Super Bowl Countdown #6: Super Bowl XXV

During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.

With all the aspects of the game of American football that have evolved over the past couple decades, there remains one truth for all teams: your entire season can rest on one kick. This Super Bowl in Tampa was regarded by many as the best chance for the Buffalo Bills to capture a championship. They were favored by 7 points but standing in their way was Bill Parcells and Bill Belichick. The Giants concocted a gameplan that limited the effectiveness of the Bills superior offense and were able to survive a last second kick to to take the Tampa Timestopper.

New York Giants 20, Buffalo Bills 19

Semi-lame Nickname: "The Patriotic Bowl"

Scores:
Historical Significance- 4: This was the last title ride of Parcells in New York. The Giants were the epitome of power football, with a strong running game and punishing defense. The Bills K-Gun offense was a force on the offensive side of the football. Ted Marchibroda introduced the offense with the no-huddle concentration this year and it became very effective.

Game Enjoyment By the Fans- 5: When you include the patriotic association with the game, the underdog story of the Giants, and the exciting conclusion of the game, many consider this game to be one of the top Super Bowls we have seen.

High Profile Element-4: The Giants lost Phil Simms in a 17-13 loss to the Bills during the regular season. Jeff Hostetler came in and thrived however with his ability to scramble make few mistakes. Any discussion of the Giants defense starts with Lawrence Taylor, perhaps one of the greatest ever to play defense in NFL history. The defense was first in points allowed.

The Bills had 9 pro-bowlers on their roster, including Bruce Smith who recorded 19 sacks. The offense included the usual cast of characters with Kelly, Thomas, Reed, and lest we forget tight end Keith McKellar for whom the K-gun is named.

Venue/Atmosphere- 5: There was a lot security(for that time) in Tampa and a lot of flag-waiving due to the conflict that had erupted in the middle-east. The national anthem as sung by Whitney Houston is among the most heralded of all versions of the song. It reached number 20 in the Billboard charts.



Damn, that woman can blow, when she isn't snorting it.

The Halftime show was again taken over by Disney, damn you ABC! New Kids On the Block performed, and don't lie, in 1991 you thought they were damn cool.

Personal Enjoyment- 4.5: The game was a great contest of wills, and despite the Giants executing a great gameplan the Bills had a final drive to win the game. Did they get close enough? In hindsight you could say no but the Bills did the best they could to get in position.

Cleet's Rating Index: 22.5

Where I Was: Quick note on Desert Storm. As a family we started a pen pal program with a soldier stationed over in Iraq. I don't know if we gave him any aid but I hope it helped just one iota.

What Happened in the World: Ten days after the game a Michigan court barred Dr. Jack Kevorkian from performing any more assisted suicides. Bad news for Bills fans after the game.

Record of Note: The Giants time of possession for the game was 40:33.

Game MVP: Otis Anderson captured the MVP with 102 yards and a TD on the ground.

LVP/Most Memorable Play: I'll let Alec Baldwin narrate this:



NFL Fallout: The Bills would get 3 more shots at the big game, but as captured in this countdown already, they were denied each time. The game was the last one for Parcells as Giants head coach and ended a successful era for the franchise. By 1993, Simms and Taylor retired and the Giants would not achieve playoff success again until 2000.

Continue reading...

Super Bowl Countdown #9: Super Bowl XXVIII

During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.

The final edition of the quadruplicate of fail for the Bills. Aside from their Super Bowl against the Giants 3 years prior the Bills losses were all by double-digits. In this Super Bowl the Bills came out with purpose and stormed to a lead at halftime, but once again they got in their own way and made critical mistakes. Emmitt Smith was the star of the show, piling up the yards and putting Buffalo away in the second half. The Aftermath of Atlanta after the break.

Dallas Cowboys 30, Buffalo Bills 13

Semi-Lame Nickname: "We're Back America; Deal with It!"

Historical Significance- 4.5: This marked the first and only time in Super Bowl history the game was a rematch of the previous year. The Bills had to deal with a lot of media and fan scrutiny leading up to the game. People were eager to get on the Bill's case about their previous losing efforts. On the other side, the Cowboys were basking in the afterglow of their title the year before but the rumblings between Jerr-uh and Jimmy Johnson had begun to make their way into the public. This would be the final game JJ would coach for the Cowboys.

