Album Review: Green Day's ¡Tré!

Green Day's ¡Tré! is the final album of the trilogy, although they also came out with a DVD (which I have not had the pleasure to watch yet, so no review yet, either).

Like the other two albums (both of which I already reviewed last month), this one shows the depth of their musical range, and it could surprise some people.

Here is a breakdown of the album, song by song, and my impressions on each. Hope you enjoy!

1. Brutal Love - This one sounds a bit like "Bring It On Home To Me", by the Animals. It is a good, solid track to open up the album.

2. Missing You - A fast-paced, upbeat sound to this song, which would not sound out of place on some of their earlier, harder core albums. Good song.

3. 8th Avenue Serenade - This one sounds a bit different, as well. It is modern rock, with perhaps the trace of a harder edge to it, yet there is something that is a bit reminiscent of old rock to it. A good, solid piece, all in all.

4. Drama Queen - This one has a kind of Beatlesque feel to it, almost.

5. X-Kid- I really like the lyrics for this song. A reflective piece, and a strong song that adds depth to the album.

6. Sex, Drugs, & Violence - In the old days, I would have expected a thrashing, aggressive sound to a song from this band with a title like this one. The lyrics certainly would fit in with a more punk sounding song. It's actually not that hardcore, however, but it is a decent song when all is said and done, and a good addition to the album as a whole.

7. A Little Boy Named Train - Not the fastest song that Green Day has done, but a decent addition nonetheless.

8. Amanda - The tempo is picked up with this song, with lyrics that reflect on not quite being mature enough to appreciate a love interest at a younger age, and now looking back a bit after seeing this woman, Amanda, as a more grown, and changed, woman. Good song, overall.

9. Walk Away - A slow song to start with, it picks up the tempo as it goes along, to become more rocking.

10. Dirty Rotten Bastards - This one is a bit of a challenge to review. The song is very catchy, sounding almost like a familiar chant of sorts, and then switches to another tune that immediately sounds familiar tune. This song by itself changes directions numerous times, and is one of the more readily identifiable, as well as enjoyable, songs on the album.

11. 99 Revolutions - A solid song in which the group flexes it's political muscles, as it were. An enjoyable song, all in all.

12. The Forgotten - A softer song with very thoughtful, reflective lyrics. A bit reminiscent of other songs, like "Wake Me Up When September Ends", "Boulevard of Broken Dreams", and "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life). A very good song, slow yet remaining intense in it's own way, that seems to have a powerful impact on Green Day fans, judging by the printed reactions and comments that I saw to it online. A very strong song to close out not just this album, but the three albums overall.


Green Day have released three albums, as well as a DVD, in a year when the economy is a major concern, and people just don't seem so keen on buying these days. That was a pretty gutsy move, as was the musical direction that these albums have taken, which prove that Green Day have certainly made a departure from being considered strictly a punk band. Give any of these albums a listen, not just this one, and that becomes clear enough before long.

All in all, a solid three albums by one of the most surprisingly enduring bands of our generation.

In Conclusion: Wrapping up the 2012-13 NFL Season



Picture by: don2-download.blogspot.com

So, with the Super Bowl now officially over, the season is done. The Ravens celebrated their victory with a military-style parade yesterday in downtown Baltimore, which sounds a bit ridiculous to me. Also, it should be noted that their Lombardi Trophy, of all things, went missing for a few hours after the game. It never made the trip with the team out of the Superdome and to their hotel, if you can believe it (see the link below, at the bottom of this blog). But they have it now, as well as all the hardware that they earned from a truly spectacular season that they and their fans cab be very proud of.

The two announcers of the game, Phil Simms and Jim Nance, were mentioning just prior to halftime, how the game reminded them of another, years ago, between the New England Patriots and the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC Championship Game. As you may recall, New England completely dominated the first half, and were up by the same exact margin as the Ravens were. They drove down the field just before the half, and got a crucial field goal to at least show something positive, and that helped to switch the momentum for the second half. The 49ers also, down by the same margin, got that field goal just before halftime, and so produced something positive, to help with momentum for the second half.

There were indeed some similarities between them, although with one obvious, and crucial, difference: the San Francisco 49ers never led in this game, and wound up losing. Sure, they made it interesting towards the end. But the Colts back then made it more than interesting: they outright came back and ultimately, clinched a huge, comeback victory to get over their biggest hurdle in the Patriots, who to that point had pretty much dominated the rivalry, having won the most meaningful contests between the two en route to three Super Bowl titles, and qualified for their first Super Bowl appearance during the Peyton Manning era. They eventually won that Super Bowl.

Baltimore did get the kickoff touchdown on the first play of the second half, to go up 28-6. At that point, it looked to one and all like the Ravens were on the verge of a Super Bowl blowout win.

San Francisco, to their credit, came storming back, and made what seemed at that point to be a snoozer, into a very close game. I once said that it seemed to me that the 49ers always seemed to benefit from some strange twists of fate. They always seemed to benefit from some strange circumstances, like Billups dropped interception of a Joe Montana pass in Super Bowl XXIII that likely would have won it for Cincinnati in 1988. In 1998, they had two strange calls in consecutive weeks in those playoffs, one against Green Bay, which greatly assisted their ultimate victory in the game that had the famous "Catch II", from Steve Young to Terrell Owens, a play that helped to trigger a brilliant career from the infamously selfish and arrogant wide receiver. The very next week, they once again benefitted from a very bad call in a playoff game against the Atlanta Falcons, although Atlanta still managed to scrape by and win.

Well, this season, they had a few. They had two prior to the Super Bowl, both involving the Green Bay Packers, and both affected the San Francisco 49ers indirectly, but in a very beneficial way. The first was that horrible call, the touchdown that wasn't, which "won" the game for the Seattle Seahawks over the Pack. Green Bay really should have won, which leads me to the next strange twist. The 49ers, in the second to last week of the regular season, went up to Seattle and got absolutely pummeled, 42-13. That put the Green Bay Packers into position as the second seed, although they now had to visit Minnesota in the final week. The Vikings won a hard fought battle, and earned a playoff berth by beating Green Bay, only to lose badly to those same Packers at Lambeau Field the very next weekend, making it a short playoffs for them. Now, had the Packers officially gotten the victory that they truly earned at Seattle, they would already have clinched the second seed, heading into that final weekend, and the 49ers would have had to prepare for play on Wildcard weekend, and not Green Bay. Plus, a meeting between the two teams would have been on the "Frozen Tundra", and not at Candlestick Park. Yes, the 49ers won at Green Bay on opening weekend. But the Packers were a different team in January, and I need remind no one that Green Bay is a different place in January then it is in early September, when it is still summer. Would that have changed the outcome of the contest between the two? Just saying. Yet, because of some strange, one-time circumstances that benefitted San Fran, we'll never know.

