The Compass, March 2011
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By Jonmhan Lyon^
^mlfi^^^Indianapolis Colts head coach,
|TOTWBurig.y^ThiyS',ould have been a
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the first Black coach
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iWhattmakeslMike Tomlin so successfial
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At 38, He^ Coach IvW^lfTomlin^a League player this past^^^Ttte Steelers
Newport News, Virginia native, is the defense led the NFL, allowing only 14.5
Steelers first black head coach and is the points per average. Jared Dewberry, 23,
youngest coach ever to win a Super Bowl, said “he was disappointed in the way the
In four seasons, he has led his team to two Steelers defense was playing this past
Super Bowl appearances. His first Super Super Bowl they didn’t play like a defense
Bowl appearance was against the Arizona that was leading the NFL.”
Cardinals, as his Steelers defeated them in Some people think the Super Bowl is
Super Bowl XLIIL In February, the Green just another regular post-season game.
Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV defeated while others think it should be a holiday,
the Steelers. With a win, Tomlin would The Super Bowl will make a player’s
have been the first Black coach ever to win dreams come true and leave a big smile on
two Super Bowls, surpassing his mentor a fan’s face.
Celebrating an American Tradition
The superbowl has been giving Americans a
reason to celebrate for over forty-five years
With their first
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Elizabeth City State University defensive
lineman and Packers fan, Devin Price, said
“I think he will always be in Brett Favre’s
shadow, but I think Aaron Rodgers will
create his own legacy, especially if he wins
the Super Bowl.” During the preparation
for the Super Bowl, Rodgers had been
receiving guidance and mentorship from
Hall of Fame quarterback, Steve Young.
It is easy to compare Rodgers to Young,
who played and replaced QB Joe Montana
for the San Francisco 49ers.
Another source of inspiration for the
Packers may have been from their other
seasoned veterans. Two in particular are
Charles Woodson and Donald Driver.
Woodson, a 13-year vet who arguably
playeB some'^c^his^fest. football^in his
car^^jtnadcsecond trip to the Super
iBow^fefter.. falhng’’short the Tampa
IBay Buccarieers-jas.an Oakland Raider in
f2003V Driver^^^^ra^^ra^Sthe Green
■I^^^^ckers in 1999, and he is |heir
fl^^^Stenured Packer. This was his first
iipp.earanc.ei inlt^big game. “I feel that
;tn^^pilljp^^Hw and coming ready to
wa^^^M^easy joun^y for the
National Fwm^p)nferencexhampions.
_,d86^1WBB886^Ma®' t
l^Uhe sixth and»llst^eea|^me NFC, the
Pa^CTsfnaSfto^lav all of their playoff
games on the road. “I thought their hardest
challenge was the Eagles. Once they beat
them I was very confident in them,” said
loyal Packers fan, Kelvin Faulks, Jr.
The major factors going into this game
for the Packers seemed to be their strong
defense led by Linebacker Clay Matthews.
The defense has played a major role in
their success in making it to the Super
Bowl. Shutting down an electric and
astonishing Micheal Vick, the aerial and
running game of the Atlanta Falcons, and
taking out the Chicago Bears were major
accomplishments. Another factor that will
be worked to the Packers’ advantage was
their running game. The Packers defeated
Pittsburgh 31-25.
By Justin Richardson
Kurt Warner, Ben
Roethlisberger and Terry
Bradshaw all have a couple of
things in common. Outside of
them all being great quarterbacks,
they have all played in Super
Bowls. On January 15, 1967, the
Super Bowl began and, since then,
has featured many epic games
and moments, from Janet Jackson
having a wardrobe malfunction
to the Buffalo Bills losing four
Super Bowls in a row. This year
was no exception to excitement.
The Green Bay Packers and
Kansas City Chiefs played in the
first Super Bowl. Coached by
the legendary Vince Lombardi,
the Packers reigned victorious
with a final score of 35-10. They
also won the second Super Bowl
against the Oakland Raiders.
Since then, the trophy awarded to
the winning team has been named
after Lombardi. In years to come,
celebrating the Super Bowl would
become a tradition for people
around the world.
Many people take Super Bowl
Sunday seriously. Some even
consider it a holiday. “I’ve been
watching the Super Bowl since
I was nine,” said Elizabeth City
State University baseball player,
Lee Person. “My love for sports
is the reason for me watching the
Super Bowl. People get together
with their family and friends, eat
pizza, wings, chips and drink beer
in front of a big television.”
There are different reasons
people watch the Super Bowl.
Many companies invest millions
of dollars toward advertisement
and they result in being some
of the best commercials ever
viewed. “My favorite commercial
from the Super Bowl was the
Doritos commercial, when the old
man tasered a guy at the vending
machine,” said ECSU student.
Jasmine Guzman.
According to some fans,
commercials are always a treat
during the Super Bowl.
Then there is the halftime show.
On February 1, 2004, people
witnessed one of the biggest
scandals in the history of the
event. Artists, Justin Timberlake
and Janet Jackson, performed
during halftime for Super Bowl
XXXVIII. Timberlake ripped
off part of Jackson’s costume,
exposing one of her breasts. The
incident was later referred to as
“Nipplegate” and resulted in CBS
being fined $550 thousand.
Super Bowl XLIII produced
one of the best touchdown catches
ever. Most Valuable Player,
Santonio Holmes of the Pittsburgh
Steelers, caught a pass from
quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger,
with his entire body outstretched.
Under heavy coverage, his toes
dragged across the comer of the
end zone as he caught the winning
touchdown pass over the Arizona
Cardinals.
The Super Bowl has been
played in February the past
decade, coinciding with the start
of Black History Month. Since
the Super Bowl started, there
have been many memorable
moments for Black people.
During Super Bowl XXII (1988),
Doug Williams became the first
Black quarterback in the NFL
to be named MVP. In 2007,
during Super Bowl XLI, Tony
Dungy, former head coach of the
Indianapolis Colts, and Lovie
Smith, Chicago Bears head coach,
became the first Black coaches to
take their teams to the big game
with Dungy emerging victorious.
This year proved worthy of
watching with favored Pittsburgh
Steelers losing to the underdogs,
the Green Bay Packers.
ATFENTIOpj Alii
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