Super Bowl

They are plays that will forever be etched in the minds of Cardinal fans.
– James Harrison’s rumbling 100-yard interception return for a touchdown with no time left in the first half, turning a potential Cardinal lead into a 17-7 deficit.
– Larry Fitzgerald’s burst of speed that turned a slant pattern into a 64-yard touchdown romp up the middle of the Steeler defense and a 23-20 lead with 2:37 remaining.
– And, of course, Santonio Holmes’ outstretched, tip-toe catch in the back corner of the end zone with 35 seconds left that sealed the deal on Pittsburgh’s 27-23 victory in Super Bowl XLIII.

They were plays for the ages, but where do they rank among the greatest Super Bowl plays of all time? Do you remember:
– David Tyree’s catch last year in which he trapped a pass from Eli Manning against his helmet, helping to preserve a late Giants’ rally?
– Marcus Allen’s 74-yard TD run in Super Bowl XVIII?
– John Riggins’ game-winning 43-yard run in XVII?
– Mike Jones’ last-second tackle of Kevin Dyson at the 1-yard line with no time left, preserving the Rams’ win in XXXIV?
– Lynn Swann’s acrobatic catch in Super Bowl X?
– Adam Vinatieri’s game-winning field goals in XXXVI and XXXVIII?
– Butch Johnson’s tumbling TD grab for Dallas in XII?
– Joe Montana to John Taylor in XXIII?
– John Elway’s “helicopter dive” in which he scrambled for a first down, got hit and did a 360-spin in the air in XXXII?
– Max McGee’s one-handed stab in Super Bowl I?
– Willie Parker’s 75-yard run in XL?

Here’s my all-time top five. Did I leave one out? Would you rank them differently? Post your top five in the comments section of this blog, or just vote online in our Tribune poll.

5) Harrison’s interception return qualifies for my list in part because it was the longest play in Super Bowl history. More importantly, it completely changed the complexion of the game, turning a possible 14-10 Cardinal lead into a 17-7 Pittsburgh advantage. Watching six different Cardinal players get a hand on Harrison as the 6-foot, 242-pound linebacker rumbled down the sideline, leaping over tacklers, was classic. With no time left, it would have meant much less if he didn’t take it the distance. And Fitzgerald nearly had a chance to stop him if he wouldn’t have run into one of his own bench players, Antrel Rolle, on the sideline as he gave chase and finally hit Harrison at the goal line.

4) At the risk of getting Steeler-heavy in these rankings, there’s just no way to leave out the Swann Dive. Lynn Swann actually had three back-breaking receptions in Super Bowl X, including a 64-yard TD in the fourth quarter that helped Pittsburgh beat Dallas 17-14. But the play Swann is most famous for is one that did not even lead to any points. With the Steelers trailing 10-7 and facing third-and-6 from their own 10-yard line in the second quarter, Terry Bradshaw threw a deep pass toward Swann. Cowboys cornerback Mark went up and tipped the pass as both players went for the ball, but Swann maintained his concentration and leaped forward, juggled the ball, then pulled it in as he stretched out horizontally. Swann, had who surprised many by even playing in the game after suffering a severe concussion in the AFC championship, finished with four receptions for 161 yards and became the first wide receiver ever named MVP in a Super Bowl.

3) If end-of-the-game heroics define a great play, it doesn’t get much better than Jones’ game-saving tackle in Super Bowl XXXIV. The Titans were at the Rams’ 10-yard line and trailed 23-16 with 6 seconds left in the game when Steve McNair threw a slant pass to Dyson, who desperately tried to reach the end zone only to be stopped by Jones as time expired. The play simply became known as “The Tackle.” … By the way, Kurt Warner threw for a Super Bowl-record 414 yards in the game and was named MVP.

2) Tyree’s catch last year at University of Phoenix Stadium was one of those “I can’t believe he caught that” kinds of plays. The Giants trailed, 14-10, and faced third-and-5 from their own 44. Manning went back to pass and almost got sacked by Adalius Thomas of the Patriots but somehow broke away, then threw a prayer toward Tyree. The Giant receiver went up for the pass, got hit by Rodney Harrison and grabbed the ball and trapped it against his helmet, somehow hanging on as he hit the ground. The Giants went on to win 17-14 in the greatest upset in NFL history.