Which leads me to the next point. Another strange circumstance that seemed to benefit the 49ers greatly: the long power outage that interrupted the Super Bowl early in the third quarter. It came very shortly after the Ravens got the touchdown to take their lead to a whopping 28-6. They were so close, they could feel it, and seemed to have their boot on the throat of San Francisco. But then the very strange power outage gave the 49ers some much needed time to settle down, while simultaneously icing the Baltimore Ravens, giving them too much time to think about things, and overall, interrupted the tremendous tidal wave of momentum that they seemed to be riding towards and easy and very dominant Super Bowl win. Now, they still managed to hang on and win, but the 49ers came very close, and made it very interesting.

San Francisco is a team that is good enough that they can accomplish some great things, without any help. Yet, they keep getting the ball to bounce their way under very strange circumstances like the ones I mentioned (and perhaps, some that I did not). That's part of what annoys me about them, and why I was glad to see them lose this past Sunday.

I mentioned following the Super Bowl that I did not think this ranked as one of the truly great Super Bowls, and it is precisely because their really never were any lead changes since the Ravens took the lead with a touchdown in the first quarter. The 49ers fought hard to make it close, but it was telling that they never actually did catch up fully. It's hard to claim that a Super Bowl ranks among the greatest of all time when there were never any lead changes, and particularly when there were as many mistakes (by both teams) as this past one had. There were only two Super Bowls that I put on my top ten list that never had any real lead changes. Super Bowl XXXIV and Super Bowl XXXVI both featuring the Rams. But the Titans managed to tie the Rams in the fourth of the former, and the Rams managed to tie the Patriots in the fourth of the latter. Also, the Titans actually were in scoring position with seconds left in the game for XXXIV, while the Patriots had an incredible drive with seconds left on the clock in XXXVI, eventually kicking a field goal to clinch that victory. Otherwise, the other games on the list all had significant lead changes, particularly in the fourth quarter. Often times, they even had multiple lead changes. Also, they were not so defined by mistakes and strange circumstances, as this one was. It was a good, entertaining Super Bowl that we were blessed with this past Sunday, but not anywhere near the best, or even in the top five. Maybe not even the top ten, frankly. Sorry. Just sayin'.

If the 49ers had managed to take a lead at some point, or even tie it, maybe then it would have been different. But they never managed to, and so, I can't claim this to be the greatest, or even close, as Suggs did.

That said, let me be critical of the Ravens now. Or, particularly, of one Raven. The emotional leader of the team, Ray Lewis. He is retiring, although another legendary Baltimore defender, Ed Reed, said that he would be coming back. Still, the Ravens will have to fill the large shoes of Lewis, who got to do his dance one more time at yesterday's parade.

But in an interview by Shannon Sharpe (I believe it was aired prior to the game, although I cannot yet say for certain), when asked about the families of the victims of the two murdered boys directly associated with Ray Lewis in early 2000 (the year before the Ravens won their first Super Bowl), he claimed that they didn't understand how God worked. It was insulting, as is his continually pious proclamations. I don't know of any angel who was tied into a murder case so directly, and who seemed to be less than upfront about what happened on that fateful Super Bowl Sunday. It seems that he knows what happened on that day, and many have speculated over the possibility that he himself killed them.  I don't know, because I wasn't there. But the way that Lewis has handled himself about it since has been shameful, and I, for one, am glad that he is retiring, simply so we do not have to hear much from him again. He does not deserve all the endearing media attention that he gets and, to me, has shown himself to be less than a decent human being overall. I don't care how great of a football player is was. Some things are more important than football. When I saw that interview in particular (after the game, admittedly, when it made news, because I was at work that day), it disgusted me. Yes, I still am happy that the Ravens won it, but that, despite Ray Lewis, rather than being happy for him. I never like when religious extremists claim that God is on their side. I don't like it in Presidents, and I don't like it in athletes (or anybody else, for that matter). Especially when this is used to justify the unjustifiable, as it was with a President, and as it was with Lewis, no matter what his real role was on that Super Bowl day in 2000.

Good riddance.



Super Bowl Conference Rivalry

Perhaps it has snuck up on people, but the NFC has had the edge overall in recent Super Bowls. They entered this one having won four of the last five big games, with their only loss being the Arizona Cardinals narrowly losing to the Pittsburgh Steelers four years ago. It has not been anywhere near the dominance that the NFC once displayed in Super Bowls, during the infamous "NFC Streak" of their eighties and nineties, when they won thirteen straight Super Bowls, and fifteen of sixteen overall. In those days, the NFC Champions, whoever they were, often tended to route the much weaker AFC Champions in the big game.

But the recent edge for the NFC has hardly been a display of dominance. The Giants were responsible for two of those victories, narrowly edging out the Patriots both times. The Saints also won in a very tight contest against the Colts, and the Pack also barely got past the Steelers two seasons ago. The NFC Champs this year, the 49ers, played well this time - particularly in the second half. But the Ravens win snapped three straight Super Bowl wins by the NFC.

As of right now, the NFC holds a 25-22 overall lead in the Super Bowl rivalry between the conferences.



How my own predictions fared

A mixed bag. On August 14, 2012, I previewed the upcoming NFL season. There were many things that I got wrong, although I got some things right, as well. For example, I predicted the Baltimore Ravens as the eventual AFC Champions, though I saw them losing to the Green Bay Packers in the Super Bowl. The 49ers would be good, I said, but they didn't figure to be the best in the NFC.

Well, I was wrong about that one, too. Also counted among the mistakes, the New Orleans Saints were hardly the elite team that they had been prior, and which I expected them to be again.

Among the most notable mistakes? The Buffalo Bills would be legitimate contenders for the playoffs, at least. They weren't. The Chargers would be good, I said. They weren't. The Raiders would enjoy a winning record. They didn't. The Colts would experience another dismal season. They didn't, and in fact, were a playoff team - the first that the eventual champions had to beat. The Steelers would be back in the playoffs. Nope, got that wrong, too. Minnesota would continue to struggle. Actually, they were a playoff team. Finally, I overlooked the Redskins completely, although they beat out my Giants to win the NFC East outright, behind RG3.

But the most glaring mistake was with the Philadelphia Eagles. I said that the "Eagles should come back from the slump last season", and boy was I wrong! It started out in promising fashion, as they beat both the Giants and the Ravens to race out to a 3-1 start. But, as Bill Parcells used to say, it's not a spring, it's a marathon. Who knew that the Eagles would lose their next eight straight, or finish out the year at a very dismal 4-12, their worst record in over a decade? This was a team that had seemingly been a model of consistency, yet the only consistency that they showed this season was in losing. Andy Reed, their long time head coach, is out, although he already got another coaching stint. For the Eagles, however, they probably have been the most tormented of teams these past two seasons. They were everybody's sexy pick in the summer of 2011, and some people even slapped the moniker of "Dream Team" to describe them, following some huge, offseason pickups. Yet, their season never really got off the ground. Then, this season, they ranked among the worst teams in the league, easily falling to last place in the NFC East. They never even were a serious contender this season, and their playoff hopes were dashed by midseason.

