One for the thumb and then some

Steelers, baby!

The franchise with the patent on the Lombardi merchandise made it a record sixth Super Bowl win Sunday. They're calling it a game for the ages (they always do when the contest comes down to the last two minutes.) But in this case the cliche fits.

The Steelers were favored to beat the Arizona Cardinals, and in the end it's easy to see why. Sure, the Cardinals gave it the proverbial valiant effort, but the better team won.

Poor Arizona, it's been a tough couple of months for the state. First John McCain loses the presidency; now this. People can take a candidate from their state losing the White House -- but not a Super Bowl.



Time out for a shout out: To Paul C. in Washington, Pa., who bleeds black and gold. He doesn't gloat when the Steelers win and doesn't whine when they lose. Your team just won the Super Bowl -- what are you going to do now? "I'm going to Kennywood!" OK, that's an in-joke from a native Pennsylvanian to a stalwart one. Now back to our regularly scheduled program...

Speaking of the Keystone State, Pennsylvania should put a measure on an election ballot to officially change the name of the state to Rooneyvania -- in honor of the family that gave the Steeler Nation its favorite sons.

There were many heroics in Super Bowl XL111. The MVP of the game was wide receiver Santonio Holmes -- but that distinction should have gone to Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger, who engineered, however improvizational, the game-winning drive in just under three minutes left to victory.

Props to Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald, who doesn't drop a pass that's within the vicinity of his outstretched hands. Boo-hoos to Cardinals QB Kurt "I know Jesus personally" Warner (and to his mommy wife NBC on one too many occasions showed in the grandstand.) Warner didn't praise the Lord after losing the Super Bowl. Why don't athletes ever do that? Imagine Warner telling ESPN: "I want to thank God for letting me throw that interception in the end zone so James Harrison could have the record for the longest run in Super Bowl history."

It's one for the thumb and then some for the Steelers, bay-bee! Even Obama was a fan -- and before the game was played. He went out on a limb and endorsed the Steelers since his Chicago Bears weren't in it (even a few years ago when the Bears were in the Super Bowl they weren't in it.) Granted, Obama acted like it was payback because the Rooneys and coach Mike Tomlin campaigned for him.

Maybe he ought to get the vaunted Steelers defense to persuade the GOP naysayers to back his stimulus plan. How tough of an opponent can they be? McCain is technically their leader -- and if they had to, Pittsburgh could beat the snot out of Arizona again. After all, it is the retirement state.