Still(er) the Best

Wait for it.

For a few seconds, the sports world held its collective breath, and whether you were a Steelers fan or a Cardinals fan, nothing else mattered while the ball hung in the air, ready to land in what is now being described as the greatest catch in Superbowl history. When Santonio Holmes’ feet hit the ground, everyone knew it was over. Sure, a review from the booth was imminent, there was a little under a minute left, and the Cards were about to put their vaunted pass-happy offense back on the field for one last shot. But everyone knew it was all over, it was just a matter of formality to play out those last seconds until the Steelers were crowned the winningnest franchise in the NFL.

Being that me, SN, and LD are all originally from the ‘Burgh, it’s safe to say that we are all sitting pretty today, still basking in the glorious victory of a game that was so painful to watch for so many reasons. I’m honestly still emotionally exhausted from the great start, to the swing back to the Cards’ favor, to Harrison’s 100 yd INT return for a TD, to the Cards’ surge, to the back and forth of the 4th quarter culminating in the greatest catch in the history of the universe. I’d boast and brag a bit more, but to be honest, I’m just so utterly relieved that we won. The boasting and bragging will come for the next year, but for now, I just want to say…damn it feels good to be a gangsta.

As for the Cardinals, I have to respect their effort yesterday, and feel a bit inspired by this post on Deadspin today by Buzzsaw fanatic Will Leitch, who summarizes the feelings of all fans of sports teams that toil in mediocrity or obscurity who dream of someday even have the chance to lose in the big game.

And you know what? I’m grateful. I’m grateful for Kurt Warner, and Ken Whisenhunt, and Anquan Boldin, and Larry Fitzgerald. I’m grateful for Aeneas Williams, and Jake Plummer, and Adrian Wilson. I’m grateful that, tonight, being a fan of the Arizona Cardinals actually meant something. I’m grateful that we did not fade. I’m grateful that it didn’t just fizzle out. I’m grateful that it really hurt.

Because sometimes, being a fan is painful. And sometimes, the pain is good. So due respect to the Cards, in a game of David vs. Goliath in a lot of ways, you guys definitely brought the slingshot. But as for the Pitt guys, let’s take a second to throw it up. SIXBURGH. It looks so good, don’t it? And it feels even better that, for a small, tiny sliver of time, we had lost it, and rightfully won it back.

While that ball hung in the air, we all waited for it. And look what happened.