Super Bowl XL [Archive] - Mania Forums - Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror Entertainment

neglet

01-20-2006, 07:14 AM

Well, we're down to the conference title games. Who will end up in Detroit? (Besides me, assuming my flight back from New York arrives on time.)

Carolina at Seattle: Should be a good game, but I think home field will send the Seahawks to Detroit.

Pittsburgh at Denver: Also should be a very good game to watch, and I'm kinda on the fence about this one. I know Denver has the record and home field, but are they really that good? Jake Plummer looks like a 70s porn star with that hair and beard, and has the nickname to go with it. Pittsburgh looked great at Indy, so they could sneak in there. I'd love to see the Bus playing before his hometown crowd.

So I'm thinking Seattle and Pittsburgh, with Pittsburgh emerging as champs. But I don't feel that strongly about it, I just want to see a good game. (Or 3/4s of a good game, assuming my flight comes home on time.)

Edit: And woooooo haaa! A chick is the first to post in the Sports Forum!

Bark

01-20-2006, 09:50 AM

Yeah, where all the Indy boys at? Hello? HAHAHAHA

Well, I'll pick Seattle and Pittsburgh. However, since I've been a Steeler fan for over 15 years now, all I have to say is that if they lose the AFC Championship game, I won't be surprised. Looks like I'm gonna miss the game. I'll be cycling. It's for the best. After that last game, I don't know if I can watch anymore. :eek:

Scorpiuscat

01-20-2006, 11:07 AM

I dont see how anyone can go with Cowher over Shannahan in a game of this magnitude.

Shanahan is a proven big game winner, while Cowher is a big game loser.

Gimme the Broncos to take it all.

Bark

01-20-2006, 11:49 AM

Correction, he only lost the big game once. That hardly qualifies him for that label of yours. He's a game-below-big-game loser. ;)

Still, go Steelers!

DarkJedi

01-21-2006, 01:15 AM

I cannot believe Vanderjackt missed that kick.

Damn kicker.

Penfold

01-21-2006, 08:59 AM

I'm guessing Seattle and Pittsburgh as well, but I'm rooting for a Panthers/Steelers Super Bowl.

sickness

01-21-2006, 09:45 AM

I cannot believe Vanderjackt missed that kick.

Damn kicker.

That was the only FG or XP he missed at home this year, too. I really feel sorry for him. The guy looked like he was going to cry. I can understand considering he just managed to take his team out of the post season when they were definitely the strongest team this year. Sucks to be him.

Immortal1982

01-21-2006, 11:59 AM

<-------Points to avatar, if it aint obvious who he's rooting for.

I got to admit, i never saw this coming. But I'm just happy we've done as well as we did. We barely got by the giants, we beat indy's backups, and we beat a weakened redskins.

now we get delhomme. dammit.

~SkY~

DarkJedi

01-22-2006, 06:19 PM

Congrats on your team making it, Seahawks boy. Well done.:)

Superbowl is ready now...and comprised of two very tough teams in Holm vs Cow as coaches.

Should be interesting to watch.

I wonder who Bradshaw is rooting for? :winks:

sickness

01-23-2006, 12:14 AM

This is the first Super Bowl in a long time that I honestly can't say one way or the other who is going to win. Will be a great game, I'm sure.

DarkJedi

01-23-2006, 12:35 AM

That's exactly what I was thinking, sickness.

Both teams are tough, gritty, grinding to the pavement teams coming from their head coaches.

I think it'll be a good game for sure.

Bark

01-23-2006, 04:06 AM

I cannot believe Vanderjackt missed that kick.

Damn kicker.

Well, considering the referee handed the Colts a chance to win on a silver platter with a horrible call, I think it was only fair for the kick to miss.

DarkJedi

01-23-2006, 04:25 AM

How does that make it fair?

Bah, I can never understand that...

Referrees constantly screw up calls for both sides...frequently in sports.

Doesn't mean that loudmouthed excellent kicker shouldn't have missed that FG.

Vanderjackman is still a putz for ruining a great year.

fastcar

01-23-2006, 08:38 AM

http://www.post-gazette.com/images3/20060123pd_fan_believe_fbnPJ_450.jpg

Yeah, baby!!!! I believe!

