Many reasons Pittsburgh sets the standard
Not-so-super musings about an oh-so-Super Bowl:
• The Bears should be role models for the Steelers and instead the Steelers are role models for the Bears.
Seriously, there's no reason for Pittsburgh to have six Super Bowl titles to one for Chicago - other than ownership, management, coaching, scouting and quarterbacking.
• Despite a 27-23 loss, the Cardinals earned congratulations for finally completing the journey from Chicago to Phoenix via St. Louis.
I still refer to G as Gatorade and U.S. Cellular Field as Comiskey Park, so it makes sense that I still refer to them as the Chicago Cardinals.
By the way, the Cards' record during their last decade in Chicago was 33-84-3 despite featuring quality players like Ollie Matson and Dick "Night Train" Lane.
No wonder there was no fuss to keep them here.
• To me, the Super Bowl is like browsing the Auto Show for what the Bears need to fill out their 53-man garage.
Sunday I saw it on the game's second play from scrimmage in the form of a 6-foot-5, 241-pound quarterback who moves like an 18-wheel roadster.
Ben Roethlisberger bootlegged to the right and completed a 38-yard pass to Hines Ward. When was the last time a Bears quarterback was mobile enough to make thatplay outside the pocket?
Oh yeah, and that final drive Roethlisberger manufactured for the winning touchdown wasn't too shabby either.
• The Cardinals haven't won an NFL title in 61 years, yet they were 35 seconds away from winning as many Super Bowls as the Bears have.
• James Harrison was a relative afterthought during Super Bowl week. Then he returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown to remind everybody he's the NFL's reigning defensive player of the year.
• Didn't Harrison's TD bring back sick memories of the goal line turnaround the Vikings inflicted on the Bears up in Minnesota this season?
• It was a long day, but did I really see Illinois' basketball team score a touchdown at about 2 in the afternoon?
• Some geniuses suggested that Kurt Warner had to win this game to make it to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
So Warner's entire Canton campaign - which already included one Super Bowl MVP award and two season MVP awards - came down to that one pass Harrison intercepted and that one drive Roethlisberger led to win the game.
And they say the baseball Hall of Fame is silly.
• Cardinal wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. impressed even before coming alive in the second half.
Fitzgerald blocked downfield on the Cards' big first-half plays. Then he ran goal line to goal line and nearly prevented Harrison from scoring.
A lot of superstar wideouts wouldn't bother with trivialities like blocking and tackling.
• What a pleasant surprise that Bruce Springsteen opened his halftime performance with my favorite Boss song - the too often overlooked "Tenth Avenue Freeze Out."
• I'm not a big fan of John Madden anymore but he was restrained and insightful during this game. Conversely, Chris Berman was customarily irritating before and after.
• Commercial breaks: Fewer Clydesdales, please. More GoDaddy.com., please. Will someone tell me what Hulu is, please?
• Speaking of commercial breaks, I guess I finally get to go to the bathroom now.