Super Stinker

The refs stunk in the Super Bowl, plain and simple. I'm still upset about it. I didn't have a dog in the fight but I did want the Seahawks to win for several reasons.

1) Shaun Alexander and the Seattle DST helped me win my Fantasy Football League this year.
2) Matt Hasselbeck is a dam good Quarterback that constantly gets overlooked because he's in Seattle.
3) The whole Jerome Bettis back to Detroit thing was SOOOOOO played out.
4) I don't like anything about Joey Porter...anything.
5) It was as clear as day that the NFL wanted (and needed) the Steelers to win this Super Bowl XL.

Three Questionable Calls
#1 That WAS NOT offensive pass interference by Jackson in the end zone. Yes, I've watched the replays a gazillion times...but give me a break. It was two good players that both had their hands on each other, but neither pushed. Terrible call - should've been a TD.
#2 Big Ben didn't look like he got into the end zone but Bill Cowher would've went for it on 4th and two inches and they would've scored - so stop crying about that one.
#3 The holding penalty on Locklear was another absolutely terrible calls. That would've put the Seahawks on the 1 yard line and first and goal. I would've bet a grand that they would've scored a TD...they have Shaun Alexander being led by Mack Strong.

Three Guys That Played BIG
#1 Hines Ward. He always plays bigger than his small frame. Hines might be the toughest guy in the NFL...and he also happens to be very good.
#2 Matt Hasselbeck had a very nice game. It's unfortunate that the refs basically took 10 points away from him...which probably would've given them more momentum to score. We'll never know.
#3 Combo pick...C Jeff Hartings, G Alan Faneca, G Kendall Simmons, T Marvel Smith, T Max Starks. These guys are really good. Jerome Bettis couldn't beat Muhammad Ali in a foot race these days and Willie Parker doesn't seem very patient with his running - but the Steelers O-Line was near perfect in this game. Roethlisberger was weak but had a lot of time to throw because of the great team protection that his linemen gave him.

Three Guys That Played SMALL
#1 Jerramy Stevens was awful. Don't EVER open your mouth again about anything buddy. Your three drops made a big difference in that game. Sure, he scored the Seahawks only touchdown but had he made a very key 3rd down catch it would've put them in better scoring shape and they wouldn't have had to try a 50-yard field goal.
#2 Ben Roethlisberger may be the youngest quarterback to ever win the Super Bowl but he's also the luckiest. He should thank a hoard of people...The referees, Willie Parker, Hines Ward, his O-Line and the referees.
#3 Tom Rouen/Josh Brown...Had Seattle's punter and place kicker had really good games as oppossed to bad games they might have won even with the referees bad calls. Rouen, a two-time Super Bowl Champion, didn't have a good punt the entire game and Josh Brown needs to hit that 50-yarder in the dome. I'm sorry, I know it's 50 yards...but he needs to hit it. He missed a 53-yarder and I can forgive that. But in the dome 50 yards is like a 45 yarder outside. He hits that and the Steelers don't get the ball in good field position and maybe don't score their second TD.

All in all - I give the game the grade of...C-
Except for a very few, nobody did anything to be proud of.