post-Super Bowl

Even Keel in Celebration
Tony Dungy is well-publicized for his even keel approach to coaching. You never allow yourself to get too up or too down; you maintain a calm attitude in any type of performance in order maintain consistency in performance. In any sport, you're going to have great performances and lousy performances; if you let the emotions of highs and lows get to you, the lows can linger and harm future performance. It's an approach to coaching and sports that I think is effective and practical.

However, the Colts were a little too mellow in victory. Did they realize what had just happened? Tony Dungy is now probably a Hall of Fame coach. Peyton Manning now has no asterisks in his legacy and everything he needs to lay claim to the greatest ever title (just wait--in a few years, you're going to hear it constantly). The Colts of the 00s are no longer the great offensive juggernaut that always came up short in the playoffs and could never get over the hump; they're now champions and their legacy in history is secure. I expected them to be jumping around like fools.

Of course, CBS limited their camera coverage almost exclusively to Dungy and Manning. When they showed other Colt players, there was a lot of cheering and smiling like goofuses and unabashed euphoria. I'm of the opinion that when postgame celebration starts, there should be no commercial interruptions for about 30 minutes. We're seeing the culmination of everything the football season is supposed to be about; it's almost as important to see the celebrating as it is to see the game (almost). And without the extensive commercial interruptions at this point, there would be time to show more of the players celebrating like gomers.

We also learned in the postgame that God hates the Bears. He was on the Colts' side during in this one. Who knew?

The First Quarter Was Like a Video Game
Here are a few things the first quarter featured:

--a 92 yard kickoff return for TD
--a 53 yard TD reception (and Reggie Wayne was Tecmo Super Bowl open on that play)
--a 52 yard run
--four turnovers
--a bobbled snap on an extra point

Basically, we got a full game's worth of big plays in the first fifteen minutes. Almost literally, since after the first quarter the game settled down into a bit of a mundane contest.

Peyton Manning as Super Bowl MVP
If I could vote, I would make Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes co-MVPs (Harvey Martin and Randy White are the only co-MVPs, for Super Bowl 12). But if one player is to be Super Bowl MVP, Manning was the most deserving in Super Bowl 41. He controlled the game, dominating the first half (after a slow start) and then slowing things down to allow the running game to dominate the second half. He did more for his team than some other Super Bowl MVP QBs, such as Len Dawson, Roger Staubach, Joe Montana (in 16), and Tom Brady (in 36). When there's a good team victory and the QB performs well enough, he's the easiest guy to give the MVP award to, and if one guy is to get such an award, he's usually the most deserving.

Rex Grossman
He gave us everything we could have wished for and more in Super Bowl 41. Fumbles, running around in chaos, chucking inevitable crazy interceptions, and generally doing little to nothing to help the Bears win the game. In some ways, it's a shame the Bears didn't win; if they had, it's almost assured we'd have Rex Grossman's madness hindering the Bears for years. Instead, Chicago might look for another option soon. His craziness is good for entertainment value and good for NFC North opponents.

Quick Thoughts
Who got John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, and William H. Macy together for one massive uber-buddy picture?

Prince is a weirdo, but he's our weirdo. And I wish he'd have sung "Pussy Control" at halftime.

The Twin Cities never got above zero degrees this weekend. I just thought you should know. Mostly it was around 10 below. A lot of the state's high schools are already announcing cancellations for tomorrow because bus companies don't know if the buses will start tomorrow. Also, about six months ago it was 101 degrees. We live in the utterly stupidest climate in the world.

Kelvin Hayden? I watch a ton of football, and I find it delightful when a player I have never heard of scores a Super Bowl touchdown.

I am going to do my best to make this next sentence true. I will now see how long I can go without mentioning Brett Favre's name in this blog. After that sentence, anyway. Just one question, #4: if those batteries are "guaranteed to last as long or your money back," just how in the hell is the typical consumer supposed to know or test that the batteries did last as long?

Did you notice that this game featured two back-to-back fumble recoveries?

Marvin Harrison: still not in Jerry Rice's league. And will 2007 be the first season that Reggie Wayne is recognized as Indy's #1 WR?

I just realized that there won't be another meaningful football game to watch for about seven months. It's time to walk outside and learn to live an authentic life. For seven months, anyway.

Is that all?
This is the Monday after the Super Bowl: we're going to blog the crap out of this. I'll be back later with links, various commentaries, HOF analysis, etc., and Blue Viking Devil and What was that bang? may be around to chime in, too.