Superbowl Controversy?

[nakedtwister]

Was I just seeing things? After the game was over when Cowher went to the center of the field for the customary hand shake between opposing coaches, did Holmgren blow it off? I saw Bill standing there with a pissed off face and his chin stuck out in total disbelief. Or was it just me. If he did blow him off, man that is just plain bad sportmanship. The refs made the calls not Cowher.

[pastout2]

I got on this morning to ask that same question. I'm hoping that something or someone held him up and the wonders of commercialized TV cut off the handshake. If not, that was pretty petty and unprofessional to not go out there and congratualate the man. If anybody knows more I'd love to hear it.

[Punkinhead]

Given how he cried at halftime about the touchdown, it seems likely that he wouldn't shake hands w/ Cowher. Don't know though, I would like to hear if that is what really happened.

[ToonaRockGuy]

According to ESPN, specifically the "Mike & Mike In The Morning" radio show, folks who were on the field say that Holmgren tried to get to Cowher, but there were too many people on the field, and too much congestion. Holmgren went to the Steelers' locker room after the game and shook hands with Cowher there and congratulated Cowher and the Steelers on their win.

[nakedtwister]

Thanks for clearing that up Kevin. I just didn't think that Holmgren would have done something like that. Always thought he had class. Unlike Baseball where nobody shakes hands. Never understood that one.

[pastout2]

According to ESPN, specifically the "Mike & Mike In The Morning" radio show, folks who were on the field say that Holmgren tried to get to Cowher, but there were too many people on the field, and too much congestion. Holmgren went to the Steelers' locker room after the game and shook hands with Cowher there and congratulated Cowher and the Steelers on their win.

That makes me feel better. I respect Holmgren for what he's done and I'd hate to see him not show any respect to Cowher.

[AtoMikEnRtiA]

Thanks for clearing that up Kevin. I just didn't think that Holmgren would have done something like that. Always thought he had class. Unlike Baseball where nobody shakes hands. Never understood that one.

baseball's just flakey to begin with.. the little caps, the pin-stripped pants, fat, aging 60 somethings wearing tight jerseys and skin tight pants, not playing in the rain, sliding head first towards bags, the smacking of the ass, the hand signals.. it's so gay..

[daveb]

As Cowher was getting lead to the trophy area he can be heard to say "Where's Mike? Where's Mike?" So, it sure looked like he was looking for Holmgren. Later when Holmgren was doing his press conference, Ben walked by and Holmgren interupted his press conference and gave Ben the big thumbs up. I think everyone just got lost in the fracus of media following the game.

[ChaosRisingRice]

Thats good to know that he didn't stiff him and shook his hand. Because that would have been awful

[Bert|Evil]

This topic came up on PTI. They both thought that the excitement and pandemonium overtook the moment and that there shouldn't be any fingers pointed at Holmgren. Personally, I was too busy going nuts to notice.

The "push-off", however, is a different story. Everyone hit me with that one this morning, and I replied "unless you're Michael Irvin, that was a penalty". Funny how I just saw Michael Irvin commenting on it.

[RobTheDrummer]

After the ceremony, it was said that Cowher went in to talk to Holmgren in his office. So, there is no controversy.

[Punkinhead]

From one of my friends at IUP who is a graduating Journalism major and a sports writer for a couple of reputable professional football sites:

The NFL owed the Steelers many-a-call, and even at that, the refs graded out as an A or B by 90 percent of those reviewing the tapes. All the "terrible" calls were judgment calls that were definitely reasonable and definitely call-able. With that said, how about this for Holmgren and his stupid comments at Qwest Field:

[BDR]

Personally, I was too busy going nuts to notice.

Same here, so I went back to watch it, and it fits in well with his remarks at Qwest, as Punkinhead mentioned.

... so here's my take ...

After watching the tape of the game, immediately after the clock hit 0:00, Cowher was led straight to the "handshake area" which was predetermined. Coach was led there by security guards and ABC staff. Holmgren was assigned the same personnel. There were cameras and boom mikes set up and ready on the 25 yard line, on the "SB XL" emblem, Steelers endzone side, to catch the moment.

Cowher was visibly upset, asking, "Where's Mike?" several times, looking around for his "friend," looking disappointed. This went on for about 15 seconds, with cutaway shots of other players and stuff, before an NFL crew member said, "I'll go find him." Cowher looks destroyed at this point instead of jubilant, and begins to shake his head in disbelief.