Some things I got right? The Detroit Lions had the letdown season that I predicted for them (unfortunately). The Jaguars were just about as dismal and irrelevant as I predicted. The Jets, unfortunately, had a losing record, also unfortunately. Seattle did emerge as a sleeper team. Perhaps most impressively, I accurately predicted the winners of six of eight divisions, and that includes all four for the AFC. I even accurately predicted the final three games of the AFC playoffs, with the Pats beating Houston and Baltimore beating Denver in the divisional round, and Baltimore exacting a strong measure of revenge on the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game.

Too early for predictions for next season, although I will paint some broad brushstrokes now. I'll go out on a limb and suggest that neither participant in Super Bowl XLVII will be on the field at Metlife Stadium next February. The Ravens will struggle a bit more as defending champions, and San Francisco will fare better, but not well enough to get back to the big game. The Packers, one of m perennial favorite, will rank among the elites in the NFC, and the Cowboys or Giants will win the NFC East (not the Redskins, and most certainly not the Eagles). Denver will dominate the AFC West, and New England, again, will dominate the AFC East. The Saints should bounce back to be relevant again. The Seahawks will continue to emerge, and could even replace the 49ers as NFC West champions.



Final NFL Blog for this season

This marks the final blog about the NFL for this particular season, and most likely until August of 2013. I had my say on this Super Bowl, and although I cannot personally rank it among the greatest, one of my reviews from a few weeks ago generated a large number of readers. I think that it was because it was a review of a game that did truly rank among the greatest playoff contests ever, this one also involving the Baltimore Ravens. That was their epic, thrilling victory over the Broncos in frigid Denver. It helped to immortalize this postseason run by the Ravens, and will live on for the city of Baltimore, and for fans of the Ravens franchise. They won the Super Bowl again, bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to Maryland!

Let's see how the offseason shapes up, and what teams lose players, and what teams pick up major impact players. Should be interesting!





Article on Ravens losing the Lombardi Trophy:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1515862-baltimore-ravens-misplaced-lombardi-trophy-during-super-bowl-xlvii-celebration

How The Giants Changed Super Bowl History

I saw this article, and it was pretty cool. It always seems, the year after the Giants have won the Super Bowl, that I look for an excuse to make the Giants championship seem relevant and alive, even though they have not been officially replaced by the Ravens. Interesting to note that three of the four times the G-Men reached the pinnacle, they were replaced by a team from the Washington-Baltimore area. Not sure why that is, but it is. The other year that they won it, it was the Steelers who wound up replacing the Giants as champions.

The Ravens, by winning this most recent Super Bowl, did some interesting things, as well. They won their second ever Super Bowl title, which places them among the dozen teams who have won the big game more than once. Next season, they will aim for a third title, something that only eight teams have managed to do. Five teams have won it at least four times, and three have won it five or more. 

Also, the Ravens became the first team that defeated the 49ers in a Super Bowl. They are also the only team to have beaten the Giants in the big game. And in a way, they bested the Giants again by replacing them as the newly crowned champions.

Now, back to the Giants in a more positive light: they have played in quite a few memorable Super Bowl matches. In each of them, there were catches by receivers that could be immortalized by the highlight reels. Two of them are mentioned below. But in Super Bowl XXI, Phil Simms threw a very hard ball to Bavaro in the end zone, which actually bounced off of his chest, and which a heads up Phil McConkey dove for and caught, for what was more or less the dagger in the heart touchdown against the Broncos. Also, in Super Bowl XXV, Hostetler, facing and third and fourteen, completed a pass to wide receiver Mark Ingram, who shook defenders and wrestled out of their grasp, in one of the most spectacular, breathtaking plays in Super Bowl history. Such incredible effort! 

Now, Here is the article that I found on Yahoo! Sports. I think that the order is in chronological order, which makes sense. The Tyree helmet catch was probably the most famous play in Super Bowl history, I would imagine. But who could forget the wide right by Norwood that secured a victory for Big Blue in 1991?

Anyway, here is the article in full, with a link below:

How Super Bowl History was Altered by Three Plays Involving the New York Giants

By Adam Martini | Yahoo! Contributor Network - Thu, Jan 31, 2013 10:46 PM EST

With four Lombardi Trophies to their credit, the New York Giants are one of the most successful teams in the National Football League. But Big Blue's trophy case might be less crowded if not for three fortunate and unforgettable Super Bowls plays. Those three moments altered the history of the Giants and changed the way we look at the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, too. Here's a look back at three Super Bowl plays involving the Giants and how they altered NFL history.

Wide Right (Super Bowl XXV) -- The Giants upset the Buffalo Bills, 20-19, when Scott Norwood famously missed a 47-yard field goal in the final seconds of Super Bowl XXV. The G-Men captured their second Lombardi Trophy. The star-crossed Bills went on to lose the next three Super Bowls. But how would history remember both teams had Norwood's kick sailed through the uprights? It would have been a heart-breaking loss for the Giants, but they weren't expected to win the game. The Bills, on the other hand, would have won at least one championship in the '90s and avoided an ignominious record. Only the Minnesota Vikings have lost as many Super Bowls (four) without winning at least one. 

The Helmet Catch (Super Bowl XLII) -- The Giants trailed the New England Patriots, 14-10, and faced a 3rd-and-5 from their own 44-yard line late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLII. One play changed everthing. New England's pass-rush nearly swallowed Eli Manning, but the Giants' quarterback broke free and chucked the ball deep for David Tyree, who made the catch by pinning the ball to his helmet. A few plays later, Plaxico Burress was in the end zone with the game-winning touchdown catch to spoil New England's perfect season. Had Tyree dropped the ball, there's a good chance the Patriots would have won the game and become the first team to go undefeated since the 1972 Miami Dolphins. 

Manning to Manningham (Super Bowl XLVI) -- Manning's sideline throw to Mario Manningham late in the fourth quarter of Super Bowl XLVI ignited New York's game-winning drive, as the Giants defeated the Patriots, 21-17. It cemented Manning's legacy as a clutch, big-game quarterback -- he won his second Super Bowl MVP -- and prevented New England from winning its fourth Super Bowl. Moreover, a Pats' victory would have given Tom Brady his fourth ring, tying him with Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for the most ever by a quarterback. Instead, the G-Men captured their fourth Lombardi Trophy, moving them into a tie with the Green Bay Packers for the third-most Super Bowl wins in NFL history. 

Adam Martini is a freelance sports writer with more than 15 years of experience covering amateur and professional sports for several print and online media outlets. He tracked the New York Giants for Yahoo! Contributor Network during the team's Super Bowl run in 2011-12. Adam can be found on Twitter @Pegcitysports. Sources Pro-Football-Reference.com . The Official Site of the New York Giants .

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/super-bowl-history-altered-three-plays-involving-york-034600864--nfl.html

Super Bowl XLVII

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Picture by: www.registercitizen.com














Picture by: www.nytimes.com





www.wbir.com






Picture by: www.haz.de

BALTIMORE RAVENS SUPER BOWL XLVII CHAMPIONS

So, like everybody else, when the power went out with the Baltimore Ravens up 28-6, and seemingly dominating every facet of the game, I thought, essentially, that it was all over.

