Super Bowl XLIII was certainly an entertaining one, or at least a quarter and one play of it was. But it may be remembered as much for its “controversy” as it will be for its excitement.

A quick glance around the Interwebs both a few hours after the game and the next day show quite a level of anger at the final play (Warner’s fumble), the Holmes touchdown (was the right foot in?) and the referees (game must have been fixed).

I understand that Cardinal fans are upset. I lived for quite a while amongst this rare animal. But there are two facts about this game that people have to come to terms with: Santonio Holmes had both feet in bounds and Kurt Warner fumbled.

On the Holmes play, the last replay NBC showed from the opposite end of the field showed with 100 percent clarity that Holmes had both feet in bounds. Still photos will fill the Web for the foreseeable future and people will point to single-frame moments in time when his right toe was off the ground. But the video evidence was quite clear, this was a touchdown. Perhaps Cardinal fans’ time would be better served wondering how three guys could let Holmes get behind them and be the only one to get his hands on the ball. That’s the real issue.

Secondly, the tuck rule and fumble rules are quite clear. If the ball is knocked loose before the arm is going forward, it is a fumble. Again, with 100 percent clarity, the replays show the ball coming out of Warner’s hand as he cocks his arm back. The ball was loose (already a fumble), when Warner’s throwing motion propelled the fumble forward. It’s not rocket science. It was a fumble.

As for the refs, I don’t know what to tell you. They over-called the game, that’s for sure, but I don’t know that it was with any bias. The Cardinals offensive line was mugging James Harrison and got caught doing it a few times. But none of the calls against Arizona were as big as the holding call against Pittsburgh that negated a game-winning first down and turned into a safety. Are you really going to try to argue that Adrain Wilson didn’t tackle the holder on the field goal? Again, be upset with the reckless play of the players on the field, not the guys who made way too many correct calls.

This game will be remembered for its exciting fourth quarter, but let’s not forget that for three quarters of this game, it was a very boring, one-sided football game.

Between the questionable call on the first drive of Roethlisberger not being in the end zone, to Pittsburgh’s failure to punch in a TD after the tackling the holder call, this game was really a matter of Pittsburgh just not stepping on Arizona’s throat when they had the chance to. Outside of Larry Fitzgerald’s fantastic fourth quarter, Pittsburgh dominated every aspect of this football game for about 50 minutes of play. Arizona gave away too many opportunities, and Pittsburgh caught a few breaks. That’s what happens when you have a team that is used to success and a team that is trying to have success.

Super Bowl XLIII will go down as one of the best, just like Super Bowl XLII will. Neither were great “games,” but both had amazing fourth quarters and unbelievable game-winning drives. For that reason, I too will never forget this game.

This was a bittersweet moment for Cardinals fans, who waited so long to see their team even reach the playoffs, much less the Super Bowl. Then to have the swing of emotions that took place in the last few minutes of the game is beyond comprehension. I truly do feel for some of the Cardinal fans I got to know in my years covering that team. On the bright side, at least the Cardinal fans in Tucson got a few good minutes of viewing out of the game.

But for the good of the game, people need to get over these controversies. It’s pretty simple — it was a catch, and it was a fumble. Move on.

*****

Side note: I’ll tell you who I really feel for. The guy I met at the Palms Sports Book three weeks ago that was barred from putting more money on the Cards to win the Super Bowl because he already had more on them at 60-to-1 than all the other betters in Las Vegas combined. I know he was counting on his “Attack Redbirds” to cash him well over six figures, and I can’t imagine what he went through in that fourth quarter. Hopefully he covered his bets with the Steelers money line, but man do I feel for him.

*****

Image: SPORTSbyBROOKS

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