2005 NFL Season

[xsedrinam]

I'm fascinated by this game. I'm not sure I like Porter's reaction since from what I read Stevens was making a joke rather than boasting.

I think Porter was sitting on ready, waiting for a chance to start the talk. He'd been such a good boy all week, so he saw his opportunity to come out. It's only helped ratchet up the game going in to Sunday.

With the Steelers being favourites and the media attention firmly on the Bus, are they going to end up blowing it like the Rams against the Pats, like the Raiders did against the Buccs... I think this is going to be a lot closer than people think...

It could go that way, but I hope not. I won't mind a close, well played game. I do hate to see games decided by a turnover, bad call, or a field goal, but any of those is likely to happen.

I been to both cities and chilled out in both stadiums, and this is the first year for a while when I really don't mind who wins so long as it's a good game. I may end up rooting for whoever the first bad call goes against.

I'm sticking with Pittsburgh, for good or bad.

I think the first quarter or so will be low scoring and then all hell will break loose - a little like that Panthers/Pats Superbowl 2 years ago.

Except the half time should be milder this year (Rolling Stones), unless Jagger's heart plops out or something.

 

[pseudobrit]

Intel has an office (and small factory) in WA, supporting the apple influence out there. Seattle is also a west coast team, and we all know where Apple is based.

Apple influence? How is it that Intel doesn't support the "Windows influence"? Intel works on Xeon and Itanium chipsets in Washington.

I'll admit my reference to Pittsburgh as the Apple team is tenuous at best and was partly tounge-in-cheek, but trying to link Apple to the Seahawks because of a 6 month-old supplier connection and the fact they're based in the same time zone smacks of desperate fanboyish reaching.

I mean the team is owned by Microsoft money and probably half the season-ticket holders are MS employees or retirees.

It's clear as day: You root for Seattle and you root for sweaty man-ape Ballmer and the Evil Empire!!

 

[quigleybc]

You root for Seattle and you root for sweaty man-ape Ballmer and the Evil Empire!!

Well put and I agree..

Route for the Steelers, they're way more fun...


I can't wait for this game.....ARGHHHHH......what a couple of amazing season's it's been as a Steeler fan...true Bliss. 15-1, and now the Superbowl, I love them Stillers...


DOUBLE YOI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[xsedrinam]

So, at this point in time, the bookies have Seatle at a +4.5 point spread. I say bigus dealus. Let's get it on! Pittsburgh 21 Seattle 17.
http://www.bodog.com/sports-betting/nfl-football.jsp

 

[jefhatfield]

who i want to win?...the steelers, of course, by 7 with bettis retiring after a 200 yard day and a superbowl mvp

ok, in reality, the seattle seahawks will win by 3-7 points and shaun alexander will be superbowl mvp...this will be a hard fought ground game and both teams will score less than 30 points

that's my final prediction with less than 96 hours to play

but i am still pulling for the old man bettis (still no ring yet, first round pick, 6 pro bowl appearances with 7th on the way, and 34 years old next week) to have the day of his life and dominate this game

dorsett stepped up when brown and oj got old, and sanders, payton, and smith came in after dorsett, and many believe the next era was to be for jerome bettis...today he can prove it for the hall of fame

i liked the way elway rode off into the sunset and i think this can be a great last day for bettis

btw...34 may not be super old for a wide receiver, kicker, or qb, but it is ancient for a running back, and a big task to have one's most memorable game at such an advanced age for such a punishing position

 

[2nyRiggz]

They are calling some BAD calls on Seattle.......bad calls.


Bless

 

[e²Studios]

They are calling some BAD calls on Seattle.......bad calls.


Bless

you mean like the TOTALLY OBVIOUS touchdown that the official made a HORRIBLE call on?

Steelers have gotten off on really bad calls in this game... If they win they need to buy the officials flowers or something for helping to give them the game.

 

[~Shard~]

Congrats to the Steelers - I never would have thought they would make it this far! Could have been an entirely different playoffs if Palmer hadn't got injured in that first game... And then of course there was Indy's missed field goal...