Game Enjoyment By the Fans- 3.5: The game started off with the feeling that Buffalo might have a chance in this one. However, the Cowboys scored 24 unanswered points and the Bills never held the lead once they gave it up in the 2nd half.

High Profile Element-5: By the time this game took place, everyone knew the cast of players that were involved. Jim Kelly had been successfully running the "K-Gun" offense for years. Kelly joined a lot of prestigious company for starting 4 Super Bowls but he is the only one to start 4 of them consecutively. The defense was still the team's weakness as it ranked 28th in the league in yardage. Despite that it still had players like Bruce Smith, Darryl Talley and Cornelius Bennett.

The Cowboys had the same attack it had been using with the strong running game of Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin as the leading receiver. The offensive line led the way with Erik Williams, Nate Newton and the like. Russell Maryland was the anchor on defense.



You cannot stop Jim Lampley's early 90s hair, you can only hope it does not swallow you whole.

Venue/Atmosphere- 4: This was the first Super Bowl played in Georgia so the the Georgia carpet was rolled out in the pregame ceremonies with Charlie Daniels and Kriss Kross(how timeless!). Natalie Cole sang the anthem. The halftime was certain to dismiss all redneck stereotypes of the south by having country music stars Clint Black, Tanya Tucker, Travis Tritt, and Wynonna Judd. Despite all this, it should be noted that the Georgia Dome is a great venue in Atlanta where the Peach Bowl and SEC Championship has been held recently.

Personal Enjoyment- 4: The game provided a real rooting interest for me in football when I was a young man of 13. I wanted to see the Bills win one finally. I had, as had everyone, watched them fall short the years prior but as in life, sometimes the deserving and suffering are not given what they have been waiting for.

Cleet's Rating Index: 21

Where I Was: I know I have given props to my Dad earlier in the countdown, but I have to say early on he realized that I had more of an attachment to sports than he ever did. By this time he would roll out the BBQ and wings to celebrate the big game, I always appreciated that.

What Happened in the World: Nine days before the game Lorena Bobbitt was found not guilty for reasons of insanity for chopping off her husbands ding dong. I don't remember all the facts of the case but how do you argue a woman is not insane for chopping off a dude's manhood? Ouch babe.

Record of Note: The biggest record that cannot be ignored, Buffalo was the first team to lose four straight Super Bowls. Even though that is a record someone would never want top repeat, it probably will never be duplicated. As Bill Kent Hull said after the game, "In the immediate future we'll be thought of as losers, But one day down the road, when I'm no longer playing, they'll say, 'Wow, they won four straight AFC championships. They must have been good.'"

Game MVP: Emmitt Smith had 132 yards with 2 TDs on the ground.

LVP: Thurman Thomas. He said it himself after the game, "Dallas didn't wear us down in the second half, I fumbled. I cost us the game." Thomas fumbled in the 3rd quarter :45 seconds in and it was returned by James Washington for a TD. It was Thomas' 2nd fumble of the game which resulted in 10 Dallas points and the Bills would not score again.

Most Memorable Play: The drive after Thomas fumbled return for the Cowboys, Smith carried the ball 7 of 8 plays and capped it off with a 15 yard TD run that put Dallas up 20-13 and they would not look back.

NFL Fallout: The Bills have never been the same since this loss. Kelly and the entire cast from their Super Bowl run would soon fade away and it has led to the Bills not making a playoff appearance this current entire decade. They have not put their faith in....Chan Gailey. All Bills fans have now are the memories of the Super Bowl runs that never came to fruition. For the Cowboys they never had Johnson coaching for them again but Jerr-uh was able to sign some key free agents and have Switzer guide them to another title a couple years later.

Continue reading...

Super Bowl Countdown #12: Super Bowl XXVII

During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.

The Cowboys returned to glory at the expense of the Bills. Puffy Starter jackets for everyone! Although this game was a blowout, it stands out very vividly in my mind and had great plays, personalities, and laid the foundation for an epic rematch the next year. The Pasadena Pounding is next.

Dallas Cowboys 52, Buffalo Bills 17

Semi-Lame Nickname: "How Bout 'Em?"

Scores:
Historical Significance- 4: The Cowboys had not sniffed the Super Bowl in 15 years, the Bills were back for a third helping. The Cowboys were favored by 6.5. Both teams featured prolific offenses but again the defense was the difference. The teams would be ultimately be linked for their back-to-back duels in the Super Bowl.

