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On the surface, Super Bowl XLIII has been touted as the Cardinals offense vs. the Steelers defense. The Cards had the NFL’s 4th best offense (in total yards) and the Steelers had the NFL’s top defense (fewest yards allowed). But there are so many other storylines and, of course, sports writers and fans have spent the past two weeks dissecting all the possibilities.

Certainly, I believe strength against strength is the most intriguing of tonight’s matchups. But, a few others quickly come to mind. I think the Cardinals are a completely different football team when they get off to a quick start (meaning getting an early lead). And they need to have a balanced attack — running the football with Edgerrin James and Tim Hightower to compliment their high-octane passing game that features the NFL’s two best receivers, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, as well as Steve Breaston. I think both teams will have some trick plays up their sleeves. And I wonder about the familiarity of the Cardinals coaches (Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm) with the Steelers defensive personnel — if that will have any affect on the outcome of this game. Those are all things to examine when the game is over. But I believe this Super Bowl boils down to turnovers. And that may sound very obvious, but keep in mind this game is no different than any other NFL game in that regard. If you win the turnover battle, there’s a good chance you’ll win the football game. To say the Cardinals have been an opportunistic defense during this postseason would be a severe understatement. They are an incredible +9 in turnover ratio in three playoff games. They will need to remain disciplined in their assigned responsibilities while trying to force Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger into making mistakes. The Steelers, on the other hand, will focus on forcing Cards QB Kurt Warner into turnovers. Kurt has been known to put the ball on the ground in the face of a frenzied pass rush. Kurt has been outstanding in these playoffs, but you know the Steelers understand his weaknesses and tendencies and will attack them accordingly.

I want to say that defense wins championships — which would lead me to pick the Steelers tonight — but something about Arizona tells me that destiny beats defense. I would be crazy to pick the Cardinals, but…..

STREAKS, STATS AND NOTES — Steelers seek unprecedented sixth Super Bowl title; they won championships after 1974, ’75, ’78, ’79 and 2005 seasons … Steelers lost once in Super Bowl, after 1995 season to Dallas … Before Super Bowl era, they never made a championship game … Mike Tomlin is only third Steelers coach since 1969. Chuck Noll won four Super Bowls before being replaced in 1992 by Bill Cowher, who won one title … Eleven starters remain from 2005 champion, including Super Bowl MVP WR Hines Ward … Latest version of Steel Curtain, led by Defensive Player of Year LB James Harrison, allowed fewest points in league (223), to go with high rankings in yards allowed … Pittsburgh swept Baltimore in three games this season, including AFC championship, to get to Super Bowl … RB Willie Parker has rushed for two touchdowns and 193 yards in two playoff games. His 75-yard run in 21-10 win over Seattle three years ago is longest in Super Bowl history … Cardinals are in first Super Bowl. Their last title was in 1947 while representing Chicago. Their three postseason wins this year surpass previous total for playoffs (2) … Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt was offensive coordinator for Pittsburgh’s 2005 title team. He was passed over for head coaching job when Cowher retired two years ago for Tomlin, and is 1-0 vs. Steelers since … QB Kurt Warner won Super Bowl with Rams and was MVP of game after 1999 season. He was league MVP in ’99 and 2001 and lost Super Bowl to New England in February 2002 … RB Edgerrin James has been reborn in playoffs after losing starting job to rookie Tim Hightower during season. James has 203 yards rushing in playoffs … All-Pro WR Larry Fitzgerald already has set playoff record for yards receiving (419) and has five TD receptions.

Source: NFL Media

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Super Bowl XLIII Preview

And then there were 17. There are four first-year eligible players — John Randle, Shannon Sharpe, Bruce Smith, and Rod Woodson — among the 17 finalists who will be considered for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The HOF’s Board of Selectors meets in Tampa on Saturday, January 31, the day before Super Bowl XLIII. There are nine modern-era players, two contributors and two players nominated earlier by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Committee. The nine modern-era players are Cris Carter; Dermontti Dawson; Richard Dent; Russ Grimm; Cortez Kennedy; Bob Kuechenberg; Randall McDaniel; Andre Reed; and Derrick Thomas. The contributors are former National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue and Buffalo Bills founder/owner Ralph Wilson, Jr. And the Senior Committee nominees are former Dallas Cowboys receiver Bob Hayes and former Atlanta Falcons defensive end Claude Humphrey.

