Super Bowl Running Diary

I’m doing a Simmons-style running diary for the Super Bowl. Everybody is doing it nowadays, so I don’t feel like I’m stealing any ideas. The difference is, most people can do live chats, I have to use a Word document. I’m old school. Anyway, the Hawkeyes went 2-0 this week for the first time in Big-10 play since the Horner and Brunner days, and the Pacers, under new coach Frank Vogel are 4-0, so it has been a fantastic week, minus the 18 inches of snow. Let’s get this diary underway. My prediction: Packers 27-20.


4:31 – Just sat down at my Moms house with my laptop, and realized she didn’t have wireless Internet. Googling anything is out of the picture today. Can’t really say who I’m rooting for today. I like Aaron Rodgers, I like Charles Woodson, and I like Mike Tomlin. I don’t like the Packers and I don’t really like Pittsburgh. I’ll probably cheer for the Packers today just because the Mother is a Pack fan. A happy mom usually equals free food for Geoffrey so that’s my goal.

4:47 – Bradshaw picked the Steelers. Big surprise. I’m picking Heath Miller to score the first TD, and the Christiana Aguilera National Anthem “brave” to be under the six seconds. Who would seriously bet on the National Anthem? That’s called a “gambling problem”.

4:52 – Pizza Hut is here. Just in time for the PSA about America courtesy of Colin Powell and Roger Goodell. I feel patriotic.

5:08 – The announcers are talking about the snow in Dallas. ESPN has been killing Dallas all week for using sand on the roads instead of salt. Dallas has an excuse, it never snows there. Iowa City however, in the middle of fucking IOWA, has no excuse for using sand and doing a God-awful job on their streets. I’m cutting Dallas some slack.

5:11 – Sam Elliott for the introductions apparently. Weird.

5:14 – Just saw another commercial for “Just Go With It” with Adam Sandler. I’m fairly certain I know exactly how that movie ends. I’ll save my money.

5:19 – Madieu Williams just won the Walter Payton award. This is the biggest Super Sunday win in Vikings history! I knew this was a good week.

5:20 - W is in the building! That is never a good thing.

5:22 – Aguilera for the National Anthem. I’m disappointed. I was hoping for the outfit from the “Dirty” video.

5:25 – Wow, she killed the 6 second bet. I had 11.5 seconds.

5:26 – I’m guessing Heads for the coin toss. Tails has to lose at some point.

5:27 – The game hasn’t even started and I’m sick of Glee. Damn you Fox. Damn you.

5:28 - This Michael Douglas commercial is very depressing. Less voice-overs and more parenting for Mr. Douglas would be advised.

5:31 – Your reign is over tails!

5:32 – My brother tells me, via his phone, that Michelle Beadle said on Twitter that Aguilera screwed up the words. My response was “I follow Michelle Beadle on Twitter too. Of course, I’d follow Michelle Beadle to the ends of the earth, so that is no surprise.”

5:36 – Three and out for Pittsburgh. Wasted a good kickoff return. I didn’t really agree with the play calling on the opening drive.

5:37 – Muffed punt. First lucky break of the game goes to Green Bay. I love the guys who walk in from 40 yards away and point their arm in their teams direction. You guys have really good eyesight. Perhaps after your NFL career you could be a fantastic referee.

5:39 – Bulaga starting for Green Bay. Nice to see at least one Iowa guy.

5:40 –First big play of the game goes to Donald Driver. I could see him having a real big day.

5:42 – Jordy Nelson just had his first chance to channel his inner Don Beebe and failed. The token white receiver play in the Super Bowl hasn’t happened yet.

5:50 – Boring first few drives. Steelers should stick with the run and the Packers should stick with the passing game, but we will see what they do.

5:57 – The new Faster and Furious movie looks just awesome. Then again, I would pay to watch the Rock play Vin Diesel in Scrabble, so fast cars only adds to it.

5:59 – Cameron Diaz was just on feeding A-Rod. Wonder if she injected his buttocks prior to the hand feeding.

6:00 – Jordy Nelson with the Beebe moment! What a throw from Rodgers and a catch from Nelson. Beautiful. Who bet on Jordy scoring the first TD? 7-0 Pack.

6:08 – An interception by Nick Collins and he is gone! Packers lead 14-0. Uh-oh Pittsburgh. This one is getting scare for the Steelers.

6:13 – Betting is getting out of hand at my Mom’s. We just found out someone we know is pregnant, and immediately took odds on boy or girl. I am putting one cent on Hermaphrodite. It pays out 1 million to one. I can’t turn down those odds.

6:15 – 1st quarter is in the books. 14-0 Packers. Steelers are driving though. Game is getting interesting. Bridgestone just came through with the 1st hilarious commercial of the night. The “reply all” commercial is in the lead.

6:16 – Annnnddddd Joan Rivers just made me throw up my queso dip. Thanks Joan Rivers.

6:18 – Just had a Leftwich sighting. That just did to Steelers fans what Joan Rivers did to me.

6:24 – When I get bored with this game I just squint and pretend the Steelers are Iowa. That usually makes me happy. Field goal Iowa. 14-3 Green Bay.

6:24 – Budweiser with a solid commercial featuring the mobster guy from Prison Break singing Tiny Dancer. Commercials are already better than last year.

6:34 – My sister on Joe Buck: “He is small. That is a big voice for a tiny guy”.

6:38 – Randal-El with a big catch. Haven’t heard from him for a while. I feel like the Steelers need to use Mendenhall more. He has been running well, and even Mewelde Moore had a good run or two. The passing game isn’t working right now. Run the ball Pittsburgh!

