#1 Super Bowl

1. Super Bowl III New York Jets 16 Baltimore Colts 7


In the first game officially recognized as the "Super Bowl," Namath's salute says it all.  In the first two Super Bowls the AFC had been woefully represented.  Many still believed the AFL was still a laughing stock of a league.  What makes this game so great are the circumstances, and the great declaration.  Asked for the umpteenth time how his Jets were going to possibly stand up to the mighty Colts, Namath, out of anger, said that the Jets were going to win.  He was practically laughed out of the press room, but his teammates took it as a challenge.  The game itself was a defensive struggle, but with a great game plan and timely passes on Namath's part, the Jets staked a 16-0 4th quarter lead over the stunned Colts.  The Jets didn't throw a single pass the entire 4th quarter.  Johnny Unitas came in in the 4th quarter in relief and threw a late touchdown, but it wasn't enough, and the Jets finally legitimized the AFL.

Greatest Super Bowls of All Time

Yesterday I reviewed the best catches ever in Super Bowl history.  Today I went right for the juglar.  These are the 5 best Super Bowls of all time.  In 46 games there has been some snoozers and some great performances.  Chief among these are the classic upset, of which this list is heavy.  Enjoy, and as always, feel free to comment and disagree!

5. Super Bowl I  Packers 35 Chiefs 10 "Max McGee's Drunken Night"

No, this wasn't the best Super Bowl of all time, and it wasn't even called the "Super Bowl" at the time, but the brain child of Pete Rozel pitted the champion of the NFL versus the champion of the upstart AFL.  Though the NFL's Packers thoroughly dominated the Chiefs, the game legitimized the AFL and would lead a few years later to the super merger and the NFL that we know today.  The game is best known for the performance of Packers tight end Max McGee's 7 receptions for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns.  That performance may seem pedestrian, but the story is that McGee, the backup TE, got drunk the night before, thinking he wouldn't get much playing time.  When the starter Boyd Dowler went down, Max shook off his hangover, made the first Super Bowl touchdown, and became the first Super Bowl star.  What many don't know is that he couldn't even find his helmet and had grab the first one he could find!

4. Super Bowl XXXVI Patriots 20 Rams 17 "Tom Brady's Coming Out"

The St. Louis Rams' "Greatest Show on Turf" looked to win their second Super Bowl in three years, but the underdog Patriots had other plans.  The Pats were a surprise Super Bowl team, making their way through a minefield of great teams in the playoffs, including a shellacking of the top seed Pittsburgh Steelers.  That alone was impressive, but doing so with rookie backup quarterback Tom Brady made the feat nearly miraculous.  Brady had taken Drew Bledsoe's starting spot earlier in the year due to an injury, but when Bledsoe returned, their head coach decided to stick with his rookie quarterback, a very risky and unpopular decision in the Boston area.  It worked though (and Bostonites have been smiling ever since.)  Tied at 17 all and with only 1:30 on the clock and no time outs, Brady led his team down the field to set up Adam Vinateiri's 48 yard field goal with no time remaining to shock St. Louis and begin the Patriots own dynasty that would result in two more Super Bowl victories in the new centuries's first five years.

3. Super Bowl XXV Giants 20 Bills 19 "Wide Right"




Everyone just knew that the Bills were going to win.  They had the game's best all-purpose running back in Thurmon Thomas, one of the best quarterbacks in Jim Kelly, and possibly the most accurate kicker in Scott Norwood.  That the New York Giants had made the Super Bowl was a bit of a side note to the Bills high octane "Run and Shoot" offense.  Well, on this night the Bills offense didn't run or shoot very well, mostly because the Giants held the ball for over 40 minutes, still a Super Bowl record.  Always an X factor, Bill Parcels had his team well prepared, and a great game plan of Otis Anderson running for 102 yards, Dave Megget's129 all-purpose yards, and Jeff Hostetler not making any mistakes.  Still, the Bills had their chance.  Kelly drove the Bills to the Giants 29 yard line with 8 seconds to go to set up Norwood for a 47 yard field goal, practically a chip shot for him.  Unfortunately for the Bills, the ball just missed wide right and the Bills fortunes went down the drain with the kick.  The Bills would represent the AFC in the next three Super Bowls, but this was the only game they had any shot of winning.

