Superbowl XLIV

[Valve Bounce]

Stunned nobody has started a thread about the playoffs and the final game: Superbowl XLIV. I don't know if the letters are correct or how to work them out, but I am sure some kind student will set us straight.

OK! to kick off the discussion, I'd just like to say I don't understand how the Vikings managed to snatch defeat fro the jaws of certain victory, to hand the Superbowl game to the Saints. Has anyone else figured that out yet? apart from brain fade or even brain implosion.

[Mark in Oshawa]

Stunned nobody has started a thread about the playoffs and the final game: Superbowl XLIV. I don't know if the letters are correct or how to work them out, but I am sure some kind student will set us straight.

OK! to kick off the discussion, I'd just like to say I don't understand how the Vikings managed to snatch defeat fro the jaws of certain victory, to hand the Superbowl game to the Saints. Has anyone else figured that out yet? apart from brain fade or even brain implosion.

You want the techinical reason the Viking's lost or just say it was Favre coughing up a hair ball when the heat was on? lol...AS a Packer's fan, I can tell you I have seen that movie before...

I wont look back...so let's look forward.

The Colts have the better edge at Quarterback, and a great offense, but an ok defense that just has no pass rush of a top quality with Dwight Freeney on a sprained ankle. He will have it all frozen likely because there is no way he will miss this game. That said, without a really healthy Dwight Freeney, Drew Brees will have time to make passes, Reggie Bush will run wild and although the Saints defense isn't the best in the world, it is good enough.

Bet the over and take the Saints....

[Valve Bounce]

You want the techinical reason the Viking's lost or just say it was Favre coughing up a hair ball when the heat was on? lol...AS a Packer's fan, I can tell you I have seen that movie before...



I mean why did they not run the clock down to 5 seconds, take a time out, then kick a goal?

[Mark in Oshawa]

I mean why did they not run the clock down to 5 seconds, take a time out, then kick a goal?

Well I didn't watch the game, but I saw the highlight's but I believe it was a REALLY long field goal from where Brett was standing.There was a lot of "what if's" that happened that day. On the play with the fatal interception HE didn't run and get the first down and move up because he was beat up pretty good. The Saints had a great pass rush going...and he forced a pass he shouldn't have.

Football's biggest plays are often usually the result of something that had been happening all game...in this case, Favre was getting hit almost every play because he hangs onto the ball too long and that allows the pass rushers to get more opportunities to hit him...

[Alexamateo]

I mean why did they not run the clock down to 5 seconds, take a time out, then kick a goal?

They were, but they broke the huddle with 12 players and that resulted in a penalty, putting the kicker out of his range. They were running another play to re-gain the yardage when Farve was intercepted.

[Valve Bounce]

They were, but they broke the huddle with 12 players and that resulted in a penalty, putting the kicker out of his range. They were running another play to re-gain the yardage when Farve was intercepted.

I knew there was something stupid. They were 35 yards out, had two time outs, and all they had to do was kneel and kill the clock.

Favre was hit very badly, very often, and often they were late hits. One particular tackle behind his knees was very late, but the umps let the late tackles go.

I still have it recorded but I havn't the heart to watch that ending again - it is just too disappointing.

By the way, are there any Aussis playing in this Superbowl?

[Easy Drifter]

Is Danica Patrick playing?

[Valve Bounce]

Is Danica Patrick playing?

Yep! Half time break!!

[Easy Drifter]

Left End?--------of the bench.

or

Drawback? :vader:

[Valve Bounce]

Left End?--------of the bench.

or

Drawback? :vader:

On stage - Latoya follow up.

[gloomyDAY]

I don't know if the letters are correct or how to work them out, but I am sure some kind student will set us straight.XXX are the only Roman numerals that I know.


I think Indy is going to win, but go Saints!

[Mark in Oshawa]

I knew there was something stupid. They were 35 yards out, had two time outs, and all they had to do was kneel and kill the clock.

