The Apathy Bowl recap

Seattle versus Pittsburgh... eh, sure, I guess. When is Family Guy on?

Despite precious few story lines and two teams that matched up well on paper, it seems that most people feel pretty good this morning about the big game yesterday.

The Steelers pulled down one for the thumb and sent Jerome Bettis out on a high note, in all a pretty good showing by both teams. Even losing quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck was 26 of 49 for 273 yards, one TD and one pick. That outgunned Ben Roethlisberger's 9/21, 123 yards, 0 TDs and 2 INTs.

It also marked the game that featured the two most difficult QB names to spell on the first try. Go ahead and pick up the laptop from any of the national media who covered the game last night and odds are 'Roethlisberger' is still on the clipboard for easy cutting and pasting.

Strangely silent was league MVP Shaun Alexander who didn't crack the century mark and was kept out of the end zone all night. For marketing and contract purposes, he would have loved to make a bigger splash on the national scene. As it stood, the Steeler defense held tight, despite outwardly quiet nights by Troy Polamalu (four tackles and an assist) and Joey Porter (three tackles). While Polamalu seemed to be a step slow on his banged up ankle, the Seahawks largely stayed away from Porter.

While I'm not putting him in the category of Lawrence Taylor, keep in mind that most big defensive players get small numbers in the Super Bowl as teams stay away from them. That's the reason why when players like Reggie White have three sacks in a Super Bowl, it's a big deal. Porter himself addressed the issue in the postgame insanity when he asked reporters if they saw Seatle running all over his side of the field. Good point. Of course anyone familiar with Porter would be legally insane for picking a fight with him after a game, but he was right.

A few other quick thoughts:

• It seemed almost strange that there were no off the field incidents this weekend from Ray Lewis, high-profile problems to Eugene Robinson finds a hooker cop distractions. In Detroit? Nothing happened? Can I check the Detroit Police arrest records this morning?
• Aside from Cowboy/Raider fans from back in the day, there's not a lot of animosity towards the Steelers of today. While there is plenty of reason to get up for a team like Pittsburgh, there isn't the backlash you see from teams like New England, Dallas and the 80s/90s vintage San Francisco squads. And hatred towards Seattle? It's like cheering against a cripple.
• Will either team make it back next year? Maybe Seattle, depending on how they do in the off-season, who they keep, which free agents they can pull in. I feel Seatle is at a crossroads much like Green Bay was at a few years ago. A remote city, a mid-levle team, only the Seahawks didn't have the pedigree to try and sell free agents on the franchise. While you can't play in the footsteps of Ray Nitschke, Bart Starr or Jerry Kramer (who wants to share a locker room with the ghost of Brian Bosworth?) at least you don't have to live in Green Bay. Still, until the NFC gets its act together, the road to the Super Bowl is pretty wide open next year. As for the Steelers? Without the Bus/Cowher's first championship to play for, I question if their season of destiny will carry over to 2006.