Bittersweet... Symphony?
Something they can't take away from us: Parker's record-setting TD run.
Yeah, that's the song that the Seahawks entered the field to on Super Bowl Sunday. What an odd choice. I'd like to think they were doomed at that point. But "bittersweet" is actually more like how I'm feeling this week, after the initial euphoria, and now that I'm shoved back into the real world, where the average person doesn't bleed black and gold.
"It was a boring game." Fine, then turn on the stinking Puppy Bowl if you're so bored.
"It was sloppy." Who said it was going to be pretty?
"Ben looked scared and performed horribly." Yes, he was scared and I can't blame the kid (I can't believe I am 5 years older than this guy)... I thought he totally got it together, however, and did what he needed to do (can you say taking on an NFL linebacker? how many QBs are doing that??)
Anyways, I can swallow all of those, but you know what I can't handle anymore? "The refs threw the game because the NFL wanted the Steelers to win." Oh really, just like they wanted them to win 4 weeks ago against Indy? Remember the overturned interception? Remember how blatantly wrong that was that the NFL said "My bad!" for the first time in three years? Yeah, I didn't think you guys forgot about that one. Funny how we won anyways, despite the refs.
I can't eek through this week without someone first congratulating me on the win and then making a snarky comment about the officiating. I've been waiting for this my whole dang life (anyone else remember my drama-laden post after the AFC Championship loss last year?), and people are RUINING this experience for me! Here's my three-point sermon about the game:
a) There were some close calls, and other calls which weren't nearly as bad (and certainly not completely wrong) as they're blowing them up to be. There's no conspiracy.
b) Seattle's problems ran deeper than the officiating.
c) Good teams overcome bad officiating (ie. Steelers vs. Colts)
More than all of that, I want to point everyone to Gene Wojciechowski's article on ESPN.com. He says everything I want to say - and says it from a non-Steeler-biased point of view. He readily admits to all the negatives of the game, but rightly scoffs at all the whining and finger-pointing. "...To simply dismiss the Steelers victory as an act of referee kindness is to take a Bettis-sized leap of faith." The Steelers WON this game - as ugly as it was. As nervous as young Ben was (rightly so, anyone see the poor kid on the Grammy's last night?), the team that found a pretty way to win three straight playoff road games, then found an ugly way to win the Super Bowl. They won. Period. End of story. Now shut up about it and let me enjoy this, people! And in return, when YOUR team makes it to whatever championship game is appropriate, I will say "Congrats!" and leave it at that, no matter what happens. Because that time is for the fans alone to enjoy. This is OUR moment, Seattle fans, you had your chance and you lost it.
(Clutching her Terrible Towel, Julie dismounts her soapbox.)
Something they can't take away from us: Parker's record-setting TD run.
Yeah, that's the song that the Seahawks entered the field to on Super Bowl Sunday. What an odd choice. I'd like to think they were doomed at that point. But "bittersweet" is actually more like how I'm feeling this week, after the initial euphoria, and now that I'm shoved back into the real world, where the average person doesn't bleed black and gold.
"It was a boring game." Fine, then turn on the stinking Puppy Bowl if you're so bored.
"It was sloppy." Who said it was going to be pretty?
"Ben looked scared and performed horribly." Yes, he was scared and I can't blame the kid (I can't believe I am 5 years older than this guy)... I thought he totally got it together, however, and did what he needed to do (can you say taking on an NFL linebacker? how many QBs are doing that??)
Anyways, I can swallow all of those, but you know what I can't handle anymore? "The refs threw the game because the NFL wanted the Steelers to win." Oh really, just like they wanted them to win 4 weeks ago against Indy? Remember the overturned interception? Remember how blatantly wrong that was that the NFL said "My bad!" for the first time in three years? Yeah, I didn't think you guys forgot about that one. Funny how we won anyways, despite the refs.
I can't eek through this week without someone first congratulating me on the win and then making a snarky comment about the officiating. I've been waiting for this my whole dang life (anyone else remember my drama-laden post after the AFC Championship loss last year?), and people are RUINING this experience for me! Here's my three-point sermon about the game:
a) There were some close calls, and other calls which weren't nearly as bad (and certainly not completely wrong) as they're blowing them up to be. There's no conspiracy.
b) Seattle's problems ran deeper than the officiating.
c) Good teams overcome bad officiating (ie. Steelers vs. Colts)
More than all of that, I want to point everyone to Gene Wojciechowski's article on ESPN.com. He says everything I want to say - and says it from a non-Steeler-biased point of view. He readily admits to all the negatives of the game, but rightly scoffs at all the whining and finger-pointing. "...To simply dismiss the Steelers victory as an act of referee kindness is to take a Bettis-sized leap of faith." The Steelers WON this game - as ugly as it was. As nervous as young Ben was (rightly so, anyone see the poor kid on the Grammy's last night?), the team that found a pretty way to win three straight playoff road games, then found an ugly way to win the Super Bowl. They won. Period. End of story. Now shut up about it and let me enjoy this, people! And in return, when YOUR team makes it to whatever championship game is appropriate, I will say "Congrats!" and leave it at that, no matter what happens. Because that time is for the fans alone to enjoy. This is OUR moment, Seattle fans, you had your chance and you lost it.
(Clutching her Terrible Towel, Julie dismounts her soapbox.)
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