First – the Opening Ceremony – not bad. Lots of local flavor, crazy spinning cows and racecars, high-class Opera and inverted wall-climbers leading to fireworks. I enjoyed it.

That was the good news. The bad? Michelle Kwan.

You’re already hurt and haven’t competed all year. Then you complain and get a special tryout and get yourself unfairly added to the team – in essence booting off the team a deserving competitor. You get to plaster your face on tv and interviews during the opening ceremony. Then, shocker! you’re hurt and decide to do the ‘honorable’ thing by backing out and letting someone take your spot due to an injury.

Hey Michelle?! It’s not honorable if you aren’t giving anything up. You couldn’t compete anyway so what exactly have you lost? Nothing. And that’s what your gesture is worth. And please, spare me the press conference and pre-not-competing interviews. You had no business in Italy in the first place – other than vacation and a quick visit to the Louvre.

So… I picked Pittsburgh to win 22-16 and it was 21-10 instead.

Bad calls not withstanding…the whole experience wasn’t noteworthy. Not many good plays, not much action, lots of punts, using up the clock, bad clock management, bad pass-catching, bad officiating, hardly any worthwhile commercials.

All things considered the game was very lackluster. Super Bowl XL played more like an XS instead.

Now we all have 3 months to detox until the NFL draft and 3 more months until camps open. Time to take a nap until pitchers and catchers report after the World Baseball Championship.

Okay, so I picked Seattle in a close one and it wasn’t and Denver in a close one and they didn’t.
For Super Bowl XL let me just say I’m rooting for Seattle but I’m expecting Pittsburgh.

That said, I’m NOT picking a defensive touchdown, a 50+ yard fieldgoal or a blowout.
I am thinking there may be a lot of turnovers and clutch defensive plays and short drives for 3.

All things done, I wouldn’t be shocked if the Steelers get 5 field goals and one score for 22
and the Seahawks get some good rushing yards but 125 total passing yards for the game and
not enough points on the board.

Call it Pittsburgh 22, Seattle 16 and another title goes to Steel Town.