 

[jefhatfield]

i thought the officiating was pretty bad in this game and it hurt both teams, but with a 21-10 game, it was the steeler's game to enjoy and cherish...i do believe it should have been more like 21-18 or 21-17 due to that bad callback of a seattle touchdown

i think this was a great way for cowher to realize a dream long in the making and bettis for all his great work in his long career

like i expected, the score would not be very high and neither qb would shine in a big way....seattle's qb threw and completed a lot but was unable to do well in the red zone and the steeler's qb threw that terrible worst interception in superbowl history when all he needed to do was to hand the ball off and perhaps have the team go for a field goal, which would have been enough for the game

both teams took advantage of sloppy play and penalties, but pittsburgh did better overall in converting on seattle's mistakes, and holmgren's bad use of the clock

 

[quigleybc]

Dream come true for me!

I'm so happy!! Ten years of watching this team, often coming so close we could taste it..and now finally we do it..

Forget the calls, we won it with big plays and heart.

Amazing..what a season to be a Steeler fan!

HERE WE GO!!

WE DID IT!!!

i was so happy i bought an iSight!!


HOLLA

 

[Dandaman]

I'm so happy!! Ten years of watching this team, often coming so close we could taste it..and now finally we do it..

Forget the calls, we won it with big plays and heart.

Amazing..what a season to be a Steeler fan!

HERE WE GO!!

WE DID IT!!!

i was so happy i bought an iSight!!


HOLLA

congrats

on the win and the isight

daniel

 

[zimv20]

the steeler's qb threw that terrible worst interception in superbowl history

if i may, i call that interception roethlisberger's "neil o'donnell" moment, in (dubious) honor of a crap-ass interception then-steeler QB o'donnell threw in super bowl xxx. the steelers would have won that game if o'donnell had simply thrown the ball to his receiver, wide open and with a shot at the endzone, instead of DB larry brown, stranded in the flat some 5 yards (iirc) off the receiver.

all imo, of course.

 

[yellow]

Wow.. worst officiated SB in my memory.

That aside, there were a TON of dropped balls and critical penalties on the SH side of the ball. And I don't think the Seahawks were coached very well. With the MVP of the league as your RB, And you almost never try and pound it in the middle? We all know the Steelers are stiff there, but if you don't try at least a couple of times, how can you expect their defense to keep it somewhat honest? I must say Hasselbeck did a much better job than I thought he'd do, as did the SH defense.

The Steelers got off to a very slow start, but Willie Parker's 75 yard break for a TD was a great momentum/psychological boost. Kinda wish that they'd managed to get a TD hung on The Bus.

Congrats to the Steelers and the Steeler fans. Winning a SB is a great feeling.

I just wish you would ditch the whole 'terrible towel' thing. Man that's annoying.

 

[Dave00]

If Porter, Polamalu and the Pittsburgh blitz are on their game, I'm seeing a 21-10 Steeler day.

Holy nice call, batman!

Dave

 

[Dave00]

if i may, i call that interception roethlisberger's "neil o'donnell" moment, in (dubious) honor of a crap-ass interception then-steeler QB o'donnell threw in super bowl xxx.

Yeah, I had the flashback then too. It was so "here we go again". Neil O'Donnell, who by the way has the least interceptions per pass thrown *of all time* in the NFL, threw those awful interceptions in the Superbowl, ushered himself out of town and ushered in the Kordell Stewart experiment. But, he got his composure back. Despite having a bad day statistically, he had some very key plays he made when he had to, which was the difference between his & Hasselbeck's games. The touchdown run, the two runs for first downs, and that incredible scramble for the conversion on 3rd and 28.

Dave

 

[zimv20]

Neil O'Donnell, who by the way has the least interceptions per pass thrown *of all time* in the NFL, threw those awful interceptions in the Superbowl

kind of like bettis coughing up the ball against the colts. and i wish the announcers would stop saying "he's never had a punt blocked" every time gardocki takes the field.

 

[pseudobrit]

Just got back from Pittsburgh. I was on Carson St. right after the win.

What a wild ass night.

 

[jefhatfield]

Kinda wish that they'd managed to get a TD hung on The Bus.

the bus will still go down in history....#5 all time, a superbowl win, five years 1000 plus yards rushing in regular seasons in a row, and two key blocks which allowed steeler touchdowns yesterday

it would be nice to see the bus go another season and maybe make #4 or #3 all time and tack on another superbowl ring, but he has proven his point as the best in his era

 

[zimv20]

Kinda wish that they'd managed to get a TD hung on The Bus.

agreed, but it doesn't seem to be bothering him much. if i had one superbowl TD to grant to anyone, it would be walter payton.

to grant to anyone besides myself, i mean

 

[quigleybc]

Wow.. worst officiated SB in my memory.

