# Media Totally Dropping the Ball (Super Bowl) **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [January 31, 2006, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423 "2006-01-31T22:43:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rysto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecccb3/32.png) [@Rysto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysto)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/21 "2006-02-01T01:05:18Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > At least the Steelers can’t play the “nobody respects us” line that every football team going into every big game likes to use. Blech. Well, they’re the sixth seed from the AFC against the first seed from the NFC, and they’re still 3 point favourites. Hard to play the disrespect card, really. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/22 "2006-02-01T01:10:10Z")
Time Magazine has a question and answer session with Bettis near the front. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/23 "2006-02-01T01:40:31Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > Let’s play “How to whoosh just about everyboy who responds without them even knowing it!”. I’ll take the OP for $500, Alex. Yeah, well I don’t actually care about the Superbowl, nearly all of my TV shows are TiVoed so I can watch them later and skip the commercials, and I get my news off the Internet. You might imagine that I skip the sports news, and you would be correct. Insular? Crabby? Yup, that’s me. ---
**Author:** ![Hung\_Mung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a88e4f/32.png) [@Hung\_Mung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hung_Mung)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/24 "2006-02-01T02:44:45Z")
> [@sturmhauke](#): > > Insular? Crabby? Yup, that’s me. Hey, nothin’ wrong with it. Like I say: People, can’t live with 'em… That’s it. ---
**Author:** ![Cliffy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@Cliffy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cliffy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 4:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/25 "2006-02-01T04:56:51Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > Oh, stop it. You know as well as I do that tone of voice is a substantial part of getting sarcasm. Keep digging! (And can you pick up some egg rolls for me?) –Cliffy ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 5:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/26 "2006-02-01T05:04:03Z")
> [@Cliffy](#): > > Keep digging! (And can you pick up some egg rolls for me?) > > –Cliffy Cute. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/27 "2006-02-01T05:37:45Z")
I’m not interested in football, but when I saw this thread title, I wondered if it was about how no one is supposed to use the term “Super Bowl” anymore. I now hear it referred to as “The Big Game,” such as on signs at sports bars around town. I mean, WTF? I understand intellectually about making money off someone else’s trademarked name, but isn’t it a bit ridiculous that the name itself is now forbidden? Off-topic, sorry, but that just gets me. ---
**Author:** ![Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a587f6/32.png) [@Freddy\_the\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freddy_the_Pig)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/28 "2006-02-01T19:30:03Z")
\***– Sarcasm alert – \* Warning – Sarcasm is coming.** > [@Equipoise](#): > > I’m not interested in football, but when I saw this thread title, I wondered if it was about how no one is supposed to use the term “Super Bowl” anymore. I now hear it referred to as “The Big Game,” such as on signs at sports bars around town. > > I mean, WTF? I understand intellectually about making money off someone else’s trademarked name, but isn’t it a bit ridiculous that the name itself is now forbidden? Somebody ought to start a GQ thread about that. I wonder why nobody ever asks about that in GQ. **End sarcasm alert.** ---
**Author:** ![Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e36b37/32.png) [@Airman\_Doors\_USAF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Airman_Doors_USAF)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/29 "2006-02-01T19:33:33Z")
Wait… was that sarcasm? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/30 "2006-02-01T20:07:50Z")
Bettis is a good guy and the story was interesting… once. Now that it’s been beat to death thoroughly though, let’s move onto something else interesting. Personally, I’d like to hear more about how Steeler LB Foote, arguably the worst trash talker in the either conference, learned his craft from and is regularly encouraged by of all people his mother. (You go, Bitch!) Yeah baby, that’d be some good readin’. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/31 "2006-02-01T20:35:25Z")
> [@Airman Doors](#): > > …Polamalu is as good, if not better, than Woodson was at this point in his career…but he’s definitely worthy of the hype right now. I agree. The guy is everywhere on the field. I’m a lifelong Steeler fan, but I’ve been watching football for over 2 decades, and I haven’t seen too many better than Polamalu (Ronnie Lott comes to mind). The Woodson vs. Polamalu comparison might be an apples vs. oranges thing because Woodson was a cornerback for most of his career. Both were defensive backs, but a cornerback’s primary responsibility is defending the pass (assisting on tackles is secondary), while a safety has the primary responsibility of finding the ball and tackling. One more thing, I really think that the media should be placing a higher emphasis on the fact that this is Super **XL**. I mean, you have the letters XL right there in the title of the game. **XL**!. dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/32 "2006-02-01T20:45:08Z")
