#159: Today's Show, Plus More XL Idiocy

---SSL: 8/7/10 + SBXL...Again---

First, the show from today. I make my first foray in to "hackdom" by mispronouncing a couple of names on the Penguins all-time team (Jean Provanost ... I didn't make the "st" silent ... and Vince Lascheid...small/faded print made me say "LaShield".)

Still, the highlight is probably the rant about Super Bowl XL referee Bill Leavy needlessly (and incorrectly) admitting remorse for his officiating. More on that in a sec.


Archived version of today's show here:





Now. Back to Leavy. Apparently, while he was visiting Seahawks camp for a rules interpretation meeting, he said he feels guilty about the fourth quarter of that game.

The only mistake he made was the low block call on Seattle QB Matt Hasselbeck.

Of course, perhaps it was his first visit to Seattle since the fateful game, and he didn't want to be lynched, so he confessed his "crimes." He certainly doesn't have any major reasons to honestly feel bad.

Steeler fans, and other unbiased folks who actually understand football, I implore you to bookmark the following website and send it to any Steeler hater or Seahawk fan who continues this baseless battle that officiating decided XL's outcome.

http://checkraise.com/rants2/archive3/xl.html

Excellent photo angles (for the most part) and solid points. The article's author even argues the validity of the low block call on Hasselbeck.

Most importantly, he acknowledges the ugly truth: The game sucked. It wasn't exciting. Both teams came out flat. With the exception of two or three big Steeler plays, they stayed flat. If the game had played out the same way, but the AFC representative had been the Cleveland Browns or the Houston Texans, there would not still be this outcry.

It should also be noted, that the NFL never sent an apology letter to the team admitting that mistakes were made. This has been done in the past, and the Steelers have even been recipients of such letters.

Finally, Mr. Leavy, I forgive you, because there's really nothing to forgive. Maybe you didn't see that illegal block in the back on Ben Roethlisberger as he moved to tackle Kelly Herndon following an interception.

Knowledgeable football fans absolve you. You were not responsible for Jerramy Stevens' stone hands, nor the Seahawks' incomprehensibly inept 2-minute drill. In either half.

It's just unfortunate that it was so terrible a game that it was the officiating that stood out.