Boy, was I ever wrong, huh? 

This game really was a story of two halves, although even that is not quite right. It was the story of one part of the game, which lasted throughout the first half, and a couple of minutes into the second, when the Baltimore Ravens were dictating play, and taking advantage of numerous mistakes by San Francisco. Flacco was impeccable, and the Ravens looked unstoppable.

The second part of the game was when the 49ers began to dictate the tempo of the game, and the Baltimore Ravens started making more mistakes. The Ravens defense looked tired towards the end, and even when the 49ers fell short in certain situations, they seemed to own all of the momentum, until that fateful fourth down, when the outcome seemed to become inevitable.

Still, San Francisco was playing from behind the whole game. That was a tough position to play from, and although they have done it all season, and overcame a 17-point deficit in the NFC Championship to beat Atlanta on the road, it proved just a bit too much today. If they had played just a little better prior to the power shortage, maybe their furious comeback rally could have won the game for them. Just a few less mistakes, such as all of those dropped passes. Or the turnovers. Or the mental mistakes that seemed to be killing them, time and again.

Yet, their comeback was so good, it was almost enough to overcome all of that and win it for them anyway.

It was a real chess match towards the end, especially after the final San Francisco drive stalled deep in Baltimore territory. Fittingly, Ray Lewis goes out with a Super Bowl title after the defense that he led for all of those years had one of the most key goal line stands in history, ultimately clinching the title.

Perhaps the play that impressed me the most was on special teams, when the Baltimore punter, Sam Koch, managed to keep stalling, and kept the play alive for just about eight seconds. Prior to the play, there were only eleven or so seconds left on the clock, and afterwards, there were only four seconds, which ultimately prevented Kaepernick from getting another chance to come in the game. Ironically, the 49ers clinched defeat on a play where they actually scored points. That is part of the strategic element to the game that makes this so interesting, even fascinating. Koch did not have an excellent day punting the ball, but his patience on that heads up play, burning out so much time off the clock, was brilliantly executed by both the Baltimore blockers, as well as by Koch himself. Just what the Ravens needed, and the final play was a mere formality following that.

Joe Flacco looked like one of the elite quarterbacks of all time throughout these playoffs, and in this game, as well. That was particularly true in the first half, where he was cool, calm, and collected, throwing three touchdown passes to put the Ravens up, 21-6. Overall, Flacco was 22 of 33, for 287 yards and three touchdowns. Overall, he matched Joe Montana's postseason record of 12 touchdowns with no interceptions during one playoff season. Very stellar. Not bad at all, and it will surely earn him some financial rewards in the future as a result.

Kaepernick, by contrast, completed 16 of 28 passes, for 302 yards and 1 touchdown. he also threw an interception, the first (and for now, the only) interception ever thrown in the Super Bowl by a 49er quarterback. He also showed strength in his mobility, rushing 7 times for 62 yards and a touchdown. At one point, fairly deep in the game, he was the leading 49ers rusher in the game, although Frank Gore stepped up to make the San Francisco running game.

Although the statistics, as well as the highlight reels, will show that Kaepernick had an excellent game, which in many respects he did, there were nonetheless some costly mistakes that he committed which contributed greatly to the 49ers winding up on the short end of this one. Yes, he threw a bad interception, no question. But he also showed some questionable decision making, such as when he called that timeout in the second half - a timeout that they really could have used later on. He showed some nervousness as well, particularly on the three consecutive passes he threw on the final 49ers possession. I am still wondering who he was throwing it to on the fourth down play, which ended up being the final offensive play for the 49ers this season. Considering it was for the highest stakes possible, I just expected more, ten starts or not. If nothing is there for you, then find something else. Run. Try to do something. it looked an awful lot like he was throwing it away, but that's impossible, right? It's fourth down on your final possession in the Super Bowl, and you're down. Obviously, you're not throwing it away, right? RIGHT?

Yes, he was getting pressured. But I just expected something more out of him, I guess.

Still, give the 49ers credit. They played a very good game, and recovered nicely after being down 22 points in the second half, to make it a very interesting game. They scored 31 points total, which tied them with the 1978 Dallas Cowboys for the most points scored by the losing Super Bowl team. 

Ultimately, either the 49ers were going to walk out of the Superdome in New Orleans with their sixth Vince Lombardi Trophy, or the Baltimore Ravens would walk out of there with their second. As it turned out, the Ravens won the title, and became the twelfth franchise to have won multiple Super Bowls. In the process, they denied the 49ers what would have been a record tying sixth Super Bowl championship, which at least for the time being still belongs solely to the Steelers, bitter division rivals to the Ravens. The Ravens added very nicely to their burgeoning legacy and lore around the league.

That's a good thing for them, too, because they are an older team, and will more in transition than San Francisco. This team will have some question marks, with an aging defense and some key departures (most notably, Ray Lewis). The 49ers will simply reload, and try again next season. It was a tough loss for them, but they very well may be back.

For Baltimore, this further establishes the Ravens as the NFL team for this city. Some people simply refused to warm to them, and felt that the Colts would always be Baltimore's team. But the Colts are in Indianapolis, and have been for over a quarter of a century, now. Time to move on. It helped matters a lot when the Ravens won their first Super Bowl in 2000, and that with a record shattering defense, probably the best ever that the league has ever seen, before or since. But now, this Ravens team has cemented the franchise's status further, by winning it again. 

This time, it was much more unexpected. This also marks the third consecutive season that a team which played in the Wild Card weekend, and had to play at least two of their conference playoff games on the road, wound up winning the Super Bowl. 

In truth, the Ravens have been knocking on the door for a long time. They not only are the only franchise in the NFL to have made it to the playoffs each of the last five seasons, but they are the only franchise to have won at least one playoff game in each of those five seasons. They qualified for the AFC Championship Game three times during that span, and finally won it this time around. This was likely to be the last time they had a chance at a championship with this particular lineup, since they will need to retool a bit in the future. So, they had to make it count.

And make it count they did. 

"Greatest Super Bowl Ever?"

Terrell Suggs suggested that this was the best Super Bowl ever. I don't agree. Too many mistakes, questionable coaching decisions and poor execution at times from both teams. Plus, the end was just weird, rather than majestic. It was, as MVP Joe Flacco called it, "ugly". That's the right word for it. There were some elements of a chess match to it. But that certainly does not mean it was the best Super Bowl ever. Suggs probably thinks so, because he was a played on the winning team, and the 49ers certainly made the Ravens sweat. Suggs even suggests as much. Here's a quote from the Yahoo! article by Martin Rogers:

"It was the greatest [Super Bowl] ever," Suggs told Yahoo! Sports. "It was everything you could ask for. If you are the champion, you're going to think it is the greatest no matter what.

But there were Super Bowls that were better played by both teams, from beginning to end. There were also very memorable Super Bowls with better, far more thrilling endings, and with more beautiful plays that will live on in football eternity. What was this Super Bowl most memorable for? A power dip that lasted thirty five or so minutes. 

