A Marshawn Lynch beast-mode touchdown run was my ideal finish to a thrilling Super Bowl, but Seattle Seahawks’ coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell had a different idea.
Carroll said that he took responsibility for making the controversial call – to pass the ball on the 1-yard line with one timeout remaining with the most bruising tailback standing idly in his backfield. It’s safe to say that he won’t be sleeping soundly for quite some time.
I wouldn’t have tried to pass the ball in that situation, but even if that was the final call, why would you attempt a quick slant? A play-action attempt with Russell Wilson, who is one of the most physically gifted quarterbacks in the game, rolling to the outside, would have been a better option.
Wilson could have safely thrown the ball out of the end zone if there wasn’t a play to be made or scampered for the game-winning touchdown if he found an opening.
It was tough to watch Tom Brady, Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft hoist the Lombardi trophy for the fourth time in their careers with the cloud of cheating still surrounding the team.
It seemed as if karma had come full circle when Jevon Kearse made an incredible catch in the waning moments of the game, which resembled David Tyree’s helmet catch in New York Giants’ 2008 Super Bowl win over New England.
My least favorite organization won, but I’m honestly not much of a fan of either team. Carroll suddenly leaving the University of Southern California for Seattle before sanctions were imposed on the team over rule violations by Reggie Bush in 2010 has contaminated my view of him.
The 2015 Super Bowl was a matchup between two of the best cheaters in the sport and someone had to lose.
Despite the lose-lose situation for myself, I was rooting for Seattle running back Marshawn Lynch to win his second NFL title. I don’t agree with how he handles the media and sets a poor example for the youth that look up to him, but he sure is fun to watch on the field.
He has the hardest running style that I have had the pleasure of viewing in person. Back-to-back Super Bowls, coupled with impressive statistics would make Lynch a favorable Hall of Fame candidate.
I don’t know if his resume will be enough with just one world championship ring and a negative image displayed to all of the Hall of Fame voters.
I also have become a fan of Wilson who handles himself exactly opposite of Lynch. He has an incredible work ethic and a positive attitude, which are both qualities young athletes should emulate. Two straight Super Bowl wins would have been an excellent start to the young quarterback’s career, but he could still go down as one of the all-time greats.
When Wilson’s career is complete, he will be talked about with the likes of Montana, Elway, Young and hopefully above Brady.
The 2015 Super Bowl will be recognized as one of the top-five world championships in league history because it featured the best two teams in the NFL and came down to the final minute of action.
Even though it was a great game, the final Patriots series was disgraceful. Both teams turned to fisticuffs, and set a terrible example for the youth of America and young football players. It will most likely be chalked up as boys being boys, and will be another blunder by the league this season.
The 2014-15 NFL season will go down as one of the worst years in NFL history for the image of the game. The Ray Rice incident, Adrian Peterson’s child abuse court case and Deflategate have marred the integrity of the game, and it’s about time Roger Goodell hands the reins over to a more qualified leader.
CONNOR SONDEL