Then, ABC went to the wide shot of the field and, contrary to what's been said by Mike and Mike (who have no credibility anyway ... jerk-offs), the field was not crowded to the point that Holmgren "couldn't find Bill." He knew where Bill was. It was scripted.

There were maybe 300 people in the middle of the field between the 30s, but there are maybe another 50 people in the entire rest of the field. You could find anyone you were looking for on that field.

Then, Bill regains his smile (what a prick Holmgren was for ruining this moment for Bill. Like Punkinhead said, any beef Holmgren may have is with the officials) and starts to shake hands with his assistant coaches instead. The spot was predetermined. The f#@king prick did what he did at halftime: He kicked his feet like an infant and stormed away.

Explaining away his behavior is crap. As an NFL head coach who, according to everyone is a “Hall Of Fame coach,” he has a responsibility to rise above. Look at the Rooneys if you want examples of how Hall Of Famers conduct themselves. Not to mention Cowher, who never publicly chastised the officials who made the calls in Indy, even after the league admitted error. It's called class, something you either have or you don’t.

As I said in another thread, Porter is paid to knock people’s heads off. It's the reason Lambert’s in the Hall. Lambert was never accused of having class. That’s cool, he was a great linebacker and he has the rings to prove it.

As a coach, Holmgren’s extremely overrated. If not for Brett Favre, he wouldn't have one ring.

Look at his behavior on national TV at halftime, SB XL. Look at the tantrum he threw in the Carolina playoff game where his head almost explodes. Look at the pep rally comments, with his whole team (including our league’s MVP) standing behind him, cheering and applauding in approval (they’ll go 7-9 next season, 6-10 if they don’t fire Holmgren).

Look at what happened when he ran into Mike Shanahan in the Super Bowl. Same thing that happened Sunday.

Holmgren was outcoached by someone with an overall better team. The Steelers played like $hit (with a nervous-as-hell, 23-year-old sophomore-season QB) for almost the entire first half and still won. The questionable calls were far outweighed by numerous holding non-calls (that's why the blitz wasn't as effective as usual, they were tugging jersey and tackling rushers all day, watch the tape). He needs to shake hands ... on TV.

The weirdest thing is, it seems all media is trying to explain this away except Steven Smith on, "Quite Frankly."

Bottom line: IMHO ... Holmgren did snub Cowher on purpose because he had a tantrum to throw. He's not what he's cracked up to be by the league, the media or the so-called "experts" and if they ever induct that putz into the Hall, Canton will be forever blemished.

Sorry for the rant but you were forewarned by the title of this thread that it was a football topic.

r:>)

[Punkinhead]

I agree with BadDazeRob, especially about 2 things:

1. Without Brett Favre (and a good QB coach to get Hasselbeck up to speed) Holmgren doesn't even have a job at this point. Actaully, I think Holmgren did a BAD job @ Green Bay. When you have Brett Favre, Sterling Sharpe, Reggie White, and all of the other players that went through at one time or another and only win 1 Super Bowl, that is not very good.

2. Seattle will be shit next year. They'll have to play a real schedule (they had the weakest in the league this year) and will be lucky to win 7 games, 6 of which will of course be against their weak division opponents. Marc Bulger will be back, and so will the Rams, so there goes the Seahawks division title. And I really think that Philadelphia, even without TO, is the class of the NFC. Reggie Brown is good at wide receiver and they will draft/sign another WR this off-season. Truthfully, if TO doesn't destroy the Eagles, it most likely would have been an all PA Super Bowl, with or w/out Terrell Owens.

Holmgren needs to shut his damn piehole. He was lucky to even get there and is crying because he knows it will take a miracle for them to get back to the big one. I've never seen a coach cry like he did. No class.

And whoever thinks the best team didn't win, you need to look at the tapes of the game. You can't say "Well, if this, if that..." That's bull. If the Steelers don't get the TD on 3rd, they get it on 4th most likely. And there are a million other "if's" that come right back to the idiot saying them.

Also, Pittsburgh beat the best teams in both conferences all in a row. The refs sure did not hand them that, they tried to stop it and Pittsburgh still one. Maybe it was ugly but, Pittsburgh on their worst day (which it was at the Super Bowl) is still 11 points better than they Cry-Hawks.