I’m not going to bother to do a recap of the game. The Saints won, which I’m stoked about, and it was an exciting game that most of us watched so there is no need to recap it. Instead, I am going to talk about some of the things that really stood out to me about the entire Super Bowl presentation.
First, despite the ridiculous white outfit that resembled something Lonestar wore near the end of Space Balls, Carrie Underwood is smoking f–king hot. There is absolutely no reason that someone like her couldn’t do the halftime show. I know the networks want to play it safe after the “wardrobe malfunction” incident, but parading senior citizens up on the stage to embarrass themselves year after year is getting really old….pun intended. The organizers of this whole event could get acts to perform at halftime that are still relevant in today’s music scene and not have boobs falling out. The halftime has gone from a spectacle people couldn’t wait to see to a bathroom break. But enough about that, now for some real game observations….
Sean Payton has the biggest stones in North America. The testicular fortitude it took to call that onside kick after electing to run the ball 3 times inside the 5 yard line and come away with no points is amazing. He really risked being run out of New Orleans on that one. After running, and failing, on 4th and goal, if that onside kick didn’t work and the Colts started at the Saints 40 yard line to open the half I don’t think they would be celebrating right now and he would be public enemy number 1 in Louisiana. But he had the guts to make the call and not let what happened in the past affect how he called the rest of the game. He truly showed the mark of a great coach in this game. He made all the adjustments he needed to make throughout the game, he’s not afraid to make risky calls with the game on the line and knows how to get his team behind him 100%. I don’t think we will ever see this man get out-coached. I’m so impressed I would give up more first round picks (if the Bears had any) to get a guy like him to run my team, and I would still pay Lovie the $11 million he’s owed on his contract just to go away.
Jim Caldwell on the other hand, is a complete pansy and does not have the stones it takes to win big games. First he completely gave up at the end of the first half. With a little under 2 minutes left with 2 timeouts and Peyton Manning at quarterback any coach in his right mind should be thinking touchdown, I don’t care if you have to go 98 yards. Manning could do it in 1 minute with no timeouts. But instead, he runs the ball three times AND leaves enough time on the clock for the Saints to get a field goal. DUMBASS!! That was their opportunity to go for the throat and really put the Saints in a hole, but he passed on it and allowed them to stay in the game and gain all the momentum going into halftime. Then how about putting in 42 year old Matt Stover for a 51 yard field goal attempt while the Colts were ahead in the game. Its been at least half a decade since that distance was in his range. Why would you give Brees and the Saints offense a short field while you are trying to hold a lead? Punt the damn ball away and the absolute worst thing that happens is they have to go 80 yards for a touchdown instead of 59, and more than likely you can pin them down near the 10. No excuse for that kind of poor judgment in a game like this. If he continues to coach the way he coached this game it’s hard to see him ever winning a Super Bowl, even with Peyton Manning.
After this game I really hope Drew Brees finally gets the national attention and recognition that he deserves. He out-played Manning throughout the entire game. He took what the defense gave, didn’t force any throws (although you could tell he really wanted to force it deep a few times but he kept his cool), and continually made clutch throws on 3rd down when he had to. He put on a great performance and totally deserved the MVP. He’s a true leader, a big game player, and, like I have been saying for 3 years, one of the elite quarterbacks in football. I would be surprised if he doesn’t play in a couple more Super Bowls before his career is over.
There has been a trend recently of close and exciting Super Bowl games and it is starting to show up in the ratings, 106 million people watched this game. That’s the most ever to watch a television program of any kind. Hopefully the league and the players union can work out a deal soon. A lockout in the 2011 season would not only be a PR disaster for the league but also deprive loyal fans of outstanding playoff and Super Bowl games and would be a sure-fire ratings killer for events like this when play would finally resume.
All in all, it was an exciting game to watch with exactly the outcome I was hoping for. I couldn’t ask for anything better (unless of course the Bears were relevant). There’s only one thing I have left to say…WHO DAT!! WHO DAT!! WHO DAT!!
Give Caldwell a break. He is still a noob when it comes to being a head coach in the NFL.
I think he and Peyton called a good game but were too conservative in the end. I agree with the mistakes you pointed out, but think with the talent that he has got and his ability to coach they will be back in the bowl again soon and that if he can learn from his mistakes win it.
Plus, I never said Caldwell couldn’t learn from this and go on to win a bunch of Super Bowls. I said he wouldn’t win one if he continued to coach the way he coached this game. If he learns from it there is no limit to how many he could win with the talent on his team.
I think he could have easily won this game being conservative. There is much more to winning than just being aggressive, as you said yourself if they didn’t recover that kick Sean Payton would have been booed out of New Orleans.
Too many things affect the game that don’t involve aggressive play calling. For instance…That pick six Peyton threw could have easily come back if the refs would have called the block in the back on the Saints. If you watch the replay of the pick Manning is the only person that could have made a play at it, but he got pushed from behind and the call was missed. Not going for it at the end of the half could have changed the game, and so could have that call.
There are too many things that could have changed the outcome of the game to call his conservative play calling the culprit. You play to aggressively you could get burnt or you could be the hero in this case it just worked against him.
Well Mr. Man it was overthinking by Mr. Manning that cost them the game. But saying that, the only highlight in an abysmal 2009 and so far 2010 was the Dolts loss. I’m still not over them beating the Bears 3 years ago but this helped. But what was most gratifying was that it finally shut up those Johnny Come Lately Dolt fans at work. One lady had a shrine set up to them in her cubicle complete with blue lights, flags and huge pictures of the team. The Monday after the game she took them all down. Imagine that?
Bandwagon fans are the best. Just look at the Black Hawks, they sucked for 15 years and nobody cared. All of the sudden they get good and it is the hottest ticket in town.
I’m not saying he is a bad coach, but in big games you have to make choices, tough choices, that could determine the outcome. When he gave up at the end of the half I know he would have liked to have a touchdown there, but he couldn’t man up and make the calls. With the talent on his team he’s going to win a lot of games with his conservative approach but in big games against equal talent, that kind of game play doesn’t work. You have to go for the throat every chance you get and he didn’t, and for no other reason than he chose not too (no guts no glory), and Sean Payton did. That’s why the Saints are getting fitted for rings and the Colts are left to hope for next year.
I’ll tell you what, Brees did play a hellava game and deserved the MVP and all the recognition he is getting. But if it’s any other coach in the league the Saints don’t win that game. Payton rolled the dice continually throughout the game and came up aces every time but one(the goal line runs before half). He was there to win and win no matter what it took. My hats off to him for one of the most creative game plans and the most creative calls made during a championship game. If he was going to go down he was going down with all guns blazing. Absolutely an amazing coaching job!
Absolutely agree with Ryan on this, Brees was awesome!!!!