Bark

01-23-2006, 10:24 AM

It makes it fair because that call was so bad, I think $$$ was behind it. Hell, when the NFL comes out the next day and says, "It was a bad call," know it was a REALLY bad call.

Besides, Pittsburgh played the better game. I'm glad it wasn't decided on a fluke.

neglet

02-02-2006, 07:23 AM

Okay, so what are your predictions?

Mine's Steelers 24, Seahawks 17

CaptPike

02-02-2006, 09:49 AM

Steelers 30 Seahawks 13

Immortal1982

02-02-2006, 06:11 PM

Seahawks 30, Pittsburgh 27

Cuchulainn

02-03-2006, 11:59 AM

Steelers 27, Seahawks 17

DarkJedi

02-03-2006, 04:03 PM

I notice that alot of the picks are for the Steelers.

Is this because of the majority opinion that the NFC was alittle weaker then normal this year or do you all just feel that the Steelers defense is better then Seattle's offense?

I think it's going to be a close game here but I can't decide who will win out of it.

Shaun Alexander definitely is worthy of MVP this year and will be a key factor on the outcome of the game.

I guess everyone favors Big Ben-Steelers recievers over Hassleback-Seahawks recievers?

Sgt. Awesome

02-03-2006, 04:13 PM

http://yirmumah.djcoffman.com/strips/steelers20060203.gif

Adam54

02-03-2006, 04:22 PM

Steelers 24
Hawks 17.

Each time HighSky crys: Priceless.

There are some things money can't buy.
A Seahawk's super bowl victory is one of them.

Mastercard

DarkJedi

02-03-2006, 07:01 PM

LOL Very bold, Adam. :D

What happens if the Seahawks win....what then with all these crazy predictions.

CaptPike

02-04-2006, 04:18 AM

Is this because of the majority opinion that the NFC was alittle weaker then normal this year or do you all just feel that the Steelers defense is better then Seattle's offense?

That pretty much nails it for me. The Seahawks played the Cardinals twice, the 49ers twice and the Rams twice. That certainly helps give you and inflated opinion of yourself. The Steelers beat the top three AFC teams, in the playoffs, just to get here.

Penfold

02-04-2006, 07:59 AM

The Steelers beat the top three AFC teams, in the playoffs, just to get here.

On the road, no less.

Bark

02-04-2006, 01:31 PM

As a Steeler fan, I've been disappointed too many times. I will not allow myself the dream. :( I am superstitious.

Asonokirk V 2.0

02-04-2006, 02:10 PM

Official Prediction:

Seattle - 21
Pittsburgh - 20

A thriller between two evenly matched teams playing at the tops of their games. There isn't any question in my mind that these two teams will be meeting each other in full stride, and that usually means a truly memorable game.

DarkJedi

02-04-2006, 08:38 PM

I agree.

We're now a few hours away from it and I think that no matter what, it's going to be a really great game between two veteran coaches and two very competitive, gritty teams.

DarkJedi

02-05-2006, 04:01 PM

Halftime:

Steelers 7
Seahawks 3

One thing is that this game is moving pretty fast time wise and it seems like the first half consisted of the teams feeling each other out for game plans. 19 minutes of Game time before the Steelers got a first down.

Crazy last minute of the first half too. Seahawks got nutty for a few plays.

Let's see what happens in the second half.

Immortal1982

02-05-2006, 06:13 PM

ah, a good well fought game it was.

Theres always next year. That's what i will keep telling myself for the next 7 months. But hey, at least the Hawks have finally earned a little bit of respect that they have sorely deserved.

*Cries himself to sleep*

DarkJedi

02-05-2006, 06:20 PM

Sorry Highsky.

As a fan of a team which played 0 games in the playoffs, I will say your team did very well this year. They made it to the big game....that's definitely something.

Congrats to Steelers fans too.

Bark

02-05-2006, 07:21 PM

The last time, I was five weeks old. That is too young to talk! However, now I can say it:

The Pittsburgh Steelers, Super Bowl XL . . .

. . . [dramatic pause] . . .

. . . Champions! :D

Guys, this has been a magical sports year for me. My Mountaineers upset the favorite in the Sugar Bowl, and now this happens. I'm taking this as a good omen. :)

Uncle Pat, I hope you're looking down from Heaven. I wore your old hat with my lucky shirt tonight. :)

CaptPike

02-06-2006, 04:58 AM

Congrats Steelers and their fans. Bark, good feeling, isn't it? Never thought the Pack would do it in my lifetime, I was 1 and 2 for SB I&II, but I'll always have SB XXXI. And I'll always get facial ticks when I think of SB XXXII.....

