It's become typical. Major media fallout from the Super Bowl continues long after the event itself. Number XL generated its share of controversy, but not really any more than expected from an event that draws so much interest.
Columnists in some major outlets still are writing about the "hot buttons" that have been glowing since last Sunday night. But "down here on the ground" … around local watercoolers it seems, the subject is pretty much old news.
They have written about the quality of the team play of both the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers, the quality of individual efforts, Seattle's lack of clock management skills and, that perennial favorite, the officiating.
I've got to agree that the overall skill level shown by the stars of both teams on that particular night may have set back the game of football 50 years. My guess is that nobody on the field every really got rid of the pressure butterflies all night.
Both teams seemed to be "playing not to lose."
But the issue that lasted longest during the week, and may not end anytime soon, was the quality of the officiating.
No question that penalties called during the game hurt the Seahawks the most and Seattle fans can be forgiven for some sour grapes.
The "push off" call that directly negated a Seattle touchdown and the holding penalty that helped put them out of scoring position later both seemed to be good calls. In a loosely called game, those could have been ignored. But this was a zero tolerance game and the calls were consistent with that policy.
Regarding the illegal block called against Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck when he made a tackle on an interception … I'll have to defer to the call on the field pending a thorough study of the rule book. John Madden's opinion notwithstanding.
Ben Roethlisberger's opinion also notwithstanding, I would agree with the call that his rushing touchdown was good. Not by much, but you know it doesn't take much.
From my position on the couch, it looked like the end of the ball did penetrate through "de plane" as he fell and was pushed back.
Seattle coach Mike Holmgren may be in trouble with the NFL. The Seahawks' coach reportedly made a remark Monday after the game referring to having to play against "the striped shirts" as well as the Steelers.
The NFL has been remarkably candid about officiating on occasion. You will remember that in the past few weeks it went on record as saying that a controversial call in a playoff game that should have been overturned wasn't. But they don't like criticism of officials.
The league already has come out publicly supporting the job the XL crew did last weekend. That action at least acknowledges that there is a question.
Note: Columbian High School is hosting the Northern Ohio League wrestling championships on Saturday this weekend. The action starts at 11:00 a.m.