Super Blog
OK, for lack of anything better to do in my Richmond apartment, I might as well blog the Super Bowl. All times are EST, 24-hour clock (subtract 1200 for the PM times).
Yes, I am ripping off Bill Simmons’s title. Since there’s no chance of my miserable effort being confused for his, I’m not going to worry about it.
2236: Some parting thoughts: Poor night overall for advertising, but a good final 40 minutes worth of football. Yes, kids, the Patriots are a dynasty, but the Carolina Panthers clearly belonged in the game. They certainly put up a much better showing in their first championship appearance than their cross-state brethren did in the Stanley Cup Finals two years ago. Tom Brady as MVP is a default choice — call this a team win, because nobody on the Patriots distinguished himself, except for maybe Mike Vrabel (by oddity rather than dominance).
2227: Vinatieri, dead-on from 41, redeems himself. 32-29 Patriots, Vinatieri is perfect again on the kickoff (into the end zone would have given them one shot), He Hate Me gets hated on at the 17 or so, and it’s all over. In our Alt-World, John Fox is plotting strategy for a 31-all overtime instead of calling Southwest Airlines for a “Gotta Get Away?” special and keeping Frank Beamer, calling to commiserate over the evil temptations of the two-point conversion, on hold.
2222: Sure, Brown pushed off, but if #21 (Cousin) had turned around, that’d still have been INT-Panthers.
2218: TD Panthers, Delhomme to Ricky Proehl, 29-all, and you know what? After the first 20 minutes, Delhomme has had a better game than Tom Brady. Our Alt-Score is 31-28 Panthers, and in that world, 61-year-old James Hendrix is known only to a chosen few as the Master of the Left-Handed Accordion.
2209: With all the idiotic penalties they’ve taken, it’s a miracle the Panthers are even in it.
2206: TD Pats, Brady to Mike Vrabel, a linebacker playing third(?)-string tight end, 29-22 after Kevin Faulk converts the 2 on a direct snap. Let’s keep a running score of what it would have been if the Panthers had kicked both XPs, just for fun. I’m going to presume that the Pats don’t go for two at 27-24, so our Alt-Score is 28-24 Patriots.
2151: HOLY CRAP! Delhomme 85-yard bomb to Muhammad (traveled at least 60 linear yards in the air), TD PANTHERS! 22-21 after another failed 2-point conversion, and ladies and gentlemen, the field for 2000 Sugar Bowl comparisons (29-28?) is now open.
2145: INT Reggie Howard of the Panthers in the end zone, runs it out, probably not the worst risk to take given how tough it’s been to get yards against the Pats.
2130: TD Panthers, DeShaun Foster, 21-16 after a failed 2-point try. Hold the bubbly for NE, but that failed 2 didn’t do the Panthers any good at all. MasterCard/Homer Simpson commercial was pretty decent too.
2123: TD Pats, 21-10, Antowain Smith rush TD. If the Panthers don’t score on this possession, they can start hanging the plastic in the New England locker room and moving the champagne in.
1 February 2004 / 2 Comments / Tags: football