Football Teams Set to Play Super Bowl

Sports Editor

Courtesy of NFL.com

   First, there are the defensively dominant Pittsburgh Steelers.  The Steelers have a long history of dominance in professional football.  In years past the “iron curtain” dominated the National Football League, and this year they have returned to the same daunting form.  On their road to Super Bowl XLIII, the Steelers have not allowed more than 300 yards of offense to any opponent. 

   The Steelers offense, lead by Ben Roethlisberger and Hines Ward, finds ways to win week in and week out with multiple fourth quarter comebacks this season.  Ward was named Most Valuable Player (MVP) of Super Bowl XL three years ago when the Steelers defeated the Seattle Seahawks 21 – 10 in at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.  

   The Steelers are currently tied with the Dallas Cowboys for the most Super Bowls won by any franchise in NFL history.  Both franchises have won 5 Super Bowls over the past 43 years.  They account for almost 25 percent of all the Vince Lombardi Trophies in existence to date.  A victory in Super Bowl XLIII would make them legends in their own time.

   The second team is a polar opposite to the Steelers.  The Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.  The team has called three different cities home during the last sixty one years, Chicago, St. Louis and Glendale, Ariz.  There is only one championship drought longer than the Arizona Cardinals in all of professional sports including football, baseball, hockey and basketball.  That record belongs to the Chicago Cubs who have not won a championship in 101 years. 

   The most consistent aspect of the Cardinals attack this season has been their overbearing offense, lead by Kurt Warner and Larry Fitzgerald.  So far this season, Warner and Fitzgerald have hooked up 96 times racking up 1,432 yards and 12 touchdowns.  Warner will be playing in the third Super Bowl of his career.  His previous two visits were with the St. Louis Rams where he had a record of 1 – 1. 

   On the other side of the ball the Cardinal’s defense is shaky at best.  They have stepped it up in their three playoff games, but the rest of the season was another story.  No one has been able to tell which defense will show up.  One week they pitch a shut out and the next they give up 48 points to the Philadelphia Eagles on Thanksgiving.

   Sunday, Feb. 1 the gloves will be off and all the cards will be on the table on the biggest stage in professional sports.  Tampa Bay, Fla. will be hosting Super Bowl XLIII.  Kick-off is at 5 p.m. local time and will be airing on KARK Channel 4.  Even if you are not a sports fanatic like some, tune in for the great commercials.  Millions of dollars are spent annually on the commercials airing during the Super Bowl.  So get your chips and dip ready, there should be something to entertain everyone in the crowd.  

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