Good morning and greetings, football fans. Well, we are more than a week removed from the Super Bowl, and what a fantastic finish it was to the most hyped game on the planet.Well, with the exception of Seattle fans, like my old grammar school pal Neal Friedman, who was a bit upset with the outcome, as the Seahawks managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Now this game again personified the excitement and greatness of sports. No one, not Alfred Hitchcock, the Farrelly Brothers or Mad Magazine could have scripted out the final few moments. Throughout all of America, people could be heard shouting, “Unbelievable, why, why, why, and where are my pants?” as the final seconds counted down.
Here’s the set up. With the Patriots leading 28-24, Seattle had the ball on New England’s one yard line. All QB Russell Wilson needed to do was hand the ball off to the human battering ram, running back Marshawn Lynch, to get the final yard and into the end zone for the game winning touchdown. Just one yard and the celebration is on.
Now on the other side, New England fans and bettors were set to commit hari kari. The Patriots had trailed 24-14 earlier in the game, before they mounted a fourth quarter comeback and scored two touchdowns against a Seattle defense that hadn’t allowed a fourth quarter touchdown in the last sixty years.
But at this moment, hopes were fading, as it looked like Paul Revere and the Patriots were going down to another late game defeat.
Now Seattle had quickly gotten down to the Patriots one yard line, as receiver Jermaine Kearse made a spectacular catch while laying on the field after juggling the ball, in a version of hot potato. It was reminiscent of the New York Giants David Tyree’s unbelievable “Helmet Catch” in Super Bowl 42, that ruined the Patriot’s undefeated season. You just don’t see mind blowing, miracle catches like this every day, no less when the Super Bowl title is on the line.
This was heavy sports drama, folks.
So Russell Wilson drops back into a shotgun set and fires a slant pass to his receiver on the goal line, only to have the ball intercepted by the Patriot’s Malcolm Butler. What! An interception! Somebody pinch me.
Pandemonium then ensued as no one could have imagined this turn of events. Up in the NBC broadcast booth, a stunned play by play announcer Al Michaels described the play as “Unreal.” Michaels, who was behind the mic for the “Miracle on Ice ” hockey game in Lake Placid when we upset the Russians, had counted down the final seconds of that call with, “Do you believe in miracles? Yes!!!
Well, this wasn’t quite on par with that Olympic moment, but it was damn close. For Seattle fans, this should not have happened in their lifetime.NBC’s color analyst Chris Collingworth was also stunned by the play call, not believing what he saw take place. His immediate reaction, “I cannot believe the call. You got a guy (Marshawn Lynch) who’s been borderline unstoppable in this part of the field. I can’t believe the call.”
Well, Chris, neither could the rest of America.
It was a shocking turn of events. Reaction to the call came fast and furious to what was being called the worst coaching decision of all-time. Former Cowboys running back Emmit Smith described it as “The worst play call in the history of football.” Hall of Fame running back Eric Dickerson chimed in with “WCE. Worst Call Ever. Beast Mode in the backfield and you throw it?”And finally Donald Trump, who these days has what looks like a blond muskrat sitting on his head, said “It must have been President Obama that called in what will go down as the DUMBEST PLAY IN THE HISTORY OF FOOTBALL.” You’re fired.
And everyone who was anyone tuned in and turned on. Super Bowl XLIX was officially the most-watched television broadcast in history, as the game was seen by 114.4 million total viewers, beating out the “Parenthood” series finale.
For the Seahawks and their fans, they will be forever left wondering, why didn’t they hand the ball off on their final offensive play of the season? Seattle Coach Pete Carroll, who took responsibility for the pass call, had this to say about the play and his team a few days later.
“I don’t think at this point that everyone’s on the same page about the sequence. We’re going to make this right by getting to the truth. By facing up and talking about it, letting everyone clear their mind. When you finally gather and you’re ready to take the next step, we’re going to places that will be extraordinary.”
Well, it’s sounds like a story of redemption, and according to the coach, “It’s well under way.” Only time will tell.
For today’s photo countdown, we are returning to the morning of December 9. I started shooting this beautiful sunrise along West Cliff Drive, and then headed down to Its Beach to capture the vibrant reflection of the colorful clouds in the sand. I then hit Steamers Lane to catch the surf action as the waves were pumping. As the sun rose over the mountains, the colors started to fade, and it soon disappeared behind the clouds. Just another late fall classic.
On to some late night humor “The city of Boston today held its Super Bowl victory parade. Meanwhile, the city of Seattle held Seahawks coach Pete Carroll out a window by his ankles. Tom Brady says he wants to give the truck he was given as the Super Bowl MVP to the guy who won the Super Bowl for the Patriots. So Brady’s giving his truck to Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.” -Conan O’Brien”Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll admitted this week that he’s cried and lost sleep thinking about his controversial pass call at the Super Bowl. He just keeps running it over and over in his head. Well, actually he keeps passing it over and over.” – Seth Meyers “President Obama unveiled a $4 trillion budget for 2016 that would increase taxes on the wealthy and spend more money on education. He also made a snowball and put it in the oven, just to see which would last longer, his budget or the snowball.” – Jimmy Fallon
“Jeb Bush admitted that he smoked a notable amount of pot in school. He said, “You would too if your parents had named you ‘Jeb.’
Scientists have discovered that a 5,000-year-old mummy is covered with at least 60 tattoos. Scientists are calling him the earliest known member of the NBA.” – Conan O’Brien
So I’m one day late, but birthday wishes go out to my beloved mother Lee Gilbert, who turned a young 89 yesterday. This past year has been a tough one, but she’s still smiling and in the running for sainthood.
And there was great news on the medical front for my old pal Jerry Hoffman, who had been going through some tough times recently, but got some fantastic news on Friday that left all of us stunned and elated. It’s a new ballgame, my friend.
So we caught you Friday night looking like one of the top players in the NBA, after hitting your first three point shot of the season that was a game winner at the buzzer. Aloha, mahalo and later, Anthony Davis fans.