2. Super Bowl XIII Steelers 35 Cowboys 31 "Bless His Heart!"


The Cowboys and Steelers meeting up in the Super Bowl is the NFL's version of Celtics-Lakers, Ali-Frasier, or Yankees-Red Sox.  It's possibly the greatest collection of football talent ever to take the field for a single game.  14 players and 2 coaches would find their way to the Hall of Fame.  If the football gods (or NFL execs) had it their way, these two teams would meet in the Super Bowl every year.  Thankfully we've had it that way three times, but the best of those games is Super Bowl XIII.  The game was close throughout, but turned on a single play. Late in the 3rd quarter with Pittsburgh up 21-14, HOFer Roger Starbach drove the Cowboys to the Steelers 10 yard line.  On a third down play, Starbach found future HOFer Jackie Smith wide open in the back of the end zone.  The normally sure-handed Smith lost his footing.  As his feet came out from under him, the ball, thrown a little low, bounced right off his hands, prompting one of the most famous broadcasting calls in Super Bowl history by Verne Lundquist.  "Bless his heart!  He's got to be the sickest man in America!"  The Cowboys settled for a field goal.  Pittsburgh took over at this point and were able to squelch a furious Dallas rally at the end when war hero HOFer Rocky Blier recovered an onside kick to preserve the win.


1.??? Gotta wait till tomorrow.  Feel free to guess though!

Super Bowl's Greatest Catches

With Super Bowl XLVII a mere 3 days away, I thought it would be fun to talk about the greatest moments in 46 years of Super Bowls.  Today's topic is the five greatest catches.  As always, feel free to leave a comment and disagree!

5. Super Bowl XXXIV, Steve McNair to Kevin Dyson, Post Route

The St. Louis Rams mowed through the competition with their "Greatest Show on Turf" offense, which is why it was so surprising that this Super Bowl was a defensive struggle.  That is why the game's final play is so interesting; it was a defensive stop by a team known for its offense.  With the Rams' fans on the edge of their seats, Kevin Dyson ran a post route and Steve McNair connected with him five yards short of the end zone when Rams linebacker Mike Jones reached out, and with only the strength in his fingers in one hand, grabbed onto Dyson's leg and pulled him down.  Dyson stretched the ball out, only to come a yard short.  It was the most exciting Super Bowl ending since Montana hit Taylor with 39 seconds to win Super Bowl XXIII.  Even though Dyson was stopped short, this reception will forever be remembered.

4. Super Bowl XXIII, Joe Montana to John Taylor, Slant Route

Speaking of Montana to Taylor, "The Drive" might be a little bit of a strong title (for there have been many great drives,) but it is an important piece of Super Bowl history nonetheless.  With Cincy leading 16-13, Montana drove the San Francisco offense methodically down the field, thanks in large part to the dreaded Prevent Defense, Don Shula's invention which only prevents the defense from winning.  It seems everybody knew how it would end.  The only surprise was that the ball went to Taylor and not Jerry Rice.

3. Super Bowl XIV, Terry Bradshaw to John Stallworth, Streak Route

People like to look at the score and think it was a blowout, but most don't realize that the 10.5 point underdog Rams held the lead late.  With 13 minutes to go and down by 2 points, Bradshaw, faced with a 3rd and 8 from the Pittsburgh 27 and without his best wide receiver Lynn Swan, decided to go for broke.  Putting just enough air under the ball, Stallworth hauled in an over-the-shoulder catch just beyond the outstretched arms of Rams safety Rod Perry and took it in for the score.  It was a go-for-broke play that broke the Rams backs. 

2. Super Bowl X, Terry Bradshaw to Lynn Swan, Fade Route

It's been played over and over, always in slow motion and always with orchestra music that gives you goosebumps.  The Steelers and Cowboys were the "Lakers/Celtics" of the NFL, two historic franchises with the best players and story lines.  And they hated each other.  Swan was recovering from a concussion and it was thought he wouldn't play.  Cliff Harris, Dallas defensive back had hinted around that he might hurt Swan if the wide receiver did play.  Late in the second quarter, Swan ran a fade route along the right sideline.  Bradshaw woefully underthrew the pass to the inside and it looked like it would be intercepted, but Swan, as graceful as his name, reached over the defender, tipped the ball up, waited for the defensive back to fall and the angels to sing while he tip-toed along the sideline. Then he lunged and caught the ball on his fingertips as he fell to his stomach.  This may be the best catch of all time, but because of the situation, it only takes second place on this list.  The Pittsburgh drive would stall and they wouldn't get any points out of Swan's heroics.  So since situation counts for so much, the number 1 is...

