Super Bowl Countdown #14: Super Bowl XXII

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.

This was the first Super Bowl I remember watching with a vested interest in football. I was young, and truly did not appreciate the true impact of what Doug Williams accomplished, but years later I have grown in appreciation while most people forget. SOMETIMES YOU FORGET RUSH LIMBAUGH! Over a decade before Oxycodone-mouth said the media wanted a black quarterback to succeed, a black quarterback led his team to a Super Bowl title. The labor dispute of the season did not take away from what Williams and the Redskins did that night. The Jackhammer of Jack Murphy after the break.

Washington Redskins 42, Denver Broncos 10

Semi-Lame Nickname: "First African-American to.."

Scores:

Historical Significance- 4.5: Not all the focus was on Williams and race. The Broncos were the favored team and many expected Elway to get his ring after being denied by the Giants the previous this year. Joe Gibbs was attempting to win the second Super Bowl during his tenure.

Game Enjoyment by the Fans- 3.5: The Game ended up being a blowout, but 2nd quarter was entertaining unless you were a Denver fan. Washington erupted for 35 points to take a 35-10 lead into halftime. Only 7 2nd half points would be scored so the game fizzled out.

High Profile Element- 4: Williams was not even the starter in 1987. Jay Schroeder suffered a separated shoulder early in the season and was replaced by Williams. Although Schroeder tried to come back Gibbs felt Williams was the better choice. The Redskins also had injuries at the RB position. Former Heisman trophy winner and leading rusher George Rogers was too injured to make a major contribution so rookie Timmy Smith stepped in.

Venue/Atmosphere- 3.5: As mentioned earlier in the countdown, we are all aware of the greatness of San Diego and how fortunate all the San Diegoans...San Diegoites...San Diegans are to live there. This was the first Super Bowl to have the MNF crew I grew up with (Michaels, Gifford, Dierdorf) call the game. A tribute to Bob Hope headlined the pre-game festivities and the halftime show had Chubby Checker, the Rockettes, and 88 grand pianos which sounds more like a dream I once had then a halftime show.

Personal Enjoyment- 3: Like I said I was a little too young to fully appreciate the entirety of the game, but one of the best things my Dad every did for me was buy me a subscription to Sports Illustrated and help me read through it. That doesn't really relate to this game, but I remember getting my issue with Doug Williams on the front, thanks Dad.

Cleet's Rating Index: 19

Where I Was: As I mentioned I was in first grade. I had moved to Charlotte just 6 months earlier. I cried on my first day of first grade, lame I know. I remember a kid in our class was a huge Redskins fan so he made a big deal of the game. Wasn't first grade awesome? It was the last grade I had story time in; when you would move to the reading carpet and the teacher would read "The Boxcar Children" or something like that to you. At least for me, from 2nd grade on there was still a reading carpet but you had to do the reading yourself.

What Happened in the World: Six days before the game, Dan Rather and George H.W. Bush had a heated interview over Bush's role in the Iran-Contra scandal. Immediately makes me think of that Phil Hartman SNL skit where he plays Reagan and is nice and kind with the girl scouts but turns into a hardass when they leave the room.

Record of Note: Timmy Smith rushed for 204 yards which still stands today. No one has come close since.

Game MVP: Doug Williams tied a Super Bowl record with 4 TDs, all of them in the same quarter. He had a nasty tackle early on in the game and his knee twisted. Schroeder came in and promptly got sacked. Williams came back for his record setting 2nd quarter, and finished the game in spite of his knee swelling.

LVP: Every ignorant ass moron that ever said a black player could not lead a team to a championship. Suck on it.

Most Memorable Play: The moment when Williams was announced as the MVP and his teammates surrounded him on the field as seen in the video below:



NFL Fallout: The Broncos were denied their 3rd chance at a Super Bowl, and the 49ers would make it 4 losses a few years later. Joe Gibbs had another Super Bowl waiting with another QB.

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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.

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Remembering Sean Taylor

Tomorrow marks the one year anniversary of the death of Sean Taylor. For so many fans of the University of Miami and the Washington Redskins it was a shock and a heartbreaking moment. For me personally, being a alumnus of Miami and having been there when Taylor was on the field and getting to see him play in person at the Orange Bowl was special. The reason that those felt so much emotion when Taylor passed away was because we felt the emotion that Taylor played the game with. There was a raw energy that Sean brought to the field every down of every game. He will be missed by fans because we lost one of the great football players of our generation, he will be missed by the Redskins because he was a friend and teammate, and most of all he will be missed by his daughter and the rest of his family.

There was a lot written and said about the murder by people who presumed to know exactly what transpired. Pretty much all of it was garbage and sports media figures sitting on high and dealing out the judgment. They are too many to name but the most egregious and reckless example was by Colin Cowherd. The complete breakdown on the ignorance of his statements were made in a great article from the DC Sports Bog last year and can be found here. The funny thing is how he is still unapologetic about it if it comes up, the man truly sets a new standard for douchebags.

The day after Taylor was killed I heard a local radio station discussing the incident. They were not too brash to be making the completely idiotic statements of others (which proved to be false by the way), but they were speaking with no knowledge on the subject and allowing a person who called himself a Miami fan to call in and give his thoughts. This so-called fan of Miami was also a Dallas Cowboys fan and is allegedly over 50 years old and still in college. Furthermore he lives in Sacramento so I have no idea why he calls into a show that is on in the southeastern region of the country and why the show allows him to call in. I decided to write into the show and share my thoughts. They were met with a terse thank you and three word response. That certainly rubbed me the wrong way but it is up to the host of the radio show what content drives his show and it is apparent that in this case it is not the intellectual or even factual side of sports. After the break, I have posted the email I wrote to the radio program. Below is the video tribute from FedEx field that was shown last year.





