Three Point Stance 2.01.09: Top 10 Super Bowl Moments, And a Look at Sunday’s Game!

Posted by Cody Dalton on 01.31.2009

With the big game upon us, 411mania’s Cody Dalton steps back and looks at the history of the Super Bowl and gives us the Top 10 Moments in the history of the Super Bowl. What moments earned the right to be in the top 10? What moment was #1? Also, a detailed look into todays’s collision between Pittsburgh and Arizona in Tampa. All in this edition of the Three Point Stance!



Thanks for joining me on yet another edition of the TPS! Sorry for small leave of absence in the last week, but things are back to normal and my weekly column is back! Last week, I looked at the conference championships and some of the stories surrounding the big wins. This week is all about Tampa and all about a chance to cement a legacy. Welcome to the TPS Super Bowl XLIII Preview!



TAMPA'S SUPER HISTORY

Tampa has been host to the Super Bowl three times. In 1984, Marcus Allen led the L.A. Raiders to a victory in Super Bowl XVIII over the Washington Redskins. Allen rushed for 191 yards and 2 touchdowns, as the Raiders claimed the Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXV in Tampa, the New York Giants and Bill Parcells held on after a wide right 47-yard field goal from kicker Scott Norwood. Ottis Anderson was named MVP after his 102 rushing yards and 1 touchdown. The most recent Super Bowl in Tampa took place in 2001, when Super Bowl MVP Ray Lewis and the Baltimore Ravens skunked the New York Giants. Kerry Collins was picked off 5 times in the 34-7 thrashing.

Now, Ben Roethlisberger and the AFC Champion Pittsburgh Steelers alongside Kurt Warner and the NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals will be able to make some history of their own in Tampa. So what will happen? Will Warner and the Cardinals win the franchise's first Super Bowl? Will Big Ben win his second Super Bowl while helping the Steelers become the first team to win six Super Bowls?

A TALE OF TWO CITIES

No two teams in the Super Bowl could be as different from one another as Pittsburgh and Arizona are. The Steelers are looking to win their sixth Super Bowl, which would break a tie for the best all-time (Dallas & San Francisco have 5). They are used to winning and bringing that successful attitude year-end and year-out.

For Arizona though, the story is much, much different. Before this season, the Cardinals hadn't won their division since 1975. They had never been to a Super Bowl. In the last 10 years, the most wins in a single season had been 9 and only one playoff appearance. However, there are some similarities.

Both Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger have been to won one Super Bowl. Both look to win their second this Sunday in Tampa. For both men, the journey has been very different, but similar. Ben Roethlisberger guided the Steelers to Super Bowl XL in Detroit just a few years ago in just his second season on the team. In Warner's first season, he guided the St. Louis Rams to Super Bowl XXXIV and immortality. Warner does have some things that Ben doesn't have. He has more years of experience. He has two league MVPs. He has also been tested in so many situations, from trying to get into the league in the late 90s to trying to stay in the league.

Ben knows what hell is like too. After winning his Super Bowl, Roethlisberger was involved in a nasty motorcycle accident, which threatened his playing career. Fortunately, Ben is back and playing at his very best. For either of these men though, they will once again see greatness in careers that have both been the opposite and one in the same.

SUPER BOWL XLIII STARTING LINEUPS

ARIZONA CARDINALS (12-7)

QB: Kurt Warner
RB: Edgerrin James, Tim Hightower
FB: Terrelle Smith
WR: Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, Steve Breaston
TE: Jerame Tuman
T: Levi Brown, Mike Gandy
G: Deuce Lutui, Reggie Wells
C: Lyle Sendlein

DE: Antonio Smith, Travis LaBoy
DT: Bryan Robinson, Darnell Dockett
OLB: Chike Okeafor, Karlos Dansby
MLB: Gerald Hayes
CB: Roderick Hood, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie
SS: Adrian Wilson
FS: Antrel Rolle

K: Neil Rackers
P: Ben Graham

Coaching Staff:

Ken Whisenhunt: Head Coach
Russ Grimm: Assistant Head Coach/Offensive Line
Clancy Pendergast: Defensive Coordinator
Todd Haley: Offensive Coordinator
Kevin Spencer: Special Teams
Ron Aiken: Defensive Line
Teryl Austin: Defensive Backs
Maurice Carthon: Running Backs
Rick Courtright: Assistant Defensive Backs
Bill Davis: Linebackers
Freddie: Kitchens Tight Ends
John Lott: Strength and Conditioning
Mike Miller: Wide Receivers
Matt Raich: Defensive Assistant
Jeff Rutledge: Quarterbacks
Dedric Ward: Offensive Quality Control

