More Super Bowl notes

This Super Bowl is probably the one single-day event of the year that deserves an entire second post of coverage. After such an immense win by the Saints and all of the tidbits that have come out, how could I not post about the historic win again?

Could Garrett Hartley actually have been a viable Super Bowl MVP candidate? Kicking three field goals over 40 yards might have done it if Brees didn’t step it up in the second half. Just remember that his game-winning 40 yarder in the NFC title game was the longest of the season and he hit three longer than that.

I’m not sure what was more stunning, Tracy Porter’s interception, or his haircut. One thing that most people missed during his return for a TD: Peyton Manning was clearly blocked in the back, a penalty that should have negated the TD, but not the interception. Check it out and tell me how the refs missed that one. Although, it was probably because they were swept up in the choke job.

CBS was pulling out all the stops to jinx the Colts on that drive too. Not only were the Colts seven fourth quarter comebacks mentioned, but just two passes before the pick, the “Most Completions” graphic took up a quarter of the screen.

Speaking of records, there may be some debate over this number because of the way that coming to these numbers have changed recently, but the initial number of 106.5 million viewers is absolutely mind-numbingly spectacular. Yes, Super Bowl XLIV topped the famed finale of MASH which drew 105.97 million viewers many years ago. The real question is, with a larger population in the US now and with TVs cheaper and cable more accessible, it’s hard to believe that MASH’s ratings couldn’t have been higher if it broadcast today. But, of course, maybe people wouldn’t have wanted to watch a show about the Korean War these days.

How about the guts that Dwight Freeney showed to play as much as he could on his bum ankle. What an amazing one-handed sack too, while being pulled to the ground. Just an amazing display by an amazing player all game long. If he had been at 100%, there’s no way that Brees would’ve been that clean after the game.

Keeping the Colts offence off the field with great defence, solid clock management and a super long and crappy half-time show and the amazing “Ambush” offside kick was a great accomplishment by Sean Payton’s Saints. According to SI’s Peter King, Payton even sought out the refs to tell them to watch out for their Ambush play. Imagine what a referee like Tim Donaghy could have done with that information.