This is a very interesting and diverse group. The first-year eligibility players alone are impressive enough to have a spot in the Hall. Rod Woodson is the NFL’s all-time leader in interceptions returned for touchdowns. Bruce Smith is the NFL’s all-time leader in sacks with 200. When Shannon Sharpe retired he was the NFL’s all-time leader in receptions for tight ends. He also went to eight Pro Bowls. And John Randle had 137.5 sacks and was a seven-time All-Pro. I can’t wait for the announcement. The Class of 2009 can be no more than seven and no fewer than four.

Source: ProFootballHOF.com

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

17 Finalists for Pro Football Hall of Fame

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Four first-year eligible players — John Randle, Shannon Sharpe, Bruce Smith, and Rod Woodson — are among the 25 semifinalists being considered for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2009. The Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors announced the 25 semifinalists today from the recently revealed list of 133 preliminary nominees. Even though he has been eligible since 1999, this is first time that Roger Craig has been a semifinalist. Each of the remaining 20 nominees has been on the semifinalist list at least once prior to this year. And while no coaches are among the semifinalists, the list includes three contributors — Art Modell, Paul Tagliabue and Ralph Wilson.

The complete list of 25 modern-era semifinalists is as follows:

• Cris Carter, WR
• Roger Craig, RB
• Terrell Davis, RB
• Dermontti Dawson, C
• Richard Dent, DE
• Chris Doleman, DE/LB
• Kevin Greene, LB/DE
• Russ Grimm, G
• Ray Guy, P
• Charles Haley, DE/LB
• Lester Hayes, CB
• Cortez Kennedy, DT
• Bob Kuechenberg, G
• Randall McDaniel, G
• Art Modell, Owner
• John Randle, DT
• Andre Reed, WR
• Shannon Sharpe, TE
• Bruce Smith, DE
• Ken Stabler, QB
• Paul Tagliabue, Commissioner
• Steve Tasker, Special Teams/WR
• Derrick Thomas, LB
• Ralph Wilson, Owner
• Rod Woodson, CB/S

The list of 25 semifinalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era candidates. That list increases to 17 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee nominees, who were announced in August, are Bob Hayes and Claude Humphrey. Bob Hayes is a three-time All-NFL pick spent 11 seasons with the Dallas Cowboys (1965-1974) and one season with the San Francisco 49ers (1975). Claude Humphrey is a five-time, first-team All-Pro defensive end who played with the Atlanta Falcons (1968-1978) and Philadelphia Eagles (1979-1981). The results of the modern-era reduction vote to 15 finalists will be announced in early January.

To be considered for election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a nominated player or coach must have been retired at least five years. A contributor, who is a nominee who has made outstanding contributions to pro football in capacities other than playing and coaching, may still be active in his career.

Although there is no set number for any class of enshrinees, the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s current ground rules do stipulate that between four and seven new members will be selected each year. No more than five modern-era nominees can be elected in a given year and a class of seven enshrinees can only be achieved if both senior nominees are elected.

The Class of 2009 will be determined at the Selection Committee’s annual meeting on Saturday, January 31, 2009, in Tampa, Florida the day before Super Bowl XLIII. The election results are announced immediately following the meeting at a press conference at the Super Bowl media headquarters.

Source: NFL Media, Photo: Newscom

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Pro Football HOF Modern-Era Semifinalists

Two first-year eligible players, wide receiver Cris Carter and cornerback Darrell Green, are among the 17 finalists who will be considered for election into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when the Hall’s Board of Selectors meets in Phoenix, AZ during Super Bowl XLII week on Saturday, February 2.