PITTSBURGH STEELERS (14-4)

QB: Ben Roethlisberger
RB: Willie Parker, Mewelde Moore
FB: Carey Davis
WR: Santonio Holmes, Hines Ward
TE: Heath Miller
T: Willie Colon, Max Starks
G: Chris Kemoeatu, Darnell Stapleton
C: Justin Hartwig

DE: Brett Keisel, Aaron Smith
DT: Chris Hampton
OLB: James Harrison, LaMarr Woodley
ILB: Larry Foote, James Farrior
CB: Deshea Townsend, Ike Taylor
FS: Ryan Clark
SS: Troy Polamalu

K: Jeff Reed
P: Mitch Berger

Coach Staff:

Mike Tomlin: Head Coach
John Mitchell: Asst. Head Coach/Defensive Line
Bruce Arians: Offensive Coordinator
Dick LeBeau: Defensive Coordinator
Ken Anderson: Quarterbacks Coach
Keith Butler: Linebackers Coach
James Daniel: Tight Ends Coach
Randy Fichtner: Wide Receivers Coach
Ray Horton: Defensive Backs Coach
Amos Jones: Asst. Special Teams Coach
Bob Ligashesky: Special Teams Coach
Kirby Wilson: Running Backs Coach
Larry Zierlein: Offensive Line Coach
Harold Goodwin: Quality Control - Offense
Lou Spanos: Quality Control - Defense
Garrett Giemont: Conditioning Coordinator



The Super Bowl is one of the best, if not THE best sporting event of the year. One game culminates what has been happening all season. Two teams compete to see who World Champion is. This process has been going on 43 times and it happens again this Sunday when Arizona meets Pittsburgh to see which conference is better.

It all is captured with one moment though. One game changing performance. One underdog overcoming the odds. One player shining bright. It's these moments that make the Super Bowl so special. So I've put together the Top 10 Moments in the History of the Super Bowl. Here they are….

#10 – The Guarantee



The word Namath became synonymous with the word guarantee after the Jets quarterback issued the creed in a press conference before the third edition of what would become the Super Bowl. Despite going against what some considered to be the greatest ever, the Jets hold the Colts at bay and only allowed them to score once in the fourth quarter. Namath and the Jets won the game, 16-7.

After winning the game, Namath marched off the field, holding up one finger in salute to his team's big accomplishment (pictured above).

#9 – Riggins runs wild in Super Bowl XVII



Dominating. The one word that sums up John Riggins total performance in Super Bowl XVII. The game seemed fueled by Washington's loss to Miami in Super Bowl VII. 10 years later, the two teams settled the score and it was Riggins who did the talking for the Redskins. The man who donned #44 rushed for still Super Bowl record 166 yards. His totals yards were more than the total that Miami had accumulated.

#8 – Don Beebe stops Allen from scoring



Sometimes effort out shines performance. That was the case in Super Bowl XXVII. Despite being destroyed in the biggest game of the year, Buffalo's Don Beebe didn't give up. Up 52-17, the Bills were determined to score more points and avoid a heavy trouncing. However, Bills quarterback Frank Reich would fumble and it would be picked up by Cowboys lineman Leon Lett. While Lett celebrated what he thought would be his Super Bowl score, Beebe ran from the backfield to swat the ball away from Lett and stop the impending score. It would be a touchback and Beebe had saved the Bills from a potential 59-17 loss. The moment showed fans and players alike that not even such a huge route can destroy the will of a player to compete.

#7 – Wide Right



For Buffalo Bills fans, the Super Bowl has been a big letdown. This Super Bowl moment would only begin the disappointment. Super Bowl XXV had been a knock down, drag out fight like it was billed to be and the punches lasted until the final seconds. The Bills, who were a heavy favorite heading into the game, were unable to take possession. New York would hold the ball for 40:33, but the Bills capitalized on their opportunities. With just 2:16 remaining, the Bills took the ball at their own 10-yard line. Everything was perfect. Bills quarterback Jim Kelly engineered an amazing drive to set up the game winning field goal for kicker Scott Norwood. However, Norwood would kick the ball wide right and the Giants had won. Bill Parcells was carried off of the field and Norwood lowered his head in defeat. The game led to four straight Super Bowl appearances by the Bills, but also four straight defeats.