Favre was hit very badly, very often, and often they were late hits. One particular tackle behind his knees was very late, but the umps let the late tackles go.

I still have it recorded but I havn't the heart to watch that ending again - it is just too disappointing.

By the way, are there any Aussis playing in this Superbowl?

Don't think so Bounce...Don't think either team has an Aussie or a Canuck. I bet there could be a Samoan there tho...

[wedge]

I want to see Saints win.

I hope Reggie Bush gets MVP before he's past his sell by date. He's one of my fave players along with LD Tomlinson - they're like rhinos on a rampage when they're in full fitness.

[christophulus]

Tried watching this last year, gave up at 2am when they hadn't reached half time. I'll give it another go this time around but I really don't know much about it!

[anthonyvop]

Has there been a Super Bowl in the last 20 years with less Buzz than this one?

[Valve Bounce]

Has there been a Super Bowl in the last 20 years with less Buzz than this one?

I dunno!! :confused: How many Buzzes are there playing? :p :

[Mark in Oshawa]

Has there been a Super Bowl in the last 20 years with less Buzz than this one?

I don't about that. Indy and New Orleans were unbeaten through to the 12th week. I don't know if there would be a better matchup. Buzz is such a subjective thing...

[Valve Bounce]

Will the match live up to the excitement of when Joe Montana won the Superbowl in the last minute and a half of the game against the Bengals?

[anthonyvop]

I don't about that. Indy and New Orleans were unbeaten through to the 12th week. I don't know if there would be a better matchup. Buzz is such a subjective thing...

A Jets vs. a Farve led Vikings would have generated a lot more interest. It would have been the #1 market vs the 15th.

Instead we have the #25(Indy) vs. the #53(N.O.)

[dunes]

Manning vs Brees is a wash they both have a terrific arm and deadly percision.they both throw INT's at crucial moments.
The deciding factor IMO is the Saints defense and there ability to create and cover takaways. the bonus edge could be be Bush on returns vs Vinatari's 3 point factor

[dunes]

60 minutes and counting down. Time to pull up those jock straps and tighten those laces. Its going to be a hard hitting and action filled two hours of a sport that only needs jet packs to surpass our daytona weekend.
Somebody lock up the refs and let these boys playsd.

[dunes]

Does anyone else feel this?
The introductions were lame at best.I don't feel the power and the rush of a superbowl. I still think the SAaints defense will dominate but it feels to me like a long penelty filled boing game.
Maybe the Who will lift the spiurits at half time. Too much kitrina bull crab. Help me lift this up. even Queenies banner was meloncoly.
Blah blah blah

[Mark in Oshawa]

I came to the game 2 minutes in...was out doing my "hobby" of working for a local cable station cover the local hockey team, so I missed the 6 hours of hype. All I can say is I called for the Saints to win, and they did...in one of the best executed game plans on defense I have ever seen.

WHO DAT??? Nobody beats those SAINTS!

[Valve Bounce]

The end was a bit of an anti-climax, but It's good to see the Saints win, and I bet they'll take it anyway it's offered up. Saints won three quarters so who could argue with that.

I can't imagine anyone would doubt that the better team won.

[Mark in Oshawa]

The end was a bit of an anti-climax, but It's good to see the Saints win, and I bet they'll take it anyway it's offered up. Saints won three quarters so who could argue with that.

I can't imagine anyone would doubt that the better team won.

I didn't find it an anti-climax. It was evident all the way through the 2nd half that Indianapolis was going to have to find a way to score about 20 points or lose, because Drew Brees was going to get some scores, and the Saints averaged 30 plus points per game all year, and did it beating some defenses that are BETTER than the Colt's defense with a hobbled Freeney. That game turned on the onside kick, and the drive of the Saints coming off it, because Freeney was on the sideline getting his ankle rewrapped.

