Houston, we have a Super Bowl!

By: Larry Fitzgerald
Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder
Originally posted 1/27/2004

It's been a long time since Houston has hosted a Super Bowl, and long-time Vikings fans will never forget it. It was 30 years ago, in 1974, that Super Sunday the Miami Dolphins defeated the Minnesota Vikings 24-7 in Super Bowl VIII. The game was played at Houston's Rice Stadium. That year, running back Larry Csonka had a big day and ran all over the Vikings. 

Houston is the largest city in the state of Texas, and once had the eighth wonder of the world, the famous AstroDome. Ironically, the Super Bowl was never played at the famous AstroDome.
Houston has had a remarkable transformation over the years; Space City USA has undergone many changes. Reliant Stadium, the site of Super Bowl XXXVIII, is just one of them. This year's game will have a unique feature: It will be the first Super Bowl stadium with a retractable roof.

For the second time in three years, the New England Patriots are back in the Super Bowl. They have won 14 straight games, the second-longest winning streak in NFL history. Quarterback Tom Brady is one of the best quarterbacks in recent years. 
Brady is 5-0 in the playoffs, and has a chance to join Bart Starr, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, John Elway, Troy Aikman and Roger Staubach as the only quarterbacks to win two or more Super Bowls. Carolina has earned its first trip to the Super Bowl by winning three straight playoff games, two of which were on the road at St. Louis and Philadelphia.
It's no secret -- both New England and Carolina are rock-solid on defense. Both teams play a physical brand of power football. Carolina features the power running attack of fullback Stephen Davis. New England's aggressive defense forced 39 turnovers and allowed the fewest points in the league. The Patriots are 9-0 against teams with winning records, and have outscored their opponents by a margin of 110 points.
Carolina actually started the season 5-0, and later lost three straight. The Panthers play a lot of close games; they only outscored their opponents by a margin of 21 points, and played in five overtime games, winning four of them. One was a playoff win at St. Louis that ended their 14-game home winning streak.
Both teams have good team speed and strong special teams. I'm convinced that the AFC was the stronger conference this year. Tennessee, Indianapolis and Kansas City all won at least 12 games, and Peyton Manning and Steve McNair shared the league MVP award. New England was 4-0 against Tennessee, and Indianapolis and the Colts beat Kansas City. 
That is enough for me -- Carolina has earned everything they have and deserve this Super Bowl experience. But New England has a chance to prove that they belong among the greatest teams in NFL history.
Mentally they are as tough a football team as I've seen in a long time. It's not every year you see a team win 14 straight games. The last time a team won 14 or more games was the undefeated 17-0 Miami Dolphins in 1972. 
Get ready for a Super Sunday countdown: 3,2,1, Liftoff -- Patriots 23, Carolina 13.

[bold] Fitz Notes & Quotes 

In the shadow of Super Bowl Sunday, the long-awaited decision by U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin on suspended Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett's legal challenge to the NFL's three-year rule will likely come this week. 
The decision could be the most important legal case in recent football history. The case has the potential to alter the way both the professional and the college games have done business for more than three quarters of a century.

Mike Tice, take notes: New England Head Coach Bill Belichick recently explained his stand on discipline that has made a difference, with two Super Bowl appearances in three years. "Playing within the team concept and taking care of your responsibility, that is what a disciplined team does. It does not turn the ball over, does not commit a lot of stupid penalties or blow coverages on defense so that you give up easy touchdowns."

 

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