1. Super Bowl XLII, Eli Manning to David Tyree, Broken Play

It was a perfect season for the New England Patriots, and a very imperfect season by the New York Giants.  The favorite Pats, up 14-10 late in a defensive struggle, relied on its defense to stop Eli Manning, who had a pedigree, but had never been in a big game like this before.  On the play, Manning is nearly sacked, but miraculously escapes, lookes straight downfield and heaves it in David Tyree's general direction.  The ball is overthrown, but Tyree leaps up, barely gets his fingertips on the ball, and cradles it against the top of of his helmet as if stuck by velcro, before he falls to his back.  Before this play, pretty much everyone knew the Pats were going to pull out the perfect season.  After it, even the Pats defense knew it was over.  A few seconds later when Plaxico Burress catches a touchdown pass, they were right.

January Inspiration

There's nothing like having a computer in front of me as I gaze out my frosted January window at a winter wonderland.  Almost as if Disney scenes were playing out before me, I watch a family of deer meander through my backyard, frolicking in the snow.  Squirrels chase each other through the labyrinth of trees.  Kids create snowmen as robins and cardinals fly back and forth, admiring their work.  It's all so beautiful.

Of course, I live in Oklahoma and it's going to be 60 degrees today, so forget about all that nonsense.

I'm wondering what has happened to winter?  It might be snowing in other parts of the country, but we have had extreme drought and heat for a couple of years now.  Snow is hard to come by, and that is a shame, because there is nothing so inspiring as freshly fallen snow.  I feel the same way about a foggy day.  Stephen King claims that inspirational writing comes from a dark corner of a room with the shades pulled, but I personally love to gaze out the window.

Some of my best work has come on cold winter days.  Add some falling snow and a hot cup of coffee and let the daydreaming begin. 

For example, in my new novel The Mentor coming out soon, I wrote a WWII flashback scene on a cold, snowy day.  My imagination was stirred, and I could envision the Nazi's bearing down on this poor man who was running for his life.

Fair weather gives me the urge to get outside and play.  I get cabin fever way too easily.  Spreaking of which, it's 51 degrees outside right now, so...

Miss America v. NFL Playoffs

Strip my man card right now.  I know you're about to think that.  The Packers are shooting it out versus the 49ers on FOX right now, and instead of relishing the last few games of the dwindling football season, I am sitting in front of the television with my wife watching Miss America.  Why, one would naturally wonder?  Well, for starters, I am a great husband.  Okay, that's not entirely the truth.  She watched KU basketball and one playoff game with me already today, so you could say that I owe her one.  Plus, she's the world's biggest OKC Thunder fan and I am forced to watch Kevin Durant play three to four nights a week.  What a horrible life I lead.

Seriously though,  I enjoy watching the Miss America pageant.  For starters, Miss Oklahoma makes semi-finalist every year (she was just announced a few seconds ago.)  Oklahoma is serious about their pageant girls.  Besides, about ten years ago one of my wife's best friends was runner up to Miss Oklahoma.  It was an excuse to get dressed up and go out on the town, all while spending time with the woman I loved, doing something she enjoyed.

By the way, she just told me that if the Thunder were playing right now, we wouldn't be watching Miss America.

Anyways, I've come to appreciate the Miss America pageant.  Having seen the process first hand, I have to appreciate just how dedicated these young ladies are.  Forget Sandra Bullock in Miss Congeniality.  These women are extremely bright, they work hard at their talent, they concern themselves with current issues (forget world peace) and they go around their states, speaking with kids in schools about making good decisions.  I like to think of these women as the female versions of Eagle Scouts.  If anyone has ever looked into what it takes to be an Eagle Scout, you'll know just how serious it is. 

Now I will say that there is one weakness to the whole process of crowning a Miss America, and it's not any of the girls.  Every year the pageant chooses judges that have absolutely no right judging these girls because they have no respect for what they go through, their platforms, or anything related.  For example, this year Daymond John from Shark Tank is a judge.  Now I respect his opinion about business and clothing, two of his specialties, but what does he know about pageants?

And Rush Limbaugh in 2010?

Judges aside, the Miss America pageant celebrates women who work hard to be the best people they can be.  By championing great causes, they are a positive force in the universe.  In addition, having a scholarship pageant on television is a nice break from so much reality television that tries to depict women as foul-mouthed and morally loose.  It's nice to see positive role models on TV.  For these reasons alone, I am more than happy to spend a cold January evening in front of the TV watching these amazing ladies while the NFL playoffs are a temptation just a mere two channels away.

And those of you who still think I deserve to have my man card revoked after such a well-crafted argument, just think swimsuits.

Christmas Rush

Rush, rush, rush.  It's unbelievable how easily I can be put into a bad mood this time of year.  And that's saying a lot because I am as romantically in love with the Christmas season as Ebenezer Scroog's nephew.  I love everything about Christmas, including the shopping, listening to Christmas songs on the radio, colder weather, the sights, sounds, and smells of the season.  So I kicked myself when I blew my stress gasket today.