Now, if we can just work on getting the CUBS and PIRATES on track! My team first, of course....:wink:

fastcar

02-06-2006, 05:19 AM

Thanks....

I felt like I drank 3 times what I really did last night.

The fan response was rather controlled last night.

We had one car overturned in Oakland about 5 minutes east of downtown Pittsburgh and a couch fire.

Minion

02-06-2006, 06:02 AM

Grrr....I'm still saying that first Steeler's touchdown was a bad call. There wasn't a single bit of that ball that broke the endzone. I'm still laughing at the Seahawk's coach's controlled response though at the half. He reminds me of a simmering santa claus.

That wasn't the only bad call last night either.

Minion: *cough*Tackle.below.the.waist*cough*

neglet

02-06-2006, 06:40 AM

Grrr....I'm still saying that first Steeler's touchdown was a bad call. There wasn't a single bit of that ball that broke the endzone.

I'm saying this as someone who wasn't rooting for a particular team, just for a good close game.

From the replays it looked possible that the nose of the ball broke the plane before Roethlisberger was shoved back. And the line judge was looking right at the play, and there was no clear evidence that it didn't cross the plane, so I think the replay official made the right call. And if I recall, the Steelers won by 11 points. So in the grand scheme of things, that call didn't change the outcome.

And I predicted the Steeler win for two main reasons: previous playoff experience, plus their impressive defense against the AFC's #1, 2, and 3 seeds. They could have gone flat after that lame offensive first 20 minutes, but they battled through until they broke it open. Sorry, Seahawks fans, but I think the Steelers deserved to win this one.

Minion

02-06-2006, 10:32 AM

True...but still. If only the last half could have been as frantic as the first, I may have been a bit more interested overall. At least it wasn't the complete domination that everyone said it would be...there were a few good interceptions that kept things watchable.

Minion: Did win the over-under on how many times Madden linked two thoughts together with the sound "...uhhhhhhh...."

Alien

02-06-2006, 10:39 AM

I'm saying this as someone who wasn't rooting for a particular team, just for a good close game.

From the replays it looked possible that the nose of the ball broke the plane before Roethlisberger was shoved back. And the line judge was looking right at the play, and there was no clear evidence that it didn't cross the plane, so I think the replay official made the right call. And if I recall, the Steelers won by 11 points. So in the grand scheme of things, that call didn't change the outcome.

And I predicted the Steeler win for two main reasons: previous playoff experience, plus their impressive defense against the AFC's #1, 2, and 3 seeds. They could have gone flat after that lame offensive first 20 minutes, but they battled through until they broke it open. Sorry, Seahawks fans, but I think the Steelers deserved to win this one.

actually the whole NFL fans as a whole are calling this game bogus, see the link. Looks like Pittsburgh is going down as a "Fixed" winner.

http://forums.espn.go.com/espn/thread?forumID=821&start=0&threadID=3134345&sortBy=null

Kjelstad

02-06-2006, 10:40 AM

And I predicted the Steeler win for two main reasons: previous playoff experience, plus their impressive defense against the AFC's #1, 2, and 3 seeds. They could have gone flat after that lame offensive first 20 minutes, but they battled through until they broke it open. Sorry, Seahawks fans, but I think the Steelers deserved to win this one.

Playoff experience? From what? Superbowl 30? Not SB12 I hope.

There was more than one bad call in that game. Quite a few missed ones too.

It isn't just Seattle fans pointing it out. We normally don't complain, but when it is everyone but Steeler fans point it out i think it is valid.

It was the perfect ending to a Cinderalla story.

Alien

02-06-2006, 10:47 AM

It isn't just Seattle fans pointing it out. We normally don't complain, but when it is everyone but Steeler fans point it out i think it is valid.

