A Look Back: Pittsburgh Super Bowl History

As you may know by now, the Pittsburgh Steelers will be facing off against the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV, set to begin at 6:30 ET on February 6, 2011. The game will feature two of football's most legendary franchises squaring off in the home of another legendary franchise in the Dallas Cowboys. Both the Steelers and the Packers have been to multiple Super Bowls before, and here we'll be taking a look at those Super Bowl moments for the Steelers.


SUPER BOWL IX
The Pittsburgh Steelers were a laughingstock for most of their early history, never making an appearance in the championship game until Super Bowl IX on January 12, 1975. The Steelers had a reputable defense known as the "Steel Curtain", anchored by the likes of L.C. Greenwood, "Mean" Joe Greene, Jack Ham, Jack Lambert, and Mel Blount. Their opponent, the Minnesota Vikings, had a solid defense of their own with Carl Eller, Alan Page, and Jim Marshall anchoring a defense simply known as the "Purple People Eaters". The game did turn out to be a defensive struggle, with both offenses going scoreless in the first half (however, the Steelers did get a safety in the second quarter when defensive end Dwight White tackled Minnesota quarterback Fran Tarkenton in the endzone).Pittsburgh never relinquished the lead, holding Minnesota's offense scoreless for the entire game (Minnesota did score on a blocked punt late in the 4th quarter but missed the PAT) and winning 16-6. Running back Franco Harris was named the game MVP for racking up a Super Bowl record 158 rushing yards and a touchdown.


SUPER BOWL X
In a widely popular contest between two of the most prestigious and legendary teams in the NFL,the Pittsburgh Steelers faced off against the Dallas Cowboys in a Super Bowl for the ages. Both teams featured well known players, from the quarterbacks (Terry Bradshaw and Roger Staubach) to the cornerbacks (Mel Blount and Mel Renfro) and everyone in between. The game was a back and forth battle between the two teams, highlighted by a miraculous diving catch by Pittsburgh receiver Lynn Swann (who won the game's MVP, becoming the first WR to do so). The Steelers eventually pulled away, and Dallas could not secure a last second comeback, losing 21-17 to the newest dynasty in the NFL. Fortunately, however, these two teams would provide one of the greatest rivalries in NFL history.


SUPER BOWL XIII
A year after the Cowboys beat Craig Morton's Denver Broncos in Super Bowl XII, the two teams of the 1970s faced off yet again in Super Bowl XIII. Pittsburgh and Dallas faced off once again in a rematch of the ages, with a fierce offensive shootout. Super Bowl MVP Terry Bradshaw passed for 318 yards and 4 touchdowns, with receiver John Stallworth catching two of those touchdowns. The game is perhaps most remembered for Dallas tight end Jackie Smith's drop in the endzone that would have tied the score late in the third quarter. A late Dallas comeback once again came up short, and the Steelers again beat the Cowboys, by the final score of 35-31.


SUPER BOWL XIV
The 1980 contest featured the Los Angeles Rams facing off against the mighty Pittsburgh dynasty. Although the Rams played tough (including a memorable performance by Rams DE Jack Youngblood, who played with a broken leg) and went into the 4th quarter with a 19-17 lead, the Steelers came back and defeated Los Angeles 31-19. Bradshaw was once again named the MVP for throwing 309 yards and 2 touchdowns.


SUPER BOWL XXX
Nearly 20 years after Pittsburgh and Dallas first met in Super Bowl X, they rekindled the rivalry in Super Bowl XXX. Dallas was destined to avenge its losing streak to the Steelers, and managed to build a strong offensive team in Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith, and Michael Irvin, among others. The Steelers could not stop the Cowboys, and Pittsburgh lost their first (and to this date, only) Super Bowl, 27-17. Larry Brown, a relatively obscure Dallas cornerback who intercepted two Neil O'Donnell passes, was named the game's MVP.


SUPER BOWL XL
Super Bowl XL featured a matchup between the "old" Pittsburgh Steelers and the "new" Seattle Seahawks. Although the Seahawks had troubles of their own, the matchup was plagued by questionable calls that even the officials deemed inaccurate. Nevertheless, Pittsburgh once again came away with a victory, due to memorable plays like Antwaan Randle El's touchdown pass to MVP Hines Ward, and controversial ones like Ben Roethlisberger's 1 yard touchdown run late in the 2nd quarter.


