# Super Bowl XLV **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 1, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789 "2011-02-01T16:32:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 19
**Author:** ![flickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7bcc69/32.png) [@flickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flickster)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/361 "2011-02-07T05:15:38Z")
> [@Jules\_Andre](#): > > And yet in a league where QBs are generally the only ones who can win MVPs and are a heavy favorite to win the Super Bowl MVP, Roethlisberger has neither. He’s never even turned in a good performance in a Super Bowl. He’s turned in relatively few good performances in the playoffs in general. But he’s Hell in a bar restroom ---
**Author:** ![Enginerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bcef8e/32.png) [@Enginerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enginerd)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/362 "2011-02-07T05:20:43Z")
> [@flickster](#): > > But he’s Hell in a bar restroom Well, yeah. He’s the biggest, strongest guy there. ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/363 "2011-02-07T06:40:45Z")
It was a good game. Rodgers did really well, even with the butterfingers his receivers were showing on some of his good throws. I thought the Packers ran the ball really well in the first quarter and was surprised they didn’t do it as much in the second half. I feel great for Hamlet. I hope he was able to get to Dallas and wasn’t one of the 400 affected by the lousy planning Dallas did for the Super Bowl. I am sure whatever trouble he went through to get there was well worth it to witness the win. Speaking of which from everything I read Jerry Jones did not show himself as the best superbowl host ever. The ice problems can easily be forgiven. How often do they get ice storms of that extent? It’s hard to blame them for the weather. But, they have had weeks upon weeks to get these extra seats checked out and cleared for use. Oh well. It’s always fun to make fun of the Cowboys, even when they aren’t playing. Now, the waiting starts. Will there be a 2011 NFL season? Plus. Pitchers and catchers in a week. Woo! ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/364 "2011-02-07T13:47:10Z")
Pretty amazing momentum swings and altogether an exciting SB. Steelers sure didn’t look as sharp as I expected and the Pack somehow managed to absorb the loss of yet two more key players. What depth they’ve managed to assemble. Scary to consider how dominant they might have been with more of their original compliment. One of the wives watching with us was a Lombardi from Pittsburgh. Yes, _that_ Lombardi. Watching her, conflicted as she was, was pretty amusing. Congrats to both teams and here’s to a strike successfully averted. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/365 "2011-02-07T14:04:18Z")
The Packers played a hell of a game. The Steelers defense was overwhelmed for most of the game. It’s easy for novices to try and diminish the Packers’ victory by whining that the Steelers kept handing them the ball. However, anyone with a smidgeon of understanding about football will acknowledge that putting pressure on the QB so that he makes mistakes is a sign of a great defense. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/366 "2011-02-07T14:11:49Z")
> [@Drain\_Bead](#): > > Favre trashed his own legacy. If he’d not played games with the Packers and retired when he said he was going to the first time (or hell, even the second), we never would have known his true colors, and he’d still be worthy of hero status. Now, he’s a drama queen redneck pervert. Amen, sister. Had he retired the first time, he could have cruised along for years on post-career endorsement deals. He’s now the laughing stock of the league. I doubt he’ll ever pen another endorsement deal except maybe for a 900 sex chat line. Which is a real shame because I used to enjoy his ass in pair of faded Wrangler jeans. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/367 "2011-02-07T14:29:53Z")
Wow. That was Amazing. Outstanding. Frustrating. Fantastic. Scary. Tiring. Loud. Unbelievable. And better than I dared imagine. Outside of minor things like my wedding day and the births of my children, It was one of the greatet days of my life. When I’m 95 and drooling on myself, I’ll still remember that day and likely be telling my grandchildren about it. Wow. The 2010 NFL Champions Green Bay Packers!!! The game itself was amazing. Watching it live with 105000 other people was just a dream come true. More later. Breakfast now. ---
**Author:** ![Omniscient](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omniscient/32/3290_2.png) [@Omniscient](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omniscient)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/368 "2011-02-07T15:11:51Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Wow. > > That was Amazing. Outstanding. Frustrating. Fantastic. Scary. Tiring. Loud. Unbelievable. And better than I dared imagine. > > Outside of minor things like my wedding day and the births of my children, It was one of the greatet days of my life. When I’m 95 and drooling on myself, I’ll still remember that day and likely be telling my grandchildren about it. > > Wow. > > The 2010 NFL Champions Green Bay Packers!!! > > The game itself was amazing. Watching it live with 105000 other people was just a dream come true. > > More later. Breakfast now. I’m very jealous. Congrats. Looking forward to a meticulous play by play of the whole event. I’d like to compare notes to my decidedly less satisfying trip when the Bears went. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/369 "2011-02-07T15:45:23Z")
I am very jealous Hamlet, but there probably isn’t a better person to represent the SDMB Packers contingent arty the Super Bowl. Thirteen Bay Packers! ---