Every time we get a decent, competitive Super Bowl, some will suggest that it was the greatest Super Bowl of all time. But they can't all be the best, and to be frank, this one just cannot compete with some of the other, truly great Super Bowls that we have seen in the past.

A good Super Bowl, and one that was amazingly interesting, considering the Ravens held a 28-6 lead in the second half at one point? For sure. The best ever. Not even close. 

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/nfl--greatest-super-bowl-ever--terrell-suggs-thinks-so-063439186.html


Super Bowl Losers

I know that 49ers fans will not want to read this part, but Super Bowl losers have not traditionally fared well after losing the big game. The only two team in my lifetime to have lost a Super Bowl, and then went back to win it relatively shortly thereafter, were the Dallas Cowboys (lost Super Bowl X, won Super Bowl XII two years later), and the Washington Redskins (lost Super Bowl XVIII, won Super Bowl XXII four seasons later - although it should be noted that they had also won Super Bowl XVII the year before they lost Super Bowl XVIII to the Raiders).

Going back earlier in Super Bowl history, there are more examples of teams that did lose the Super Bowl, then came back shortly thereafter to win it. The Kansas City Chiefs lost the first ever Super Bowl, but won Super Bowl IV. The Baltimore Colts lost a devastating Super Bowl, the biggest upset in history, to the Jets. But two seasons later, they beat the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys themselves came back to win the next Super Bowl after their loss to Baltimore. And the team that they beat to do it, the Miami Dolphins, not only overcame that horrible loss to the Cowboys, but they went undefeated to win the next Super Bowl in historic fashion, and it was the first of back-to-back titles for them.

So, it can be done. But it seems very difficult. So difficult, that it really has not been done in a very, very long time.

It's almost surprising, really. You think of some of the excellent teams that recently have lost Super Bowls, and that they never came back to win it again (at least not yet). The New England Patriots, who went undefeated in 2007, only to lose probably the most devastating Super Bowl loss in history. They almost won it last year, but lost another heartbreaker, and to the same team, again. The 2009 Colts, who almost won the Super Bowl. The 2010 Pittsburgh Steelers. All of those teams had won Super Bowls in recent years before that. Yet, the Super Bowl loss proved to be a death sentence to each of those teams, seemingly.

There must be something about coming so close, only to fall short.

But that said, I am not making any predictions that the 49ers won't break out of that funk. You have to go back a while, but as I stated before, there have been teams who lost the Super Bowl, and come back immediately the next season to not only go back to the Super Bowl, but to win it, too. San Francisco is young, and tremendously talented, and there's nothing saying that they cannot bounce back from this to reach the Super Bowl again, and perhaps win it, this time.

Obviously, the 49ers have their work cut out for them. It will be interesting to see whether they can overcome this to win the Super Bowl in the near future.

Time will tell. 

Memorable Super Bowl Moments

So, with the upcoming Super Bowl, the same hopes will be voiced this year as they are every year. Everyone just wants it to be a good game. To have some incredible moments, when you can feel the excitement, the tension. Moments when the game hangs in the balance, and the fate of both teams are about to be determined.

The San Francisco 49ers as a franchise have certainly enjoyed such moments on this stage. I'm specifically referring to Super Bowl XXIII, when the Cincinnati Bengals, who were fairly heavy underdogs, played a spectacular game, and their defense seemed to keep the potent offense of the 49ers in check, more or less. At least, in a "bend but don't break" manner. The Bengals were actually winning that game with less than a minute left, when Cool Joe Montana led his team down the field on an incredible drive, throwing the winning touchdown pass to John Taylor to clinch the come from behind victory in a thrilling manner. Watch the highlights from that game, and there's a good chance that you'll see then Bengals coach Sam Wyche muttering "34 seconds away", describing just how close his team came to pulling off the huge upset against the franchise that would clinch "Team of the Decade" honors with the win. In fact, earlier in the game, cornerback Lewis Billups had dropped a sure interception, but somehow dropped it. On the very next play, Jerry Rice caught a pass and managed to angle his body in such a way as to break the plane of the end zone and score the tying touchdown. When you think about it that way, it's amazing to think of just how critical such moments can be. If that play goes another way and, say, Billups does not drop it, things would surely have been different. Montana surely would be known as a great football team, but would he have been known as the very best? Or would he be remembered more closely like Peyton Manning, an indisputably great quarterback who can make key mistakes at the worst possible times, like he did in this year's playoffs, or like he did in Super Bowl LXIV? Maybe Brett Favre is another such quarterback. Great in the regular season, but he's no Joe Montana, right? But what if Billups made that sure interception? How would history have been different in football?

I tell you something, though. That was indeed a great game, but the other Super Bowls that the 49ers were involved with were not all that great. I mean, let's hope we don't see another game like Super Bowl XIX, when San Francisco beat up on Marino's Dolphins, 38-16. Or how about Super Bowl XXIX, when the 49ers took it to the Chargers, and Steve Young threw for a record six touchdown passes, en route to a 49-26 win over the hopelessly overmatched Chargers? Even worse, let's hope we never see another game like Super Bowl XXIV, when the Broncos were the sacrificial lambs to the slaughter, seemingly looking like semi-pros compared with the 49ers, who scored two touchdowns each quarter en route to a record 55-10 blowout, the most lopsided Super Bowl ever!

Of course, the only time the Ravens were previously in the Super Bowl, that was hardly a thrill, either. Now, I'm a Giants fan, but I'll be the first to admit that they didn't belong on the same field as the Ravens on that day. The G-Men were humiliated and bullied by the record-smashing Baltimore defense, who I believe were the best defensive team ever. They allowed fewer points, and by some margin, than any other team in history during a sixteen game season, and that in an era that favored offenses. Remember, that was the Super Bowl sandwiched by appearances by the Rams, who were the "Greatest Show on Turf". Brian Billick, the Ravens own head coach, actually entered that season with high hopes for the Baltimore offense, since that was his specialty. Just two years prior to that, he had orchestrated the then highest scoring team in history, the Minnesota Vikings, who averaged 38 points per game and went 15-1 (although they choked against the Atlanta Falcons in the NFC Championship Game). There were numerous teams that had strong offenses, and the rules of the game were increasingly favoring offenses, to generate more yards and points, with the thinking being that it would also generate additional interest by the fans. But those Ravens were so physically overwhelming, that they shut down all comers, and specialized in the so-called "finesse offenses". On Super Bowl Sunday, they intercepted Kerry Collins a record five times, and sacked him four times, and roughing  up the entire offense in general. That game had a record 21 punts in all, not exactly the kind of record that the television networks hope for in the big game, you know? But that Baltimore team, boy! What a defense! Best of all time! Even better than the '85 Bears (in terms of defense, although the Bears had a way better offense). The Giants never had a chance.