SUPER BOWL XLIII
The Steelers once again faced an NFC West team for the crown, this time pitting against the Arizona Cardinals. The Cardinals offense provided a test for the Steelers defense, keeping the game close until late in the 4th quarter when Kurt Warner threw a 64 yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, giving Arizona the lead. In a drive for the ages, the Steelers managed to go 78 yards downfield, culminating in a beautiful touchdown grab by wide receiver Santonio Holmes, who was awarded the game's MVP.

NFC holds off AFC in Pro Bowl

In another exciting (albeit lazy) edition to one of the NFL's oldest traditions, the NFC team defeated the AFC team 55-41, on a cloudy day at Aloha Stadium in Honolulu, Hawaii. The NFC team took a commanding lead in the first half, but the AFC slowly fought back, coming up just short in the end. The game had many highlights, including five NFC interceptions that ultimately doomed the AFC squad. It makes sense, then, that an NFC defensive player would win the MVP award in this offensively careless contest. DeAngelo Hall of the Washington Redskins had an interception and a fumble return for a touchdown to seal an MVP performance. However, both sides did have five offensive players score a touchdown, with the last coming from the AFC's Alex Mack of the Cleveland Browns, who scored on a spectacular (albeit low intensity) last second lateral play. Ultimately, the purpose of the Pro Bowl was not only the paychecks, but for the players to have fun, and that seemed to be accomplished today and throughout the week. Many players enjoyed the experience in the Islands, but many more still wish they had something to play for for at least one more week. Countdown to Super Bowl XLV: 7 days....

The "Other" Leagues: The XFL

This site, after all, is not meant for only NFL analysis. Other football leagues have and do exist, and although many of them are not known as much as the NFL, they still have some history in their own right. Today we'll take a look at one of the most intriguing yet short lived leagues to ever grace the gridiron: the XFL.

The XFL was founded in 2000 by Vince McMahon of WWE fame, and lasted for only one season in 2001. The XFL did not stand for "Xtreme Football League" as there was already a developing league at the time with rights to the name. The XFL was no ordinary football league, as it was designed to combine elements of professional wrestling and professional football. The league had many differing practices from the NFL, in that many were meant to get rid of most of the "protective" NFL rules. One of the most significant, and perhaps infamous, differing rules to the NFL was the "coin toss". A football would be placed 20 yards from a player representing each team, and the players would race to see who could gain possession of the football first (as seen in the picture). This practice led to the first XFL injury, in which Orlando Rage safety Hassan Shamsid-Deen missed the rest of the season (and the entire tenure of existence of the XFL). Other differing rules included the abolishment of "easy" extra point kicks, replaced by another offensive drive near the endzone (similar to college football triple overtime rules). Another heavily reworked rule was the "live punts" rule, which was originally meant to make punt returns more exciting by getting rid of fair catches, but instead made the game slower due to the complexities of the rule.

The XFL had 8 teams centered in Los Angeles, Orlando, Las Vegas, Chicago, New York/New Jersey, Birmingham, San Francisco, and Memphis. The Los Angeles Xtreme defeated the San Francisco Demons 38-6 to win the first and only XFL Championship, dubbed the "Million Dollar Game". The league soon folded thereafter, due to poor television ratings and general belief that most games were rigged. The XFL did, however, leave more than one lasting legacy. Famous XFL players who also played in the NFL include receiver Mike Furrey, quarterback (and Million Dollar Game MVP) Tommy Maddox, and running back Rod "He Hate Me" Smart (his nickname stems from the fact that the XFL allowed players to write whatever they wanted on their jersey nameplates, and Rod Smart had chosen the phrase as a personal saying; in two instances defensive players on opposing teams poked fun at this by having phrases such as "I Hate He" on their own jersey nameplates). Maddox and Smart would go on to play in a Super Bowl, with Maddox being one of 5 XFL players to win a Super Bowl ring (as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL). The XFL also helped to popularize the sky cam, which has become a vital part of nationally televised NFL and college football games. Today the XFL is generally mocked for its incredible mediocrity, but its presence in popular culture still lives on.

Who is the Pro Bowl MVP?