It was the perfect ending to a Cinderalla story.
if you see the link it's the WHole NFL fans as a whole, from coast to coast.

http://forums.espn.go.com/espn/thread?forumID=821&start=0&threadID=3134345&sortBy=null

There is even a nation wide petision against the NFL here:
http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?nfl12006&1

omicron

02-06-2006, 10:51 AM

I just missed winning the first quarter pool by having 0-0 in the pool. Thanks to the seahawks kicking a fg with 23sec left, I lost out on 20bucks. :angry

Oh well, it was a decent game, I don't think it was fixed any more than any other game is. Sure, it didn't look like Ben got into the endzone, but if Jerramy Stevens could hold on to a freaking pass, the game would have been different.

Comes down to it, the Steelers executed when they had to, the Seahawks didn't.

Now, who's going to win the Probowl? :wink:

Omi

neglet

02-06-2006, 11:22 AM

Playoff experience? From what? Superbowl 30? Not SB12 I hope.

Well, they were in the AFC title game both last year and in 2002. This year was the first time Seattle had even won a playoff game since 1984--and all of their games this year were at home. Pittsburgh was definitely more battle-tested as far as recent playoff experience.

There was more than one bad call in that game. Quite a few missed ones too.

It isn't just Seattle fans pointing it out. We normally don't complain, but when it is everyone but Steeler fans point it out i think it is valid.

A few people grousing on a forum does not make it "everyone but Steeler fans." Sure, there were some controversial calls. (And it would have been just as controversial had the ref overturned Roethlisberger's TD.) Maybe these calls would have turned the tide of the game.

But the bottom line is: teams win by making the most of their opportunities and not letting bad calls or bad plays slow them down. Pittsburgh could have folded after the first quarter--they hadn't had any first downs, their QB had thrown an interception. But instead they came up with the big plays--they didn't bitch about bad calls or blame each other, they came up with Parker's TD and the Randle El trick play. Seattle didn't make the big play. Where was Shawn Alexander? Referees didn't keep the NFL rushing leader out of the end zone, with fewer than 100 yds rushing.

Seattle did a great job this season getting to the Super Bowl, beating some good teams to get there. But I didn't see anything in their play last night to lead me to believe that "they were robbed" of victory. They caught a couple of bad breaks, but it's not like they were cruising to a win with outstanding play and the refs slowed them down.

And btw, they were also the recipient of some good calls as in the overturning of the Hasselbeck fumble--that was a good catch by the replay official. Too bad they didn't make anything of the drive after that break.

fastcar

02-06-2006, 12:54 PM

Alien

02-06-2006, 02:40 PM

I don't care what John Madden thinks, I'm a Steelers fan and even I was yelling at him for saying they should go for the goal..

You get the touchdown first, then get the field goal. Why?

1. The 2 pts are not a given.
2. You have to go the length of the field to get the touchdown. If you use up too much clock getting only a field goal, how the hell do you expect to go down and get a touchdown.
3. You secure the field goal. Get the onside kick and make it just enough to get you into field goal range.

Hasselbeck couldn't get the 2 minute drill off the ground and half of his players thought the clock had stopped after they failed to get out of bounds. They're just jogging back to the line of scrimage.

Right wrong or indifferent, the Steelers had calls go against them in every one of their playoff games and they overcame it to win. Seattle just couldn't do that.

Take away Ben's touchdown and they still won by 4.
Give Seattle that touchdown that was overturned for Offensive Pass interference and Pittsburgh still wins by 4.

If you do both, that gives Seattle a 3 pt lead and Pittsburgh would have still been able to pull it out. They were just eating up clock towards the end. They had the ability to get within at least field goal range.

Nevertheless, the majority of the nation feel it was a BS game and pitt will be known as The refs Winners. see the link, even your fellow fans say so, majority rules.
http://forums.espn.go.com/espn/thread?forumID=821&start=0&threadID=3134345&sortBy =null

There is even a Nationwide petition against the NFL. I remind you, if One person says you have a tail, you tend not to look, if 2 people say you have a tail, you tend to think, but if thousands of people say you have a tail, Better look back and have a look see.

http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?nfl12006&1

DarkJedi

02-06-2006, 02:43 PM

I dunno about this "majority of fans" equating to a espn forum but okay then.

Good teams overcome bad calls and bad quarters where a team does absolutely nothing.

Steelers overcame them. Seahawks did not.

That covers it.

fastcar

02-07-2006, 02:16 AM

Would people outside of Pittsburgh be bitching if Seattle would have won?