**Author:** ![fjs1fs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/9e8a1a/32.png) [@fjs1fs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fjs1fs)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/370 "2011-02-07T16:24:57Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Leaving aside the opinions of people who’re drunk… > > … that was the worst Super Bowl played in some time, wasn’t it? Both teams looked sloppy, called plays poorly, and seemed panicked for almost the entire game. Except that Rodgers was masterful. . . almost every throw he made was RIGHT ON THE MONEY. And this despite being pressured by a really tough D. The dropped balls–I counted FIVE–Were indeed sloppy. ---
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/371 "2011-02-07T17:29:25Z")
> [@PunditLisa](#): > > It’s easy for novices to try and diminish the Packers’ victory by whining that the Steelers kept handing them the ball. However, anyone with a smidgeon of understanding about football will acknowledge that putting pressure on the QB so that he makes mistakes is a sign of a great defense. Indeed. The Steelers didn’t give them the game, the Packers took it. The first pick was an unbalanced throw under pressure, the second may have been a little forced but was a great play by the defender. The fumble was forced. Still if the Steelers can hold them to field goals on any of those they could have pulled it out but of course they didn’t. The Packers made the plays when they counted and deserved this win. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/372 "2011-02-07T18:09:17Z")
> [@LateComer](#): > > Indeed. The Steelers didn’t give them the game, the Packers took it. The first pick was an unbalanced throw under pressure, the second may have been a little forced but was a great play by the defender. The fumble was forced. And the other part of it is that Green Bay had no turnovers. NFL teams average about 2 per game, so the zero is more exceptional than the three. A couple of Rodgers’ throws were chancy, but on the whole he played it smart and took care of the football. In particular, I remember a couple plays in the second half during Pittsburgh’s comeback where Rodgers could have done something stupid, but instead he threw it away or took the sack. Sometimes the key is what _didn’t_ happen, and sometimes you win by not screwing up. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/373 "2011-02-07T18:16:06Z")
Yep. Think about how different of a game it probably would have been if GB hadn’t managed to hang on to that first Pittsburgh punt, the one Tramon Williams fumbled on their own 15 or 20. ---
**Author:** ![Kolga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e56c9b/32.png) [@Kolga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolga)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/374 "2011-02-07T18:28:48Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > Wow. > > That was Amazing. Outstanding. Frustrating. Fantastic. Scary. Tiring. Loud. Unbelievable. And better than I dared imagine. I am so jealous. I can’t imagine what the experience of being at the Super Bowl is like - but I’m planning to find out when (in 20 years or so) the Panthers finally make it back there. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/375 "2011-02-07T21:51:46Z")
> [@HongKongFooey](#): > > Yes, I care about football. Go fuck yourself. > [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > And the zebras give it away. Predictable. It would have been nice to see the agme played on the level. > > Just for the record, all Packer dfans are still obese, mentally challenged, inbred, alcoholic, zoophililic morons, but I guess there’;s sometjing yo be said for am all homosexual team winning thne Superbowl. Congratulations, retards, Sorry I’m a bit tardy here, but this sort of garbage isn’t appropriate for this forum. Don’t post personal insults in this forum. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/376 "2011-02-07T23:21:26Z")
C’mon **Hamlet** , give us the deets on your trip! ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/377 "2011-02-08T00:19:11Z")
> [@FoieGrasIsEvil](#): > > C’mon **Hamlet** , give us the deets on your trip! I’m a few minutes away from getting on my plane for the trip home. I’m not too talented with my new phone, so I’m waiting until I get home and finally get a good night’s sleep before I’ll tackle the game itself. Some brief highlights, though: 1. It was Where’s Waldo, but I was in a crowd shot on ESPN on Sat. night in Ft. Worth, and during the FOX pregame when they were interviewing Franco Harris and Jerome Bettis. I also saw the legend Bart Starr from afar. Those were my brushes with greatness. Well, I had sex with Demi Moore in the bathroom, but that was just a quickie because she said she had to get back to Ashton. 2. I.hate Jerry Jones, but that stadium is really damn impressive. It’s got absolutely no soul at all, but even though we were near the upper tier, the seats were great, the view was fantastic (we were in the left side of the endzone up a bit), and the restrooms/concessions/workers were all stellar. If you’re looking for a stadium untarnished by stuff like tradition, lore, or soul, it’s just the thing. And it’s never easy moving 120000 people around so traffic stunk, but wasn’t horrible. We took shuttles. 3. Dallas/Ft. Worth still sucks. I was there for a couple weeks years ago and hated it. It hasn’t gotten any better. Traffic sucks, the drivers suck, it’s all spread out, there’z no public transportation, and any sense of “history” is pathetic. 4. We golfed this morning. In Feb. That was cool. 5. With only one notable exception, the Steeler fans we met and talked to, either at the hotels, the bars, or at the game were excellent. They were gracious on defeat, mostly smart in their cheers, were respectful and classy. In other words, they were different from the usual ones I’ve dealt with. They were good representatives of their team. Gotta run. More later. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/378 "2011-02-08T00:53:29Z")
You can order special editions of the Green Bay Post Gazette [here](http://greenbaypressgazette.myshopify.com/collections/packers) for only eight bucks and that includes S&H. ---
