we were told after the fact that it had been reviewed, which I find dubious. There is no way they had gone through the replay angles and given that play any scrutiny before Pittsburgh takes a knee, after which what are they going to do? The rules state that once a play is run there can be no challenge of the prior play. So you think they're going to call that play an incomplete pass and make the teams line up again after the crowd had rushed the field? No, but be sure to tell us you reviewed it and it was the right call. Weak, very weak.

It probably wouldn't have mattered, as there was only time for one Hail Mary, but boy, can you imagine if that Hail Mary would have been answered how even more incredible that fourth quarter would have been viewed?

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Posted By: davidcycleback

For those who say giving Warner another play wouldn't matter, simply recall that the last play of the first half was a 100 yard touchdown.

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Posted By: Cy

You people need to get a grip. The Steelers won the game. Period. All this talk about refs giving the Steelers the advantage is baloney. The only even remotely close penalty was the roughing the passer on Big Ben. But you tell me if that Jersey had Brady or Manning on it the back, would anyone been arguing. Also take a look at any play that James Harrison rushed the quarterback. It looked like those two were on the celebrity dancing show.

The fact of the matter is that the Steelers played the game for 60 minutes. The Cardinals had one big play that put them in position. And when it mattered the Steelers, behind Ben, marched like a machine down the field and scored.

Anything else is sour grapes.

Cy

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Posted By: Anonymous

Let's review some things here:

The Cardinals had 406 yards of total offense. 377 yards were passing.

In my opinion, with the exception of late in the second quarter, and the fourth quarter, the Cardinals were the team that was outplayed.

Fitzgerald had a great fourth quarter. The rest of the game? One catch for 14 yards.

Santonio Holmes feet were in bounds and there is clear indication on the replay of this fact.

Finally, the last Cardinals offensive play was a fumble. The arm was not coming forward and Woodley's hand was on the ball which caused the fumble. Does anybody recall Warner arguing this call. I have to admit I didn't since I was too busy celebrating.

The long and short of it is that the officiating was bad for both sides. I saw Harrison and Woodley being held a lot. One time the call was on Gandy for holding Harrison when the more blatant hold was by the other tackle on Woodley.

End result is a Steelers win and another Super Bowl for Pittsburgh.

Good game, Cardinals.

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Posted By: macboube

The Cardinals covered, be satisfied with W and stop the whine about the Steelers. My big teaser middle hit, Pitt to Over and Pitt to Under were both golden! Is there any way I can be tested?

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Posted By: LetsGoBucs

I agree. The referees went both ways.

How about the first Warner fumble? The only reason his arm moved at all was that he was hit and he certainly wasn't throwing the ball because it was already on the ground.

When was the last time you saw a holding call in the end zone of a playoff game in the 4th quarter when it was close? Wiping out a first down that would have offered the Steelers the chance to get another first down and the game would have been basically over with the clock. I've seen guys tackled in the open in the end zone and no flag.

Big Ben plows into the end zone and they overturned a TD for Pittsburgh.

Doesn't sound like a conspiracy to me. In fact if you look at the replay I'd be willing to bet that you'll find a lot more holding going on by the Cardinals O-line than took place on Pittsburgh O-line. Personally I think holding happens on every play and they only call blatant holds when a guy is beat.

All that said, the only thing that matters is that Pittsburgh is again the Super Bowl Champions!!!

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

You're the one who needs to get a grip. The Steelers played for 60 minutes while the Cardinals got one play? What the hell game were you watching? The one where your punk DE ran back an INT 100 yards and Warner threw for 377 yards. Can you throw for 377 yards on one play?

There are no sour grapes here--just an observation that the refs should have reviewed one call. I've got no problem with the Steelers, but save that we played for 60 minutees crap. Your defense got lit up. Your brilliant, nobody moves or scores on this defense gave up two touchdowns and 200 yards in the fourth quarter when the game was on the line--real clutch.

