My Super Bowl Report (2-6-11)

My Super Bowl Report (2-6-11)

By Edwin R. Gomez

It’s 6pm and I have my dinner in front of me, a Pepsi and the remote control although I don’t expect to use it much as it’s time for the Super Bowl and that means great football action and 3 million dollar commercials. This will be my running blog. My sprained ankle is feeling well enough to let me sit at the computer for this one.

6:20- The game hasn’t started yet and I finished my dinner. It was a catch 22. I knew the game wouldn’t get started until 6:30ish but I also knew that with a bad ankle you need to make efficient trips around the house and if I went to the kitchen and got the food together around 6:20 I’d stand to miss valuable commercials and festivities. In hindsight I didn’t miss much as Lea Michelle’s version of God Bless America was kinda cheesy to me but hey, I’m not a Glee fan… that is the show she’s on right? Plus Christina Aguilera’s National Anthem didn’t have a good flow to it. We know you can sing Christina; you can tone it down with the American Idol embellishments at the end of every line. You’ve proven you have the chops years ago. It was a good effort on her part but I just found it boring and forced. My favorite part of the pregame stuff was Sam Elliott narrating the intros for each team before they ran on the field. That made me a little misty but I’m not sure if that was due to my love of football or my love of Road House.

6:35- After all the pregame buildup and excitement the Steelers go a quick 3 and out. In fact they didn’t even gain a yard on that series of plays but of course as I write this Green Bay muffs the punt and the excitement level increases even though Green Bay recovered it.

6:40- I was about to comment on how Green Bay gained only 1 yard on their first offensive series but then Aaron Rodgers throws a beautiful pass to Donald Driver for a big 1st First down of the game. It makes sense. If you need to get somewhere, go with a guy named Driver. I’ll be here all game.

6:42- Buffalo note. For those of you who aren’t big football fans but like local guys gone good stories, Green Bay running back James Starks is only 1 year removed from a wonderful career at the University at Buffalo. More than that, he’s from Niagara Falls, NY so he truly is a local guy all around. I’m rooting for him to do well while I root for the Steelers to win but more on than later.

6:46 – Pittsburgh running back Rashard Mendenhall wants it. He wants it so bad he’s running out of his shoes. I love Mendenhall because he was the best running back on my fantasy football team this season. It wasn’t enough to get me the title but I did take 2nd place due in large part to him and Michael Vick.

6:49- Most of the week I heard sports analysts and former players talking about the value of having Super Bowl experience. Big Ben has won it twice and Aaron Rodgers has never been to the big game but so far Big Ben looks more nervous and it shows in his throws as he’s been sailing many of them over his receivers. He may also be a little too pumped up and when that happens with a powerful quarterback, they’ll have a tendency to overthrow.

6:51- I will also comment on commercials throughout this running blog as I’m compiling a list of my favorites and least favorites.

7:00- As I was talking about a little while ago Aaron Rodgers is dialed in as he throws a laser to Jordy Nelson for the 1st touchdown of the game. Big Ben had better get it going and start throwing with more accuracy. You do not want to fall too far behind a team with Green Bay’s pass rush.

7:05 – I knew I’d have many holy crap moments during the game that were not related to the game and I’ve already had two. The first was that Doritos commercial where the guy sucks the Doritos residue off his co-workers’ finger and then off of another co-workers pants when he wipes his Doritos stained hands on them. That made me stop and blink many times. The 2nd was the trailer for Cowboys and Aliens. What the freak is that piece of garbage? It has Harrison Ford and Olivia Wilde too, 2 actors I like but Cowboys and Aliens?

7:07 – Big Ben and the Steelers gamble by trying a bomb despite starting deep in their own territory. The ball was underthrown by 10 yards and it’s now 14-0 Packers after the pick six by Nick Collins. I think the Steelers need to run the ball more. Mendenhall looked good when they ran him earlier. They need to have a sustained drive that leads to points before this gets out of hand.

