Eerie Similarities: Pizza Box Football Revisited
If you happened to read my account of the Pizza Box Football Super Bowl preplay with Jon, and watched the real game last night, you may have noticed some eerie similarities:
Our game finished 33-20 Colts. The real score was 29-17 Colts, with the Colts missing an extra point and a chip-shot field goal (otherwise, it would have been 33-17 Colts).
In our game, the Bears kept it close, even taking the lead 20-19 in the third quarter, before it all fell apart. In the real game, the Bears kept it close, down only 22-17 with 12 minutes remaining, before Rex Grossman threw the game away.
In our game, the Colts could march down the field at will, but struggled in the red zone (20-yard-line or closer), getting 1 TD, 2 FG, and two INT on five trips. In the real game, the Colts marched down the field at will, but got 1 TD, 2 FG, 1 missed FG, and 1 turnover in five trips.
Not everything matched, of course. Our game wasn't played in the rain, so we had zero fumbles instead of five. Tony Dungy is not a maniac, so the Colts killed the clock by running, finishing with 41 rushing attempts. PBF doesn't take special teams into account, so our game did not feature Devin Hester's predictable kickoff return TD. And while our game had six plays over 40 yards, the real Super Bowl had only two (53-yard TD catch by Reggie Wayne, 52-yard run by Thomas Jones). But overall, PBF did a surprisingly good job of simulating Manning's efficiency and Rex Grossman's staggering ineptitude (several witnesses will attest to me screaming "RUN THE BALL ON EVERY DOWN!!" at the TV throughout the second half). Dominic Rhodes got jobbed at the end, though; the MVP should be for the best player in the game, not a Lifetime Achievement Oscar.
Simon, I can't make it tonight (work-related things), but I will get you the decks as soon as possible.
Labels: ramblings
posted by Dennis Ugolini @ 12:01 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
Very interesting... I can't remember if PBFB includes rules for weather effects, but this might be a nice option.
I might be biased, but I think you could make a case for Joseph Addai as MVP. He didn't have the big play or score a td like Rhodes but he was definitely a grinder for them in both the running and passing game. One of the things that really helped the Colts was their ability to keep the bears defense on the field for long periods of time and Addai contributed heavily to that.
In terms of a pure momentum changing play why wouldn't Hayden be considered? Up until that point the Colts had totally dominated the game on both sides of the ball but were only up five. The game had all the makings of a heartbreaking loss for the Colts considering the botched field goal and extra point and the inability to finish the job when they got in the red zone thus letting the Bears hang around. Therefore, that interception touchdown at least in my mind changed the perspective of the game from a quite likely blown game by the Colts into a laugher. And how the heck did that get returned for a TD???? It wasn't a quick out where he intercepted it running towards the end zone it was an out and up that was probably lofted at a 45 degree angle if that little. You think the entire roster of both teams would have had ample opportunity to react to the ball in the air and at least be in position to make a play after the interception.
I think Addai's contribution out of the backfield hurt Rhodes' MVP chances and vice versa. Then once the voters decided not to give it to a scrub backup defensive back, they had to give it to Manning by default.
I'll repost my thoughts since they are in the now buried pregame thread:
"Mmm...smells like free games. I'll be by on Monday to pick them up (and Space Dealer if you read this Ben).
My thoughts: sucky ads, one crappy Phil Simms broadcasting performance as always, a lousy first quarter, BUT an A-OK ending."
I thought Addai should have gotten the MVP award, but who honestly thought Manning wouldn't get it. Don't lie to yourselves, people.
It was interesting how the Colts defense seemed much sharper and how they could run the ball so effectively when the Bears were deemed to supposedly dominate both categories. I think we can all agree that the Colts are in need of some serious tackling clinics, though. At the very least, give them a diving drill or something!
My wife and I Tivo'd over to the halftime show and made bets as to whether Prince or one of his gyrating dancers was going to slip off the rain-soaked stage.
I'd agree with a Rhodes/Addai dual MVP -- I think that's even been done before, but with two defensive backs. The case for Hayden is weakened by the fact that, while a critical play, he only made just the one, and as a nickel back, he's only on the field for a handful of plays. At least I'm assuming he is, because I've never heard his name before. Folks at my house were talking about giving it to Grossman, since he was more important than any Colt in deciding the game. (Unrelated -- more sports should do what the NHL does, in allowing the MVP to come from the losing team if that person fought like an animal to the end.)
But Manning is an inexcusable choice, and I didn't think for a moment it was a foregone conclusion. Not since Joe Namath has such a crappy stat line been rewarded like that (25-38, 247 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT). Especially when you consider the red zone difficulties, and the fact that half of his yards came off of screens. I think that, just like for Namath, the dunderheads who chose Manning never even considered anyone else.
Both teams tackled poorly due to the rain; almost never did the first Bear take Addai/Rhodes down. But I actually heard some sports radio blowhard this morning saying that the Bears defense was the reason they lost. Urr? They stayed within two in the first half, and gave up only six points in the second half. They can't rush out on the field the moment Grossman does something stupid.
I had a lot of physics students over last night, and we voted for the top three commercials:
1. Garmin (the Map Monster)
2. Emerald Nuts (Robert Goulet on the ceiling)
3. Nothing (because the rest were just a stream of unadulterated crap)
Phil Simms didn't bother me so much, but the poor production did. We came in at 14:39 in the 1st (a Guitar Hero match ran long), and *not once* did they replay the Devin Hester score from that point on.
It sounds like it was a miserable evening with all the complaining, but the game itself was a blast. Too bad all the other stuff (ads, CBS, MVP choice, dumbass media) tries to get in the way.
Come to think of it, has an offensive line ever deserved the MVP more? 260+ yards on rushes and screens, plus only one sack allowed.
Dennis: "I think that, just like for Namath, the dunderheads who chose Manning never even considered anyone else."
Uhh, duh... Seriously, this can't be that shocking...
As a marketing student, I was pretty embarrassed by the lack of creativity in the ads. If you’re going to pay 2.6 million dollars for a spot, I don’t know, GET PEOPLE’S FREAKIN’ ATTENTION!!!
Phil Simms wasn't as bad as usual, but my threshhold for commentator annoyingness is fairly low after so many Bill Walton NBA games (and his new idiot follow-up Tom Tolbert). It just grates me so.
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