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Posted By: Cy

Todd,

First off, the "Get a Grip" comment wasn't directed at you. If you thought that, I apologize. But it is directed at anyone who really thinks that the refs stole the game from the Cardinals. That didn't happen.

But to address your points. Assume that the big play didn't happen. It did. It was a great play but I said that the Cards had one big play. For the sake of argument, take the long Fitzgerald TD away and you have Warner throwing 200 yards into a pass prevent defense that yielded basically nothing. The stats would have been irrelevant.

Secondly, do you really think that the Steelers didn't play a 60 minute game? Do you really think that they weren't clutch? Ben got the ball with 2:35 left in a game that the Steelers had in control for a while, then fell behind. The first play was a holding play. So now it is 1st and 20. After that he methodically moved the Steelers down the field to score an amazing TD. If that isn't clutch, what is? I think it was Steve Young who said that this was Ben's defining moment as a professional. I agree.

Finally, the last Cards play, do you really think that the officials just glossed that one over? The head of officiating was at the game. It's the Super Bowl, they are not going to gloss over that play. The fact is that it was quite obvious that it was a fumble. If the officials wanted to do something to play around with that call, don't you think that it would have been more exciting to say, what the heck, let's give Warner one last shot at the end zone. But they saw it quickly and then did the right thing.

My final point, then I am done here. The Steelers won the game. The Cardinals came back, but when it truly mattered, the Steelers came up with the plays to win the game, not the referees. I just think it is disingenuous to say that the Steelers didn't win this game.

Take care.

Cy

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Posted By: James Feagin

"Finally, the last Cards play, do you really think that the officials just glossed that one over? The head of officiating was at the game. It's the Super Bowl, they are not going to gloss over that play. The fact is that it was quite obvious that it was a fumble. If the officials wanted to do something to play around with that call, don't you think that it would have been more exciting to say, what the heck, let's give Warner one last shot at the end zone. But they saw it quickly and then did the right thing. "

Was the play glossed over? Absolutely. 100% when none of the numerous resources were used. It seemed as if the officials said "what the heck, the Steelers won....let's go home"

Would it have made a difference? Probably not. But imagine how much more dramatic the conclusion would have been!

Was it a fumble? From my perspective....NO

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Posted By: Martin Neal

That's the first fumble I have ever seen with a spiral.

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Posted By: Todd Schultz

Cy, the play was absolutely glossed over. You mean to tell me they went up in the booth, reviewed the replay angles available to them, called down to the field and told the ref to confirm the call, and we just missed it? No, the Steelers took a knee and that was it. We waited five minutes for the first half to end while they examined whether goonball crossed the goal line, but I guess it would have disrupted the flow of the game too much to look at that last Warner play.

I didn't say the Steeler O was not clutch, just the Steeler defense--the most overrated Super Bowl defense I've seen in years. And you may want to look at your math again. Take away the long pass to Fitz and Warner still threw for over 300, not 200 yards. How about an 8 play, 87 yard drive in under four minutes to start the quarter, all passes. Another 34 yards mid-quarter ruined by a holding call on Gandy. Then 65 to Larry, all when your defense needed to stiffen. Twenty more before the so-called fumble. And it wasn't just the fourth quarter--they gave up an 83 yard drive to start the second quarter too. In short, the great Steeler defense surrendered more points and more yards than the so-called mediocre Cardinal defense.

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Posted By: Anonymous

In short, the great Steeler defense surrendered more points and more yards than the so-called mediocre Cardinal defense.
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Yes they did. The Steeler defense did well in the first and third quarters, did ok in the 2nd, and the Cardinals Offense beat them in the 4th. But thats not the score that counts and lets not forget the great Steeler defense also put 7 points on the board. And the great Steeler defenses in the 70's gave up a few yards to the Rams and Cowboys (didn't give up squat to the Vikings) but the TEAM found a way to win. Just as they did yesterday.

Steeler as a team won.

Super Bowl Champions!!