My Fantasy Superbowl – Harbaugh Bowl Two

Now that the final two teams have battled their way to the top of the NFC and AFC Divisions for the honor of meeting in Indianapolis for the Superbowl, my fantasy of an inner family sibling rivalry remains just that. For the record, I’m neither a San Francisco 49ers fan nor a Baltimore Ravens fan. When it comes to the NFL, I’m a diehard Philadelphia Eagles fan. So it wasn’t about my team reaching the biggest game on the planet, it was about me being a fan of family.


How cool would it be if you and your sib were on opposite sides of the field leading the two most successful teams in America’s favorite sport in front of its largest audience? I could only imagine how fun it would be to go on a ride like that with my sister. Are you kidding? There aren’t many things that could be better than that! I love the imaginary and implied dynamic of these two obviously close brothers having to pull from pillow fights on bunk beds or a race for the front seat of the car to reinvent their competitive ire. And it would have been a totally different scenario from Harbaugh Bowl One when they played against each other on Thanksgiving. This is the Superbowl!
 
Yes, I’m sure I’d be nauseous from how much the media spun this story into a sickening channel switcher. But minus the sports talk hype, I would have enjoyed watching this battle for bragging rights around Jack and Jackie Harbaugh’s dinner table like no other Superbowl before. Can you imagine the parental pride? Can you picture the wives and children of the two opposing coaches preparing for the game? What about their poor sister who may have to wear one of those hybrid team jerseys, you know…the kind that is split and sewn right down the middle with one half black and purple and the other red and gold? How I wish my fantasy could have become a reality just for the family fun of it.

Don’t get me wrong. I think it would have also been a great football game between these two defensive minded teams. One thing about Jim and John Harbaugh, they coach a fierce game. Of course then I’d be challenged with the decision of who I would cheer for, most likely John. I just like him better. Although there is something about Jim’s rough around the edges persona that makes me want to root for him. He’s done amazing things in San Francisco this year that I totally and completely respect. But I still think I’d lean toward Baltimore since they’ve got this group of veteran players that have poured their hearts out this year for what could have been a grand finale.
Nonetheless, on Sunday February 5th it will be the New England Patriots and the New York Giants in the Superbowl. Been there, done that football. And in my musing it is not my intent to take anything from what these two teams have accomplished because this will be a great game. Oh, don’t get it twisted; this will be one mean, sick fight between these two teams and these two towns who live in a constant state of sports rivalry. But for just one moment, I would have cherished seeing two brothers who love each other, love their jobs, love their players, and love this game dueling for the Lombardi trophy. Somehow, I think despite the competition it would have truly been all love when the clock ran down and in the most endearing fashion; somehow they both would have been winners.

Helen Little

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Playoffs! We're talking about playoffs

Last week’s OT win in Kansas made the idea of going to the Raiders game Sunday a great way to start the New Year. We were a shoe in or so I thought. I get to the Coliseum and as usual the fans were out and ready. They even had a punching bag with Rivers face on it in the parking lot. I hit it, I couldn’t resist.

What a game! The road to the playoffs is on the line and we lose. To be honest, I can’t really be mad at Sundays game, the Raiders should have locked the division WEEKS ago. Instead we are hoping that KC wins and Denver loses or Cin loses and Jets and Titans win… All of which should have been unnecessary. The Raiders came out playing as if they knew what was at stake. As the Chargers moved down the field Giordano intercepts it. Moving the ball well with short passes and runs, Oakland was first on the board. While Bush is a good back I miss DMC and his speed and ability to cut and move outside.

The Chargers came to be little playoff spoilers but the Raiders were determined to not let that happen. SD run game wasn’t given much of a chance by the Oakland defense and that’s when Rivers took it to the air abusing our secondary and Oakland gets burned for a touchdown. After a Raiders 3 and out SD scores again, this time from one but you want to know what set that up. A series of terrible coverage by the secondary and a PI call on yours truly Stanford Routt. The next possession Oakland should have put 7 on the board an instead settled for 3. Janikowski kicks to Brinkley and what does he do? He goes 105 yards for a touchdown. The stadium was quiet. There was no flag on the play and no tackling either. He went straight up the middle and was gone. Oak and SD would exchange field goals and as Oakland is in the last possession before the half Palmer throws it to Murphy and he STAYS IN BOUNDS... I can’t believe it him staying inbounds leaves no time for the FG unit or for Palmer to spike the ball. Oak enters the half down 24-13

While Oakland is kicking FG the Chargers are putting up touchdowns. These are the things that shouldn’t be taking place when you’re fighting for a playoff spot. Just as I’m screaming about some defense Special teams makes a huge play. Seeing it live you thought that the Raiders pinned Brinkley for a safety but after the replay he was down right at the one. Rivers moved his team down the field and while Oakland had been terrible on 3rd down San Diego was unable to convert and the FG takes the field. Special Teams comes up HUGE with a blocked FG. It’s the 4th quarter and Oakland is scratching to comeback. Palmer to Heyward Bey for a big gain that ultimately sets ups a TD by the TE Kevin Boss who has been as quiet as a church mouse this season. By this time people in the section where I was sitting finally saw that KC beat DEN and all we needed was a stop and score. The scoring wasn’t the issue it was the stops that Oakland was having a problem with. Blitzing and not getting one sack and the secondary being exposed.

The score is 26-31 in favor of the Chargers. The defense needs to hold on. Special teams had bailed out both the offense and the defense and it’s time to not let them down. TUH! Child Please. Litto & branch lost their minds. Both players giving up plays for more than 50 yards combined. Not the type of defense you want to display when you’re come from 3 scores down to just one. Not when you need one touchdown to advance to playoffs. Too see the post season... What happens? Rivers to Floyd for a touchdown is what happened. Game over but most importantly SEASON over. KC handled business and it was up to the Raiders to seal the deal and they couldn’t. It wasn’t for a lack of trying it was really just terrible defense. The Chargers found the weakness and took advantage of it.

In all honesty the Raiders shouldn’t have been in this position. The division should have been won weeks ago. Costly mistakes and penalties attributed to the failure of reaching the post season. Yeah a healthy Mc Fadden and a Palmer that had a full season, who knows what could have happened but the fact that we had tools and opportunities several times makes that statement meaningless. 8-8 without a 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th round pick and a suspect secondary is what the Raiders have to look forward to in the off season. Seeing the way Hue Jackson worked with what he had given the players lost in Free Agency and the injuries to the team he did a good job. I’m sure the Raiders will be fine for the 2012-2013 season.

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