There are 11 players on each side on the field, but most often, the battle between one defensive lineman and the offensive lineman on the other side (usually the QB's left) is the one battle a team cannot lose on.....and it was clear Indy was going to have to take away Bree's targets because they couldn't get any pressure on him early. They couldn't, because he is so accurate and he was able to move the ball as much as he had to to get the lead.

It was by far one of the most interesting Super Bowl's I have watched...just because of the gambles and the changes series to series each defense was making...

[Valve Bounce]

Well, by non-anti-climatic, I was thinking of something like "Montana to Rice" in the last minute and a half of a Superbowl game. THAT! was bad for my heart! :eek:

[Mark in Oshawa]

Well, by non-anti-climatic, I was thinking of something like "Montana to Rice" in the last minute and a half of a Superbowl game. THAT! was bad for my heart! :eek:

Not every game can end like that.. or with the Tennesee Titans having their last play die on the 1 with the clock on zero, but most people were taking the Colts.....so to see the N'Awlins partying like they are now is just awesome...

[wedge]

It was by far one of the most interesting Super Bowl's I have watched...just because of the gambles and the changes series to series each defense was making...

I agree.

Both teams have the best offensive weapons in the NFL it was obviously going to come down to defense.

[dunes]

[quote="swoop"]Does anyone else feel this?
The introductions were lame at best.I don't feel the power and the rush of a superbowl. I still think the SAaints defense will dominate but it feels to me like a long penelty filled boing game.

Wow was I wrong. I'm so glad I stayed with it to see all the great plays and watchjing Payton try his desperation magic come up inches short was climatic. Really a good game all the way through.
Congrats to The Saints Org. and the people of New Orleans.

[Easy Drifter]

Valve: I am no student but to answer your question in the first post:
L is Roman numeral for fifty.
X is ten. With the X (10) before the L (50) you subtract to get 40.
IV is 4. With the IV (4) after the L it is added to get 44.
Next year will be XLV with the V being 5.
Now that comes from an old fart.

[christophulus]

Well, the first Superbowl I've watched and I really enjoyed it. And I think I'm getting the hang of the rules too, but the scrum-half seemed to make a lot of forward passes :p

[anthonyvop]

The colts were the better team.
The Saints were the better coached team.

[Mark in Oshawa]

The colts were the better team.
The Saints were the better coached team.

The Colts on paper are the better team. When Healthy, Yes, deserved to be the favourites...but with Freeney at 70%....game over...and yes the Saints were EXCEPTIOINALLY coached well...

[Mark in Oshawa]

Well, the first Superbowl I've watched and I really enjoyed it. And I think I'm getting the hang of the rules too, but the scrum-half seemed to make a lot of forward passes :p

Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it isn't Rugby, which I also love, or Aussie Rules, both of which are far more sports based on reaction than North American Football. Whether it be Canadian or NFL style (3 vs 4 down with a few other changes), the principles are the same. You may have great athletes and you can have a game plan, but the coaches in how they teach the players to recognize and stratagize where to set up or to hide what they are doing is the REAL game. The players execute and react based on what they have figured out or have been taught....and that is coaching.

[Valve Bounce]

The colts were the better team.
The Saints were the better coached team.

The Colts were the better team until, as Mark says, Sweeney was injured. But from there on, I felt that the Saints slowly but steadily got on top of the Colts. It's a matter of opinion whether that last intercept was good defense or a bad choice by the Colts QB or a combination of both. To me, and from a cursory perspective only, I felt the Saints tried harder, but that's only an impression I got as the game trundled (like a Sherman tank) to its conclusion.

In the final analysis, The better team won and who would dispute that?

[Valve Bounce]

Glad you enjoyed it. Yes, it isn't Rugby, which I also love, or Aussie Rules, both of which are far more sports based on reaction than North American Football. Whether it be Canadian or NFL style (3 vs 4 down with a few other changes), the principles are the same. You may have great athletes and you can have a game plan, but the coaches in how they teach the players to recognize and stratagize where to set up or to hide what they are doing is the REAL game. The players execute and react based on what they have figured out or have been taught....and that is coaching.