Game Enjoyment by the Fans- 3: The game was not close, but there are a lot of Cowboy fans throughout the land and the prolific return to dominance by Dallas increased the momentum of the NFL becoming the country's top sport. I would never and will never call Dallas "America's Team" but a lot of people out there care how this team does each year.

High Profile Element- 4.5: The names have reputations that precede them: Jimmy Johnson, Marv Leavy, Aikman and Kelly(both HoFs), Thurman Thomas and Emmit Smith, Andre Reed and Michael Irvin, Bruce Smith and Charles Haley, and the list goes on.

Dallas beat the 49ers in the NFC title game that would signal the reversal of fortune for the Cowboys in reverse that they got after the 1981 "The Catch" game. Buffalo meanwhile staged the epic comeback against the Houston Oilers led by Frank Reich. Kelly and Thomas were out for both playoff games until the Super Bowl.

Venue/Atmosphere- 4.5: As the BCS title game showed us last month, the Rose Bowl is a great place to watch championship football. The Rose Bowl received the bid after Arizona lost out thanks for their inability to get the MLK holiday passed in a timely manner. Garth Brooks sang the national anthem, does anybody remember when he came out with that alter ego Chris Gaines? Yeah that's when the country collectively realized Brooks had lost it. The halftime show featured the one and only Michael Jackson. Creepy as he was, Jackson pulled in more viewers than the actual game.

Awesome note about the aesthetic quality of the game: O.J. Simpson did the coin toss, awesome.

Personal Enjoyment- 3.5: Again despite the margin of defeat this was the first we saw of the 1990s Cowboys on the big stage and the Bills were now familiar with everyone, but not in a good way.

Cleet's Rating Index: 19.5

Where I Was: I was 12 but did not possess a Starter Jacket. I was rooting for the Bills, but had not developed any annoyance at Dallas or their fans that I have now.

What Happened in the World: Five days after the game, Belgium became a federal state instead of a kingdom. The world was forever changed.

Record of Note: The Bills had 9 turnovers, they turned the ball over NIIIIIIINE times, which was a record.

Game MVP: Troy Aikman won the MVP. 273 yards and 4 TDs, the Bills defense never had a chance.

LVP/Most Memorable Play: Nate Newton. The Bills did play horribly but everyone remembers this play by Don Beebe when Newton got a little premature with this celebration.



NFL Fallout: The two teams would meet again in Atlanta the next year in which both teams would be labeled as they were after this game; Dallas as the 90s dynasty, and the Bills as 4 in a row Super Bowl losers. Jimmy Johnson also became the first coach to win a Super Bowl and a college football national title. Who did he win the title with in college? U already know.

Continue reading...

Super Bowl Countdown #20: Super Bowl XXVI

During the two weeks preceding the Super Bowl, I will be counting down the best Super Bowls I have witnessed in my lifetime, starting in 1988. I created a ranking system and will go game by game reliving each edition until the top Super Bowl is listed.

The 20th Super Bowl on my ongoing countdown was the northernmost Super Bowl ever. At this point the Bills had only tasted Super Bowl defeat once, losing the previous year's game by one point to the Giants. However, there would be no close shave in this game as the Redskins returned to glory, and subsequently have not returned since. Read on for the Mincing in Minneapolis.

Washington Redskins 37, Buffalo Bills 24

Semi-Lame Nickname: "Winter Magic"

Scores:

Historical Significance- 3.5: There was a lot of history on the side of the Redskins if they won this game. They were seeking to become the fourth team to win their 3rd Super Bowl. They were also seeking to do it with 3 different quarterbacks. Joe Gibbs was the man who had led the 'Skins to all their titles, spanning 9 years. The Bills were still riding their high-powered K-Gun but had faltered, scoring only a field goal in the AFC title game which was a 10-7(their scored their TD on defense). Gary Kubiak led the Broncos lone TD drive when Elway went out with a thigh injury.

Game Enjoyment by the Fans- 3.5: No matter their current state, the Redskins are one of the storied franchises of the NFL. How else can you explain that Daniel Snyder still makes money with how that team is run? That and the Bills offense captivated the pre-game hype, but once the game reached halftime, the air was out of the Dome.

High Profile Element- 3.5: The MVP of the season was Thurman Thomas. He racked up over 2,000 yards of offense and 12 TDs. Mark Rypien was not the biggest name at the position to play for the 'Skins and maybe not in this game but 1991 was easily his best year. Joe Gibbs and Marv Leavy were both multi-Super Bowl coaches and this was yet another title match-up with a high-powered offense versus a dominant defense.