But don't feel too bad for the Giants. They have enjoyed some huge successes in the biggest game in North America. They famously edged out the Buffalo Bills in that famous "kick heard around the world" that effectively ended Super Bowl XXV, which sailed a few feet wide right, to secure a narrow one point victory for Big Blue. In Super Bowl XLII, it took an enormous defensive effort and a miracle play with Eli Manning breaking out of a sure sack to throw a wobbly looking pass to Dave Tyree, who made a very famous, miracle kind of a catch, one-handed and with the side of his helmet. Probably, one of the greatest catches in NFL history, I would think. And the Giants needed it, to knock off the previously unbeaten Patriots, who many had already claimed as the "greatest team in NFL history". Eli Manning threw the winning touchdown pass to Plaxico Burress in the corner of the end zone, with a little more than half a minute left in the game, to secure a Giants win. It was the second greatest upset win in Super Bowl history, right behind Namath's guarantee that the Jets would beat the powerful Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. And finally, the Giants beat the Patriots again in another thriller last year, in a game that came down to the final play.

The Steelers got a thrilling come from behind victory against the upstart Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII, with Roethlisburger throwing it to the corner of the end zone, and Santana Holmes somehow making an incredible grab with very little time left on the clock, just a little more than half a minute.

There were a lot of thrillers in Super Bowl history. How about the Broncos finally getting over the hurdle and just edging out Favre and the Packers to finally give john Elway his long awaited Super Bowl (although he would get greedy and win another one the next season)? Or who could forget the Titans falling just one yard shy of the tying touchdown in Super Bowl XXXIV, which gave the Rams the victory? Maybe the Patriots handing those same Rams a shocking loss just two years later, in Super Bowl XXXVI?

But I actually think that the best game, from beginning to end, in Super Bowl history is one that is often remembered for something else entirely, that being the infamous "wardrobe malfunction" during the halftime show, when Janet Jackson's nipple was exposed after Justin Timberlake, looking right at it and reaching for it without hesitation, reached over and ripped that part of the outfit off. It's too bad that the game itself was often overshadowed, because that was a classic! It had something for everyone. For almost the entire first half, it was a virtually scoreless, defensive battle. But the two teams exploded with points just before halftime, scoring 24 combined points incredibly quickly, as the Patriots grabbed a 14-10 lead for the first half. Then, the scoreless defensive struggled again, before the most explosive fourth quarter in history, as the two teams went back and forth, with the Patriots striking last to secure an incredibly exciting, breathtaking 32-29 victory over the prohibitive underdogs, the Carolina Panthers. Ultimately, however, both teams put on the best overall performance, which probably makes Super Bowl XXXVIII the best game, one that both teams can be proud of.

There are reasons to hope that this is going to be a competitive game. After all, these two teams seem evenly matched. They are so similar, and they both have a style that would seem to favor a low-scoring affair (although both offenses have shown more than a little explosive potential, at times). I will predict this much: they are both going to be more or less feeling each other out, so to speak. Maybe I am wrong about this, but these two teams seem to thrive on minimizing mistakes, and so, they will both enter the game a little cautiously. If the game opens up, that will probably happen later on. Maybe late in the second quarter, just before the half in an effort to gain some kind of advantage, and almost certainly somewhere in second half, by one or the other of these teams.

But all that said, don't be too surprised if this is not, in fact, that good of a game. The way that these two teams have been playing, if either one gets enough momentum, they both have shown talent enough to have that killer instinct.

Top Ten Greatest Super Bowls Ever



Picture by: www.flickr.com

It's Super Bowl weekend, and so, I will dedicate my posts today and tomorrow to the big game that comes every winter.

As a New Jersey boy, growing up as a Giants fan, I was thrilled when Big Blue won not one, but two Super Bowls. As a fan, that second title was especially sweet, because it came not only against a pretty big favorite, the Buffalo Bills (remember, that was their first Super Bowl, before they had established themselves as the team that can't win the big one, and the Bills entered that Super Bowl looking like the dominant team in the league), but the Giants scraped by and hung on in a game that was, by any measure, one of the most well played games, with a very exciting finish.

When I got the video yearbook some weeks later, having seen the Sports Illustrated commercials with highlights from that video, and urging viewers to subscribe now so you could get the video for free, it boldly suggested that Super Bowl XXV was "the greatest Super Bowl ever".

As much as I wanted to believe this, it seemed a bit premature. Yes, even to a sixteen year old boy.

Since then, of course, a lot of people have largely forgotten it, because their have been some other very exciting Super Bowls since, and a couple that included the Giants. But I still think very highly of it, and not just as a Giants fan, either. That said, I would not rank it as "the greatest", although it would rank very near the top.

Recently, I found out that I actually have some kind of NFL channel, although I am not entirely sure it is the famous NFL network itself. They had a program on that ranked, from their viewpoint, the greatest ever Super Bowls. The top two Super Bowls ever, according to them, were predictable: Super Bowl XLII (Giants vs. Patriots), and Super Bowl XLIII (Steelers vs. Cardinals), which rated number one. I did not agree with this specific order, although I also would place these two as the top two (ironically, they came back-to-back).

Now, they had some choices that I really disagreed with. I mean Super Bowl XXXIV (Rams vs. Titans) did not even make the list, yet Super Bowl XLIV (Saints vs. Colts) did. A Super Bowl that was well-played by both teams and had one of the most exciting ending sever was beaten out by one that, ultimately, was decided by a mistake from one of the greatest quarterbacks to have played the game, Peyton Manning, as he threw to a wide open Saints defender, Tracy Porter, who ran it 74 yards, all the way back for a pick six that iced it for New Orleans. It was not a bad game, but sorry, it should not rank as one of the top ten Super Bowls of all time.

So, here is my list of the best ever Super Bowls, as well as why. For extra added measure, I made a shorter list of the five worst ever Super Bowl, also with descriptions as to why I rank them that ways.

Without further ado, here is the list.

 Top Ten Greatest Super Bowls Ever:

1. Super Bowl XLII - The Giants were the biggest underdog winner in the Super Bowl winner since the Jets in Super Bowl III. New England entered the game undefeated, and many already were hailing them as the greatest team of all time. Indeed, not only had they won every single one of their games to that point, but they had done so with a wider average margin of victory than any other team, scoring more points than any team in NFL history, as well. They were an offensive machine, and Tom Brady had perhaps the best season of any NFL quarterback in history, throwing a record 50 touchdown passes, to only eight interceptions on the year. But the Giants defense gave him a tough time in the regular season finale, a thriller won by the Patriots, 38-35, to clinch the perfect 16-0 season. In the rematch in the Super Bowl, the enormity of the game was clear right from the get go. Either the Patriots would make history by completing their perfect season at 19-0, and effectively clinching that vaunted title as the NFL's "greatest team ever", or the Giants would pull off one of the greatest upsets in history. New York's defense really roughed up Brady and the Pats, and held them to the lowest total points of the season. Yet, New England's defense played extremely well also, and this was a closely fought Super Bowl from beginning to end. The very high stakes made it all the more thrilling, and the fourth quarter was one of the most exciting, if not the most exciting, in Super Bowl history. The miracle play that seemed to clinch it for the Giants was perhaps the greatest and most memorable play in Super Bowl history, and perhaps even NFL history: Eli Manning breaking away from numerous New England defenders, somehow escaping a sure sack, and completing to Dave Tyree, who caught one-handed the most memorable pass he would ever get. The Giants get the victory, 17-14, in a game that will surely be remembered for a very long time. one of the few Super Bowls that actually exceeded expectations and the very lofty billing! It was the very enormity of this game, as well as how thrilling it was, that ranks this as the greatest ever Super Bowl (for me, at least).