**Author:** ![Hamlet](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hamlet/32/2818_2.png) [@Hamlet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hamlet)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/379 "2011-02-08T16:47:25Z")
My thoughts on the experience: .5) I forgot to mention that before the game started, I got to see up close the Lombardi trophy. Sure it was encased behind glass, but damn, that thing was beautiful. It was amazing. 1. That is one huge television. Largest in the world. They did an excellent job with replays (except they were SNICKERS replays, the amount of commercialism is just sick). You could watch the game, then, before the next play, watch the replay to catch the details, and sometimes from 2 different angles. I saw waaaaay too many people watching the TV instead of the game, which, to me, kinda ruins the fun. 2. That place got loud, but it’s so massive, it’s not overwhelming. The fans were a lot louder than the Metrodome, but the echos and size made it much worse. The loudest that place got was the first Green Bay TD and the Pittsburgh TD at the beginning of the second half. I couldn’t tell for sure, but I don’t think the noise wrecked any havoc on either team. 3. I kinda missed having a ton of information as the game was going on. It wasn’t until a couple series in the second half that I noticed we were without Woodson and Shields, and it wasn’t until later (in the bathroom of all places) that I heard Woodson broke his collarbone. And I’m kinda a big stats guy, so not knowing those as it goes on was weird. I had no idea until the game was over that Starks actually averaged almost 5 yards a carry. There was only one screen I could see that would give stats, but I was too busy paying attention to the game or talking with the other fans to notice too much. It was also hard to tell which penalties are bullshit or not. I have no idea why Nick Collins was flagged, whether the facemask call was bullshit, or what Tramon did that was unsportsmanlike. I had to review the stuff today if I can. 4. The changes in energy/momentum was palpable, which I had never really experienced before. It’s likely because there were about an equal number of fans for both teams, whereas in live games before there was always a home team that created most of the energy. The shift from one team to the other was unbelievable. 5. Part of that, the momentum shift in the 3rd quarter was massive. Packer fans were excited to start with the ball in the second half to continue to roll on offense, but BAM, holding penalty, BAM! false start, BAM! dropped pass, and then punt and BAM! another penalty. You could tell that Packer fans were reliving nightmares of when the team starts killing itself, and right away the Steelers fans got loud and took over. That drive for their TD brought it to the fever pitch. I have enough confidence in the Packers, but a lot of the fans around me were talking about the Packers falling apart. Pikers. Which brings us to the play of the game: 6. That fumble. With the way the game was going, the Steelers and their fans were pumped. They had just gotten great field possession again, and could have really taken over, but when the fumble happened, it was like a huge gasp went up, then an eruption of Packer fans. No one was sure what had happened right away, but as soon as the ref signalled, it was mayhem. Then Rodgers takes them to the house, and all was right with the world again. You always hear about how big plays make such a difference, but this was the first time I ever noticed it live how one play can change the whole atmosphere. 7. I did really, really like the last drive the by Steelers. We were next to a few fans, and they were thrilled to have Big Ben with the ball with 2 minutes left. They thought they had the game for sure. Even though they were losing. After Shithead’s first completion for 15 to Miller, one guy even said out loud that they got this game. I was soooooooooooo much sweeter then when they (especially shithead) fell apart. They looked lost, scared, and confused. When that ball hit the ground on fourth down, it went crazy. I think I was groped more times by strangers then then in my whole life combined (and that includes almost a decade of riding public transportation in Chicago). Even now, typing this out, my adrenaline is pumping and I’m still damn excited. 8. We stuck around, of course, for the presentations. We tried our best to get down to field level, but security was having none of it. But it was so cool when they gave their speeches and thanked the fans. I know it’s a bit cheesy, but I loved it. 9. If you only looked at the pretty lights during halftime, it wasn’t bad. If you listened to the “music” or watched the “dancing”, it was god awful. I actually left before Usher because it was so bad. Plus, I wanted nachos. 10. GO PACK GO!!! Up next, the game itself. I’m all excited again! ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2011, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789/380 "2011-02-08T17:04:41Z")
> [@Hamlet](#): > > My thoughts on the experience: > > 1. I kinda missed having a ton of information as the game was going on. It wasn’t until a couple series in the second half that I noticed we were without Woodson and Shields, and it wasn’t until later (in the bathroom of all places) that I heard Woodson broke his collarbone. And I’m kinda a big stats guy, so not knowing those as it goes on was weird. I had no idea until the game was over that Starks actually averaged almost 5 yards a carry. There was only one screen I could see that would give stats, but I was too busy paying attention to the game or talking with the other fans to notice too much. It was also hard to tell which penalties are bullshit or not. I have no idea why Nick Collins was flagged, whether the facemask call was bullshit, or what Tramon did that was unsportsmanlike. I had to review the stuff today if I can. The facemask call was incorrect, but it wasn’t one of those horribly bad calls, the guy grabbed the front of his jersey rigth under the face mask. It was just a missed call that unfortunately went against us. The Tramon penalty was definitely warranted in my book, he smacked the guy in the helmet and it wasn’t a friendly smack. Nick Collins I don’t recall but I can’t imagine it was a bad call because no other “bad” calls stick out in my mind [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789.md?page=18) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/super-bowl-xlv/569789.md?page=20)