Venue/Atmosphere- 3: For some reason I like to see Super Bowl's in northern venues. I really would not mind if it snowed during a Super Bowl. It is not like only one team battles the elements. I understand if windy conditions mess up everything, but worth the gamble. Oh, you think people won't show up if it is cold out? Maybe not for a season finale when the home team is 3-12, but for the Super Bowl they would. The Metrodome hosted the Super Bowl, Final Four, and the World Series within a 12-month span, which I find to be a compelling record. Harry Connick Jr. sang the anthem which is okay, but I can never forgive the man for 'Hope Floats', unforgivable son. The Halftime show featured Gloria Estefan(Super Bowl veteran!) and then in an awesome/awful display, Brian Boitano and Dorothy Hamil skated on Teflon sheets on stage. Nice to see Boitano took time from beating up Kubla Khan. Maybe the best part of the atmosphere created by CBS, which would not host another Super Bowl for 8 years, was the song they used in the introduction for the game. Observe:



Bangerang CBS! The NFL on CBS music was pretty boss(correct early 1990s slang?) too.

Personal Enjoyment- 2: Despite the fantastic intro, the game got out of hand quickly. By halftime it was 17-0 and the Bills never really had a chance. I was still young at the time of the game so my attention was lost rather quickly.

Cleet's Rating Index: 15.5

Where I was: I was a young, spry boy of 11 when the game took place. As I mentioned, my attention was lost from the game and by the late 3rd quarter I was attending to my main focus at the time: beating Super Ghouls and Ghosts for Super Nintendo. Always thought it was awesome that you can be knocked into a loin cloth.

What Happened In The World: The very day of the Super Bowl, Boris Yeltsin announced that Russia would no longer target American cities with nuclear weapons. So we have that going for us, which is nice unless Putin reversed that policy.

Record of Note: Both teams combined for the most points in a 3rd quarter with 24.

Game MVP: Mark Rypien went 18/33 for 292 yards, 2 TDs and a pick. He helped Gary Clark and Art Monk become the 3rd pair of receivers to gain 100 yards receiving in the big game.

LVP: Bills offense. Even though he hails from the U, my man machine gun Kelly had those 4 picks. He was under heavy pressure all night and the Bills running game was less than stellar. Thurman Thomas had 13 yards on 10 carries.

Most Memorable Play: In the first quarter the Redskins drove down the field but had to settle for a FG after the first instant replay overturn in Super Bowl history. They blew the snap which gave Buffalo the ball but Kelly promptly threw an interception. Three plays later Rypien turned it back over with a pick of his own.

NFL Fallout: The Redskins were riding high after the Super Bowl win. They made the playoffs the next year but after that Gibbs retired and the Hogs went into a tailspin that eventually landed them in the hands of Snyder. The Bills were once again thwarted but would return to the big game the next two years with again disappointing results.

Continue reading...

T.O. Signing Makes Sense For the Bills

We've discussed Terrell Owens before, and Cleet asserts he's a punk, but here I come riding on white alabaster steed to once again defend the monster that HYPE created. When TO was released, people were beboppin and scattin all over the place. The nation declared they didn't want him on their team, but rest assured everyone was also hoping he wouldn't go their rival. He's being made out as a QB Killer, but let's take a look back.

Jeff Garcia was a backup in the CFL just a few years before signing a 6-year $36 million dollar contract following a breakout year in which Owens was his primary receiver. Garcia completed more than 62% of his passes and threw for over 3300 yards during his three full seasons as quarterback in San Fran. Garcia has never surpassed the 3000 yard mark, and didn't complete 62% of his passes again until 2007, the same year he went back to the Pro Bowl after three trips with the 49ers (and Owens as his primary target). When Garcia was cut by the Niners due to salary cap issues, he turned around and signed a 4-year $25 million contract with the Browns. after disagreements with management, Garcia was released and signed a 1-year $2 million contract with the Lions. From there he would go to the Eagles on another 1-year deal, before signing with the Buccaneers for 2-years and $7 million.