7:15 - How awesome was that last 2 minutes? Big Ben slips and hurts his knee and he's flexing it in the huddle and looks like he is having difficulty but then on the very next play runs for a huge first down gain which was probably the Steelers best offensive play yet. While he isn't always put in the same category with the Tom Bradys, Peyton Mannings and best in the game due to stats and his unconventional style, he ranks among the league's elite quarterbacks in toughness and guts which isn't something you'll find statistics on. Plus it endears him to the fanbase and makes him a well liked player despite his personal shortcomings and off the field indiscretions.

7:24 - Well it's not 7 points but 3 points and having that sustained drive that showed some life was just about what the doctor ordered. The long drive puts a halt to the growing momentum the Packers were generating and it gives the Steelers defense a chance to regroup on the sideline. Plus it gives the Steelers offense some confidence going forward which is very important. The next step is keeping the Packers in check on their drive and they could be right back in this game.

7:40 – For the record, I’ve never liked the Fox Robot graphic that they have on all their football broadcasts. What does a robot have to do with football?

7:45- After Big Ben's 2nd interception of the game, the Packers are in position to score right before the half and put Pittsburgh in quite the strangehold going into the lockerrooms. As I type this Rodgers throws another laser and it's 21-3. The only good thing about that score if you are rooting for the Steelers is that they scored so fast and left the Steelers a LOT of time to respond. Of course the Steelers haven't been able to find the end zone yet and another field goal just won't do it. Pittsburgh needs seven here!

7:56 – That’s what I’m talking about! Big Ben started to find his old buddy Hines Ward and right down the field they went. With 2 members of the Packers starting secondary injured, the Steelers passing game seemingly becomes very dangerous especially if those 2 guys are out for the duration of the game. With a 32 minute halftime instead of a 15 minute one, that’s plenty of time for sore or mildly injured players to shake it off, take some painkillers, get a shot and jump back into the fray. While I am rooting for the Steelers, I’m also rooting for a close game that goes down to the end. With Pittsburgh doing what they did a moment ago that becomes a little more likely.

8:01- I've heard that Katy Perry song 5 times now during the first 2 hours of the Super Bowl whether it's in commercials, highlight packages or on the stadium PA. That's 3 more times than I had ever heard it in my life prior to 6pm. I'm not thrilled about this.

8:20- Black Eyed Peas with a little help from Usher and Slash, not bad at all although I think the audio coming through could have been better, anyway it sure beats the hell out of watching a 60-something year old 110 pound man in tight jeans strutting and gyrating his pelvis for 15 minutes. I didn’t realize they had so many hits until I recognized every song they did in their Super Bowl medley.

8:30- This is probably a good time to explain why I’m rooting for the Steelers. As the big game approached I didn’t really care who won. On one hand I used to date a Bears fan and the Bears and Packers are bitter rivals so I began to hate the Packers because she did. I know, cute. Even though she’s gone that dislike for the Pack is still in the back of my mind. With Pittsburgh I love their coach, Troy Polamalu, Mendenhall and Pittsburgh is a rust belt city like Buffalo. Unfortunately what Big Ben did in the offseason when he was investigated for sexual assault irked me and although he was not charged, he still served a 4 game suspension from the league under their personal conduct policy which leads me to believe he was involved in a borderline situation at best, which can’t be good. So I didn’t want some near rapist winning either. Now, Ben apologized and promised changes in his life which he’s been good on delivering since then but still. So I couldn’t decide. Then yesterday happened and a beautiful Steelers fan (at least for today) brought me a lovely Steelers cake. Being a guy who loves food and beauty, if a foxy female brings me food I could probably be made to do anything they want. So hear I am rooting for the Black and Yellow. Now that I’ve revealed my weakness… moving on

8:42- I love how the Steelers have not panicked despite being down by 11. They ran the ball heavily like they have plenty of time to chip away at that lead and they do. Now it’s a 4 point game and for the first time since the 1st quarter I feel like it’s anybody’s game.

8:49- Whatever adjustments the Steelers made at halftime are working great as the Packers look overmatched at the moment. There's still a lot of game left so that could change in a blink but the fact of the matter is the Packers led 21-3 and now the Steelers could take the lead with another touchdown. The Steelers need to take advantage of this tidal wave of momentum they've generated and the Packers need a big play to turn the tide. Yeah I plan to use a few more nautical inspired metaphors before the night is through.

