Super Bowl Xtra Large is here and so is my take on the game.

The big game is here, Super Bowl Xtra Large. Perhaps the least hyped Super Bowl in history. You have a game that features two underdogs. You have the Seattle Seahawks, a team that people still cannot believe is in the Super Bowl and a number one seed no less. Then you have the number 6 seed Pittsburgh Steelers. Out of all the teams in the AFC, is this the team you expected to see in the final game of the season? To make things even wilder, the lower seeded surprise team is favored at the time of this writing. Seattle gets no respect and by all rights they should be the favorite.

I survived one week of Super Bowl hype because there seemed to be none. I am an avid listener of sports talk radio and I watch all the best shows on ESPN and you never seemed to hear anything about this game. There were only rumors that a game was even taking place. I have heard more about Brett Favre retiring and Terrell Owens meeting with the Denver Broncos than I have about the Super Bowl. The only thing you heard about the Super Bowl was that this game isn’t sexy enough; this game will be a huge disappointment. There are no stars in this game. This wasn’t hype, this was character assassination.

This just goes to show that the hype is not needed, especially two weeks of it. When the game starts, it all goes out the window and the two best teams left standing will play for the championship. As long as the game is good and fun to watch, you don’t need stars, you don’t need sexy teams. This game looks to be a game that will surprise people by how good it is. I feel like this could be a very exciting game.

The Steelers have got that crazy 3-4 defense that tries its best to get the quarterback out of rhythm and tries to flat out kill the running back. Fortunately for Seattle they have a great offensive line; maybe the best Pittsburgh’s defense will have gone up against all year. That is something to watch for in this game. Will the Pittsburgh defense that has stopped three high powered offenses to reach the Super Bowl be able to stop a Seattle defense that beat two very good defenses to reach the Super Bowl?

Don’t overlook the Seattle defense, a defense that did something the vaunted Chicago defense couldn’t do, stop Jake Delhomme and Steve Smith. Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger and the three headed running back monster of Willie Parker, Duce Staley and the “Bus” Jerome Bettis will be a handful for the Seattle defense because you never know just what they will do. They may come out and let Roethlisberger take the lead or they may start to pound that Seattle defense with the trio of running backs and then go to Roethlisberger. This is another thing to look for, how will Seattle’s defense respond to Pittsburgh opening salvo?

We now come to Pittsburgh running back Jerome Bettis. This is supposedly his last year and the Super Bowl is in his hometown. What better stage for a career ending game. It may take a tank to stop the bus on Sunday. It will be exciting to see if the Steelers have any more “karmic” moments such as the Roethlisberger tackle in the Indianapolis game or the Vanderjagt miss in the same game. It appeared then that Pittsburgh is the team of destiny.

We now look to the coaches, perhaps the only big names in this game. Bill Cowher has been here before, but he did not win. Mike Holmgren has won in this game before with the Green Bay Packers and has a chance to go into the history books as the only coach to win a Super Bowl with two different teams. That is an automatic trip to the Hall of Fame. Many believe that a win for Cowher will also guarantee his entry into the Hall of Fame. This game is not only a big game for 2006, but for both coaches this is a big game for their coaching legacy and how they will be remembered.

As for my predictions, I believe this game will surprise. I think it will be a higher scoring game than most would think. Both offenses seem to be on a roll and the quarterbacks have done no wrong leading up to this game. The running back battle will be won by Seattle because Kentucky’s native son Shaun Alexander will use this stage to introduce himself to the world.

I think the defense will give up their share of points but there will still be exciting play. Steelers’ safety Troy Polmalu will do something amazing because he always does. I think he will do something to change the course of the game. I also believe that Hines Ward is the X-factor for the Steelers and will have a big game that leads to a Super Bowl MVP. Why? I think that the Steelers and Seahawks are pretty even on just about everything, except Hines Ward is a much better receiver than anyone the Seahawks have. He will move the chains for Pittsburgh.

That ought to give you an idea of who I think will win the game. I am going with the favorite underdog in this one. Pittsburgh is favored by 4 points and by seeding are the “lesser” team. I think that the line is a little low. I see Pittsburgh winning this one by 6 or 7, but I believe that this will be a late touchdown in an exciting game. I just feel Pittsburgh has talent and destiny on its side. Talent is beatable, but destiny is invincible.

I could, of course, be way off and it wouldn’t be the first time. Whatever the case it is a good excuse to gather with family and friends and eat horrible food for a few hours that isn’t a national holiday. The bright side for the possibility of a bad game is that we will still have all the great commercials to keep us interested and when all is said and done, isn’t that the most important thing?