Monday, January 19, 2009

History, in the Making !!!

The date is January 19th, 2009 ... History is set to be made ... On one count, you have the impending Inauguration of America's 1st African American President ... On another count, you have the potential for the 2nd African American, NFL Coach (Mike Tomlin) to lead his team to a Super Bowl Victory. If Tomlin and company can't lead Pittsburgh to it's 2nd NFL Championship (in 4 seasons) then that means that Kurt Warner will become the 1st QB, in NFL History, to lead 2 different teams to Super Bowl Championships (The Rams and Cardinals). Either way, my fellow Americans, History is set to be made ...

As a fan, of the NFL , you have to appreciate the road each team has taken to Tampa. In the Steeler's of Pittsburgh you have a team that embodies the calm and cool of it's unflappable leader (Mike Tomlin) . In the impropable Cardinal's of Arizona you have a team that looked like they backed into the Playoffs, while led by former Steeler Offensive Coordinator Ken Whisenhunt. This Super Bowl will be compelling, if only because of the 2 paths taken, by both teams, to get here. The Steelers, with their bruising style of play and impressive record, may be favored to win this vaunted contest, despite the edge the uncanny Card's of 'Zona may possess (with Coach Whisenhunt being so familiar with the "Blitz"-burgh Defense). In this matchup you have a high powered offense (Arizona) versus a punishing defense (Pittsburgh). It features two QBs, that have been here before and won the "BIG Game", and Two Head Coaches, in their Second Years, in the "BIG Game" for the 1st time in their careers ... This should make for a very interesting 2 weeks, leading up to the Championship ...

We have witnessed the emergence of the NFL's "NEXT BIG STAR", in Larry Fitzgerald (a rare combination of size, finesse, physical toughness, and ball awareness) and the growing Legend of "BIG" Ben Roethlisberger, who has the chance to join the Immortal ranks of Troy Aikman and Tom Brady, if he's able to win his 2nd Championship in only his 5th year in the NFL. You have the "upstart" Cardinals, who have rallied behind a cast-off QB, most believe is "Canton bound", against a Steeler's team favored by MANY to make it to Tampa and win the Championship. Neither team is without it's own contraversy, whether it's Arizona with it's "resting"of Edgerrin James, or Pittsburgh with some crying for their battered signal caller (# 7) to take a week or two off in favor of the "fresh legged", rocket armed, Byron Leftwich ... All Kurt has done (at age 37) is cement his Hall of Fame legacy with another season of "lofty" stats, while BIG Ben has been viewed, by some, as the MVP of the 09' season (sorry Peyton). History is set to be made ...

I can remember when some scoffed at the notion of Mike Tomlin replacing long time Steeler Coach, Bill Cowher. How dare the Rooneys even consider this former Dungy defensive assistant that played Receiver in college ? This "young", "wet behind the ears" Coach, that was NEVER a head coach on ANY other level, has a chance to make his mark on a game we weren't even allowed to compete in, decades ago ? All Tomlin stands to do is follow the legacy of his mentor (Tony Dungy) that followed the legacy of Jackie Robinson, who carved a path left by the footprints of the late, Great, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. ... My fellow Americans, we are watching "History in the Making" ... Take notes and enjoy

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