9:01- What I didn't like as much about this Steelers drive is that they didn't run the ball much. They went for the haymaker, the big one, instead of continuing what was wildly successful a drive earlier and it cost them as they had to try a very long field goal with a kicker who hasn't made a straight kick all night and nearly missed an extra point earlier in the quarter. The miss gives the Packers the ball back in great field postiion and serves them the opportunity to take back the game on a silver platter. I say if the other team can't stop something you are doing, keep doing it until they can. The Steelers kind of abandoned the run and I think it was a bad decision.

9:08- Okay the Packers didn't make the Steelers pay and had to punt it back to them. My advice: give the ball to Mendenhall!

9:15- Packers coach Mike McCarthy figures they have 3 timeouts and Pittsburgh only has 1 left so why not blow one on a useless challenge that won't go the Packers way. The next 2 minutes while the referee reviews this is potty time! I'll come back and Green Bay will still be punting to the Steelers.

9:24- My give the ball to Mendenhall advice is not looking so good right now after that fumble. In my defense, those 2 guys blew their blocks and allowed him to get destroyed by the defense there. But a man can admit when he is wrong and I was wrong. This is why I’m not an NFL coach… that and my exorbitant salary demands.

9:31- That’s championship football. A team messes up and the other team makes them pay. This drive is where the quality of Aaron Rodgers came through and he’s making his candidacy for the game MVP award. He looked as steady and comfortable as a top surgeon at the operating table. Now Big Ben has to answer or its curtains for the Steel curtain.

9:42- Hines Ward = Mr. Dependable.

9:46- You know how I was talking about championship football a moment ago. Well when one team messes up the other team makes them pay, we’ve covered that. Another aspect of championship football is answering when the other team beats you up and scores. You get right up and score in kind. Pittsburgh came right back and answered the Packers score with one of their own and closed the gap to 3. In the last 5 minutes each team has demonstrated a characteristic of a championship football team, that’s probably why these 2 teams are the champions of their respective conferences. Who will be the champion of the whole league though? This has been a great game so far and the ending is looking like it will be just as great.

10:06- If you are a football fan and the Super Bowl comes down to the last minute, that a great game and this game lived up to the hype. The teams were almost equal and until that last Pittsburgh drive I had no idea who’d win. The bottom line is that the Packers made one or more big plays than the Steelers did and in a closely contested affair, that usually makes the difference. Congrats to Packers fans and my condolences to Steelers fans. At least you’ve won 2 in the last 6 years already.

10:20- My last post will cover the Best and Worst commercials, or at least in my opinion:

The Best:

-Bridgestone: A man avoids hitting a beaver in the middle of the road and then some time later the beaver returns the favor by chopping down a tree in front of the same man’s car making him hit the brakes before running into certain disaster a little further down the road.

-Star Wars car commercial: A Kid dressed as Darth Vader tries to use the force

-House: In a parody of the old Coca Cola Mean Joe Greene commercial, House “canes” a kid.

-NFL commercial featuring classic sitcoms: Very creative spot featuring classic tv characters wearing NFL gear, although Kramer was the only person wearing Bills gear. So the Bills get the crazy racist guy.

-Coke and Pepsi: The cola giants put out entertaining spots where I couldn’t predict what would happen and after each spot I felt thirsty… especially after the Pepsi ones.

The Worst:

-AT & T: Not a new commercial but one I can’t stand where the guy has the most obnoxious laugh I’ve ever heard as he gets the funny video before any of his co-workers in the car.

-Doritos: When co-workers attack! A guy loves Doritos so much he sucks the orange residue off his colleague’s fingers and pants.

-Bud Light: Once again Bud and Bud Light put out the most money and the worst commercials for the worst beer.

-E-Trade: Enough with the E-trade baby. It was funny the first time and that was 8 commercials ago. That baby is played and when the commercials come on I find it’s an excellent time to test the batteries on my remote control.

-Movie Trailers: I saw trailers for some of the worst looking movies during the game. I can’t even remember them all but some were sequels, some were remakes, others adaptations and the few seemingly original ideas I saw looked beyond bad (Cowboys & Aliens).

So there you have it. The Super Bowl through my eyes.