Super Bowl Pick

Editors note: this is republication of an post previous published on a now defunct site.

I'm still not in tune with the Super Bowl in February, but since Tags says its so. It will be so. I'm really ambivalent about the game, I have no beef with the Seahawks, but like most of the country no little about them. I detest the Steelers and their braying noisy fans. So my bias is very clear. But as a writer that wants to give a balanced view lets take a look at the biggest game of the year. After some fast facts
The First Super Bowl was not a sellout. Played in the mammoth LA Coliseum only 61,946 saw the Packers thump the Chiefs.
Super Bowl I was televised on two networks. Under an agreement AFL network NBC and NFL Network CBS shared in the broadcast for the first game.
The Super Bowl wasn't even called the Super Bowl for the first four years. It was called the AFL-NFL Championship Game. AFL Founder and President Lamar Hunt (Who still owns the Chiefs) called it the "Super Bowl" as a working title until the leagues could think of something more regal and then NFL Commish Pete Rozelle hated the name. 40 years later no one has come up with a better title. The NFL came up with the roman numerals in 1970 and backdated the first four games.
There has never been an overtime in the Super Bowl
Chuck Howley of the Cowboys from Super Bowl V is the only player from a losing squad to win MVP
There have been three super bowls won with last second FG's and only one won with a last minute TD
If you bet on an MVP bet on a QB being the MVP as 20 of the 39 SB MVP's have went to QB's
The ticket for the first Super Bowl was $12, face value of this year is $700

Super Bowl XL Ford Field, Detroit Michigan
Seattle Seahawks vs Pittsburgh Steelers Sun. Feb 5th 6:30 ABC

Tale Of The Tape
Seattle Seahawks NFC Champions (16-2 overall)
How the Seahawks got to Detroit 13-3 NFC West Champions #1 Seed earned first round bye Defeated NFC Wild Card Washington 20-10 in Divisional Round
Defeated NFC Wild Card Carolina 34-14 in NFC Championship
1st Super Bowl in team history
Coach: Mike Holmgren 7th year in Seattle 63-49 regular season, 2-3 in playoffs 14 years overall with Green Bay & Seattle 138-86 regular season, 11-8 in playoffs 1-1 in Super Bowl (Won XXXI, lost XXXII)

Pittsburgh Steelers AFC Champions (14-5 overall)
How the Steelers got to Detroit 11-5 AFC Wild Card Qualifier #6 seed
Defeated AFC North Champion Cincinnati 31-17 in Wild Card Round
Defeated AFC South Champion Indianapolis 21-18 in Divisional Round
Defeated AFC West Champion Denver 34-17 in AFC Championship
Sixth Super Bowl in team History (won IX, X, XII, XIII, lost XXX) Coach Bill Cowher 14 years all with Pittsburgh 141-82-1 overall 11-9 in playoffs

When The Steelers have the Ball
Offense The Steelers are built around their punishing running game with the redoubtable Jerome Bettis grinding the short yards and "Fast" Willie Parker as the home run threat. The Steelers can throw as the Broncos can painfully attest to, Ben Roethlisberger can put a nice touch on any pass and has been rock solid. His throws to sure handed Hines Ward and rookie tight end Heath Miller have made him looked sharp.
Defense The Seahawks have as big a no-name defense as one could imagine, rookie Lofa Tatupu is an undersized lineman with an oversized engine and hitting power to match. Ballhawking corner Andre Dyson has teamed with Michael Boulware a former LB to give the Seahawks a nice combo in the secondary Advantage-Pittsburgh. The Steelers will try to wear out the rookies by going right at them. If the running game works early look for Roethlisberger to use play action to his advantage. It will be interesting to see the matchup between Ward and Marcos Trufant
Advantage-Pittsburgh. The Steelers offense has grind it out potential

When The Seahawks have the ball
Offense MVP Shaun Alexander is the foundation of this team. He doesn't look the part, but he's fairly durable and gets stronger as the game goes on. Matt Hasselback is a bit mouthy, but has toned it down somewhat and has blossomed into a dependable leader for the Seahawks. Bobby Engram and Joe Jurevicius are a solid if unspectacular 1-2 punch that can stretch the field somewhat. The Seahawks line is getting zero credit for keeping Hasselbeck upright and Alexander rolling. OL Walter Jones and Steve Hutchinson are lunchbucket types that open holes for Alexander who may take advantage of the Steelers tendency to overpursue in search of a big hit to get strong cutback lanes. and FB Mack Strong is a bulldog blocker who can break a run off when needed.
Defense The Steelers have plenty of big names with the locaqauious Joey Porter teaming with Clark Hagans to be a disruptive force in the linebacking corps and Troy Polamalu lurking about in the secondary ready to pick off any errant throws and some that are on target as well. Advantage-Seattle The Steelers have yet to face a runner who can punish them the way they are used to their offense punishing other defenses.

Coaching Both Holmgren and Cowher have won the big games before, though Holmgren does have a ring. Both have capable assistants that gameplan great for them. I still think Dick LeBeau ordered the cheapshot on Palmer as the ultimate revenge on the team that fired him, but both teams have strong coaching tandems. Advantage-Push

Special Teams Both teams have solid kicking games though Jeff Reed has a rep for being inconsistent. It will be interesting to see if either he or his Seahawks counterpart Josh Brown will get the yips in pressure situations.
Advantage-Push

Bottom Line Ignore the braying you hear from the media wonks like Skip Bayless and Tony Kornhesier who whine that this is a boring matchup and the Seahawks lack star power. Yes, the Steelers are on a roll and have played over their heads in three improbable road wins, but each of those wins have an if factor. If Kimo Von Awfulhoffen doesn't divebomb on Carson Palmer's knee the Bengals hold their heads high and aren't scurred of the Steelers and knock them off in the wild card round. If Nick Harper cuts to the sideline. Ben Rothelisberger is laying on his back listening to 60,000 Colts fans thundering as Harper roars into the end zone and all Vanderchoke has to miss is the extra point. If Champ Bailey holds on to in ill-timed swing pass by Roethlisberger and takes it the other way for six, the Bronco-Maniacs thunder the Steelers into oblivion. If, if, if. I know. But the fact is that the Steelers are running low on the lucky breaks and despite what the so-called experts tell you they are not the Super team that they want you think they are. They can and will be beat. Shaun Alexander is a difference maker, and as long as Matt Hasselbeck doesn't try to get to cute the Seahawks will frustrate the Steelers into impatience. The Steelers will score but will not dominate. The Seahawks are better than you think, a lot better. The Seahawks will make a game of it and steal it late.
Pick-Seattle 27 Pittsburgh 23 and coming soon...
Bandits 2006 NCAA Bid Spec Sheet Starting next week. No Brackets, no bull just who will make it into the big dance