1) It’s easy to over-hype the play that is freshest in your mind. But Holmes’ amazing grab near the end of XLIII is my No. 1. Tyree’s catch was more magnificent, as was Swann’s for that matter. But neither of those resulted in a TD… with 35 seconds left in the game… at the end of a 78-yard drive… and their team in desperation mode trailing by three points. Holmes stretching out in the corner of the end zone to make the grab and toe-tap his feet inbounds was incredible. But Ben Roethlisberger’s throw… over three Cardinal defenders… after pump-faking several times trying to find an open receiver… was one of those plays that he just seems to always make.

Lasting memories from Super Bowl XLIII:

– Another one for the ages. Remember when Super Bowls were typically boring affairs that never, ever lived up to the hype? Last year’s amazing upset victory by the Giants over the Patriots at University of Phoenix Stadium was hard to top. With four scores in the final 7:33, this one did.
– Darnell Dockett playing big in a big game. From stopping Ben Roethlisberger on the goal line in the first quarter to making two sacks and one tackle for loss in the fourth quarter, he came to play.
– Hines Ward, who had been nursing a sore knee, making his first catch in the first quarter. As he was nearing the sideline, instead of stepping out of bounds and protecting his knee, Ward lowered his shoulder into the defender, as he only he would. No matter who you root for, you have to love watching guys like that play.
– James Harrison’s 100-yard Immaculate Interception at the end of the first half. Six Cardinals got their hands on Harrison but couldn’t bring him down until he hit the goal line. It was the longest play in Super Bowl history and changed the entire complexion of the game. Not even Bruce Springsteen could top that act.
– Great analysis by ESPN on Harrison’s interception return. They noticed that as Larry Fitzgerald was out of bounds and chasing Harrison down from behind, he ran into Antrel Rolle, who was standing too close to the sideline (you’re supposed to stay 5 yards back). Fitzgerald made the tackle at the goal line, but had he not run into Rolle there’s a good chance he prevents that touchdown.
– Fitzgerald, held to 1 catch for 12 yards through the first three quarters, going off in the final period. As he was being stymied by the Steeler defense, you didn’t see Fitzgerald whining at Warner or yelling at his coaches to get him the ball. He acted like a professional and kept working hard. There’s a lesson to be learned here… Are you listening, Anquan Boldin?
– I’m not sure which of Fitzgerald’s two Super Bowl TDs was more impressive. The 1-yard reception on his patented fade route? Ike Taylor was all over Fitz, but that play is almost indefensible because of the way Fitzgerald can go up and get the ball. Or the 64-yard go-ahead touchdown in the closing minutes? Fitzgerald is not supposed to have breakaway speed, but he looked plenty fast when he broke that play up the middle.
– By the way: Fitzgerald’s final postseason numbers: 30 catches for 546 and seven touchdowns. Are you kidding me?!
– Santonio Holmes’ game-winning grab in the corner of the end zone. Simply, it was the best touchdown catch in Super Bowl history.
– Best unscripted moment: Joe Namath bringing the Vince Lombardi Trophy to the podium through the procession of Steeler players, and all of them wanting to reach out and touch the hardware.
– Kurt Warner, Man of the Year. The only thing more fitting, after a 377-yard passing performance, would have been MVP of the Super Bowl. It just wasn’t in the Cards.

Random thoughts leading into Super Bowl XLIII:

– Unknown players have a way of becoming Super Bowl heroes (think Larry Brown, Dexter Jackson, Timmy Smith). Guys to watch in this year’s game are the No. 3 receivers on each team: Nate Washington and Steve Breaston. Washington has got the speed to get deep and may play a bigger role if Hines Ward is bothered by his knee injury. Plus, the Cards are not that deep in the secondary when teams go three and four wide. Breaston is hardly unknown in these parts, but not many people outside Arizona realize he was a 1,000-yard receiver this season. If the Steelers focus too much on Larry Fitzgerald, Breaston could have a big game.
– Todd Haley (hot head coaching prospect), Dick LeBeau (master of the zone blitz) and Russ Grimm (Hall of Fame candidate) have gotten most of the headlines this week among assistant coaches. But Cards defensive coordinator Clancy Pendergast may be the guy everyone wants to talk to after the game. The Cardinals’ defense is giving up 8.1 fewer points and 42.7 fewer rushing yards per game in the playoffs. They’ve also come up with seven interceptions and five sacks in the postseason — the most of any team.
– President Barack Obama is rooting for the Steelers in Super Bowl XLIII. Why? He confessed that he rooted for the Steelers growing up in Hawaii because his home state didn’t have a pro football team and he would be a Steelers fan today “if I didn’t live in Chicago.” Also, Steelers owner Dan Rooney, a lifelong Republican, was a major Obama supporter during the election. Other Steelers such as coach Mike Tomlin and ex-running back Franco Harris also campaigned for him in Pennsylvania.
“Other than the (Chicago) Bears,” Obama said, “the Steelers are probably the team that’s closest to my heart.”
The fact that Cardinals owner Bill Bidwill was a huge supporter of John McCain probably didn’t hurt either.
– Ben Roethlisberger is the perfect quarterback for Pittsburgh. His passes aren’t always the prettiest things, but he’s rugged, can take a hit and — most importantly — he knows how to win (he’s 58-22 as a starter, including 7-2 in postseason play). The thinking here is that those numbers will be 59-22 and 8-2 after Sunday.

