Super Bowl Shuffled

In my previous post where I broke down the playoff scenarios, I don't know how I overlooked the "two African American coaches face off against each other" storyline. My only answer is that the Lounge sees no color.

Either that, or I just wasn't really convinced that Tony Dungy was black. I mean, the dude wears a sweater vest on the sidelines.

I have to admit, I'm a bit troubled by the fact that two African American coaches facing each other is such a big story in this day and age. I recognize that it's a milestone, and for that reason is cause for celebration. But at the same time, if the message being delivered is "Black people are smart enough to be successful head coaches," then the underlying principal is that there are still a lot of NFL owners who question intelligence based on skin color. I'd really like to think that we're beyond that kind of thinking by now. Hopefully, the media's reinforcement of an African American coach's ability to lead is superfluous.

On the other hand, any journalistic measure that expedites the advancement of Karl Dorrell into the NFL makes me a happy camper.

Besides, if you heard the speeches from Tony Dungy and Jim Irsay, Dungy had nothing to do with the Colts making it to the Super Bowl. It was all God's doing. I know I've ranted about this before, so I'll try not to say too much this time. But contrary to Irsay's words, there is nothing "humble" at all about giving God the glory for winning a freaking football game. All you're really saying is that you have been chosen by God for greatness, which also implies that your opposition has not. That's not humility, it's self-aggrandizement. If you want to give God the credit for the birth of your child or the ass on your secretary, go for it. But let's give the credit for the outcome of games where it belongs- with the players, coaches, and officiating crews.

Of course, I could be wrong. Maybe God really does use sports to deliver his messages. If that's the case, then the fact that Peyton Manning's Colts are going to the Super Bowl must mean that God has reconsidered his stance on this whole homosexuality thing and He's cool with it now.

It would also mean that God has stopped being a Saints fan. I think the turning point was when Reggie Bush did his flip into the endzone and began dancing. That little jitterbug was Otto Graham's move; and if there's one thing we learned last week, it's that you don't go into another player's house and steal someone else's moves. The score of the game from that point forward: Chicago 23, New Orleans 0.

It turns out that L.T.'s royal rumble wasn't the only major event that transpired in the wake of the Patriots/Chargers game. During the postgame handshakes, when Eric Parker met up with Reche Caldwell, he must have given the Patriots' receiver whatever disease he had that makes it impossible to hold on to a football. The passes Brady was tossing to Caldwell were so soft, even Terrell Owens could have held on to them. But Caldwell was dropping them like Bill Belichick drops a mistress. You'd think if anyone would have been capable of keeping his eyes on the ball, it would have been Reche Caldwell.

The postgame scene has really gotten out of control in the playoffs. The NFL needs to limit the number of photographers that can go onto the field at the end of the game. It's ridiculous that the players and coaches have to wade through a sea of a cameramen to give each other the requisite congratulations. That must be why Tom Brady sprinted off the field without acknowledging anyone as the final seconds ticked off the clock. Yeah, I'm sure that was it.

Can anyone explain why Jim Plunkett was chosen to present the AFC championship trophy? And did anyone else notice that he almost said congratulations to the Patriots at the end of his speech? I'm sure when he was rehearsing his speech the night before, he assumed it would be the Patriots he was giving the trophy too; and this was just a slip of the tongue. I can't really blame him. I'm still having a hard time believing that the Colts beat the Patriots too.

You know else is having a tough time dealing with the Colts finally making it to the Super Bowl? Edgerrin James. He can't be happy at all. Fortunately $30 million can dry a lot of tears.