Well, it's a good thing that I don't do podcasting because my voice is completely fried after yelling and screaming for my Steelers for several straight hours last night. Super Bowl XL wasn't the prettiest game you'll ever see, but victory is the goal, and it's all that matters.
Steelers 21, Seahawks 10.
The last time the Steelers won a Super Bowl was in January of 1980. I was 13 years old, but I still remember their 31-19 victory over the Los Angeles Rams. Shortly thereafter, Mean Joe Greene began talking about "One for the thumb in 81." Remember that? The Steelers had already won four Super Bowls (more than any other team at the time) and everybody thought they'd keep winning them. But it didn't happen…until now.
The Jerome Bettis storyline was the neatest aspect of the game last night. This was thought to be his last year after rushing for more than 13,000 years in his career. He's a lock for the Hall of Fame, but he'd never been on a team that won the Super Bowl. In recent years his body has been breaking down and he decided to play this one final season to see if he could finally get his championship. The Steelers made a remarkable run to the Super Bowl—winning their final six games to get to there. And it just so happens that the Super Bowl was played in Bettis' home town of Detroit this year.
The past couple of seasons he's been a back up and he's been completely fine with it. This season, Willie Parker was named the new starter at halfback and Bettis helped him all season. Bettis wore a microphone during the Super Bowl last night and at the beginning of the third quarter he sat down next to Parker on the bench and reminded him that the Seahawk's cornerbacks were quick and they were cutting off the corners of the field—so he advised Parker to fake outside and cut back inside. Shortly thereafter, Parker took a handoff, faked outside, cut back inside, and took it to the house—a 75 yard touchdown run—the longest in Super Bowl history. Bettis was the first to meet Parker to celebrate.
Bettis is everything that a superstar is supposed to be. His only concern is victory. He's a teacher. He understands and relishes his role. And now we'll speak about Jerome Bettis, the football player, in the past tense because he announced his retirement after the game. But people will be talking about him and this incredible season for a long time.
