1 February 2009
Tonight, the Pittsburgh Steelers (12-4) and Arizona Cardinals (9-7) will face off to decide who's the champion of the National Football League for the 2008 season. I haven't been able to follow the playoffs or the regular season too carefully since my stay in England began before the season did. But, I am still pretty excited for tonight. After the Green Bay Packers, the Steelers are my favorite team in the NFL: the Rooneys run a classy organisation that for the last 30 years has been the definition of success, picking capable men like Chuck Noll, Bill Cowher, and Mike Tomlin to run their team and drafting highly talented athletes who, generally, display a sportsmanlike attitude that's lacking in many franchises (see 2008 Dallas Cowboys). You can't argue really with how the Steelers play the game. They gain yards and control the clock with their running game, make plays in their passing game, and play with ferocity on defense. I should also mention that I am a tremendous fan of Ben Roethlisberger, whether he rides his motorcycle with a helmet or without. He's a tough player and a throwback to a different time in the NFL's history when quarterbacks weren't always pretty, but they won ball games.
Now this is not to say that I have no respect for the Cardinals. Far from it. Ken Whisenhunt and his staff have really done a good job in teaching folks out in the desert what it means to win. Four years ago, I remember writing on a different blog that the Cardinals couldn't run the ball because their linemen were too fat and slow and couldn't play defense worth a darn because they didn't the playmakers. That's not too true anymore. They've played well when they have had to, and I don't think you can presently argue that Arizona doesn't belong here. Of course, that hasn't kept me or others from saying that the prospect of the Cardinals winning a Super Bowl may be a harbinger of the End of Days. However, I look forward hopefully to seeing Larry Fitzgerald, Darnell Dockett, Adrian Wilson, and the other Cardinals back in the playoffs in the future. After all, before the Steelers beat the Minnesota Vikings in Super Bowl IX, they had a history of bad luck and poor play that surpassed that of the Cardinals who then had, at least, a championship or two (1924 and 1948) to their name.
Rudy's planned for a party at his house to celebrate the occasion. We're going to watch a film at 8.30 after which we'll be breaking out the brewskis, nachos, hot wings, and other Super Bowl-appropriate goodies. Everyone on our program should be there, so it'll be a great opportunity to chat about what's been going on, exchange a handful of friendly insults, and share a few hearty laughs. Anyway, I thought that you'd all might find that of interest. I'll be updating you all on our trip to London and how things turn out later tonight. Hope everything's going well with all of you, and oh yeah! GO STEELERS!!
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