When TO arrived in Philadelphia, Donovan McNabb had already signed a monstrous contract, but was still hounded by critics, who pointed out he had yet to complete 60% of his passes for a season. In 2004, the year both TO and McNabb were healthy, he completed 64% of his passes and threw 31 touchdowns, both career highs. Had the Eagles not made the Super Bowl that season and given McNabb's injuries the following years it's not unreasonable to think that he and his elite contract would have been jettisoned.

In October of 2007, Tony Romo signed a 6-year, $67.4 million dollar contract after having moderate success (6-4), but with Terrell Owens as his primary target. Now, just two full seasons later, there are considerable questions about Romo's ability to perform in clutch situations.

What does all of this mean? Terrell Owens, "the quarterback killer" has helped two quarterbacks get monster contracts, and helped another preserve one. Jeff Garcia signed $61 million worth of contracts while and immediately after having TO as a primary target, but hasn't been paid 1/3 of that in subsequent contracts. Perhaps TO could come kill my quarterbacking career.

This is not to excuse all of the things that have gone on with TO. Terrell and bizarre press conferences go together like NASCAR and cheap domestic beer, but people need to recognize that the media has launched a one-man equivalent of the Red Scare. What's worse: TO being too candid about rumors of Jeff Garcia's sexuality or Jeff Garcia driving while having a blood alcohol level nearly three times the legal limit? For the record, Steve Young faced a lot of the same rumors as Garcia, but he still managed to get the monkey off his back, without driving drunk. What's worse TO feuding with management in Philadelphia or Jeff Garcia feuding with management in Cleveland or Donovan McNabb saying he won't re-sign unless the team's improved? What's worse: TO calling out Donovan McNabb or Donovan McNabb calling out his receivers and management on his blog? Everything TO has done has been done (or worse) by someone else in the league, but HYPE focuses on TO because he's such a galvanizing force.

Owens's release by the Cowboys was a salary cap move and nothing more. It would be irresponsible to keep two high priced wide receivers while neglecting to fill other team needs. Jerry Jones had committed several draft picks to the younger Roy Williams, so releasing Owens made sense. Twisting this to be anything more is just the newest contortion of the truth by people in the media and fans alike.

Now, why does bringing Terrell to Buffalo make sense for the Bills? This is a struggling team in a struggling market. For the first time in a long time they have national relevance, and with very little risk attached. If TO is the malcontent that many will have you believe, he can be cut with no longterm cap implications. With the recent economic downturn having a star attraction (and a new one at that) cannot be overstated for a team and a city like Buffalo. He'll make selling advertising, merchandise, and tickets all easier. TO needs to do well in Buffalo, but Buffalo needs him to do well even more.

From certain individuals, we love candor. From others we despise it. TO falls into the second category for most fans, but his "transgressions" that have earned him this reputation pale in comparison to many of his fellow professional athletes. For some reason, a thoughtless phrase is more damning than a thoughtless act in today's society. Nothing Terrell has ever done approaches the level of despicableness of Jason Richardson's recent arrest, but every move TO makes is scrutinized at a level that virtually no other professional athlete can comprehend (and that's saying something in this day and age).

Continue reading...

AFC State of the Union

NFC fans appear to be more dedicated or perhaps they just have more time on their hands, because tracking down AFC previews and predictions was more painful than listening to a roundtable discussion featuring Skip Bayless, Tim McCarver, Jamelle Hill, and Jay Mariotti. Instead of posting videos just to have team representation, I'm trimming the fat. Cleet's still going to be mad about at least one, but I'll bear the brunt to bring a great new video to the masses.

AFC East

While pressing the statute of limitations, because the new season hasn't officially begun, I present you with The Spygate Song.

This entertaining Buffalo Bill preview needs to see the light of day, cue it up to 2:50 to witness the most love Paul Posluszny has ever gotten from a man.

The Miami Dolphins preview takes a hopeful Barack Obama-esque approach.
Jets Preview and a mandatory Bret Favre song.

AFC North
This "Stillers" video had the best production of any of the team preview, so it also gets some love. His view on "bold predictions" is spot on, and while we're here, a little Myron Cope.

More of the same for the Bengals.
A Browns preview. Hi Ryan!

AFC South
For one of the youngest, most talented divisions, they scored a doughnut on previews.

AFC West
The only AFC West team to have any season preview was the Oakland Raiders. Not only does this guy know his team, he also drops a Cerberus reference while discussing the running back situation. I don't like to stereotype, but I wouldn't have guessed it would be a Raiders fan dropping some mythology on us. His preview also had a second part.

Continue reading...