Musings in Search of a Muse

Normally I don't look forward to a Superbowl, but this year is different for some reason. Here is a running commentary as I watch the game (in 'publish & edit' mode):

Quarters One & Two

• Why didn't they turn on Aaron Neville's mic?
• First good commercial (pre-kickoff): "I'm goin' to Disney World!"
• Calling the coin before the toss? What are we teaching our kids?!?
• First totally stupid advert: "The Whopperettes"
• Does a team have a good quarter if they gain a lot of yardage but don't score? Sure, it looks impressive, but ...
• Pittsburgh needs to do something about Seattle's Jackson. This could get bad.
• Almost gave this away earlier, but the first really good commercial was the FedEx "Cave Office" spot.
• It's good to see PennStaters in the game. Not sure what I think about high schoolers going straight into the NFL, though.
• Whew! That was close! Jackson had a touchdown until a ref noticed a penalty by a teammie. The Steelers get a reprieve.
• Comcast sucks. I'm trying to do things on the Internet and once again their servers are blocking all sorts of things, including Web search results from Google & Yahoo. I wonder if it is affecting my TiVo's connection to the 'Net. I wish there was a real alternative for broadband in my area, but Verizon DSL is comparatively slow.
• Ameriquest comes through again with another of their great "Don't judge too quickly" adverts - "That Killed Him". Easily on par with the "Cat Attack" ad from last year.

• Crap! Seattle scores. Its only a field goal, but games have been lost by as much. They certainly are looking like they are serious.
  
• Its about time Pittsburgh brought in Bettis.
• Yay! The Steelers just got their first 1^st down. Then another, gaining 17 yards. 'Bout time, guys!
• Crap! (again) Seattle's Boulware makes a big interception. I'm starting to think "I hope Pittsburgh is a 2^nd half team." Even Madden says "It looks like Pittsburgh doesn't have a plan." Michaels agrees: 'Steelers very, very tentative."
  
• Maybe I should stop watching. Usually when I watch a game the team I want to win doesn't. I should be off paying bills.
  
• A sack for Seattle at 4:17 in the 2^nd quarter then Big Ben Roethlisberger did a fabulous job connecting to Hines Ward just short of the goal. Now that's football.
• End of the 2^nd quarter & Roethlisberger scores on the 11^th play of the drive ... if the review team agrees. The slow-mo in close-up shows this to be a squeeker. And the result? SCORE! Seven to three, Pittsburgh with the extra point!!
  
• What a strange last possession for Seattle. "I'm scratchin' my head up here," agrees Madden. This could mean the game should be interesting after half-time.
  
• Okay, don't tell my bosses, but the Sprint "Crime Deterrent" advert was funny. I just hope no one really does that and expects their phone to work.

• Alright! They didn't turn on Mick's mic, either! At least not right away. For all the good it did, though, as the Stones could have been just as effective phoning in the act.
• Only the crowd that knew they were going to be on camera seemed excited.
• Nice stage, though. Very clever use of tongue.
• Man! Did I get a lot of bills paid! All it took was not watching TV.
• No, I didn't get a chance to see my neighbor, but I'll talk to him tomorrow.
  

• That's the way to start a quarter ... 75 yards for a touchdown!! Willie Parker, #39.
• Seattle is starting to feel the pressure. Under other circumstances that 50-yard attempt at a field goal might have worked.
• Cutest commercial so far: The Clydesdale pony pulling the Budweiser cart.
• Can you believe that Detroit wrapped a building for the game? Much like commuter buses are wrapped with adverts, a the top floors of one of the 'wrench' buildings looks like it was wrapped. Maybe the graphics were placed from inside. In either case, it was impressive.
• 'Splain this to me ... 9;45pm and the game is scheduled to end at 10:15pm (all Eastern), but there are 10 minutes left in the 3rd quarter and 15 in the 4th quarter. And we expect our kids to learn how to tell time.
• Yes! Bettis just had a nice run for a 1st down. It's looking good for the Steelers!
• Double-crap! Seahawk Herndon intercepts and takes it down to the twenty.
• Roethlisberger looked calm after that mess.
• Touchdown Stevens. He was wide open. The Steelers were hurt, but they are still ahead 14-10 now. It was the longest interception return in Superbowl history.
  
• Overall it looks like Seattle has better technical skills whereas Pittsburgh is running on luck. Here's hoping it holds going into the 4th quarter.
• Ingram gets a nice run to the 30 at the top of the quarter. The Steelers have some work to do as Seattle works down to the 20 and a 1st down.
• And the luck holds! A foul on Seattle sets up the filed to allow Pittsburgh to make a great interception play.
• Nice gadget play! Randle El, a wide receiver who played quarterback in college, throws for a touchdown! With the extra point, Pittsburgh leads by eleven. That's crucial for two things ... momentum and to keep this an interesting game. The sideline reporter reports the momentum change.
• Matt Hasselbeck makes a nice run and possibly fumbles.
• In the meantime, Honda trucks has a rather clever and amusing advert.
• Yup, the fumble is overturned. Where's the momentum now? And why do amateurs such as myself always focus on that?
• A nice sack got the Terrible Towels twirlin'!!
• Pittsburgh is in the cat bird seat now, thanks to another fine play by Randle El. Under 4 minutes to go.
• Um ... did I see Big Ben's knee go down before the ball crossed the down line? I guess I'm the only one who did. Bill Cowher is very happy.
• Just before the 2-minute warning I voted at Superbowl.com for Randle El as MVP. Even with a poor memory like mine I can recall his crucial involvement in several plays.
• The same site has been rather good at keeping a play-by-play page.
• 60 seconds to go. Didn't the Dolphins pull off an 11 point deficit in this situation?
• Congratulations, Steelers! Your persistence broke the Seahawks! Both teams played a great game.