Don’s Super Bowl Pick

Published by bryan | Filed under journal entries

January 31st.

My friend Kaitie and I went to the Seahawks/Giants game this year at Qwest Field in Seattle. Until that game, Seattle had not been truly tested, and while their record was already 9 and 2, nobody really knew if they were a playoff football team. Seattle won that game, but only after Jeff Feely, New Yorks normally unshakable kicker, missed a couple field goals in overtime. It was a terrific game, and even though Kaitie didnt know the difference between a punt return and an interception, both of us were more or less riveted. Okay, I was riveted. But I remember leaving the stadium wondering, still, if Seattle had an exceptional football team. They had won against New York because of New Yorks’ fifty-seven false-start penalties (a tribute to the twelth man) and those two missed field goals by Feely (one, I believe, was from 52 yards out, so that hardly counts as a miss) and so the game was no sign of a great football team. Not that they weren’t, but who knew. The next week against Philadelphia, Seattle killed the Eagles, but the eagles were missing several key players, including McNabb. Washington gave them a test, but one Seattle barely passed, and then Holmgren didnt play Alexander or Hasslebeck enough to tell anything against Green Bay. It wasnt until the Carolina game in the playoffs that we got a good look at what might be the real Seattle Seahawks: an exceptional football team. They killed a very good Carolina team, and to some degree, showed the rest of the country that their 10-0 record at home was no fluke. The Seahawks are the real thing.

So what about the Superbowl? Who is going to win? My heart, of course, wants Seattle, and I think they can do it. I love that the media and Vegas want Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is exciting and a little bit nasty. The Seahawks are humble, polite, in touch with reality and pretty much your average assemblage of choir boys. But their good. Very good. So, all that to say, here’s my pick. And the first part is a bit of a split, then I will “take a stand.”

Part one: If Pittsburgh scores twice, one of which is a touchdown, they should go on to win the game. I dont know if Seattle has the poise to stay in a game if they are shaken up front. Not to mention they wont be playing in front of that Qwest Field crowd that tends to push them across the goal line like Reggie Bush pushed Matt Lienart against Notre Dame.

Part two: But, if Seattle scores first, and keeps the game close, I think they will take the game. Hasslebeck is an underrated quarterback and while the Steelers are not going to stop fighting, they may not have the weapons to defeat Seattle. If both teams have their best day, Seattle wins this game. Roth doesnt have that humility that speaks of true confidence and I think he is going to make some mistakes.

The Coin Flip Goes to: So, my pick: Seattle by ten.

Kaities pick: (She thought the Superbowl was two weeks ago when the hawks played Carolina.) Yankees by four.