#6 – Joe leads the drive



Super Bowl XXIII will be remembered for a lot of things. A big reason will be the waning moments. After the Cinncinati Bengals connected with a field goal, the San Francisco 49ers had only one goal – score. That was just what Joe Montana engineered. 11 plays and 92 yards later, the 49ers had won their third Super Bowl and defeated the Bengals for the second time in the "big game". A 10-yard pass from Montana to wide receiver John Taylor helped to lift the 49ers to a win. Many consider this to be the greatest Super Bowl of all time and deservingly so. This moment only helped to establish that.

#5 – The Helmet Catch/End of Perfect Season



Everyone knows this moment all too well. It's what gave the Giants their third Super Bowl. It's what denied the Patriots their fourth and a perfect season. It appeared as if the Patriots were going to roll to their perfect 19-0 record after a long drive that ended with Tom Brady connecting with familiar target Randy Moss for a 6-yard touchdown. The Giants began what appeared to be their last gasp at a chance to win the Super Bowl. With the Giants poised to covert on 3rd down and 5, David Tyree became a hero. Giants quarterback Eli Manning avoided a near sack to step back and completed a huge 32-yard reception to Tyree. The catch was made mostly with one hand and the top of Tyree's helmet (pictured above). After that catch, Manning connected with Plaxico Burress for a 13-yard score, which gave New York fans a championship and New England fans heart ache.

#4 – Titans fall one yard short of glory



For me, being a Titans fan sucks when this famous moment is brought up. Regardless of the outcome, this moment still reigns supreme in my head. Down 16-0 after a Kurt Warner to Torry Holt touchdown, the Titans rallied. Eddie George would run for the next two scores and Al Del Greco would connect on a 43-yard field goal to tie the game. Unfortunately for Tennessee, the Rams would answer with a 73-yard pass from Warner to Isaac Bruce. The Titans would try to answer back and drove down the field. After avoiding a sack from the Rams defense, Titans quarterback Steve McNair would connect 16 yards to Kevin Dyson down to the Rams 10. With seconds remaining and no timeouts, McNair chose to run a play rather than spike the ball. McNair threw a quick slant to Dyson, but the pass was short of the end zone. The iconic image of Dyson stretching for the goal line (pictured above) is etched in history for all, whether that be a positive or negative view.

#3 – Dolphins complete perfect season



It had never been done in the history and it still has yet to be done since then. The Miami Dolphins entered Super Bowl VII with a 16-0 record and they left unblemished and in the history books. Led by Bob Griese and coach Don Shula, the Dolphins took a 14-0 lead heading into halftime. The Dolphins continued their dominance in the second half and only allowed one Washington score via a fumble recovery for a touchdown. Shula was carried out on the shoulders of Dolphin players. So far, the 17-0 record has only been repeated once, by last year's New England Patriots. However, they failed to win a championship and ended up 18-1.

#2 – Vinatieri's kicks/Pats 3-peat



I'm not a fan of the Patriots, nor have I ever been, but what they've done in the Super Bowl the past few years is short of remarkable. Two of three years, Adam Vinatieri earned his reputation as being one of the clutch kickers in the history of the National Football League. In the Patriots first of three Bowl victories, Vinatieri's 48-yarder as time expired gave the Pats the Super Bowl and Tom Brady Super Bowl MVP honors. Too bad voting closes early or else Vinatieri would have received the award. Two years later, Vinatieri had yet another chance and would deliver again. He would connect on a 41-yarder with 0:04 remaining to give the Patriots another championship and etch his name in history.

#1 – Heroes capture glory



Ultimately, this is what the big game is all about. Not just the two players above, but any player who strives to reach for glory and capture it. That's what this game is made for and built for. It's what we all love to see. From Elway's first win to "the Bus" winning in his hometown to Cowher capturing his Super Bowl trophy and Peyton fulfilling a legacy, it's the moments that make us smile and feel good for the men who devote their time to playing at their very best. It's something I hope to see on Sunday with Kurt Warner rising back to glory after his many hardships. It's something that is on highlight reels and that I know I can remember for my lifetime. That's why I place it #1.


Well folks, that does it for this edition of the TPS. I'll be back next week with a recap of the Super Bowl game and a look at this year's champions.



Until then…



Cody Dalton's book on sale now! "Sideline Warriors: The Greatest Sports Coaches and Managers of All Time" – http://www.lulu.com/content/2003212