Before Moving Ahead, One Final Look Back

Look at the replay, and you'll see a push off by the receiver on that Seattle touchdown that was nullified by offensive pass interference. It was a semi-ticky-tacky call, not even close to the way Michael Irvin used to mug defenders trying to keep him from catching the ball, but it's still not allowed under the rules.

The Seahawks and their fans need to stop whining about the officiating and start celebrating the franchise's first Super Bowl appearance, because there's no question in my mind, the Steelers were the better team, especially on Sunday.

Say it Ain't So, Joe: So Joe Montana, a three-time Super Bowl MVP, was one of three no-shows among all the former Super Bowl MVPs who were introduced before the kickoff. There were published reports in San Francisco quoting league sources as saying Montana didn't come because the NFL declined to meet his demand for a $100,000 appearance fee.

Montana, well known for not showing unless a check is cut, denied that report, using the Kid Card to explain his absence, as in "my kid had a basketball game and I wanted to be there." Terry Bradshaw was a no-show as well (along with former Dolphin Jake Scott, who was in Australia). Bradshaw said he wanted to be with his family. Both guys ought to have their heads examined. The game and the league made their lives, made their fortunes and this would have been a sweet give-back gesture to appear with all their fellow MVPs. Montana grew up in Western Pennsylvania and Bradshaw played for the Steelers. They should have been there, and shame on them for not participating.

Danny Boy Strikes Again: So the Redskins owner took out an ad in The Washington Post Sunday to thank the team's fans for their support by also taking a cheap shot at two reporters, Sally Jenkins of The Post and Dave Elfin of The Washington Times, who actually had the audacity to write during the season that his football team wasn't very good.

When Jenkins wrote the team was "unremarkable" on Nov. 30, she actually was quite right. They were 5-6 at the time and had just lost games to teams coached by men Snyder had fired, Norv Turner and Marty Schottenheimer. To their credit, the Redskins rallied down the stretch and made the playoffs.

Good for them, but few could deny this was a flawed team hardly ready for a primetime Super Bowl.

In my recollection, it also should be noted that Snyder had never before taken out an ad to humbly apologize to his fans for so many wretched years of football under his stewardship since 1999, all those genius decisions to bring us Jeff George, Deion Sanders and Steve Spurrier (among many others), not to mention allowing people like Trent Green, Brad Johnson and Marty Schottenheimer to get away.

The guy who owns a team that has won only two playoff games in the seven seasons since he bought in ought not be throwing too many stones, unless he's facing a mirror.

Leonard Shapiro can be reached at Badgerlen@hotmail.com.