The question to this article is not meant to be taken literally, but figuratively. Does anyone really care who the Pro Bowl MVP is? As much as I love the Pro Bowl, many people think its a useless game that has no implication on the scope of the football season whatsoever except for an injury risk to the players who participate. While that may be true in some aspects, the Pro Bowl still stands as a part of football tradition. That said, does the importance of an MVP for a game that only has little meaning left really matter? Super Bowl MVPs are legendary: Starr, Montana, Aikman. Most are known for making incredible plays in their respective biggest games: Swann, Howard, Holmes. Even NFL MVPs are known for their incredible seasons and amazing feats. Yet Pro Bowl MVPs are harder to recall: for example, who knew that Jerry Gray won the award in 1990? Undoubtedly, the Pro Bowl features great stars from across the league. But the MVP has become a rather minor accolade for any athlete. Would a Pro Bowler with 9 Pro Bowls be more recognized than a Pro Bowl MVP with only one appearance in the game? It's hard to say depending on the circumstances and players, but it would seem like the one with 9 Pro Bowls would be a better lock for the Hall of Fame. That's not to say that Pro Bowl MVPs are not great, but they do suffer from the fate of winning a very underappreciated all star game. Being the Pro Bowl MVP is almost as impressive as winning the Thanksgiving Day games' MVP award(s). What can be done to improve this? Not much. The award is purely symbolic, and has little meaning overall. The Pro Bowl MVP award is great for whoever wins it, but doesn't matter much in the long run.

A Look Back: Green Bay Super Bowl History

As you may know by now, the Green Bay Packers will be facing off against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV, set to begin at 6:30 ET on February 6, 2011. The game will feature two of football's most legendary franchises squaring off in the home of another legendary franchise in the Dallas Cowboys. Both the Packers and the Steelers have been to multiple Super Bowls before, and here we'll be taking a look at those Super Bowl moments, starting with the Packers.

SUPER BOWL I
Prior to Super Bowl I, the Packers had already been dominant in the National Football League, winning 9 NFL championships in all. The first ever Super Bowl was the culmination of a major battle between two rivaling professional football leagues in the NFL and AFL (American Football League). Compared to the already established NFL, the AFL was squandering "wannabe" league that challenged the NFL in everything from television audiences to players' contractual rights. The first Super Bowl (held after the merger of the leagues in 1966) featured the greatest franchises of each league at the time, in the Green Bay Packers of the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL. The Packers, featuring legendary players like Bart Starr, Ray Nitschke, and Jerry Kramer, along with legendary coach Vince Lombardi, kept the game close before pulling away in the second half and destroying the Chiefs 35-10. The Packers had won the Super Bowl I, and Bart Starr was named the MVP.

SUPER BOWL II
In 1968, the Packers once again represented the NFL in Super Bowl II, with the Oakland Raiders representing the AFL. Oakland had crushed its AFL opponents en route to their first Super Bowl berth. Many experts believed that although Oakland was tough and Green Bay wasn't as good as last year, Green Bay still had the edge due to their level of competition in the NFL. The experts were right as Green Bay scorched the Raiders from the very start, and never looked back. The final score was 33-14, sealing another victory for the NFL over the AFL. It wouldn't be until next year that the AFL would gain its first Super Bowl victory, and change the face of the two leagues forever.

SUPER BOWL XXXI
Fast forward about 30 years and we arrive at Super Bowl XXXI between the Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots. Green Bay featured some of the best players in the league, including a young quarterback named Brett Favre and a veteran defensive end in Reggie White. The Patriots were also respectable in their own right, with key players like Drew Bledsoe and Curtis Martin, along with coach Bill Parcells. Green Bay and New England kept it close, with running back Curtis Martin scoring a touchdown in the 3rd quarter that narrowed the Green Bay lead to 6. But Desmond Howard, a legendary return man in his own right, returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, sealing a Green Bay win and their third Lombardi Trophy in Super Bowl history.

SUPER BOWL XXXII
The Pack returned in force for Super Bowl XXXII, with Brett Favre winning his third consecutive NFL MVP award. Favre and the Pack were determined to become repeat champions, but it was not to be as John Elway and Terrell Davis narrowly escaped another Brett Favre miracle, clinching a 31-24 win.

Welcome!

Welcome to UNABATED TO THE QUARTERBACK, the blog about everything NFL, with a few other sprinkles of major and minor football leagues. Here you'll find analysis on the latest news, updates, and events going on around the National Football League. As one of America's most popular sports, the NFL has quickly transformed into one of the most powerful sports leagues in the world. The sport of American football has become a year-long event, with the regular season only being part of the experience. As the Pittsburgh Steelers look to face the Green Bay Packers in the 45th Super Bowl, we at UTTQ see it not as the finish to the 2010 season, but the start to the 2011 season (provided there is one). Anyway, we hope that this space will provide you with all the football information you are looking for. This blog is purely meant for experimental purposes, so we'll see how far it goes. Until then, read, comment, and enjoy!