Super Bowl XLV: Chrysler Ad Steals The Show

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Being 40 and out of touch with most of what's cool, I was fairly proud of myself for being able to name that tune just a few seconds into that cool Chrysler ad during Super Bowl XLV Sunday night.

Of course I flubbed my subsequent attempt to be clever on Twitter when I wrote "Eminem + Ford. How predictable." It wasn't Ford. And it actually turned out not so predictable.

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Enough With The Comparisons; Let Rodgers Enjoy

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

AOL's home page greeted me with the following headline Monday morning: "Rodgers Takes Image To Next Level."

It amazes me when news outlets — broadcast, online, whatever the venue — just make up the stories as they go along. If not the stories, then they at least invent the importance of what they think are necessary stories.

The irony is that some outlets are saying Rodgers is officially out from under the shadow of legendary former Green Bay quarterback Brett Favre. I'm not quite sure how you measure that, but I don't think he'll actually be out of Favre's shadow until scribes stop pondering whether that is indeed the case. By endlessly breathing "Favre" and "Rodgers" into the same sentence, writers are answering the question before they even answer the question: Rodgers is hardly out from Favre's shadow.

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Upon Further Review: An Updated Worst Super Bowls List

By MATT ZEMEK
One Great Season

The OGS Worst Super Bowls list below is a great list in terms of identifying hyped Super Bowl matchups that bombed to a particularly considerable extent. If a bad- or worst-game rankings list or hierarchy is based on the extent to which a game fizzled, the list is excellent.

I would only point out that it's worth exploring other dimensions of "bad games." Another school of thought — not inherently better or worse than the OGS list — would say that a bad game is not based on the "dud-to-pregame-hype ratio," but on the sheer (lack of) quality displayed over four quarters of competition.

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List: The 5 Worst Super Bowls Of All Time

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

The sad thing about the most overpromoted sports event on the planet is that on the rare occasion that the Super Bowl produces a good game, it still doesn't live up to the 336 hours (that's two weeks, Rain Man) of non-stop hype.

But on the majority of the previous 44 occasions in which the AFC and NFC champions have met for all the marbles, the season finale is a boring blowout memorable only for the commercials or the grand you pocketed from the lucky squares pool you won at your buddy's kegger.

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List: The 5 Best Super Bowls Of All Time

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

The OGS Lists Department has been hard at work this week, and we'll be rolling out all kinds of Super Bowl countdowns the next few days. First up, the best Super Bowl games in NFL history:

5. Super Bowl XXV: New York Giants 20, Buffalo 19 — "Wide Right" is known more in college football circles than pro, but this game will forever be remembered as the one that Bills kicker Scott Norwood could have won with a field goal on the game's final play. But he hooked it, allowing Bill Parcells and his underdog Giants to escape with their second Super Bowl victory.

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Survey: What Do You Love About The Super Bowl?

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Part of the obnoxious Super Bowl hype every year is when football fans across the globe hustle over here to OGS on the Tuesday before the big game to read what our friends say they love about the NFL's colossal championship finale.

You're welcome:

David Balutanski, Stand-Up Comic — If my team isn't playing, I just want to be a fan and eat. I love the crappy food. It's like redneck Thanksgiving. It's a day where you can just say, "Screw it, I'm going to eat 12,000 calories." Buffalo wings, bowls of Velveeta and ground beef, the obligatory taco dip, shrimp cocktail, more cheese, little sloppy joes, oh, and three dozen Bud Lights.

Len Berman, Sports Broadcasting Legend — The kickoff. Finally all the talking stops. The most exciting single moment in sports (other than the start of a major heavyweight championship fight, which we haven't had for years).

Tweet

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7 Things We Hate About the Super Bowl

By RAMZY NASRALLAH
One Great Season

Life is a constant struggle for the eternal contrarian: In a matter of days, much of the world will gather in its bars, living rooms and thatched huts to consume the Sport of Kings' pinnacle event. Despite the pageantry, the gambling, the gluttonous food and alcohol consumption and each of the 30-second commercials (Talking babies + talking animals = ABSOLUTE GENIUS) that cost far more than you’ll ever be worth, there's so much to hate about the Super Bowl.

You're surrounded by people in your life who live for the Super Bowl. Contrarians like us who despise it must stick together, because while football is the lifeblood of the American way, the Super Bowl absolutely sucks.

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Jets Season Hardly A Failure

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

Those who follow and write about sports love the post mortem.

We love to wield our pens and offer up reasons why a football team's season was a success or a failure, as if only black and white options are available to describe something so rife with gray area the last eight months.

From my view, any team that wins 13 games, including back-to-back postseason triumps on the home fields of the game's top two current quarterbacks, is a team that should be proud of its accomplishments.

Sure the sentiment does little good for the campers in Florham Park. Their Lombardi-Trophy-or-bust approach to the 2010 NFL season was well-documented, not to mention meticulously dissected and overanalyzed.

