Paid the Cost to be the Boss

I love Super Bowl half time shows. There are so cheesy, terrible and over-the-top that it's hard not to get into them in some way. This year's was no exception. We even turned the stereo on to make it louder so that we could really get fired up. That being said, it wasn't very good. I have never been a fan of Bruce Springsteen or his music and I didn't understand the need for all of the articles and blog entries devoted to guessing his set list. He sounded terrible, particularly during Born to Run, and his cheese ball antics were too much for even me (he did a power slide/nut crunch into a camera and brought a referee out to throw a penalty on him)* . You could also tell that he hated football because his performance seemed to have a tongue in cheek quality that made it even worse.

* The Boss was guilty of excessively celebrating the fact that he wasn't/isn't very good. 15 yards, loss of down and possession, plus he was disqualified from the game and my life, forever.

Alas.

So today as I peruse the internet there are a bunch of people's different takes on the Super Bowl. Was it the greatest game ever? Did the refs have a Steeler bias? Why wasn't the last play reviewed? And so on. I don't really care about most of this stuff. It is simply sports writer's rhetoric. What I do care about is whether or not people agree with me about this half-time show. I turned to one of my favorite bloggers, Joe Posnanski, who just happens to be a huge Bruce Springsteen fan and he had this to say:

Let’s be honest: The performance was wedding band cheesy. I know — what else can you expect from the Super Bowl? — but I have to admit being a bit surprised. I mean, Prince’s halftime show soared. U2’s halftime show rocked. Tom Petty stayed true to himself and his music in his halftime show.

Sweet he agrees with me about Bruce (although U2 sucks, Tom Petty is boring to me now that I have heard his songs 17,000,000 times each, and Prince is androgynous as can be). Even the big-time Boss fans thought this was bad. My opinion has been confirmed, the world is still round. Yes. But then I kept reading.

I think the people who did not like or get Springsteen going in walked away thinking the halftime was pretty bad — it was all the stuff they didn’t get in the first place, the gravelly voice, the cheesy lyrics, the oversized sound, the whole “Boss” thing, this old man goofily sliding into cameras.

I don't get Springsteen? What's to get? He's an over-the-hill rocker who sings generic ballads of the common man as if he was constipated. Not too hard to understand. Plus, with all of my recreational drug use I have become very knowledgeable about music. I am offended by the notion that Bruce Springsteen is over my head. I'd understand if this was Miles Davis or Mozart, but come on. There's a reason that Bruce is absurdly popular and that is because his music (and act) are extremely easy to get. Everyone loves The Boss, unless they love music. Then they love something else.

P.S. Rant over. Sorry about the negative tone. Also, I love Prince's halftime show. Best Super Bowl half time ever!!!!!!!!!!

How Good Was It?

That was a goddamn fantastic Super Bowl. The twists, the turns, the comebacks, the thrill of victory, the agony of defeat, the blown calls, Matt Lienart, Brenda Warner, this game had it all. I'm a little disappointed at the outcome, because I'm getting pretty sick of the Steelers historically. But its mostly just sour grapes that the Packers haven't been able to stay championship good. It got me thinking: How good was this Super Bowl? So I took the time to rank the Super Bowls that I can recall at all. (Super Bowl XX in 1986 is the first one I have any recollection of.)



24: XXXII: Terrell Davis 31, Green Bay 24. Unequivocally the worst Super Bowl I've ever seen. Seriously though, fucking Elway did nothing but run too slow to not get helicoptered into the end zone. This replay and Elway's teeth haunt my dreams.



23:XXIV: San Francisco 55, Denver 10. Never close, although it could be ranked higher because Elway's teeth were prominently involved.



22:XX: Chicago 46, NE 10



21:XXIX: SF 49, SD 26. Stan freaking Humphries started a Super Bowl!



20:XXVII: Dal 52, Buf 17. Only because of the Leon Lett play.



19:XXII: Was 42, Den 10. That second quarter was unreal.



18:XXXV: Bal 34, NYG 7. Only because I was drunk.



17:XXXIII: Den 34, Atl 19. Mile High Salute v. Dirty Bird.



16:XXXVII: TB 48, Oak 21. Only because I was really, really drunk.



15:XXI: NYG 39, Den 20.



14:XL: Pit 21, Sea 10. Seattle fans are STILL bitching about this game. Jerome Bettis is still from Detroit.



13:XLI: Ind 29, Chi 17. Only because Chicago lost.



12:XXX: Dal 27, Pit 17. Neil O'Donnell started a Super Bowl!



11:XXVIII: Dal 30, Buf 13.



10:XXVI: Was 37, Buf 24. Buffalo lost a shitload of Super Bowls.



9:XXXIX: NE 24, Phi 21. McNabb has a tummy ache.



8:XXXIV: STL 23, Ten 16. One. More. Yard.



7:XXXVIII: NE 32, Car 29. Nipple Gate!



6:XXIII: SF 20, Cin 16. I was heartbroken after this one. I was a huge fan of the Icky Shuffle.



5:XXV: NYG 20, Buf 19. The basis for Ray Finkle.



4:XXXVI: NE 20, STL 17. HUGE upset at the time. Last second field goal.



