Six-Burgh

Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few days you are aware that Pittsburgh won the Super Bowl last night bring a record six Lombardi trophies to Pittsburgh. I hate the Steelers so I was kind of rooting for Arizona by default. Mostly I was not paying attention, to the game or the commercials. Mostly it looked like Pittsburgh was going to win, which was not really surprising at all. After the interception for a touchdown at the end of the first half I figured the game was over. Was there a worse possible way for Arizona to end the half? Instead of throwing a short pass for a touchdown to go into the half with the lead there's an interception and a touchdown.

At the half I declared the game over. Then somehow Larry Fitzgerald put the Cardinals back in the game. Everyone else in the room was cheering and excited. It was a Cardinals crowd by default. Some Kurt Warner fans, some Steelers haters, some lovers of the underdog story. I just shook my head. There was too much time left. I've watched the Steelers beat the Ravens three times this season. Big Ben is good at comebacks. The man has barely half a brain but this is where he thrives. I knew it was over.

People doubted me. But if I had been in Vegas I would have laid a ton of money on this. I just knew it. And it happened. Santonio Holmes comes up big in situations like this. He caught the 'touchdown' pass on the last drive against Baltimore to win the game. He managed to stretch his body further than I thought possible, but after watching the replay again and again it was a touchdown. I didn't really care that much about Arizona. I was just one of the many bandwagon fans who were ready to hop off as soon as the game was over regardless of the outcome.

Actually the loss didn't bother me that much. And I felt vindicated by my correct prediction. It also meant more shot of a smiling Mike Tomlin. Who knows, maybe they'll make a movie now about the Steelers. Omar Epps can play Tomlin. Yes, the resemblance is uncanny. Whatever, Tomlin is hot.

Super Bore

I don't know what my problem is. I love football. But I really just can't get into this years Super Bowl. Maybe it's because the Steelers beat my Ravens to make it, but I don't really think this is it. Maybe it just means the end of football season and that makes me sad. Or maybe it's because there just isn't a story line that I can get into this year. I don't really have a stake in either team.

I do hate the Steelers. But I think the AFC is better and the Steelers are legitimately better than the Cardinals. And I really can't get into this Cardinals underdog story. I love an underdog as much as anyone else. But for some reason this one just doesn't do it for me. Maybe it's because I have a little crush on Steelers coach Mike Tomlin. Yeah, I think he looks good in that puffy jacket. He definitely is at the top of my attractive coaches list. And I really think defense wins championships. The Steelers play similar football to the Ravens. I know offense is exciting and what everyone wants to see. But I enjoy a good defensive battle. It comes from being a Ravens fan. And as much as I hate the Steelers I kind of want to root for the style of football I like more. Even if it is an arch rival. Plus, I'll feel a little better about the Ravens division and playoff loss if the Steelers win.

When I told my friend I just wasn't that interested he asked how I couldn't get into the Cardinals story. He pointed out my teams are all underdogs and I usually love this type of story. I said Kurt Warner really doesn't do it for me. I'm not really sure why. He immediately asked if it was the God thing. And he was right. I have mild religious associations and very little belief in God. I understand that Warner is actually a very pious man and seems earnest in his thanking of God for his good fortune. He did go from bagging groceries to a Super Bowl and now is in the middle of another amazing comeback. So maybe he really should be thanking God.

I find most athletes disingenuous and thanking God for more political reasons. I don't really understand this since many of them commit such ridiculous acts. But somehow if you thank God for your abilities than all the other stuff is forgiven. I'd rather see athletes thank their teammates and their families and act pious rather than sound pious. It generally just seems false to me and that is rather off putting. If God does really care about football or any sport than I feel completely justified in my lack of belief. They're way more important issues that God should be dealing with.

For all of idiotic behavior of Big Ben, and there has been a lot of it, he is usually mum on the thanking God stuff. He has started doing this recently and I can't really speculate on why he started doing this. But I respect him mostly for keeping football about football. And the amazing comeback of Warner, while great, is not a story that is particularly compelling to me.

The Cardinals are a decent team that has played some great football in the post seasons. But I don't think they are a championship team. Yes, Larry Fitzgerald is one of the top wide recievers in football and Anquan Boldin is probably the toughest player in the league right now. (He broke his face and was back in a couple weeks, steel plates and all.) But overall, I can't really care about this team enough to like them. Maybe it was their poor showing in a week conference, maybe it's that they've been irrelevant for so long and I kind of think this is just a brief flash. Or maybe it's because I really do believe they are going to lose on Sunday.

