Super Bowl XLV a microcosm of Packers season

Rub your eyes and pinch yourself, I am going to speak the praises of the Green Bay Packers and for good reason. They started the season with one group of guys and essentially had to work with another group of guys to bring it all together and make a run when they needed to to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Think about it. They score two touchdowns in 24 seconds (Jack Bauer would be proud), making us all think they were going to roll to an easy win. And heck, even at 21-3 in the second quarter, I figured the rout was on.
They were doing everything right, getting pressure on Ben Roethlisberger and making him make throws that he didn't make. The interception return for a touchdown came on a play were Ben's arm was hit, leaving the ball to float like a punt.
Ben had another interception in the game and throughout just didn't look himself. Having led a game-winning drive against the Cardinals just two years ago in the Super Bowl, you almost figured he was going to deliver the same magic, again, but never came through. His three straight incompletions to end the game showed how erratic he was.
Then, things got interesting in the second half. Just like the Packers season when, in Week 6, that team was 3-3 and didn't look like they'd be able to live up to all the "Super" expectations put on the team at the start of the season.
Even as Aaron Rodgers looked pedestrian in the third quarter, the Packers defense came up and slowed things down enough to keep the Packers in the game. The offense needed it too, as James Jones and Jordy Nelson at times looked like they couldn't catch anything and had no business being on the field.
To me, they were the single biggest reason the Steelers were even in the game. There was easily one touchdown in there and a couple others, that, if caught, could lead to more points.
Either way, Rodgers had tons of time to throw all game, which is a tribute to his offensive line. I cannot remember Troy Polamalu even being a factory in the game really, which is a tribute to that front and to Rodgers for not making the silly throw with him in coverage.
Then, of course is the Packers defense. it gave up 398 yards, putting the Steelers on a short list of Super Bowl teams to outgain an opponent and lose. But Clay Matthews, who missed out on Defensive Player of the Year by two first-place votes, made the big play forcing a Rashard Mendenhal fumble on the Packers 33 yard line, the Steelers third turnover of the game, which slammed the door and got the Packers the momentum back. You have to think if they keep going with that drive, the Steelers kick the Packers even farther back on their heels, take the lead and seem to ride on to victory. Matthews knew it was his time to make a play and he did it. That's what a big-time player does.
I can do nothing more than bid the Packers congrats on the victory. Oh, and, if you read the blog Friday, you saw my score prediction of 33-28. Well, it was 31-25, so I was pretty close.

Alright, now to the other big part of yesterday: the commercials. They were not as good as in past years, but a couple stuck with me.
My man, Eminem, was in two of them, which were pretty good. This Brisk one:


This Chrysler one was my fave though. Here's the extended cut...


My fave of the day, though, had to be the Volkswagon Passat commercial. This is why I like VW.


Oh, and how can I forget this one, from the NFL itself.


Now for the Nussie Hunter portion of the broadcast on the Super Bowl Sunday recap edition of the blog. One inparticular stood out to me, featuring Kim Kardashian.


But, she is not our Nussie Hunter feature of the day. For that, we go to Jaime Edmondson. We have to pay tribute to the Super Bowl Champs, no? To be fair, she pays tribute to every NFL team, here, but hey.

Finally, No. 600 for one of the classiest players in the game!