Joining the two first-year eligible players are 12 other modern-era players, one contributor and two players nominated earlier by the Hall of Fame’s Senior Committee. The contributor finalist is former National Football League Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. The Senior Committee nominees, announced in August 2007, are Chicago Cardinals back Marshall Goldberg and Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Emmitt Thomas. The other modern-era player finalists include defensive ends Fred Dean and Richard Dent; linebackers Randy Gradishar, Derrick Thomas and Andre Tippett; guards Russ Grimm, Bob Kuechenberg and Randall McDaniel; punter Ray Guy; wide receivers Art Monk and Andre Reed; and tackle Gary Zimmerman.

Dean, Dent, Goldberg, Gradishar, Grimm, Guy, Kuechenberg, Monk, Reed, Tagliabue, Derrick Thomas, Tippett, and Zimmerman have all been finalists in previous years. Although they have been previously eligible, this is the first time Emmitt Thomas and McDaniel have made the finalist list.

Of course, Marshall Goldberg and Emmitt Thomas were selected as senior candidates by the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee at their August 2007 meeting. The Seniors Committee reviews the qualifications of those players whose careers took place more than 25 years ago. The remaining 15 modern-era finalists were determined by a vote of the Hall’s 44-member Board of Selectors from a list of 124 preliminary nominees that earlier was reduced to a list of 26 semifinalists (that included a tie for the 25th semifinalist position). To be eligible for election, modern-era players and coaches must be retired at least five years while a contributor need not be retired.

Of the 2008 finalists, Goldberg has been eligible for 46 years (the Hall of Fame opened in 1963, at which time Goldberg would have been first eligible), Emmitt Thomas 25 years, Gradishar 20, Kuechenberg 19, Dean 18 years, Guy 17, Grimm 12, Tippett 10, Monk eight years, Dent and Zimmerman six years, Derrick Thomas four years, Reed three years, McDaniel two years, and Carter and Green are in their first year of eligibility. Contributors, such as Commissioner Tagliabue, need not to be retired to be considered for Hall of Fame election. Therefore there is no specific year at which he first became “eligible” for consideration.

This has been a hotly contested issue here at EMQB and I look forward to more of your comments and opinions about these final 17 names. All of these men had great careers and all are deserving of entry into the Hall. But obviously, not all of them will make it. Which of these players are on your final list?

Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Finalists For Hall Of Fame Election at 17

Wide receiver Cris Carter and cornerback Darrell Green are the only first-year eligible players to make the list of 26 semi-finalists for the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Class of 2008. The Hall of Fame’s Board of Selectors chose the 26 semi-finalists from the recently announced list of 124 preliminary nominees today. The list includes one more than the required 25 nominees since there was a tie for the twenty-fifth position. Hall of Fame selection by-laws provide for the inclusion of all ties for the twenty-fifth position on the ballot.

Nominees included on the semi-finalist list for the first time, although eligible prior to this year, include linebacker Rickey Jackson and defensive tackle Cortez Kennedy. Each of the remaining 22 nominees has been on the semi-finalist list at least once prior to this year. The complete list of 26 modern-era semi-finalists is as follows:

Cris Carter, Terrell Davis, Dermontti Dawson, Fred Dean, Richard Dent, Randy Gradishar, Darrell Green, Kevin Greene, Russ Grimm, Ray Guy, Lester Hayes, Rickey Jackson, Joe Jacoby, Cortez Kennedy, Bob Kuechenberg, Randall McDaniel, Art Monk, Andre Reed, Ken Stabler, Paul Tagliabue, Steve Tasker, Derrick Thomas, Andre Tippett, George Young, and Gary Zimmerman.

I know some of you have had very strong opinions about who should be in the 2008 class. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on this latest round of finalists. The list of 26 semi-finalists will be reduced by mail ballot to 15 modern-era candidates (announced in mid-January). That list will increase to 17 finalist nominees with the inclusion of the two recommended candidates of the Hall of Fame’s Seniors Committee. The Seniors Committee nominees, who were announced in August, are Marshall Goldberg and Emmitt Thomas. The Class of 2008 will be determined at the Selection Committee’s annual meeting on Saturday, February 2, 2008, in Phoenix, AZ the day before Super Bowl XLII.

Post from: Every Morning Quarterback

Pro Football Hall of Fame Board Selects Semi-Finalists for Class of 2008