I was walking into a store this afternoon to buy a side item for my Dirty Santa gift, which is going to be epic this year.  It's a tribute to rednecks everywhere, and I personally hope my brother Chris gets stuck with it, but that's another story.  Anyway, I got a phone call.  Within a few seconds I learned that the dog had peed on the carpet right by the Christmas tree.  In a split-second my mood went from gay and lively (let's put a ten spot in the bell ringer's pot) to grrrrrr and livid (Merry what?)

I mean, time is money!  Time is so limited, especially in my life.  With everything going on in my life, between the book deal and all that is involved in that, a new baby, the school year not ending until the 21st, I still had some "T's" to cross and some "I's" to dot before Christmas could officially arrive.  That's putting it lightly.  With Christmas three days away, I was kind of counting on getting everything polished off this afternoon so I could kick back and relax the next two days leading up to it.  Now, the dog had put a kink in that plan.

So I became cross.  Nat King Cole turned into Rob Zombie in my mind.  I won't dispense with the particulars, but suffice it to say that my Christmas spirit went out the door.  That's too bad because I had spent the day with sugar plums dancing in my head, even when changing a dirty diaper! 

So I went home and took care of the mess in a less-than-giving mood, but after I left in a huff, I checked myself.  I knew that I was better than that, and if Christmas teaches me nothing more, it should remind me that part of the enjoyment of the season should be in slowing down, taking deep breaths, and thanking God for all that I have, including His love.  I mean, here I am on the first of seventeen straight vacation days where I get to spend time with my family and celebrate the birth of my savior.  What can be better than that?  I even recall a few years ago, getting out for summer break and wishing it was Christmas break instead.  That says something.

So I improved my attitude immediately and apologized to those I love the most who had to endure me.  I also pledged to take things more slowly this Christmas season, to not get upset when everything doesn't go my way, because it's easy to get caught up in the rush, rush, rush, and lose what really matters.  I hope your Christmas is a wonderful one, and I hope you have the opportunity to sit back and enjoy the true reason for the season!  God bless you all!

Christmas Fantasies

When I was a young boy, my brother Chris and I would lie underneath the Christmas tree and look up at all the lights. The moment was hypnotizing. My imagination stirred. Sugar Plums danced. You get the idea.


I think that so much of what makes the Christmas season so magical is its ablility to hypnotize. Light displays out by the lake. Christmas parades. Shopping in small, specialty local stores that love to decorate for the season. Darkness coming early. Christmas hymns on the radio. Egg nog and feasting. Midnight Mass. There's obviously a lot more to the Christmas season, but the point is that it's addictive, like a drug. I tend to take my first hit somewhere around October when I break out the Charlie Brown Christmas CD. By Thanksgiving, I am exploding.

My newest Christmas addiction has been my fantasy village. Dept 56 is awesome.

http://www.department56.com/index.aspx

I remember staring enchantedly through a store window at winter landscapes: lighted buildings, meandering creeks, porcelin boys on snowy hills, bundled in coats building snowmen. The romanticized scene appealed to me and even molded my young mind. I rather think it affected all aspects of my life. To this day I can't look out my living room window at snow falling without succumbing to the urge to be out in it. I even use the excuse that the driveway needs shoveled--anything to get outside.

So a few years ago my wife's great aunt mailed me Pine Point Pond with three skaters. Immediately I started building around it. First there came Loon Lake Cabin, which was in the Snow Village series, not matching my first piece. I bought another piece, a bed and breakfast with a horse-drawn sled from the Dickens Village collection that better matched it. Complete with a fluffy white blanket for a bed of snow, my humble little village adorned the top of my entertainment center and made me smile.

Last year the collection grew. My intention was to add one piece per year, but I am far too impatient for that, so I picked up a few new buildings, one, a boarding house, from the Snow Village series, and a few sections of a mountain creek, complete with a bridge. The Snow Village pieces went to school and are on the table behind my desk.

The other pieces again went to the top of my entertainment center.

This year I was granted permission to take over the dining room table. More river was added, a cabin, a church, and more figures, one a fly fisherman casting in my little creek, one a wood chopper, and another drilling through some ice. I created mountains out of styrofoam for the cabin, with valleys for the river. I received a couple of seaside pieces, so I then created an ocean front out of a clear plastic flourescent lighting cover and "Deep Sea Blue" paint. Countless hours have gone into many other details that I won't bore you with until the village looked fairly professional.

All of this has been a labor of love, but there's an irony behind it:

I haven't sat down to stare at it yet.  I need to fix that.