Finally! Trevor Hoffman, you, your uncle, your brother, your father and me both figured we'd be talking about this so much sooner in the season than Sept. 7, but that's how it works sometimes. And to be honest, that made the story leading up to this - the 600th save for the man that is already the all-time saves leader - that much sweeter.
Who would have thought after the year he had last year that Trevor Hoffman would falter like he did at the beginning of the season and lose the closer role. The wrinkle in the whole story is something I heard in listening to the post game show on 620 WTMJ that Hoffman, while taking a backseat to the man who became the closer, John Axford, became one of the mustached man's biggest fans and friends. If that's not the class that makes the celebration on the field and the photo above that much sweeter, I don't know what is.
There is a line in sports between cocky and confident and in baseball confidence is something that is more evident and comes and goes more than any other sport. Hoffman lost his at the beginning of the year when he could not save a game for the life of him and he was big enough to give up the role, but not give up on the team and himself to get back to where he was. Let's be real here and say Trevor's pitches are not the best, not the fastest and everyone knows what they are going to see from him. That doesn't make it any easier to hit off him, though, because he is that smart and is at the ballpark at 2 in the afternoon on the day of a 7 p.m. gamenight. Yes, at 41 Hoffman is the epitome of hard work and every player on that team respects the hell out him. To be honest it's hard being as big of a fan as I am of that team to not get goosebumps and not get a little misty eyed watching the final out and the celebration that follows with the team and Hoffman's family. You could see how much he wanted to get there and how much the guys were pulling for him to get back into the ninth inning and to 600.


That video is one I watched a bit when word came down from a certain friend of mine (We'll call him The Rog for this episode of The Way). Save 478 tied the record back in 2007 and just three seasons later he's up to 600 and at 41 has shown in recent weeks he's able to be smart enough to step back and figure things out.



Alright, time to finish off this blog because it's late. The other big sports news of the day was that Reggie Bush is likely to have his Heisman Trophy taken away. For some reason, the first thing I thought of was "I wonder how Kim Kardashian is doing." Yeah, strange I know. So I hit up a couple dude blogs and I'd say she's doing quite fine. What do you think?

The day is finally here... OPENING DAY!

 The day has finally arrived! Yes, Opening Day is here! It has to be one of, if not the one day I look forward to the most of any of the 365 each year. I've gone in person to the last three and it's more than just baseball why I love this day.
It is the official start of spring to me and most of us here in Wisconsin. That's the first reason. I know the first day of spring was March 21, but without baseball and the boys of summer playing at 1 Miller Park Way, it's not official.
The second reason is baseball. I'm a sports nerd - you are reading my sports blog, after all - so when my hometown team arrives and starts the season, I'm going to get jacked.
Third, the people. Have you seen Fever Pitch where Ben Wrightman has a whole other family every summer? That's what is is like for me. I have an extension of friends that I've met going to games and see them throughout the summer. We talk baseball, life, and anything worth talking about over drinks and a brat. Yes baseball delivers conversation. That's why it is so great. It has built-in time to build up for a moment when a player could deliver the big home run or strikeout.


Now that I've told you why I love Opening Day itself, let's talk about the game I'm going to see tomorrow afternoon (And here's my proof!). Yovanni Gallardo has been handed the ball and will make is first MLB Opening Day start. Ken Macha kept it under wrap for a bit, but it was made official last week. He has shown he is the ace of the staff and deserved the nod.
There is another question mark not yet defined and that is the starting right fielder. Corey Hart's struggles in spring have been chronicled. So much so that in Friday night's exhibition game at Miller Park those in attendance who think they know what the team should do rained the boo birds down on the Beermakers' 6-foot-6 right fielder. What did he do to show the pundits? He went 4 for 6 and raised his batting average 49 points. I'd say that's hearing the whispers and showing them what's up.
There are some other big questions surrounding the team. Namely the pitching pieces added this winter making the team better and getting them back into the playoffs. Here's the story in today's Journal-Sentinel that breaks them all down.

While we're answering questions about the season, I need to go on record and make my season predictions for the team I invest most of my summer emotions into.
I've been doing some thinking about this, about how many wins I'm expecting out of this team. I love the addition of Rick Peterson to the coaching staff. He's going to help the pitchers exponentially.
I like Randy Wolf and Doug Davis to the pitching staff and the depth Manny Parra and Chris Narveson.
Moving J.J. Hardy allowed for Alcides Escobar to take over at shortstop and should add speed to the lineup and keep the same defense J.J. had.
Even the catchers on this year's team are an upgrade offensively. Gregg Zaun and George Katteras have played great this spring. I don't put all my eggs in the spring stats basket, but it shows potential and I like it.
With that said, the Cardinals are the team to beat again this year. And with everything I've read, I'm on board with that notion. I'm in disagreement about the rest of the Central. I'm thinking the Brewers have a shot to get the No. 2 spot in the standings.
Does that put them in the Wild Card hunt? I'm not sure. I really like what the Braves have. I'm thinking the West is down in the NL this year meaning the Central and the East should provide the Wild Card.
I'm not counting the Brewers out of the race, but I'm thinking it's going to be hard for them to get more than 85 wins this season with the youth in the batting order in Carlos Gomez and Escobar. Also, I'm expecting some hiccups from Casey McGehee this year. Not a lot, but some should be coming. He hit under .200 all spring. So maybe it's coming.
My prediction is 82-80 and falling just short of the playoffs. If Jim Edmonds is called upon to play right field and can turn on some of his Angels or Cardinals magic, that could get pushed.

