Sunday, February 7, 2016

Super Bowl XLIX Memories









Super Bowl XLIX - New England Patriots 28, Seattle Seahawks 24. Played on February 1, 2015 at the University of Phoenix Stadium, Glendale, Arizona. Tom Brady MVP. One of the best endings in Super Bowl history. Tom Brady brings the Pats back from a 10 point 3rd quarter deficit to have Seattle get picked off with seconds to go trying to take the lead on the New England 1 yard line. Favorite: Pick 'em, National anthem: Idina Menzel, Halftime show: Katy Perry, Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliott, TV in the United States: NBC, Cost of 30-second commercial: US$ 4.5 million. Announcers: Al Michaels, Cris Collinsworth. Viewership US: 114.5 million, Market share 72 (most watched program in US TV history)



There are a few Super Bowls that you remember best only for a few seconds worth of one particular play, even though there may have been many, many memorable plays before or, in some cases, after, that could and should be remembered.

This was the case with Super Bowl V and the field goal to win it, despite the game being a back and forth contest leading up to that point. This was the case with Super Bowl XXV, when both the Bills and the Giants played brilliantly. Yet, people seem to only remember Scott Norwood's field goal attempt. It was also the case with Super Bowl XXXIV, when the Titans falling just one yard short of forcing overtime cast the rest of the game in the shadows. Super Bowl XXXVI will always be remembered for the field goal that won it, as will Super Bowl XXXVIII.

So it is that Super Bowl XLIX, when the Patriots defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 28-24, will forever be remembered for the one play or, perhaps, the one play call, that could not have gone worse for the Seahawks.

I have heard Seatle head coach Pete Carroll explain it until it almost seemed to make sense.

Almost.

I understand his arguments over clock management, and needing to pass at least once. That makes sense, and indeed, is perhaps even hard to argue against.

But why risk a pass down the middle? Why take any unnecessary chances at all? Why not try and throw to the corner and, if nothing came open, then throw the ball away? That way, you stop the clock, but you also have time to hand the ball over to Marshawn Lynch for the winning touchdown?

What makes this especially unfortunate is that this was, overall, a well-played Super Bowl with both teams showing something special at various times. It was a back and forth game, with new England drawing first blood, but Seattle then responding. The Patriots got a touchdown with a pass by Brady to Gronk for a 14-7 lead, but the Seahawks got a touchdown seconds before halftime to tie it.

Then in the third quarter, it seemed to be all Seattle, as they built to a 24-14 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

The Patriots responded like champions, however, as Tom Brady orchestrated two great touchdown drives to give New England a 28-24 lead.

And that was when Seattle got the ball. That was that final drive by Seattle, and there was some brilliance here, too. Jermaine Kearse's incredible focus to bring down a ball partially with his legs for a 33-yard completion that put the Seahawks into scoring position very late in the game in the first place. At that point, Seattle owned the momentum and, it seemed, the game. That is probably why so many Patriots-haters felt cheated at the end of this one.

But give credit to Malcolm Butler and the New England defense for stopping Seattle when they had to and being heads up enough to get the ball back when the game was slipping away from them. It was what ultimately truly decided this game, and thus, deserves to be remembered as it obviously now is.    




Personal Memories: I went to a Super Bowl party with some friends and former coworkers from Prudential. It was a blast. Luckily, we were all pulling for the same team (Seattle), although that also meant that we were all shocked by the same play. None of us knew what had truly happened at first. There was a surreal quality to the play, like it did not follow, like it did not belong. Such a sloppy play, in terms of both calling it and executing it, simply did not fit with how well both teams had played to that point.

Ultimately, however, it is what I personally remember the most from this particular contest. Even last summer, when I saw a preseason game at Arizona against the San Diego Chargers, I could not help but think about that one play, and looking towards the spot on the field where it happened. Of course, I also had more pleasant memories of Super Bowls in that particular venue, being a Giants fan, and could hardly suppress thinking about that, as well.

As for what was going on in my life at the time, I was working part-time as a substitute teacher in Rahway and still working the overnights. My girlfriend and I were together all of 2015, and as just mentioned, I took my son on a big trip to Arizona in the summer. We saw the Grand Canyon, the Petrified Forest and Painted Desert, the southwestern desert with all of those beautiful saguaro cactus trees. My son's personal favorite visit was to Tombstone. Hell, we even made it into Mexico on the first afternoon into early evening. That would be the most memorable highlight of 2015, although my son and I also saw the Pope, and I got to see Ringo Starr very up close and personal! Not a bad year overall, and it felt good after what felt like a long and largely miserable 2014!

http://www.infoplease.com/year/2015.html

This year was too recent to list some of the major events that took place in 2015, the year this Super Bowl was played. I did it for the other Super Bowls, but I guess it was just too recent of a year, having ended just a little over one month ago. The world's population in 2015 was over 7,174,611,584 billion people.


http://boards.sportslogos.net/topic/98529-super-bowl-field-database-sb-xlvi-texture-added-122215/page-9







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