The only thing weirder than some of the prop bets that come out each year for the Super Bowl is the fact that someone actually has to determine the odds for such things. Nevertheless, they’ve become as much a part of the Super Bowl as Budweiser commercials (which, as you’ll see, you can also bet on).

Here are a few of the stranger ones for XLIII (if you feel compelled to drop a few bucks on any of these, I’ve also got some get-rich-quick schemes, million-dollar work-at-home opportunities and swamp land in Gila Bend that might interest you):

How many times will NBC show Brenda Warner on TV during the game?

Over/under: 3 1/2

Which team’s cheerleaders whill be shown more often on camera?

Steelers: -175

Cardinals: +135

How many times will Al Michaels and John Madden reference Ben Roethlisberger as “Big Ben” during the game?
Over/under: 7 1/2

How many food references will John Madden make during the game?

Over/Under: 1½

What color will Bill Bidwill’s bow tie be?

Red: -500

Any other color: +300

How long will it take Jennifer Hudson to sing the National Anthem?

Over/under: 1:54

Will Matt Millen pick the correct team to win the SB on the NBC pregame?

Yes: -270

No: +210

Which brand of Anheuser-Busch will have more commercials on Super Bowl Sunday?

Bud Light: +200

Budweiser: -300

Who will the MVP of the Game thank first?

God: 1/1

Teammates: 2/1

Family: 4/1

Coach: 7/1

Doesn’t thank anyone: 3/1

What color will the Gatorade be that is dumped on the head coach of the winning team?

Clear/water: 4/5

Red: 5/2

Yellow: 3/1

Blue: 7/1

Orange: 7/1

Lime Green: 10/1

Will Barack Obama bring back U.S. tradition and call the winning team before broadcast goes off the air?

Yes: +150

No: -225

What song will Bruce Springsteen sing to begin his halftime show at the Super Bowl?

Born in the USA: 2/1

Glory Days: 2/1

The Rising: 4/1

Born to Run: 5/1

The Wrestler: 5/1

Radio Nowhere: 8/1

I’m on Fire: 12/1

What song will Bruce Springsteen sing to end his halftime show at the Super Bowl?

Born in the USA: 2/1

Born to Run: 3/2

Glory Days: 4/1

The Rising: 4/1

The Wrestler: 5/1

Radio Nowhere: 8/1

I’m on Fire: 12/1

What NBC show will get the most promos during the game?

The Office: 5/4

Heroes: 7/4

30 Rick: 5/2

Chuck: 11/2

Friday Night Lights 8/1

Jay Leno: 15/1

Conan O’Brien 15/1

Will Kurt Warner break Joe Montana’s Super Bowl record of 1,142 career passing yards (he needs 364 to break it)?

Yes: +500

No: -800

Wow, that last one actually had something to do with football. How did that get in there?

Hi folks:

Welcome to our blog for all things Super Bowl XLIII. We’ll have beat writer Mike Tulumello and Scott Bordow on the ground in Tampa at the beginning of next week, sharing their thoughts as the Cardinals touch down in Florida.

In the meantime, be sure to check out some of the other elements at superbowl.evtrib.com. You’ll find stats, depth charts, rosters and playoff histories for both the Steelers and Cardinals (the latter category might be just a little more all-encompassing for the Steelers). We’ve also got a Super Bowl quiz you can take, an interactive look at the Cardinals’ road to the Super Bowl, as well as a complete history of the Super Bowl, plus photo slideshows and links to your favorite Super Bowl commercials.

We’ll also provide news “from the enemy camp” as we’ve partnered with the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review to share content related to the Super Bowl.

Hop on board. It will be a wild ride these next 10 days!