Sports: NFL

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by Hahma

The look on Sherman's face was priceless when he realized there was an interception

There really were people to root against - and to root for - on both teams. I'm pleased that the heroes for both teams were guys who came out of nowhere. Chris Matthews for the Seahawks, and some kid named Malcolm Butler for the Patriots. I don't mind saying I'd never heard of Butler before, and anyone who says he'd heard of Matthews before the end of the Green Bay game is either a diehard Seahawks fan or a liar. Victories for the little guys.

[dok]

I had heard the story about Chris Matthews before the Green Bay game, but I could not have told you his name or picked him out of a lineup.

[Hahma]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

There really were people to root against - and to root for - on both teams. I'm pleased that the heroes for both teams were guys who came out of nowhere. Chris Matthews for the Seahawks, and some kid named Malcolm Butler for the Patriots. I don't mind saying I'd never heard of Butler before, and anyone who says he'd heard of Matthews before the end of the Green Bay game is either a diehard Seahawks fan or a liar. Victories for the little guys.

For sure. I mean, I like Wilson and Lynch and I'm sure there are a bunch of good guys on the team. I like the guys that came out of nowhere to have a special game.

I think the Seahawks have a great all around team. Same can be said for the Patriots too. Both teams pull guys out of nowhere and win with them.

Despite the Pats shenanigans, perceived or otherwise, I think Sherman made me dislike the Seahawks more. I don't care how talented any player of any sport is, I don't like bigmouths.

[XDVincent]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

I don't mind saying I'd never heard of Butler before, and anyone who says he'd heard of Matthews before the end of the Green Bay game is either a diehard Seahawks fan or a liar. Victories for the little guys.

He had a couple good years in the CFL, so thats how I knew him.

But what a game. Could've done without the fight at the end, but I can understand, emotions are high, and sometimes you do something dumb, everyone's done it.

Overall a great superbowl, whether you support either team or not.

[Hahma]

Originally Posted by XDVincent

He had a couple good years in the CFL, so thats how I knew him.

But what a game. Could've done without the fight at the end, but I can understand, emotions are high, and sometimes you do something dumb, everyone's done it.

Overall a great superbowl, whether you support either team or not.

At the moment, I thought the fight was stupid. But after thinking about it, Seattle's defense had to be full of emotions because they were like 30 seconds from being Superbowl champions and then some idiot called a pass play, and all of a sudden these guys are about to lose a sure thing. They had to have gone from the highest high to the lowest low in a matter of seconds and then had to be expected to try to do something to cause a fumble or safety.

[XDVincent]

Originally Posted by Hahma

At the moment, I thought the fight was stupid. But after thinking about it, Seattle's defense had to be full of emotions because they were like 30 seconds from being Superbowl champions and then some idiot called a pass play, and all of a sudden these guys are about to lose a sure thing. They had to have gone from the highest high to the lowest low in a matter of seconds and then had to be expected to try to do something to cause a fumble or safety.

I completely agree, it was explosion of emotion, for both sides after that pick.

As for the play call itself, hindsight is 20/20. We can all second guess and call that the worst play call of Super Bowl history, but the fact is, that if Wilson puts that ball a 6 inches farther right, or Lockette attacks the ball a little more, then it's a touchdown, and everyone praises Seattle for going against the grain to win their second straight Super Bowl.

[Drewman-chu]

That's a great point XDvincent. Everyone will be questioning the play call, but if works Seahawks win the game. Pats have already said they all thought it was a run too. One of the best Super Bowls for sure lived up to the billing.

[dok]

Lots of plays are great if they work. But the point is to not be results oriented. I was questioning the call when I saw Wilson throwing, before I had any awareness of the player in a position to get a pick.

It was just a crazy, crazy bad call. It easily deserves the ridicule it has received.

The poor Seattle OC, desperately trying to rationalize that which cannot be rationalized, said "We were conscious of how much time was on the clock and we wanted to use it all." This is, needless to say, insane. If they complete that pass, obviously, they don't use any additional time. If the pass is incomplete, the clock stops.

What he said was actually an excellent rationale for running Lynch. Either he gets the score, or he is stopped and you can run another 20 seconds off the clock, then run your third down play, then call your last timeout with a couple seconds left if you are stopped again.

[Dad_Scaper]

There is not a better back in the entire NFL on that goal line. Even if you're going to go to the line with options - because you can do that, with Wilson under center - make it a college-style option, where Wilson can pull the ball out of Lynch's gut if the DE scrapes down the line again, and Wilson can circle to the right side of the line and run it in on a quarterback keeper. *Anything* to keep it on the ground and run it into the endzone. Loony.

FWIW, I also thought it was kind of loony when the 49ers did the same thing at the tail end of the SB two years ago. They'd been gashing the Ravens on the ground, got it 1st and goal near the end zone, and went throw, throw, throw, throw. As a Ravens fan, I was glad they did.

[dok]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

FWIW, I also thought it was kind of loony when the 49ers did the same thing at the tail end of the SB two years ago. They'd been gashing the Ravens on the ground, got it 1st and goal near the end zone, and went throw, throw, throw, throw. As a Ravens fan, I was glad they did.

All memories are constructed memories.

The 49ers actually went run (for 2 yards), pass, pass, pass. They were 5 yards out on second down. I am not saying I love the play calls there - I don't - but I understand the reticence to run after the first one was stopped.

OTOH, the Seahawks were on the 1, and Lynch had just run for 4 yards. In 24 carries, Lynch was stopped for no gain... once. Granted, this is not a typical situation, but the Pats defense was actually fairly spread out, and there's a significant chance that the Pats would have actually let Lynch score in order to give the Pats offense almost 30 seconds and two timouts to work with.

[Dad_Scaper]

I had forgotten the first run. I am also aware that (a) Gore =/= Lynch on the goal line, and (b) they were not as close to the goal line as Seattle was last night. It was not nearly as wretched-looking as the Seahawks, but it did remind me.

[Dad_Scaper]

Originally Posted by Dad_Scaper

Regardless, isn't it more likely it was the Colts themselves, having already played the Patriots earlier in the year? Whoever triggered an investigation didn't do anything wrong, regardless. Cheaters should be caught.

Called it.