I listen to your show whenever I get the chance. Therefore after listening for a short time yesterday and receiving the news today of Taylor's passing, I feel compelled to write you my thoughts. I am a graduate of the University of Miami and was fortunate enough to be enrolled when the team won its 5th championship in 2001. Being a true green and orange Hurricane, it is often a difficult task to separate myself from loud-mouthed fans, ignorant sports fans, and people who either live through or thrive on the belief that the program exists to fulfill a macho thug-like purpose. Yes we all know the stories from the 80s and early 90s, I still have my Sports Illustrated with the cover of "Why the University of Miami should drop Football.", but having gone to the school, lived and worked for the community and the school itself, having gone to the archaic concrete monument that was the Orange Bowl, I can tell you there is a special connection with the U and its true fans. And it burns me that when I do listen early in the week often I hear the stuttering voice of one Stanley from Sacramento. It infuriates me to the limit of a rational person being angered by a voice on a radio. I doubt Stanley went to Miami since I hear jokes about his 8 semesters at Sac. St. and as I said true fans do not share his stupid, blunt, and absolutely idiotic comments when it comes to Miami. Nothing angers us more than to hear people like him give us a bad name. We know we will never be liked, and judgments will be made, but we believe what our current coach Randy Shannon believes; that victories and passionate play on the field can occur without a reliance on unacceptable behavior and disrespectful attitudes. The U will never shed its image, but strides have been made. Miami became a poster child for college programs of this era, Florida St. and Nebraska among others had just as many disingenuous characters and reprehensible behaviors as we did. But to be a 'Cane fan is to accept the brunt of this criticism.
Miami is actually an academic institution of great note. The very treatment given to former Hurricane Kevin Everett shortly after his catastrophic injury in Buffalo was a result of the Miami Project to cure paralysis developed at the University. As a result Everett will walk again one day after doctors thought initially he was going to be confined to a chair for life. We are not a large public institution, we are not a Florida where we open the flood gates every August and allow the cattle to usher forth and then receive their degree and then create generations upon generations of fans through sheer numbers. Instead we are a small community just as passionate about our team as anyone if not as high in head count.
The fraternity of former players of the U is one I am not a part of but has big appeal for kids coming to the school, and makes them a part of a family they keep in close contact with. Former players from Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Edge James, Clinton Portis, Ray Lewis, Warren Sapp and countless others are always seen on-campus and at games supporting the program. Many of these players come from the troubled communities of South Florida. Their struggles and success though the game of football unite them and keep them forever linked in life and so sadly, their death. Randy Shannon is one story of success out of these dark places, and therefore I think is the best leader the program could have. Yes their have been personal foul flags, brawls, and some run-ins with the law, but their have been so many more degrees earned, careers launched, and brotherhoods formed in the process.
Sean Taylor was an electric player on the field, who while at UM, never got into trouble, but afterwards in the NFL had some off-field trouble and committed a horrid penalty in a play-off game. He was quiet when it came to the media so little is known about his candor. By most accounts, after the birth of his daughter he began to change his ways and it is so senseless how his opportunity to do so is cut short. No matter his troubles he did not deserve this. Many details and theories and social commentaries will come out following this event, but I want you to know that the Hurricane family is hurting today and will be for awhile. Just after Brian Pada, Chris Campbell, Al Blades, and all the others we were hurting. But Taylor was headed for a transcendent career on the field and hopefully what would have been a tranformation off it. He was a symbol of the U and of how the twisted athletic priorites of our society can rescue a child that that very society abuses. I never had a conversation with Sean but I feel like I lost someone close.
As I get closer to earning my masters in Sports Studies and heading out for a career in sports media, administration, or otherwise I take stock of the important role sports play in our society and the folly we sometimes run into in letting our passion blind us to reason. I felt obligated to share my thoughts with you on this subject as you can see it is close to my heart and would like to you to pass a message to Stanley and people like him the next time he comes on your show: 'You do not represent the true spirit of Hurricane football, you are a glorified bafoon of an extreme attitude you believe to be courageous'. Please hang up on that jackass the next time he wants to stutter on about what the 'Canes should do. Yes our football team has been downright awful the last couple years and those of us wiser than others have kept quiet and are preaching patience. His loud mouth antics spit in the face of what our program has been and what it can be in the future. Again I am profoundly saddened today but know the Hurricane family will weather the storm.

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John Thompson suggests "sausage sandwich" to quell Portis and Mitchell on-air scrap.

From DC Sports Blog, a radio interview of Clinton Portis on John Thompson's radio show turned scruffy when Portis had words with former player Brian Mitchell who had criticized Portis in the past.

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Matt Ryan shall now be called "Blue Suede"

The poll results are in, and thanks to Sports Illustrated for helping boost the results. Following Fred Smoot's delcaration that Matt Ryan's "a pair of shoes," we challenged the readers to give Ryan a new nickname. With a resounding 43% of the votes, Blue Suede came out on top.

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Remembering Meast

Sean Taylor: gone but not forgotten for the Redskins, especially his former Miami teammates. [Yahoo! Sports]

Type rest of the post here

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