(The Lombardi Trophy’s new home is in Indianpolis. Courtesy Indianapolis Star)
Well, that’s another football season in the books. I won’t hide my excitement - my hometown team (and the team I’ve rooted for since 1984) - is the new Super Bowl Champion.
The first half was bizarre to say the least. Tons of turnovers, a returned kickoff for a TD, a botched hold on an extra point, a missed field goal. Turnovers immediately after turnovers. Sloppy wet conditions. the first half had enough weirdness for an entire game. Oh, and I just want to say I called the Hester kickoff return for a TD. I’m certainly more accurate than the clowns at KSK.
Manning started off rough, a couple shaky throws and an interception but in the second half he took control and managed the game brilliantly. The Bears played back in deep coverage and gave the Colts the underneath passes (Addai tied a Super Bowl record for receptions by a RB with 10) and Addai and Rhodes were able to run well against a staunch Bears defense. It was a ball control game and the Colts dominated time of possession and plays run.
(Robert Mathis: Man or Superman? Courtesy Indianapolis Star)
The defense played incredibly well and were a key to keeping the Colts Offense on the field. But for the one long Thomas Jones run in the first half, they kept the Bears running game in check and the defensive secondary made things confusing enough that Bad Rex showed up and threw a number of dumb passes. Kudos to Kelvin Hayden for that tightrope walk along the sideline after the int, that TD really helped put the game away. At that point the Bears had to rely on Sexy Rexy to win the game, something you really don’t want to do especially when Bad Rex has been showing up. When he starts going downhill, he goes downhill FAST.
Finally people can stop with the “Manning can’t win the big game” or “Manning won’t validate his numbers without a ring” etc. etc. It was already apparent he is a Hall Of Fame QB, but now it’s cemented in the mind of even the haters. But Peyton’s monkey isn’t the only monkey to be kicked off someone’s back tonight. Tony Dungy finally won his “big game” and Bill Polian, after a number of trips to the Super Bowl without a win, finally got a ring of his own.
(No more monkey on Peyton’s back. Courtesy Indianapolis Star.)
As for how we celebrated, many of the writers of CWAMB (myself, Matt, Mike, Jamie and CJ) gathered at CJ’s place
to watch the game on a 42″ plasma HDTV. Verrry Niiiice. Moods were certainly down after the Hester TD and the Jones run, but the Colts have been coming back from deficits all year. Once the game was over a few of us headed down to Monument Circle to take part in the celebration, despite the sub-zero wind chills. This is a once in a lifetime (hopefully not 
) experience!
People were yelling, honking horns, running around, standing on their cars, climbing the Monument, basically going nuts. Good times. Good good times.
(Braving the cold is no problem when your team wins the Super Bowl!)
Unknown Kudos to: Charlie Johnson. The rookie offensive lineman had to fill in for Ryan Diem when he suffered an injury near the end of the first half and did a stellar job, helping open blocks for Rhodes and Addai to chew up the clock and seal the game.
Update: I meant to post this with the original post. How long until you get a few idiot talking sports heads saying “The Colts didn’t win, the Bears lost”? Oh wait, it already happened. This morning on the Tony Bruno show, Sal Palantonio of ESPN said exactly that. Moron.