While I'm on Opening Day talk, let's talk about a new opening that has just come up. It's with Kim Kardashian. Just found out she's newly single and is strutting her stuff. Take a look a the gallery here with some amazing photos of her in a bikini. Here's a great sample! Now it's time to rest for baseball!

Waiting is almost over, let's play this game already!

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of hearing about Dwight Freeney's ankle. He didn't practice today, but I'm not going to read into that too much. It's not a surprise. The build up to this game is the most over done thing of the year to me. It gets rather sickening really. Even I have to get my previews in moderation and have to go dark on the game for a bit. That said, here I am writing about how I think the game will go.
So OK, let's get into the nuts and bolts of this game. The quarterbacks we know so they'll get theirs. I won't spend much time on Drew and Peyton. They could have a hand in the outcome, but it won't be anything that surprises you.
The running backs could be the X-Factor. If Reggie Bush or Joseph Addai can get something established, it might give enough of a wrinkle for his team, it might push them over the top. I actually see the Saints having a better big-play capability with the speed and weapons they have. That's not a shot on the Colts, they are just more of a piece-by-piece offense that is slow and methodical in making a drive down the field.
The Freeney injury could be a difference maker if he can't go. When he's not on the field look for the Saints to run to that side and run screens that way. With Reggie Bush taking those passes, they could be big plays in themselves.
The Saints defense is still probably the most vulnerable after giving up big numbers against the Vikings in the NFC Title game. They could give up equally bigger numbers in this one. If they can make up with that by forcing turnovers like they did to get to this game, I see them having a chance.
I'm hoping for a close game and I think both quarterback will deliver that for us and make this one of the best Super Bowls in recent memory. Are you ready? Here comes my pick...
My pick: Peyton Manning is just too good. The Saints might be up early, but as we saw in the AFC Title game, I don't see them burying the Colts too much. That gives Peyton enough time to get his team back in the game for the second half. I see the Colts winning this one by 10 and it might not be as high scoring as people think.
The Score: Colts 31, Saints 21. Hoping for a good one and Peyton making his mark as one of the greats.



I love the commercials of the game as much as the next guy. Here are the list of the Top 5 funnest commercials of last year's game. And I've included my two faves. The Doritos one is great.
The Denny's one is funny and yes I took part in the free Grand Slam. So good!



Some of the bests you can place with this year's game are pretty funny too. Of course on the top of THIS LIST is the usual stuff, but scroll down. You can bet on how long Carrie Underwood takes to sing and how many times Archie, Eli and Kim Kardashian are shown on CBS. It is too funny!


A little break from Super Bowl content to talk about the "movie" made by the Buried Life boys from MTV. Their episode this week was to ask out the girl of their dreams, which happened to be Megan Fox (Good taste!). Well, this was pretty funny, too. Enjoy and be sure to check them out Monday night when they deliver a baby! Should be awesome! Whoa!

The Nussie Hunter today wanted to fall in line with the Super Bowl theme and talk about the WAGS of the the Super Bowl. We could talk about the teams' cheerleaders, comparing fan hotness and just comparing WAGS in general. Of course there is only WAG we expect to see during the game and that is Kim Kardashian. Here she is. Remember if the Saints win Reggie is proposing. Good luck with that buddy!