SUPER BOWL
I was working during the Super Bowl, quickly putting together the coverage The Daily Progress was going to have for it while also fitting in action from the UVa men's and women's basketball teams in addition to a few other things. It was tough, but I got to watch some of the game on a computer at work on cbs.com. It seemed like a busier Super Bowl Sunday sports-wise than normal. The sports front I did is off to the side of this post. Here a few of my thoughts following the game, in no particular order. Might have more after I finish watching my recording of the game (including commercials).
Headline possibilities were numerous. Last year, my colleagues and I in Lynchburg went with "Deja Blue" for the Giants beating the Patriots yet again in the big game. This year, we started bouncing lots of ideas around during halftime. Some of the possibilities included "EnBoldined Ravens" (a play off Ravens WR Anquan Boldin, "Ray-vens win" (a play off of Ray Lewis, got this idea from a friend and I used a version of it inside for a sidebar on Lewis), "Overpowered" (reference to blackout, could have been used for Ravens blowout win, "Power outrage" (if 49ers had come back to win, the outage obviously would have been the huge turning point people would have pointed to after the game), "Keeping up with Jones" (Ravens return man Jacoby Jones had a 108-yard kickoff return for a TD and caught a pass for a TD), and "Brotherly Shove" (obviously a reference to the Harbaugh brothers playing against each other). The one we went with, though, is a nod to a song by halftime performer Beyonce.
The power outage was embarrassing. Now the conspiracy theories are flying. The NFL wanted to stop the Ravens' momentum in an effort to make the game close. What?! That might be a little far-fetched, but it was a bad situation nevertheless. By all accounts, it sounds like New Orleans did a nice job of hosting the Super Bowl and the city was as fun as ever but the lights going out is something they will have to answer for. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it won't the city's chances of hosting the Super Bowl again but I don't know if I buy that.
Back-handed compliment? Big brother John Harbaugh said following the game that meeting his brother at midfield following the game was one of the hardest things he's ever had to do. Really? John must not have had many problems in his life. He also said Jim was the best coach in America or NFL, etc. But John, you just beat him so what does that make you? You know he's got to secretly enjoy having this over Jim's head right now, especially being the bigger brother. Wouldn't surprise me to see these coaches get their teams to the Super Bowl again and maybe even play each other again.
Can we stop the talk about Joe Flacco being elite? He is a very good QB who now has won a Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP. Will he ever carry a team like Tom Brady or be considered an all-time great like Peyton Manning? No, probably not, but the guy gets it done and is maybe the best playoff QB out there in the league right now.
It is fun to watch Ray Lewis play the game. No matter what you think of the guy as a person, he is an all-time great and plays with incredible passion and is one of the best motivators of all-time, too. You can buy or not buy all that he sells, but the Ravens bought in and rallied around him once he announced his retirement. I heard on the radio that he knew at the beginning of the year that he was going to retire. Interesting move by him to announce his intentions near the end of the regular season when Baltimore was struggling. I have to think he did it somewhat on purpose to give them a boost heading into the postseason,
Pass interference could have been called on the 49ers' last offensive play. But it could have also not been called, and that's what happened. Hard for the refs to make such a huge call late in the game and it wasn't blatant. I did see Michael Crabtree's jersey getting tugged, but he initiated contact and had his hands on Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith, too.
Colin Kaepernick seemed indecisive. This kid is a freak athlete who took the league by storm, and quickly. But I think people were expecting a little too much out of him. He only started beginning during the middle of the year. He had some deer-in-the-headlights looks during the game and that is understandable. He is still very inexperienced but he will only get better. His running ability coupled with decent passing skills that are improving make him one of the most dangerous QBs in the league.
I was working during the Super Bowl, quickly putting together the coverage The Daily Progress was going to have for it while also fitting in action from the UVa men's and women's basketball teams in addition to a few other things. It was tough, but I got to watch some of the game on a computer at work on cbs.com. It seemed like a busier Super Bowl Sunday sports-wise than normal. The sports front I did is off to the side of this post. Here a few of my thoughts following the game, in no particular order. Might have more after I finish watching my recording of the game (including commercials).Headline possibilities were numerous. Last year, my colleagues and I in Lynchburg went with "Deja Blue" for the Giants beating the Patriots yet again in the big game. This year, we started bouncing lots of ideas around during halftime. Some of the possibilities included "EnBoldined Ravens" (a play off Ravens WR Anquan Boldin, "Ray-vens win" (a play off of Ray Lewis, got this idea from a friend and I used a version of it inside for a sidebar on Lewis), "Overpowered" (reference to blackout, could have been used for Ravens blowout win, "Power outrage" (if 49ers had come back to win, the outage obviously would have been the huge turning point people would have pointed to after the game), "Keeping up with Jones" (Ravens return man Jacoby Jones had a 108-yard kickoff return for a TD and caught a pass for a TD), and "Brotherly Shove" (obviously a reference to the Harbaugh brothers playing against each other). The one we went with, though, is a nod to a song by halftime performer Beyonce.
The power outage was embarrassing. Now the conspiracy theories are flying. The NFL wanted to stop the Ravens' momentum in an effort to make the game close. What?! That might be a little far-fetched, but it was a bad situation nevertheless. By all accounts, it sounds like New Orleans did a nice job of hosting the Super Bowl and the city was as fun as ever but the lights going out is something they will have to answer for. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it won't the city's chances of hosting the Super Bowl again but I don't know if I buy that.
Back-handed compliment? Big brother John Harbaugh said following the game that meeting his brother at midfield following the game was one of the hardest things he's ever had to do. Really? John must not have had many problems in his life. He also said Jim was the best coach in America or NFL, etc. But John, you just beat him so what does that make you? You know he's got to secretly enjoy having this over Jim's head right now, especially being the bigger brother. Wouldn't surprise me to see these coaches get their teams to the Super Bowl again and maybe even play each other again.
Can we stop the talk about Joe Flacco being elite? He is a very good QB who now has won a Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP. Will he ever carry a team like Tom Brady or be considered an all-time great like Peyton Manning? No, probably not, but the guy gets it done and is maybe the best playoff QB out there in the league right now.
It is fun to watch Ray Lewis play the game. No matter what you think of the guy as a person, he is an all-time great and plays with incredible passion and is one of the best motivators of all-time, too. You can buy or not buy all that he sells, but the Ravens bought in and rallied around him once he announced his retirement. I heard on the radio that he knew at the beginning of the year that he was going to retire. Interesting move by him to announce his intentions near the end of the regular season when Baltimore was struggling. I have to think he did it somewhat on purpose to give them a boost heading into the postseason,
Pass interference could have been called on the 49ers' last offensive play. But it could have also not been called, and that's what happened. Hard for the refs to make such a huge call late in the game and it wasn't blatant. I did see Michael Crabtree's jersey getting tugged, but he initiated contact and had his hands on Ravens cornerback Jimmy Smith, too.
Colin Kaepernick seemed indecisive. This kid is a freak athlete who took the league by storm, and quickly. But I think people were expecting a little too much out of him. He only started beginning during the middle of the year. He had some deer-in-the-headlights looks during the game and that is understandable. He is still very inexperienced but he will only get better. His running ability coupled with decent passing skills that are improving make him one of the most dangerous QBs in the league.
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