2. Super Bowl XLIII - The Cardinals were one of the worst franchises in sports history going into this game, and despite winning the NFC West in a weak year, they were not actually expected to do anything in the playoffs. Yet, they beat Atlanta in the Wildcard, then shocked Carolina in the divisional round, before eking out a win against the Philadelphia Eagles. But the Steelers were expected to make short work of them, having won the Super Bowl three seasons earlier, and seeming to be far better, and with superior experience to boot. Most of the game, this is exactly what seemed to be happening, to boot. Then, in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals mounted a furious comeback rally, taking the lead late in the fourth, and were on the verge of their first ever Super Bowl title, which would have been a huge upset. But Pittsburgh, which had been thorough (but not spectacular) to that point, drove down the field, and Roethlisberger took a shot at the end zone, rather than settling for a field goal that would have tied it. It was a brilliant touchdown catch by Santonio Holmes, and gave the Steelers their record sixth Super Bowl championship in thrilling, come from behind fashion, 27-23!

3. Super Bowl XXV - This was the first ever postseason game without a turnover. Both teams played extremely well, and underscored why exactly they were in the Super Bowl to begin with. Parcells, the Giants head coach, came up with an effective strategy to slow the very potent, and peaking, Bills offense, by essentially icing them keeping them off the field, as the Giants offense controlled the ball, and the clock, for a record amount of time and an obviously lopsided time of possession advantage of over 2 to 1. Still, so good were the Bills, that they very well came close to winning, anyway. No major mistakes by either team, and both teams showed some of their best football, in a game filled with highlight reels by both teams. An extremely well-played, championship level game by both teams, and it came down to the final seconds of the fourth quarter. Scott Norwood's 47-yard attempt sailed wide right (barely), securing the victory for the Giants, and handed the Bills the toughest Super Bowl loss to that point in history (topped since by the Patriots loss in Super Bowl XLII, I think). Hard to top Super Bowl XXV, although perhaps the Giants themselves did (as did the Steelers), in future Super Bowls.

4. Super Bowl XXXVIII - Perhaps the best played game by both teams in Super Bowl history. This one had a little bit of everything. It was a scoreless, defensive struggle through most of the first half, and then both teams exploded for points just before the half, in a thrilling way. Then, the tough, defensive battle resumed, before one of the most exciting fourth quarters ever, in any game that I have watched. Very well played by both teams, and this one came down to the final seconds, with New England securing it on a field goal by Adam Vinatieri, for the second time in three seasons. Truly, a great and memorable Super Bowl!

5. Super Bowl XXIII - This was the first ever Super Bowl to offer a truly thrilling finish to a well-played game by both teams. The upstart Cincinnati Bengals seemed to be outplaying San Francisco for most of the game, up until the late fourth quarter, as they hoped to cling to their narrow 16-13 lead. But then came cool Joe Montana, leading his team down the field to victory. Jerry Rice had continually burned the Bengals, but their focus on him probably left John Taylor alone too much, and he caught the winning touchdown pass by Montana in the end zone to clinch the 20-16, come from behind win for the 49ers, who also clinched "Team of the Decade" honors with this thrilling victory!

6. Super Bowl XXXIV - The Rams and Titans played a game that was mostly interesting in the fourth quarter. But what a fourth quarter it was! Up to that point, it was not that exciting. The Rams had moved the ball up and down the field, yet this did not translate to many points, as they kept having to settle for field goals. The Titans defense really played well, and kept Tennessee in the game. When the Titans finally came alive on offense deep in the second half, they mounted a furious comeback, managing to overcome a 16-0 deficit to tie it late in the fourth. But the potent Rams offense managed to get a quick strike touchdown, as Kurt Warner, NFL and Super Bowl MVP that season, found Isaac Bruce in a deep pass that gave the Rams a 23-16 lead with very little time remaining. Still, the Titans, behind quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George, moved the ball back down the field, and were in scoring position. They fell short, famously, by one yard, on the game's final play, which had everybody on their feet and gasping. A very exciting play, and a Super Bowl where both teams showcased their talents. This one is underrated!

7. Super Bowl XXXII - One of the best matchups of great quarterbacks ever, as Brett Favre and John Elway led their respective teams on the sunny field in San Diego, in what ended up as a classic! What made this more thrilling was that it did not follow the script. The NFC had a thirteen game winning steak in Super Bowls, but the AFC champs, who were best known for always losing their Super Bowls, managed to pull off a win and snap the dreadful AFC losing streak against the defending champion Packers. Despite this being Elway's first Super Bowl win, the Broncos actually did not really need him so much, as MVP Terrell Davis and the Denver offensive line controlled the seemingly powerful Packer defense, which was overmatched on this day. A thrilling Super Bowl from beginning to end, that went down to the final minutes of the final quarter. It is often overlooked now, but right after this one ended, everyone was claiming this to be the best Super Bowl ever. Denver wins, 31-24.

8. Super Bowl III - Not a close game, I know. But let us not forget that this was the one that made the Super Bowl what it is. A huge upset by the upstart Jets, the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, established the AFL (soon to be the AFC following the 1970 merger) as legitimate. In truth, the Chiefs would win the following Super Bowl in much more convincing, dominating fashion, and it felt like less of a fluke than the Jets Super Bowl III win. Still, the Jets were the first team to do it, and it proved such a huge upset, that it is remembered even to the present day. Not the most thrilling game in terms of competitiveness or last minute thrills, but it was huge for every other reason, and really made the Super Bowl something that everyone wanted to watch.

9. Super Bowl XIII - The first truly exciting Super Bowl featured the first ever rematch in Super Bowl history, and established the Steelers-Cowboys rivalry as one of the greatest in NFL history! It went back and forth throughout the first half, but a missed catch in the end zone by Jackie Smith of the Dallas Cowboys proved very costly. The Steelers took full advantage, and asserted themselves, seemingly clinching it, as they took a 35-17 lead. Most of the press assumed Pittsburgh had already won it. Yet, the Cowboys mounted a surprising comeback, and seemed to make this a more exciting game than most expected. The Steelers ultimately won, 35-31, and clinched "Team of the Decade" honors. Still, the dropped touchdown pass by Jackie Smith would have given the Cowboys those four points, and this might have been a different game entirely, leaving Dallas fans to wonder what might have been.

