I don't even know what to say about that one at this point.
I just finished writing five Super Bowl stories in roughly an hour-and-a-half.
I'm not complaining. I'm just saying, it's going to take me about 24 hours to completely digest this one.
© Before everybody kills me because the Steelers ran the wildcat in this game, let me say a couple of things:
A. I wrote about them doing it with Mewelde Moore, not Willie Parker as they did in the game.
B. I didn't give away the play because when the Steelers worked on it in practice a couple of weeks ago, it was with Ben Roethlisberger going in motion and pitching the ball deep.
So there!
© I'm happy for a lot of guys in that locker room. Covering this team from May through now – that's how long a season lasts – you see all of the hard work that goes into doing this.
© It would have been better for my blood pressure, however, if somebody would have stopped Larry Fitzgerald in the fourth quarter. Ike Taylor, you did a bang-up job on him for three quarters, but great players are great players for a reason.
I was getting ready to start tearing up all five of my stories and start re-writing. Not a fun job when you're working on an 11:45 p.m. deadline.
© I'm going to go and have a much-deserved – at least in my opinion – beer.
Cheers.
13 comments:
Did this game have the most combined offensive holding penalties of any game this season? There were at least 6 combined.
But, what can you say about BR? That old adage: "Oh no, Oh YES!".
On the post game, Arizona players were saying the half hour halftime let them figure out how to handle the Steeler D.
I know Holmes got the MVP for the final drive and TD catch, but James Harrison should have been. In addition to the unbeliveable 100 yd pick six, he drew 3 holding calls against Gandy and disrupted Warner.
the game left me with a head ache and a stomach ache...and one hell of a smile. hard fought win for a hard fighting team.
Dale, Yahoo is calling this game as badly officiated for the Cards having more penalties and the final play not being reviewed. Al Michaels stated it was reviewed, was it?
I though the game was well officiated.
Admit it, Dale, you wanted to die when you saw the Steelers use the wildcat!
Dale, I was there and it's the greatest game I have ever seen. I still can't believe it. Good luck writing that story!
This was a post I left on one of the Yahoo blogs that were bashing the game and the officiating. It was a great game and if Pittsburgh would have lost, I would not have felt differently. I like your blog Dale because for the most part it is not full of the crap commentary that has become such a part of the internet.
The shame of the internet and the commentary it inspires, is juvenile screaming. The game was a great game. The officiating was fair, though people will blame the referees in any close game. The various penalties were shown to be such, other than the one roughing the passer which was a judgment call. It could have been called either way, I personally would not have called it.
Holds are missed in big plays at times and Warner could have been held, I personally didn't see it.
The point is that that game and officiating is not perfect. The idea that we scream at each other and curse at each other makes many people move away from reading or observing "blogs" and commentary.
Harrison acted like a thug with his actions hitting a man when down. He should have been removed from the game. Football should have rules like Baseball for ejections more often. It would calm down some of the crazy actions. I was embarassed by his actions.
The writer wrote about the play BEFORE his unsportsmanlike action later. One does not rule out the other. It was a great play.
This game we all seem to love must be treated with love. This constant screaming and harping is hurting the game and will eventually destroy it.
Do any of you remember the finer things about watching football? The moments with your father and family watching as a child? That is what makes the game dear. That is what is true. All of our teams will win and lose. Their victories do not make us better than each other.
I am a Steelers fan, but I have rooted for the Browns in the playoffs when the Steelers are not there. I have rooted for almost every team in the league in certain games. I love the game even more than my beloved Steelers. I hate seeing the game torn down. There are clear issues with the officiating this year, but this game was not an example of the problem.
Dale Lolley deserves a raise fan club
PS I was laughing when we ran the wildcat and it failed. I told my wife, Dale is going to get hell for this...
If you want to know why there's talk about the penalties, take a look at this quote from Whisenhunt:
"Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said of Harrison's play. 'We fought back and overcame that. The penalties, we allowed them to extend their drives. It was unfortunate there were that many penalties called.'"
Sorry coach, but if you don't like penalty flags against your team, then teach them not to commit penalties, don't whine when the refs call them.
But yahoo has contributed to it by stoking the flames. The articles are even factually incorrect like stating that Warner would have been at the 29 if the last play had been reviewed and shown that it was a forward pass rather than a fumble. It creates mess for the game and league.
Dale Lolley deserves a raise
Thanks for all the hard work this week Dale. I appreciate the insights. Get some rest.
Quit trying to justify your actions...you violated a trust agreement with the Steelers. I hope they find out and ban you from practice.
You screwed up, be a man and admit that.
First of all you have no idea what the trust agreement is because there was no violation.
Second of all, if you were a man you'd put you sign your name instead of remaining anonymous.
Dale, Yahoo is calling this game as badly officiated for the Cards having more penalties and the final play not being reviewed. Al Michaels stated it was reviewed, was it?
Lamarr Woodley was penalized 15 yards for excessive celebration after the sack/fumble. That gave the upstairs guys extra time (while the ball was respotted, play clock reset, ect) to look at the tape without having to call a special break for it.
Harrison acted like a thug with his actions hitting a man when down.
Aaron Francisco tried a chop block on Harrison, then Francisco hit Harrison with a haymaker. Then the cameras cut to them and we saw Harrison's response. Peter King mentioned it as well, so I'm not the only one who saw it.
Not that it justifies his actions, but I think the refs decided to cool it down and let it go rather than eject two key players at the start of the second half.
The NFL can sort it out with fines later.
Er ... Peter King mentioned it in his article. I didn't mean to imply that I spoke with him about it. Sorry for any confusion.
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