PRINTABLE SUPER BOWL XLVIII GRID

It is a sad state of affairs when your place of business no longer turns a blind eye towards that American institution, the Super Bowl office pool.  It seems the only places these pools are still thriving are bars, the occasional restaurant, and the neighborhood Super Bowl party.

This year Jack Fact Graphics, in partnership with the Professional Armchair Quarterback, is making public his personal Super Bowl grid.  Now this isn't one of your garden variety 10x10 grids.  It's got team logos, the NFC and AFC logos, Seattle Seahawks Armchair Quarterback logo, the Denver Broncos Armchair Quarterback logo, and of course the NFL Shield.  It also used to contain those colorful and completely unique Super Bowl logos, but those have all been replaced by the coldly generic silver ones featuring the Lombardi trophy and roman numerals, thanks to the commissioner...

But wait!  That isn't what makes this Super Bowl pool so awesome.  In addition to having a cash payout for each quarter, it's got three additional ways to win some of that pot too.  These additional categories are; First Blood, First Seven and Final Score.  All are explained on the sheet, but here is the explanation.

FIRST BLOOD:  The first points scored in the game, e.g., a safety, field goal, or touchdown.  The "First Blood" excludes the extra point on a touchdown, i.e., the first "6" points on the scoreboard.  This is the first "2", "3" or "6" scored in the game.

FIRST SEVEN: The first touchdown AND extra point scored for a combined total of "7".  If the extra point is missed, muffed, etc., the prize in NOT awarded for that touchdown.  This is the first "7" scored.

FINAL SCORE:  The final score of the game.  This accounts for overtime.  If there is no overtime period, i.e., the game is decided in regulation, then the winner of the fourth quarter is also awarded this prize.

That's it, and here it is:

SUPER BOWL XLVIII GRID from Jack Fact Graphics

Click Here For .pdf

Bad Officiating and bad play by Seattle in Super Bowl XL

So this morning while I sat on my recliner with a donut and Irish coffe, I checked out the NFL's official site and read an article from the Associated Press titled, "Super Bowl XL referee regrets that mistakes 'impacted the game'.  According to the article NFL referee Bill Leavy was at Seattle Seahawks training camp as part of the annual training camp rules interpretation, and before starting, acknowledged he made mistakes in Seattle's loss in 2006 to the
Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL.

Obviously this was done primarily to placate the Seahawks organization, but judging from the volume of articles and blogs devoted to the topic, Leavy's remarks are refueling the conversation.  Bottom line is Seattle Seahawks fandom is whining again, blaming everything on the refs....

In addition to the couple of calls Leavy admittedly blew, I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...

Seattle getting fooled out of their jocks on a 43 yd trick pass play for a TD.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle's defense giving up THE LONGEST TD RUN IN SB HISTORY, 75 yds by Willie Parker.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle missing 2 FGs.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle's TE Stevens dropping 4 very catchable balls ALL in key situations. Not 1st & 10, but 3rd & 13...3rd & 8...and one drop was the difference in Seattle punting or attempting a FG.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle REPEATEDLY punting deep through Pittsburgh's endzone EVERYTIME, consistently failing to pin the Steelers deep, resulting in an easier gm of field position and 1 drive which ended in a TD.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Hasslebeck dropping back on 3rd & 18 (IN FG POSITION) & lobbing an ugly INT.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Big Ben, completing a 37 yd pass on 3rd & 28 to Seattles 2 yd line, after PENALTY ON PITTSBURGH contributed to the 3rd & a mile situation.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle's "star" RB being shut down just enough to force several 3rd downs.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault that...
that ON those 3rd downs, Seattle, called some of the most BONEHEADED plays in the history of Superbowls.  Five (5) times, heaving it deep for the big bomb on 3rd & 4 or less.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle carelessly having the ball at Pittsburgh's 37 yd line with 48 seconds to go in the half and foolishly failing to get the next play off until 13 seconds remained.

AND, again instead of a short pass to set up an easier than 54 yd FG. They heave it deep trying for a TD bomb vs a Prevent defense AND they go into the locker room with an unused timeout.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle doing the same thing again in the 2nd half. On 3rd & short, they heave it deep & incomplete forcing their kicker to AGAIN have to kick the FG from 50 plus...and of course BOTH of those kicks missed barely, making that extra 5-8 yds a BIG deal.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle failing to capitalize on the play where Jeremy Stevens caught the ball, took 3 steps, was hit by the safety & fumbled, only to have it ruled "Incomplete"...wait, actually, YOU'RE RIGHT, that WAS the refs fault. Lucky thing for Seattle huh?

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
All the passes Seattle receivers DID catch that were OUT OF BOUNDS. It happened on two very important plays, long pass plays, and Hasslebeck couldnt even keep the ball in bounds.

I guess it's "the Refs" fault for...
Seattle failing to make plays on plays when there WASN'T a penalty called

I guess it's "the Refs" fault when...
Seattle, later in the game, KNOWING they need a TD & FG, (in no particular order) and was currently in EASY FG position on 4th down, AGAIN went for the long shot TD play vs a pass defense that was defending EXACTLY that type of play. There was still time for the FG, onside kick, & a couple deep balls to the endzone, but instead they GAVE UP.

Yes, call me an Armchair Quarterback, but truth be told, they never really showed up.