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Packers Beat Bears, Advance To Super Bowl

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

If the opening drive was any indication, it looked like the frigid weather alone wasn't going to cool off the hottest quarterback in the NFL.

But eventually, the Chicago Bears defense kept Aaron Rodgers and the high-octane Green Bay attack in check enough to make the fourth quarter relevant in Sunday's NFC Championship Game at Soldier Field. That's when third-string quarterback Caleb Hanie threw two touchdown passes, but sandwiched in between them was an interception returned for a short but decisive score by Packers defensive tackle B.J. Raji.

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List: Super Bowl MVPs

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

The OGS list-building team is at it again, offering up to you a bookmark-able page for those interested in knowing every previous Super Bowl MVP. Study this table and you'll be the coolest guy at the party. Just make sure not to double dip.

Game	Date	Most Valuable Player
XLV	Feb. 6, 2011	Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers
XLIV	Feb. 7, 2010	New Orleans QB Drew Brees
XLIII	Feb. 1, 2009	Pittsburgh WR Santonio Holmes
XLII	Feb. 3, 2008	New York Giants QB Eli Manning
XLI	Feb. 4, 2007	Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning
XL	Feb. 5, 2006	Pittsburgh WR Hines Ward
XXXIX	Feb. 6, 2005	New England WR Deion Branch
XXXVIII	Feb. 1, 2004	New England QB Tom Brady
XXXVII	Jan. 26, 2003	Tampa Bay S Dexter Jackson
XXXVI	Feb. 3, 2002	New England QB Tom Brady
XXXV	Jan. 28, 2001	Baltimore LB Ray Lewis
XXXIV	Jan. 30, 2000	St. Louis QB Kurt Warner
XXXIII	Jan. 31, 1999	Denver QB John Elway
XXXII	Jan. 25, 1998	Denver RB Terrell Davis
XXXI	Jan. 26, 1997	Green Bay KR/PR Desmond Howard
XXX	Jan. 28, 1996	Dallas CB Larry Brown
XXIX	Jan. 29, 1995	San Francisco QB Steve Young
XXVIII	Jan. 30, 1994	Dallas RB Emmitt Smith
XXVII	Jan. 31, 1993	Dallas QB Troy Aikman
XXVI	Jan. 26, 1992	Washington QB Mark Rypien
XXV	Jan. 27, 1991	New York Giants RB Ottis Anderson
XXIV	Jan. 28, 1990	San Francisco QB Joe Montana
XXIII	Jan. 22, 1989	San Francisco WR Jerry Rice
XXII	Jan. 31, 1988	Washington QB Doug Williams
XXI	Jan. 25, 1987	New York Giants QB Phil Simms
XX	Jan. 26, 1986	Chicago DE Richard Dent
XIX	Jan. 20, 1985	San Francisco QB Joe Montana
XVIII	Jan. 22, 1984	Los Angeles Raides RB Marcus Allen
XVII	Jan. 30, 1983	Washington RB John Riggins
XVI	Jan. 24, 1982	San Francisco QB Joe Montana
XV	Jan. 25, 1981	Oakland QB Jim Plunkett
XIV	Jan. 20, 1980	Pittsburgh QB Terry Bradshaw
XIII	Jan. 21, 1979	Pittsburgh QB Terry Bradshaw
XII	Jan. 15, 1978	Dallas DT Randy White Dallas DE Harvey Martin
XI	Jan. 9, 1977	Oakland WR Fred Biletnikoff
X	Jan. 18, 1976	Pittsburgh WR Lynn Swann
IX	Jan. 12, 1975	Pittsburgh RB Franco Harris
VIII	Jan. 13, 1974	Miami RB Larry Csonka
VII	Jan. 14, 1973	Miami S Jake Scott
VI	Jan. 16, 1972	Dallas QB Roger Staubach
V	Jan. 17, 1971	Dallas LB Chuck Howley
IV	Jan. 11, 1970	Kansas City QB Len Dawson
III	Jan. 12, 1969	New York Jets QB Joe Namath
II	Jan. 14, 1968	Green Bay QB Bart Starr
I	Jan. 15, 1967	Green Bay QB Bart Starr

List: Super Bowl Champions

By JOHN P. WISE
One Great Season

The OGS list-building team offers up this bookmark-able page for you. It's quite possibly the sexiest list of past Super Bowl champions.

