The Frinklin and Fred Show

Yeah, I’m still alive

I’m proud to say that I have scored as many rushing touchdowns in the Super Bowl as Ben Roethlisberger has.

That would be none.

Yesterday might have been the single most frustrating day I’ve ever had as a sports fan. Since I follow the Seahawks, Mariners and Sonics, along with a university that practically patented the late-season collapse (Coug It!)…

Well, let just say I’ve been around the block.

I’m not going to delve into the officiating. I’m not going to spell out any elaborate conspiracy. Yes, some calls were, shall we say, questionable. The ticky-tack offensive pass interference call against D-Jack, the non-TD by Big Ben, the holding call against Locklear that quite frankly didn’t exist, the horse collar by Porter on Alexander (apparently you have to see ligaments popping - or be Roy Williams - to get that called), the fact that Marvell Smith was six yards down the freakin’ field when Rothlisberger threw to Ward at the 2, the inexplicable call against Hasselbeck on the interception return….

I could go on. I don’t have to though, since Slate, Football Outsiders, Jason Whitlock, Michael Wilbon, Michael Smith and Skip Bayless (of all people) have done it for me.

But it doesn’t matter anyway. The difficult truth is this: the Seahawks should have won this damned game despite all that. You hold the opposing QB to a rating under 25, you win the turnover battle 3-1, your offensive line just owns players like von Oelhoffen and Aaron Smith and rip the vaunted Steeler defense for 400 yards… this is a game a champion wins. The Seahawks weren’t that champion. In fact, this game was like a nightmare. Call it the Ghost of Seahawk Past.

This was 2004. This was a team of dropped passes, blown assignments, lousy clock management. This was the team that never met a lead it couldn’t win. This is the team that lost to mediocre Ram team three times in one year. This is the team I thought was dead. It came back to life. The key to this game wasn’t so much the refs as it was Marquand Manuel. Manuel, backup safety who started after the injuries to Ken Hamlin, was lost in the first half. This forced Etric Pruitt into a game, and he quickly proved to be the single worst safety in the history of the Super Bowl. He took a bad angle on the Parker 75-yard run and he bit so hard on the reverse to Randle El he nearly fell down. Hamlin or Manuel makes that play and Parker gets 15 instead of 75.

Doesn’t matter in the end though. The question now becomes what next. They have to make a decision on Alexander and guard Steve Hutchinson. I doubt the team can keep both, and Hutchinson is the more important. With Alexander the Seahawks should make every attempt to keep him, but not for insane money. Arizona and Minnesota are the main suitors. Hutchinson they can Franchise if need be. Other free agents are Rocky Bernard (probably too expensive at this point) Joe Jurevicius (ditto) and Mack Strong. Strong will be lifetime Seahawk, bet on that one. They will also need to find out if Hamlin can play again, and find some speed for both wideout and kick returner. Detroit’s Eddie Drummond would be nice.

The Vegas bookmakers have already pegged Seahawks as 5-1 favorites to make Super Bowl XLI, along with Pittsburgh, Indy and New England. The record of Super Bowl losers is not good, but the Hawks will break that streak.

Can’t wait until September.

Now I guess I’ll have to point this blog back to something other than football huh? I actually feel a bit guilty over pushing down Fred’s post about… well; I’ll just say I’m glad I’m not single anymore.

Posted by Frinklin at February 6, 2006 07:13 PM | TrackBack