> [@Hung Mung](#): > > I’ll buy that. The guy is _very_ good, but there’s an article on Sports [Illustrated.com](http://Illustrated.com) with a slug about how Polamalu’s completely changed the safety position. I haven’t had the chance to sit down and read it yet, but I will later tonight. I seriously doubt that Troy Polamalu has had a tremendous effect on how other safeties play the game. I’d suggest that it is likely because they can’t do what he does. I talked about his failure to live up to his promise in his rookie year (but, in my defense, only because it seemed like the Steelers thought this one guy would be the salvation of our perennially shitty secondary). This year, anyone who’s seen him knows he is the real deal. He’s widely acknowledged to cover more ground than any other defender in the league, closing from pass coverage to run stopping incredibly fast. He is able to move all over the place pre-snap, yet be right where he needs to be by the time the play develops. His ability to move around so much makes the Steelers defensive packages, which are already confusing, that much more difficult for quarterbacks to read. He hits ball carriers so hard that _your_ balls hurt, yet can make plays like the one he made against the Broncos, where he came off a block sideways and off balance, yet still made a tackle that resulted in the Broncos having to punt. I haven’t seen any other safety intentionally turning his back to the line of scrimmage and walking away at the snap of the ball. So, no, you may not see a change in the way safeties around the league play the game. But it won’t be for a lack of desire. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/33 "2006-02-01T21:09:28Z")
He’s also fucking HOT. ---
**Author:** ![Wolfian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/7ea924/32.png) [@Wolfian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wolfian)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/34 "2006-02-02T02:15:14Z")
[SPN](http://www.cracked.com/sports/superbowl/) top story: Detroit Native Jerome “From Detroit” Bettis to Play Super Bowl in Detroit (His Hometown). ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/35 "2006-02-02T02:35:38Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > Oh, stop it. You know as well as I do that tone of voice is a substantial part of getting sarcasm. You can hear the “tone of voice” from something posted to a message board?!? :eek: 😃 Are you at all aware of NFL news in the past week and a half? The fact that Bettis is from Detroit and is playing his final game there in the Super Bowl has started to become a national punchline since that’s been the biggest story and hammered to death. Unless you’re whooshing us. If that’s the case, nice job. If not, the OP is Pitting the overly sappy angle. Whatever the case, go Steeler’s! ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/36 "2006-02-02T04:34:49Z")
> [@duffer](#): > > You can hear the “tone of voice” from something posted to a message board?!? :eek: 😃 That’s right. I can also telepathically strangle people. Beware my power, Captain Needa. ---
**Author:** ![duffer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duffer/32/1026_2.png) [@duffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/duffer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/37 "2006-02-02T04:47:44Z")
> [@Snooooopy](#): > > That’s right. I can also telepathically strangle people. Beware my power, Captain Needa. 😛 Telepathicaly, of course. Hope you enjoyed it. 😉 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Walter\_Windchill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Walter\_Windchill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walter_Windchill)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/38 "2006-02-02T04:59:17Z")
Speaking of unexplored storylines in sports media, what happened to Terrell Owens? Was he injured or something? I didn’t hear his name at all this season. ---
**Author:** ![Mullinator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c2a13f/32.png) [@Mullinator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mullinator)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/39 "2006-02-02T18:30:30Z")
> [@Walter Windchill](#): > > Speaking of unexplored storylines in sports media, what happened to Terrell Owens? Was he injured or something? I didn’t hear his name at all this season. I have spent numerous hours plunging into the depths of the internet just trying to find any kind of a story on Brett Favre and his future but apparently I’m the only one that cares. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2006, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423/40 "2006-02-02T19:41:54Z")
> [@Hal Briston](#): > > Heck, I’d be happy to hear _anything_ about the Steelers. All I’m hearing from the media (and this board as well) is Seahawks, Seahawks, Seahawks…nothing but the Seahawks all the time. It’s like Pittsburgh isn’t even involved in the game. Excellent followup to the OP, in the same vein. Looks like you were the first one to catch on! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/media-totally-dropping-the-ball-super-bowl/342423.md?page=3)