That aside, there were a TON of dropped balls and critical penalties on the SH side of the ball. And I don't think the Seahawks were coached very well. With the MVP of the league as your RB, And you almost never try and pound it in the middle? We all know the Steelers are stiff there, but if you don't try at least a couple of times, how can you expect their defense to keep it somewhat honest? I must say Hasselbeck did a much better job than I thought he'd do, as did the SH defense.

The Steelers got off to a very slow start, but Willie Parker's 75 yard break for a TD was a great momentum/psychological boost. Kinda wish that they'd managed to get a TD hung on The Bus.

Congrats to the Steelers and the Steeler fans. Winning a SB is a great feeling.

I just wish you would ditch the whole 'terrible towel' thing. Man that's annoying.

Excellent post,

I always seem to agree with everything you write...

or maybe it's just that chronic pic of Evangline (BC girl!) in your Avatar.

About Neil....let it go....

about the Terrible towel....it's tradition, get used to it.

about Alexander, not using him was what brought Seattle down, not the refs.


On a personal note....I've never had my team win before...so I'm kinda lost on what to do now....not being bitter because of a loss is confusing.

I take this team so darn seriously, and personally, and have for so long...that now that we won...I find myself kind of wandering around my office...it's an odd feeling..

I guess it's on to NBA basketball, and my second favorite team, the Suns with BC's own Steve Nash...

Do we have an official NBA thread?

Anyway, it's been a great year, and reading back on my various posts...I have to smile..

Cheers to you all.


LET"S GO BURGH!!!

we did it.

 

[zimv20]

I've never had my team win before...so I'm kinda lost on what to do now....not being bitter because of a loss is confusing.

that's pretty hiliarous

used to be a time when the steelers getting the to superbowl was an automatic win. i wouldn't mind another back-to-back in a years time.

with the white sox winning the pennant this year (chisox fan here, not cubs), it's not been a bad season. at all. kinda like '79, when the pirates and steelers both won it all.

 

[Dave00]

Just got back from Pittsburgh. I was on Carson St. right after the win.

What a wild ass night.

I had family over for the game. After the game, everyone just poured out of their houses, people everywhere, honking cars. Awesome. Just wish I could get off to go to the parade today. (I'm sure the absenteeism is at an all-time high today.)

Dave

 

[Dave00]

On a personal note....I've never had my team win before...so I'm kinda lost on what to do now....not being bitter because of a loss is confusing.

It does feel very much like we need to play the next game. I guess it's that whole thing with every game being a one-and-done for the last two months.

Compare Bill Cowher's comments yesterday to those of Mike Holmgren (especially in light of what Bill's been through the last few years, and how he has responded in the media) and you can tell who's the classy guy. I love his philosophy; there's not that much difference between winning and losing in a league of parity. If Seattle's receivers had done a better job, or if their clock management had even approached competency, things might've been different.

In the end, the Steelers beat the #1, #2, and #3 seeds in the AFC, as well as the #1 seed in the NFC. They deserved to be the champions.

Dave

 

[yellow]

if i had one superbowl TD to grant to anyone, it would be walter payton.

I agree 100%. Giving it to the Fridge was lame beyond comparison. And doing it against the Pats. Even worse. Ditka can smoke me.

 

[jefhatfield]

that's pretty hiliarous

used to be a time when the steelers getting the to superbowl was an automatic win. i wouldn't mind another back-to-back in a years time.

with the white sox winning the pennant this year (chisox fan here, not cubs), it's not been a bad season. at all. kinda like '79, when the pirates and steelers both won it all.

i would like to see the steelers get a sixth ring, and with the bus

but ONLY after the niners get their sixth ring first

it was the niners who were the first to reach five superbowl wins

and it would be great to have them be the first to win six superbowl rings


btw...green bay was the first to win any superbowl ring
then the first to win two, and win back to back wins to boot
the steelers were the first to three wins
and then the steelers were the first to win four, and two back to backs

he he, so give us niners a chance to be first at more than just the first team to five wins