Super Bowl Moments – Miami Style

As we celebrate the culmination of the professional football season in our own back yard, for a record 11th time no less, I thought it might be fun to remember the highlights (and lowlights) of Super games past played in South Florida. Unfortunately, given the constraints of time, the most recent incarnation will have passed by the time most will have read this (with the 49ers celebrating their sixth title?); nonetheless, here is a pocket glossary for those past contests. We don’t rank them in order of importance (though one, unfortunately, stands above the rest in terms of historical significance) and proceed chronologically.

Season, 1967: Super Bowl 2 – Packers 33, Raiders 14. Noteworthy because Vince Lombardi coached his last game as head of the Packers. He would return to coach the Redskins in 1969, but cancer would claim his life one year later.

Season, 1968: Super Bowl 3 – Jets 16, Colts 7. Noteworthy because it’s considered the greatest upset in professional football history. It gave the AFL parity and validated its upcoming merger with the NFL.

Season, 1970: Super Bowl 5 – Colts 16, Cowboys 13. Noteworthy because it’s the author’s personal favorite, and it was the first one decided on a lastsecond field goal. There were also 11 combined turnovers, forever tagging it with the moniker “Blunder Bowl.”

Season, 1975: Super Bowl 10 – Steelers 21, Cowboys 17. Noteworthy because Lynn Swann. Crank up the YouTube and enjoy – only 4 catches for 161 and 1 TD, but it was pure wow.

Baryshnikov in cleats.

Season, 1978: Super Bowl 13 – Steelers 35, Cowboys 31. Noteworthy because up to that time most of the games had been duds. Not this one. Arguably the two best teams of the decade, at the height of their powers. 17 Hall of Famers on the field! (not including coaches and executives)

Season, 1988: Super Bowl 23 – 49ers 20, Bengals 16. Noteworthy because: 49ers Head Coach Bill Walsh had decided to retire before the game, but told no one; he never coached professionally again. Oh, and Joe Montana lead his team 92 yards to the winning score with less than three minutes to play.

Season, 1994: Super Bowl 29 – 49ers 49, Chargers 26. Noteworthy because Nothing. OK, Steve Young did set a record by throwing for six TDs, but the game was over in the first quarter. Yawnfest.

Season, 1998: Super Bowl 33 – Broncos 34, Falcons 19. Noteworthy because John Elway caps a Hall of Fame career by throwing for 336 yards, winning the MVP and sticking it to his old coach Dan Reeves at the same time.

Season, 2006: Super Bowl 41 – Colts 29, Bears 17. Noteworthy because Peyton Manning finally won his first world championship. Not a great performance, but enough to beat the offensively challenged Bears.

Season, 2009: Super Bowl 44 – Saints 31, Colts 17. Noteworthy because the Saints (the Saints!!) won their first and only title. Four years after Katrina had buried them, hope was found on a football field.

So, that’s a look at it; here’s hoping this most recent incarnation of the big game lived up to the hype – or that at least you had a good time at the party.

Cheers!