6:42 – Thanks for proving my point Jarrett Bush. Figure it out Steelers.

6:45 – After another big catch by Jordy Nelson, and then a TD catch for Greg Jennings. 21-3 Packers. This is getting out of hand quick. The Steelers insistence to stick with the passing game is proving to be their downfall. Now, being down 18 points with the 1st half winding down, they are forcing themselves to be a pass-first team in the 2nd half. This is not good for Pittsburgh.

6:57 – The Shields and Woodson injuries defiantly helped Pittsburgh on that drive. A TD pass to Hines Ward has the Steelers back in the game. 21-10 Pack. Is anybody else surprised that Hines Ward has a TD and Mike Wallace’s mohawk hasn’t don’t anything yet? He may in the 2nd half, but he has been non-existent thus far.

7:00 – 21-10 at the half. I would have liked to see Rodgers take a shot down field at the end of the half. I would like to see stats of the success rate of a team trying to do something with the last 45 seconds of a half instead of being conservative. I’d bet the odds that it totally backfires and helps the defensive team are under 5%. Grow some balls, playcallers.

7:22 – Another Super Bowl halftime show that was borderline disappointing. Slash and Usher were pleasant surprises. Fergie’s voice was very manly. Will.I.Am.’s headgear frightened me. The malfunction on the “V” of “LOVE” really drove me crazy. The dancers were alright. Overall I give it a C.

7:26 – Alright, we’re back to “Joe and Troy”. I’m glad me and Buck are on a first name basis.

7:33 – Back to football. James Jones just missed a touchdown. Gotta catch those passes in a game like this. Steelers get the ball back only down by 11. Still far from over.

7:41 – Steelers are pounding the ball on the Packers. The running game is working. Imagine that.

7:42 – Touchdown Mendenhall. The Steelers are right back in it. 50 yard drive, 50 rushing yards. This Charles Woodson injury is exactly what the Packers defense didn’t need

7:45 – I’ve been thinking about the halftime show. The highlight was when Slash appeared right? So why not scrap the Black Eyed Peas, so I feel like I’m watching a football game instead of a danceclub scene from Jersey Shore, and arrange a reunion with Slash and Axel Rose? Guns N Roses halftime show? It would be great.

7:59 – The Packers finally just got a sack. It is about time. How did it take almost three quarters for the Packers to get a sack on this depleted offensive line? Also, just saw a green #4 Favre jersey in the crowd. Guess when Favre came back from Mississippi with Hutch, Allen and Longwell he wasn’t lying about going to the Super Bowl this year.

8:00 - Now for a 52 yard field goal attempt…Awful. That was way off.

8:02 – If the Packers hold on to this win, could Jordy Nelson win the MVP?!? What were the odds on that? 40-1? 50-1?

8:05 – Big 3rd down for the Packers. The Steelers just burnt another timeout. They are down to one left. That could come into play later.

8:14 – The Packers are challenging the call of incomplete pass. The ref was talking to Mike McCarthy and his mic was on. Joe Buck: "The ref still had his mic on. Thankfully he turned it off...which will leave the call to the crowd”. Ummmm…. What? The crowd is making this call? Is this American Idol?

8:24 – HUGE fumble by Mendenhall. I guess that is the downfall of using the running game. Can’t complain though Pittsburgh. Big Ben did already have two turnovers.

8:30 – Painful drop by Jordy, followed by a huge catch by Jordy. Then a bad play call leaves it 2nd and goal on the 8.
8:31 – Touchdown Greg Jennings! Second TD for Jennings. Rodgers has moved into the driver’s seat for MVP. Big, big drive for the Packers.

8:40 – Flozell Adams just had a false start. He is usually good for one of those every game. My “good for a penalty a game” guy on the Vikes: Phil Loadholt. My Brother says Richie Incognito. Both good choices.

8:41 – Eight catches for Mike Wallace? I remember three of them. Where have I been?

8:42 – Nine catches for Wallace. Touchdown Wallace. Pitt going for 2, and it is good. 28-25. Love the call by Tomlin to go for 2. He is a tremendous coach.

8:44 – Why do teams insist on getting a two possession lead with around 10 minutes left, then playing some type of prevent defense, allowing a team to score in under three minutes, and then they are in the same position they were in a few minutes ago? It is so stupid to me. I know a lot of factors go into that trailing team scoring (more aggressive play calling and better blocking and whatnot), but the defense always seems to get more conservative, and therefore puts added pressure on the offense when they come back out.

8:48 – Highlight of the night: House commercial where he throws the cane. Just an awesome commercial. I love House.

8:52 – Rodgers to Jennings on 3rd and 10. What a pass by Rodgers. His best throw of the game by far. That slant has been open all night.

8:56 – Packers get a field goal. 31-25. Really could have used 7 there. 2:07 left in the game. I am really feeling a Pittsburgh drive to the red zone here. I’ve really started to pull for the Packers in this game.

9:01 – A huge play on the kickoff. First, the Steelers ran the clock down under 2:00, thus losing the 2 minute warning. Then, they got a 15 yard penalty. Big mistake for the Steelers. Now the Packers will probably play a prevent and let them get to the 20 like it is nothing. But, you never know.

9:06 – Incomplete pass on 4th down. Packers win! Rodgers for MVP probably? What a season for the Packers. So many injuries, so many setbacks. Got the 6th seed. Beat three powerhouse NFC teams on the road to get to the Superbowl. Lost their defensive leader in Woodson early in the game. Lose Driver early in the game. And still find a way to win. Good game. Good season.

9:08 – What a terrible year for Bret Favre.