I know that they have been the underdogs most of the playoffs and have pulled of some surprising victories. But Pittsburgh is a more disciplined team. They are not going to give up a last minute score and if they control the ball they are going to keep it. They have the power to get at Warner and the players to cover Fitz and Boldin. They also have a quarterback that has won a Super Bowl. So all of Warner's experience isn't that huge of a factor.

I really don't know who too root for. Maybe I'll just watch the commercials like a regular uninterested girl. Or maybe I'll just hope for some good football. Or maybe I'll hope for a more interesting game next year.

Living On Borrowed Time

In general I don't really preview games. I'm really not that informed and am usually completely off base so I like to wait til after the fact and make comments based on 20/20 hindsight vision. It means that I am wrong much less often and I like that. Who doesn't? But I'm going to go out on a limb here and make some general observations about this week's playoff games. Yes, I am going to spend a words discussing the NFC even. This might be shocking for any regular readers. But since there are very few of you, well let me explain, usually I like to pretend the NFC does not exist unless a team in playing the Ravens, but since it's possible that the Ravens could be in the Super Bowl and have to play one of these teams I guess I should say something about the Eagles and the Cardinals. Oh yeah, and I live in Philly, so I guess how the Eagles do tangentially effects my life.

But first off, let's get this out of the way. The Ravens weren't supposed to be good this year. I have said this again and again. And that we have made it this far is still shocking to me. I spent most of the weekend in shock. Only now am I really starting to accept that the Ravens are playing the Steelers this weekend. And if I woke up tomorrow and it was all a dream, I'd be sad, but it might be easier to grasp than what is actually happening.

The Ravens were 11-5 this season and only lost to playoff teams. So it's natural to think that they might not be able to actually play against other playoff teams. But here they are. About to face the Steelers for the third time this season. And I am scared. Yes, it's hard to beat a team three times in one season, and these teams are pretty closely matched with one big drive being the difference in each game. But the Ravens are banged up after an ugly yet surprising win over Tennessee. Pittsburgh is mostly healthy and even Roethlisburger with his spinal concussion played great last week. Big Ben is playing in his third AFC championship game. He's won a Super Bowl. This is a team to be feared. Plus home field advantage for Pittsburgh and they're well rested. The Ravens are going to have to fight hard. But I don't care, this team wasn't supposed to be in the post season. I'm going to be happy regardless because, well, this team has already defied so many odds that I can't expect any more from them. I can hope and dream but they've already done so much for me.

Nothing about this playoff picture makes sense. Pittsburgh is the only high seed left. And somehow two 9 win teams, the Eagles and the Cardinals are in the NFC playoff games. The Eagles who were left for dead by most fans after they tied the Bengals. But they started their amazing comeback agianst the Cardinals on Thanksgiving. I think the Cardinals will be out for blood. But I also counted the Cardinals out all season. I mean its the NFC West, similar to the AFC West in its crappiness. But they stomped the Panthers last week in a win even Cardinals fans didn't see coming. I think Cardinals fans feel similar to the way I feel about the Ravens right now. I hope you win but you've already exceeded every expectation I've had. Three playoff games, two wins, two home games. Really we can't ask for much more. That's ok.

As for Eagles fans, well I'm going to blatently steal this blurb from DJ Gallo's NFL Hangover because he is way funnier than me. And it's the best explaination of how the city of Philadelphia feels right now.

With the Phillies fresh off a World Series title and the Eagles now improbably one win from the Super Bowl, Donovan McNabb says "The city of Philadelphia is buzzing." That shows how different the perspective is on the field compared to how it is in the stands. Philadelphia is not buzzing. It's well past buzzing. The fans of Philadelphia are full-on drunk. They know there is a massive hangover coming. They know they could throw up at any moment. They know they just inappropriately touched the complete stranger in front of them. They know they just spouted a string of profanity in front of a 6-year-old. They know they're eventually going to black out and wake up in the morning beside the Sixers. And who knows, they might even have to hold McNabb's hair while he vomits. But for now they'll have another drink and see what happens.

Overall, I have no idea who is going to win either game. I'm guessing the Eagles over the Cardinals. But last week if I had to pick a lock I would have said the Panthers over the Cardinals. So you can see why I don't tend to predict these things. And I think the Ravens could win, maybe, or Pittsburgh could do what Tennessee did and lose. That would be cool too. At least it's something to hope for.

GO RAVENS!!!!!