I always marveled at that. Pro Football is all about set plays and how they are executed. Quite different from College football where there are a lot more broken plays and then the player with the ball has to make something out of a difficult situation. I always loved College football for that as there was so much more unexpected stuff going on.

Oh! by the way, I thought the half time laser stuff was magnificent, but The Who should have taken a time out - like for the entire half time. The were just plain terrible- like a bunch of drunks at a pub trying to do Karaoke. :p :

[Mark in Oshawa]

I always marveled at that. Pro Football is all about set plays and how they are executed. Quite different from College football where there are a lot more broken plays and then the player with the ball has to make something out of a difficult situation. I always loved College football for that as there was so much more unexpected stuff going on.

Oh! by the way, I thought the half time laser stuff was magnificent, but The Who should have taken a time out - like for the entire half time. The were just plain terrible- like a bunch of drunks at a pub trying to do Karaoke. :p :

Daltrey's voice needed about 2 minutes for his voice to almost be usuable..and Townsend sounded out of tune. Hey...it is the WHO....lol....they were great once...but they are two out of four now and that two is old.

AS for your feelings on College Football, the reason it is more unpredictable is the level of player, and the level of execution isn't there yet. IT is like the difference in watching Major Junior A hockey in Canada (very popular) and the NHL. The "lesser" game is more unpredictable and fun to watch really, but in Football, I love the gamesmenship and the execution of the plays. The onside kick at the start of the second half was a VERY sharp play and coaches that gamble with things like that really have to be brave. He would have been wearing the goat horns if the Colts got the ball on the New Orleans side of the field and won the game...

[Valve Bounce]

The onside kick at the start of the second half was a VERY sharp play and coaches that gamble with things like that really have to be brave. He would have been wearing the goat horns if the Colts got the ball on the New Orleans side of the field and won the game...

Is this the first time this has been used in a Superbowl outside of the 4th quarter? Yeah! that guy from the Colts fumbled the ball, and all the commentators said that was the turning point of the game.

And I agree with your point about College football; after all, as my friend Tony used to say when we watched football while working in Korea :"These guys are professionals". I cheered for Ken Stabler's Raiders while my friend supported the Dolphins. :p :

As for The Who, why couldn't they just have Alabama instead, for God's sake!! :(

[Mark in Oshawa]

Is this the first time this has been used in a Superbowl outside of the 4th quarter? Yeah! that guy from the Colts fumbled the ball, and all the commentators said that was the turning point of the game.

And I agree with your point about College football; after all, as my friend Tony used to say when we watched football while working in Korea :"These guys are professionals". I cheered for Ken Stabler's Raiders while my friend supported the Dolphins. :p :

As for The Who, why couldn't they just have Alabama instead, for God's sake!! :(

ALABAMA???? lol...they quit years ago...but I am actually shocked they haven't had a country act play half time. God knows all these aging rockers they have grabbed have been fun...

As for cheering on Stabler and the Raiders, you have dated yourself now...lol.

My earliest NFL memories were of the great Steelers beating up on Roger Staubach and the Cowboys. I was just learning about football then, and that was when I liked the Cowboys...then I grew up! Still have to say, I don't watch that much NFL until after the CFL season is over. I prefer the Canadian game for the same reasons you like the College game in the US. It is unpredictable, and in Canadian ball, you have one less down, 33% more field, deeper end zones, 15 second less on the play clock and on more player a side. OH yes, and no restrictions on offensive formations and motion and best of all, no fair catch! Add all that up and you end up with rather wild games....

[AAReagles]

Has there been a Super Bowl in the last 20 years with less Buzz than this one?
Yeah, the Buffalo Bills last SB appearance (4th). By then everyone knew what was going to happen.