3:XLIII: Pit 27, Ari 23. Only because Arizona didn't score at the end.



2:XLII: NYG 17, NE 14. Probably the biggest upset I've ever seen. Pats fans were all over themselves about being the best team ever. The Patriots DOMINATED all year. The Tyree catch.



1:XXXI: GB 35, NE 21. C'mon. Did you think it would be anything else? I would probably sleep with Desmond Howard if he offered.

Super Bowl Thoughts

FUCK FUCK FUCK

Ok, I got that outta my system. What a roller coaster ride that was for me. I needed the Steelers (-7) and over 47. Most of the game I'm rooting for either team to score but it was a bad omen on the opening drive. A TD on the first drive by the Steelers would be absolutely perfect. But they get stuffed at the goal line and Tomlin's too much of a pussy to go for it on the 1 inch line. Then up 17-7 near the goal line they run a fucking QB draw with Roethlisberger? What the fuck kind of play call was that?

Anyways, most of the game I was feeling pretty good about the -7 but not about the over 47. The Harrison pick for a TD was absolutely perfect for me. It put the Steelers up 10 and it put the game on pace for 48 points.

With about 6 minutes remaining I knew it was almost impossible for me to get both. The only chance I had was a pick for a TD on the last Cardinal drive. Didn't happen. I got the over 47 but not the -7.

FUCK FUCK FUCK...... How can people bet on sports for a living? I was exhausted after the Federer/Nadal match and I didn't even bet on it.

Santonio Holmes was almost a huge goat as that first ball in the end zone went right through his hands. Great catch on the next play. I liked his LeBronesque celebration.

Did anyone see John Elway before the game? Time has not been nice to him. Those deep creases on his face were ghastly.

Wow does Josh Reed look like a tool.

My g/f forced me to watch the halftime show. There's 20 minutes I'll never get back.

There's something weird to me about the punter (Mitch Berger) running out onto the field trying to pump the crowd up at the beginning of the game. I mean, he's actually on the team so he has much more right to do that than any fan, but still weird.

Hines Ward is the toughest human being alive. If you don't believe me, ask John Madden.

Did anyone else loose high def at the beginning of the game. My HD suddenly went to normal (loser, poor person) TV. I was pissed. But it came back a couple plays into the game.

My favorite commercials were the Doritos commercials and the Bud commercials.

I was watching the ESPN post game coverage and I was wondering how Cris Carter did not make it into the Hall of Fame. I hate the Vikings. Always have. But he's 3rd in career receptions and has arguably the greatest hands of all time. I just think he should be in.

I hope Kurt Warner does the right thing and blames (the Sports Bottle's) god for the loss b/c we know Warner'd be singing his/her praises if they won.

God's blessings to all.

Super Sunday!

So today there is finally football on again. And if that is wrong, I don't wanna be right. The pregame shows begin in like 30 minutes, and will repeat everything they've talked about for the past two weeks. My wife has to work today, so I will be firmly planted in front of my TV watching it, since there isn't anything else on. Creighton made the questionable decision to schedule at game at 2 p.m., so I will check that out. Otherwise, it is nothing but blowing hot air about a football game, and the discussion about how the economy is destroying the Super Bowl because the Playboy party got cancelled. This year is the first year that I can remember that I haven't had some kind of plan for today. Inevitably my wife will get a bug up her ass that we need to have a party like the day before, and she ends up inviting a bunch of people over, but she has to work this year, and if you think I'm putting that shit together, you are crazy. Her work schedule even takes away the possibility of going over to a relatives' house. In fact, I only have like 2 beers in the refrigerator. I will probably have to muster up at least enough energy to get to Shopko Express to buy some beer. But there won't be any special meals or snacks going on, which will be wierd. Anyway, I think the Steelers win, I think they force Warner into some bad throws, and shut down Arizona's not so vaunted run offense. Big Ben will do just enough on offense, and the Steelers win 27-17.
Last week: 2-0
Playoffs: 6-4
Season: 134-125-7

OTHER:

Is it safe to panic about the Badgers yet? Not that winning at Northwestern is ever a given (noplace in the Big 10 is), but they have to win somewhere at some point. How many teams have ever lost six in a row and got an at-large bid? I'm going to guess the list isn't real long. They've got to go 7-2 the rest of the way in my calculation, and win at least one in the Big Ten tourney. I came to the realization last night that I hate almost every member of the Badgers:

-7th year senior Marcus Landry has been one of the most disappointing recruits in recent memory. He was supposed to be the next Alando Tucker. He turned into the next Ray Nixon.

-9th year junior Travon Hughes. Shows flashes, but also does some really stupid things (i.e. taking 25 foot jump shots with 13 seconds left on the shot clock).

-Jason Bohanon: reminds me more and more of Tanner Bronson every day. If you are 5'9", you better be able to shoot the three better than 35.5%.

-Krabbenhoft: actually don't hate him. He is what he is, but when he is probably your best player, you are in trouble.

-Nankivil, Leuer, Taylor, Wilson: should all get more playing time in my opinion.

I am done making excuses for the tough schedule, and large number of "good" losses. You can't rely on moral victories at some point.