10. Super Bowl XXXVI - The Patriots and Rams actually played a couple of months before, in a game that I attended, up in Foxboro. The Patriots were expected to lose, and did. The St. Louis Rams were the "greatest show on turf", after all. So, it was not surprising that they were heavy favorites when these two teams hooked up for the Super Bowl. Their offense was a well-oiled machine, and they were expected to make short work of the upstart Patriots. Yet, New England's defense frustrated the Rams all day, and entering the final period, the potent St. Louis offense, already hailed as possibly the greatest ever to that point, had a whopping three points total. But the Rams came alive, and mounted a huge comeback, scoring two quick touchdowns to tie it at 17-17. Belichick and Brady went for the win with very little time left, rather than running out the clock and heading for overtime. Good thing for them that they did not play it safe, as they got into field goal range. Vinatieri's kick sailed through the uprights on the final play of the game, and New England got their first ever Super Bowl victory, 20-17, the first title of the three that they would get in a four season span. It was the biggest upset up to that point since the Jets win in Super Bowl III!

Worst Super Bowls Ever:

1. Super Bowl XL - The Pittsburgh Steelers had an incredible run to the championship in the 2005-06 playoffs. Too bad they played so uninspired in the Super Bowl. Yet, they still won, because Seattle played even worse. This Super Bowl was dull, devoid of any real feeling of intensity or excitement, from a fan's perspective. Mistakes, such as dropped passes and missed opportunities, filled this game up, and made it a snoozer by both teams. Poorly played and without much drama means this was the worst Super Bowl ever, in my opinion.

2. Super Bowl XXIV - Seriously, this one followed the script a little too closely. The 49ers were at the height of their powers, defending champs, and 3-0 overall in Super Bowls entering the game. The Denver Broncos were AFC Champs for the third time in four years, playing well enough to win to that point, but not convincing anyone that they were ready for the 49ers. The big game confirmed all of the worst suspicions, and was over early. Any last remaining bit of drama was over late in the second quarter, when Denver, trailing 20-3, allowed yet another touchdown, and retreated to the locker room down 27-3. Final score, 55-10. Boring.

3. Super Bowl XX - Much like the 1989 49ers, the 1985 Bears, usually considered the greatest team ever by experts, were expected to make short work of the upstart Patriots. Much like the 1989 49ers, they followed through on those expectations, and then some, in a game that was over well before halftime. New England was completely overmatched and dominated, generating very little excitement, as the Bears took care of business in every facet of the game. The only time the game was really ever in doubt (and it was brief) came in the opening minutes, when Chicago turned the ball over deep in their own territory. The Patriots could not move the bal, but were so close, they got the field goal for an early lead - the only lead they would see all day. And they were extremely lucky to have gotten that much! The 1985 Bears were indeed the greatest team ever, by my estimation, but it certainly did not make for a riveting Super Bowl. They won, 46-10, but had clinched the win well before halftime, for all intents and purposes.

4. Super Bowl XXXV - The 2000 Baltimore Ravens probably had the greatest defense in history, and that during an age when the league (and their rules) favored offenses. Baltimore's defense, I think, overtook the '85 Bears as the greatest ever, although their offense was not nearly as good as those Bears. Baltimore completely shut down opponents that season, and that included the New York Giants, who became only the second team in Super Bowl history to have been shut out offensively (their lone touchdown came on special teams). Baltimore's offense was not spectacular, yet they won the battle sufficiently against the New York defense, and this game was never really in doubt. I am a Giants fan, but they did not belong on the same team as the Ravens on that day. Baltimore wins, 34-7.

5. Super Bowl XXVII - The Buffalo Bills had lost the previous two Super Bowls, while the Cowboys were a young tam clearly on the rise. The question was whether Buffalo could utilize their superior experience, and perhaps capitalize on the possible nervousness some expected on the part of the Dallas Cowboys. The answer was no. Buffalo did take an early lead off of a huge Dallas mistake, to go up early, 7-0. But the Cowboys came back, scoring two touchdowns in mere seconds, to take a 14-7 lead. Later in the half, with Dallas leading 14-10, they scored two touchdowns within seconds of each other again, to expand the lead to 28-10 entering the half. The second half was more of the same, as the Cowboys capitalized on a record nine turnover by the Bills, for an easy 52-17 win, and handing Buffalo their third straight defeat. The following year, they would make it four in a row, as the two teams had a rematch (surprisingly, the only time in Super Bowl history that the same two teams made it in back-to-back seasons) that nobody wanted to see.

Another Mild Winter?

Well, it's February now. The shortest month of the year. Also, often, the coldest month of the year.

Yet, so far, the weather has been quite moderate. This has hardly been the most severe winter in terms of winter storms thus far. At least, that is, in New Jersey.

In fact, it's been downright mild. Two days ago, it was in the mid-fifties, on a day that felt more like early spring, than mid-winter. It was comfortable to go out in jeans and a light shirt. I remember several days like that last winter, as well.

That's right. Mid-winter. We are halfway through the official winter season, but really, I think, we are almost done with it. Isn't tomorrow Groundhog Day?

Isn't tomorrow Groundhog Day?

Just kidding. Couldn't resist.

In any case, unless things change in a hurry, this winter looks like it will rank among the mildest winters that we have had, which would mean that we have had two of the mildest winters ever recorded, back to back.

Again, however, it should be noted that this is February, and things can change in a hurry. I mean, again, two days ago, it felt downright warm. Even yesterday, dreary as the weather looked aesthetically, and with the strong winds early on that accompanied the ominous sky, the actual temperatures were quite mild.

But then last night, by comparison, it felt very cold. The wind picked up, and the temperatures plummeted. I began to regret not having taken the jacket, having grown a little too accustomed to the milder weather.

By nightfall, it was downright cold. Even with a heavy winter jacket on, my walk from the parking deck to my building at work, a walk of maybe five miles) felt like a walk through the bitter cold. Indeed, it was cold, but it's February, after all. You have to expect that. Cold, and what made last night feel all the worse was that it was windy and blustery.

That was the clincher.

Still, the calendar does not lie. The first month of this new year is under wraps. History. A full month of 2013 is done, and now, we are into the shortest month of the year. Four weeks from now, we will enter another month, and winter will really be just about ending, with spring right around the corner.

Not much longer to go.

A lot of people enjoy these mild winters. But my girlfriend was expressing just how unnatural the warmer winter(s) are, and it's hard not to agree. I don't remember anything like this when I was a young kid. Winter was cold, snowy, icy. That was all there was to it.

Given the severity of recent storms, particularly Hurricane Sandy, and given the new Dust Bowl and the excess of insects (particularly in parts of Texas, as I understand it), you really have to wonder about these mild winters. Sure, a lot of people seem to enjoy them. Just go to a park on one of these mild winter days to see just how much people like it, and I can't say that I blame them.

But are these mild winters actually a good sign? Or should they serve as an ominous sign, foretelling nasty storms (like Sandy) in the future, perhaps the near future. Because some of the storms that we in the greater New York/New Jersey area in particular have seen have been in recent years, as well, and those, like the mild winters, seem to be the new normal. Perhaps, since mild winter days seem like such a pleasant surprise, and we are understandably prone towards enjoying and taking advantage of them, we are indeed missing the more ominous signs that they represent: an unnatural new reality that we should not necessarily embrace so easily.