The "phantom" touchdown that everyone seems to want to call was a touchdown. Forget that business with Ben reaching the ball over the goal line. He had already broken the chalk before he came down.

Had it not been ruled a touchdown and was challanged upstairs, the outcome would have stayed the same. The ruling on the field would have stood. There was not enough video evidence to change it.
:angry

The Seahawks cost themselves the game with more critical mistakes than Pittsburgh.

You know Pittsburgh likes gadget plays. You know they like to do them past the 50 yd line......look for it.

Bark

02-07-2006, 04:49 AM

You know, I can't imagine anyone will care about our opinions, fastcar. As Steeler fans, we have a vested interest.

My opinions are these. The first "touchdown" by Seattle that was called back was the correct call. You can't push off. Do some receivers do it and get away with it, yes. However, when they do it three feet in front of the official, they get busted.

Big Ben got the touchdown. The ball broke the plane about two to three feet above the ground. We live in a three-dimensional universe, and it counts.

They say you can call holding on any play, so a holding penalty should never be a surprise.

The Seattle fumble that was overturned and given back was a good call. Even as a Steeler fan, I accept that a Steeler made contact. He was down. No fumble. Good call.

The only bad call in my mind was the 15 yard penalty against the Seattle quarterback when he went low to tackle the Steeler interceptor. It wasn't a block. It was a legal tackle. However, seeing as how that Steeler possession was the one with the gadget play, 15 yards doesn't matter much. Ward could've gotten an extra 15 no problem. It's a moot point.

My final opinion is that the Steelers are arguably one of the biggest teams in terms of fan-base and the geographic locations of the fans. Take me for instance. I'm in the heart of Raven country (for AFC fans) or Redskin country (for NFC teams), and I hate both. I'm a transplant, like many. When you are a big name, you have more people gunning for you. Like Alien here, all his/her posts up to now regard this Super Bowl. Nothing else, not even movies. Hmm . . .

If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck . . .

On a final note, if all these non-Steeler fans are so upset, how come the mainstream media isn't really giving any credibility to the conspiracy? I'm on Yahoo! Sports' NFL page right now, and I don't see any article about that. On the contrary, all I see is how the Steelers beat the top three AFC teams and then the top NFC team all away from home. What's that mean, exactly?

STEELERS = CHAMPIONS :D

fastcar

02-07-2006, 05:02 AM

Well put.

And giving Pittsburgh a 12-1 chance next year is laughable.

I am willing to bet money if Pittsburgh makes it to the Super Bowl next year, you'll see the number 7 of this years playoffs quarterbacking. Ben learns from previous games. He got nervous the moment 15000 fans and 20 cameras were looking at him in warmups, just like he got nervous during last years playoffs but shone in Indy and Denver.

Whether people want to call this Super Bowl win legitimate or not. The best team won.

Bark

02-07-2006, 06:07 AM

Cris Carter's take. (http://sports.yahoo.com/nfl/news;_ylt=AjqGyVKdTs96IVyz0qsEhR9DubYF?slug=cc-sixpoints020506&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)

Bark

02-07-2006, 06:09 AM

I am willing to bet money if Pittsburgh makes it to the Super Bowl next year, you'll see the number 7 of this years playoffs quarterbacking.

I say Big Ben will always wear the black and gold his entire career, and I agree. He's a kid, and kid's get nervous. Now he has a Super Bowl victory under his belt, and that's a big confidence booster.

neglet

02-07-2006, 06:16 AM

Take away Ben's touchdown and they still won by 4.
Give Seattle that touchdown that was overturned for Offensive Pass interference and Pittsburgh still wins by 4.

If you do both, that gives Seattle a 3 pt lead and Pittsburgh would have still been able to pull it out. They were just eating up clock towards the end. They had the ability to get within at least field goal range.

Actually, take away Ben's touchdown on 3rd down, the Steelers kick an easy field goal and still win by 7. (-4 points)

Give Seattle the touchdown that was overturned, instead of the eventual field goal they kicked on that drive, and the Steelers still win by 7. (-4 points)

Do both, and the Steelers still win by 3.

If I were a Seahawks fan, I'm sure I'd be plenty pissed off at the officiating. But I'd also be pissed off at an offense that only converted 5/17 on third down, and a defense that gave up two big plays for touchdowns.