Game	Date	Result	Location	Attendance
XLV	Feb. 6, 2011	Green Bay 31, Pittsburgh 25	Cowboys Stadium Dallas	103,219
XLIV	Feb. 7, 2010	New Orleans 31 Indianapolis 17	Sun Life Stadium Miami	74,059
XLIII	Feb. 1, 2009	Pittsburgh 27 Arizona 23	Raymond James Stadium Tampa	70,774
XLII	Feb. 3, 2008	New York Giants 17 New England 14	Univ of Phoenix Stadium Glendale, Ariz.	71,101
XLI	Feb. 4, 2007	Indianapolis 29 Chicago 17	Dolphin Stadium Miami	74,512
XL	Feb. 5, 2006	Pittsburgh 21 Seattle 10	Ford Field Detroit	68,206
XXXIX	Feb. 6, 2005	New England 24 Philadelphia 21	Alltel Stadium Jacksonville	78,125
XXXVIII	Feb. 1, 2004	New England 32 Carolina 29	Reliant Stadium Houston	71,525
XXXVII	Jan. 26, 2003	Tampa Bay 48 Oakland 21	Qualcomm Stadium San Diego	67,603
XXXVI	Feb. 3, 2002	New England 20 St. Louis 17	Louisiana Superdome New Orleans	72,922
XXXV	Jan. 28, 2001	Baltimore 34 New York Giants 7	Raymond James Stadium Tampa	71,921
XXXIV	Jan. 30, 2000	St. Louis 23 Tennessee 16	Georgia Dome Atlanta	72,625
XXXIII	Jan. 31, 1999	Denver 34 Atlanta 19	Pro Player Stadium Miami	74,803
XXXII	Jan. 25, 1998	Denver 31 Green Bay 24	Qualcomm Stadium San Diego	68,912
XXXI	Jan. 26, 1997	Green Bay 35 New England 21	Louisiana Superdome New Orleans	72,301
XXX	Jan. 28, 1996	Dallas 27 Pittsburgh 17	Sun Devil Stadium Tempe	76,347
XXIX	Jan. 29, 1995	San Francisco 49 San Diego 26	Joe Robbie Stadium Miami	74,107
XXVIII	Jan. 30, 1994	Dallas 30 Buffalo 13	Georgia Dome Atlanta	72,817
XXVII	Jan. 31, 1993	Dallas 52 Buffalo 17	Rose Bowl Pasadena	98,374
XXVI	Jan. 26, 1992	Washington 37 Buffalo 24	Metrodome Minneapolis	63,130
XXV	Jan. 27, 1991	New York Giants 20 Buffalo 19	Tampa Stadium Tampa	73,813
XXIV	Jan. 28, 1990	San Francisco 55 Denver 10	Louisiana Superdome New Orleans	72,919
XXIII	Jan. 22, 1989	San Francisco 20 Cincinnati 16	Joe Robbie Stadium Miami	75,129
XXII	Jan. 31, 1988	Washington 42 Denver 10	Jack Murphy Stadium San Diego	73,302
XXI	Jan. 25, 1987	New York Giants 39 Denver 20	Rose Bowl Pasadena	101,063
XX	Jan. 26, 1986	Chicago 46 New England 10	Louisiana Superdome New Orleans	73,818
XIX	Jan. 20, 1985	San Francisco 38 Miami 16	Stanford Stadium Stanford, Calif.	84,059
XVIII	Jan. 22, 1984	L.A. Raiders 38 Washington 9	Tampa Stadium Tampa	72,920
XVII	Jan. 30, 1983	Washington 27 Miami 17	Rose Bowl Pasadena	103,667
XVI	Jan. 24, 1982	San Francisco 26 Cincinnati 21	Pontiac Silverdome Pontiac, Mich.	81,270
XV	Jan. 25, 1981	Oakland 27 Philadelphia 10	Louisiana Superdome New Orleans	76,135
XIV	Jan. 20, 1980	Pittsburgh 31 L.A. Rams 19	Rose Bowl Pasadena	103,985
XIII	Jan. 21, 1979	Pittsburgh 35 Dallas 31	Orange Bowl Miami	79,484
XII	Jan. 15, 1978	Dallas 27 Denver 10	Louisiana Superdome New Orleans	76,135
XI	Jan. 9, 1977	Oakland 32 Minnesota 14	Rose Bowl Pasadena	103,438
X	Jan. 18, 1976	Pittsburgh 21 Dallas 17	Orange Bowl Miami	79,484
IX	Jan. 12, 1975	Pittsburgh 16 Minnesota 6	Tulane Stadium New Orleans	80,997
VIII	Jan. 13, 1974	Miami 24 Minnesota 7	Rice Stadium Houston	71,882
VII	Jan. 14, 1973	Miami 14 Washington 7	Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles	90,182
VI	Jan. 16, 1972	Dallas 24 Miami 3	Tulane Stadium New Orleans	81,023
V	Jan. 17, 1971	Baltimore 16 Dallas 13	Orange Bowl Miami	79,204
IV	Jan. 11, 1970	Kansas City 23 Minnesota 7	Tulane Stadium New Orleans	80,562
III	Jan. 12, 1969	New York Jets 16 Baltimore 7	Orange Bowl Miami	75,389
II	Jan. 14, 1968	Green Bay 33 Oakland 14	Orange Bowl Miami	75,546
I	Jan. 15, 1967	Green Bay 35 Kansas City 10	Memorial Coliseum Los Angeles	61,946