There isn't a covert formula. A mysterious benchmark has not been licensed by the NFL. As far as I know, there isn't a classified criterion by which all other Super Bowls are measured.
But, what if there was? What if you were able to create the ultimate recipe for the greatest Super Bowl every played on the planet. What would be your ingredients?
Here are mine:
1. Two 5-star quarterbacks -- In SB I, you had Bart Starr and Len Dawson. SB III featured Namath and Unitas. SB's X and XIII showcased Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach. SB XIX had Montana and Marino. SB XXI was led by Phil Simms and John Elway. SB XXIV was highlighted by Elway and Montana. In SB XXXII, you had one for the ages between Favre and Elway. Despite the scores, these battles were epic.
2. Two brilliant head coaches -- Stram and Lombardi (I). Landry and Shula (VI). Landry and Noll (X and XIII). Shula and Gibbs (XVII). Shula and Walsh (XIX). Dan Reeves and Bill Parcells (XXI). Gibbs and Reeves (XXII). Walsh and Reeves (XXIV). Parcells and Mike Holmgren (XXXI). Mike Shanahan and Holmgren (XXXII). Shanahan and Reeves (XXXIII). Bill Belichick and Dick Vermeil (XXXVI). Belichick and Tom Coughlin (XLII). Sideline chess matches are vital.
3. Balance -- There's nothing like two teams entering this Holy Grail of championship games each riding a tidal wave of momentum while hitting on all cylinders on both sides of the ball. Typically, these battles are back and forth and their fates decided in the closing seconds. SB X & XIII (Cowboys/Steelers). SB XXIII (49ers/Bengals). SB XXV (Giants/Bills). SB XXXIV (Rams/Titans). SB XXXVIII (Patriots/Panthers). And, who can forget last year's SB XLII between the undefeated Patriots and a very annointed Giants team. These games left you breathless and exhilarated no matter who you were pulling for.
4. The Cinderella Factor -- One of the greatest elements that you can mix in to a Super Bowl is a team that defies logic by overcoming incredible odds by playing on the last Sunday of the season...and winning. Last year's SB XLII featured these pesky Giants who would simply not go away and ended up shocking the world by defeating the 18-0 Patriots. Other heavy underdogs to win were in SB XL (Steelers over Seahawks), SB XXXII (Broncos over Packers), SB XXV (Giants over Bills), SB XVIII (Raiders over Redskins), and of course, SB III (Jets over Colts).
5. Hall of Fame Broadcasters - Being guided through a Super Bowl by a high-caliber play-by-play announcer and color analyst is the perfect seasoning. There have been some great ones during Super Bowl history: Curt Gowdy, Pat Summerall, Dick Enberg, Frank Gifford, Al Michaels, Jim Nantz, John Madden, Merlin Olsen, and Tom Brookshier. These are all great men to put in the booth, but my personal favorite would be Enberg/Madden.
6. Halftime entertainment - In the very beginning, halftime shows were high school or college marching bands. There was also some choirs sprinkled in there. Then, you saw the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Chubby Checker and Smokey Robinson. The shows grew and you started seeing sensations like Aerosmith, Michael Jackson, Gloria Estefan, Stevie Wonder, and Phil Collins. There were also those who made you reach for the Pepto Bismol: Britney Spears, New Kids on the Block, and then the whole Janet/Timberlake strip tease. There have been some heavyweights in U2, Paul McCartney, Rolling Stones, Sting, and Tom Petty. Why Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson were never invited is one of life's mysteries.
In Super Bowl XLIII (NBC, 6pm EST), the Arizona Cardinals take on the Pittsburgh Steelers in Tampa, FL. Each team is led by unshakable quarterbacks in Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger who have each won a Super Bowl and have hearts bigger than the stadium. Ken Whisenhunt and Mike Tomlin are each in only their second year of being a head coach, but they have the charisma, fire, and smarts to become legends.
Both teams exhibit the balance that you want to see. Arizona's defense struggled during the regular season, but turned over a new leaf when it entered the playoffs. They dismantled a Falcons, Panthers, and Eagles offense accumulating 13 turnovers in those three games. Pittsburgh should not take them lightly. On offense, they are lethal. Their running attack is swelling and, thanks to Warner and the freakish Larry Fitzgerald, the passing attack is explosive. This could be the difference vs. a sub-par Steelers secondary.
Pittsburgh is ridiculous on defense. S Troy Polamalu and LB James Harrison lead a unit that is fearless and terrorizing vs. the run; they feast on offensive lines. Matching up against this Cardinals offense will be fun to watch. On offense, the Steelers aren't super flashy, but they have the play makers to get the job done. Big Ben is solid and has the weapons to move the ball down the field especially in crunch time. The key for them is to hold off the pass rush and keep Roethlisberger upright and not turn the ball over.
Arizona is not supposed to be here. They are the #4 seed, but...they are the Arizona Cardinals. They are the same team who has wondered in the desert aimlessly for five decades; the Lombardi Trophy was a mirage. Now, they are here facing a Steelers team who are in familiar territory looking to win their sixth world championship in seven attempts.
This game is being called by Al Michaels and John Madden who will go down as one of the best broadcasting tandems of all time. The halftime show is none other than The Boss himself. Bruce Springsteen has promised an electrifying performance.
I don't know about you, but I think this game has all the elements to rank among the greatest battles ever to decide who is the champion of the world.
MY PICK - ARIZONA
No comments:
Post a Comment