WordUp by Chad Gramling

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Please allow me to wax negativity for a moment: I am tired of hearing the sports folks over at ESPN talk about how much of a shame it is that, following the Superbowl, the top story coming out of it is the poor officiating. They spout off about how bad it is for the NFL and cry about it being everyone’s main concern.

You know why that is? Because you continue to talk about it!!!

That’s right. Sure, the officiating wasn’t stellar, but when has a game EVER been called perfectly regardless of importance? You say it’s a shame and speculate on coaches comments, thoughts and action. Then you play the soundclip from Mike Holmgren’s rally where he says “I didn’t know we’d have to play against the guys in black and white stripes too.”

And you don’t just play it once . . . You play it over and over and over!!! No friggen wonder that is all anyone is talking about! I honestly do not know one other thing that Holmgren said during his time on stage. For all I know, he might have followed that statement by saying ‘but that’s not why we lost. We lost because the Steelers played better than us.”

While that is unlikely, that is not what is at issue. What is at issue is the fact that the officiating is the story BECAUSE YOU MAKE IT A STORY! If you don’t want it to be a story, don’t talk about it.

That is certainly what you have done for the other possible stories that could have come out of the Superbowl. Here are my suggestions for what you could talk about INSTEAD of the officiating:

• The emergence of Ben Roethlisberger who became the youngest man to lead a team to a Superbowl victory.
• The return of the Steelers to prominence after years of no championships.
• The legacy that Bill Cower might now enjoy having accomplished the ultimate goal and being the longest tenured coach in the NFL.
• What it will take to get the Seahawks back to the big game and finish the goal.
• What effect the Superbowl will have on the city of Detroit (good and bad).
• Where will Antwaan Randle El end up after his Superbowl performance and excellent season?
• Why does the recipient of the Bart Starr Award get so little attention? (This year, it was New York Jets’ Curtis Martin).

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NFL | Steelers | Superbowl | Athletes In Action