Okay, So I Yelled at the TV

Yeah, I know, I can't change the outcome of a play or the game by yelling at the officials through my television set. But, a guy can try, can't he? I really didn't have a favorite for the game, but I would like to have seen fair officiating for the game. If one saw it as I did, and if you're from Pittsburgh I know these are moot points, but look... touchdown pass taken away by a ticky-tack call of offensive interference; Jerramy Stevens catch and fumble, ball rolls out of bounds at near the ten yard line of Pittsbugh, but it is called incomplete and comes back; touchdown for Pittsburgh when the ball didn't appear to cross the plane of the goal line; Seattle on the one yard line- momentum about to change- phantom holding call brings it back to around the 30. A potential swing of +17-21 for Seattle and -4 for Pittsburgh if they had decided to kick the field goal. I know that Seattle looked liked they didn't have a clue at the end of each half, but it wouldn't have mattered if the plays had been called even remotely fairer for Seattle.

The game had the appearance of a Jerome Bettis feel-good story because he was coming home to Detroit and victory. I have nothing against Mr. Bettis, heck, I'm from Detroit myself, but Pittsburgh had about 5 good plays the whole game and every time Seattle was on the move and near the goal line, an official through out a yellow flag. On the "first" touchdown pass, which was disallowed, the referee was about to call it a touchdown until the Pittsburgh defender whined to the official. "Okay, I'll call it for you if that's what you want." Come on 99 times out of a hundred that is a touchdown.

I have only missed watching one Super Bowl out of the 40 played and this was the first time that I felt that the officials took the game away from a team. I know Pittsburgh was the "feel good/underdog" story of the playoffs, but with the exception of a few plays, they didn't play like a championship team during this game. Seattle, on the other hand, had to overcome two teams in their attempt to win, the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Biased Zebras. It is hard enough to beat one team, let alone two teams, in the Big Game.

At least Detroit seemed to do themselves proud in hosting the game and all of the festivities. I do hope that some of the economic development trickles down to the surrounding neighborhoods, where there are scores of homeless. Read Mitch Albom's column to get an idea and learn about ways to help. Let's hope that one of these years the Lions actually get to play in one of these games. It is nice to host the party, but it would be even nicer to have earned an invite.