Super Thoughts and Gopher Updates

• That was a great Super Bowl game, I only have a limited number of Super Bowls I remember but that was the most enjoyable so far. It started slow but what a 4th quarter. The best part was that it was decided by touchdowns and not field goals. There is no comparison between a team setting up to bring out a soccer player to kick a 47 yard field goal and the two Fitzgerald touchdowns and the Holmes touchdown.
  
• There is a lot of debate about where the Holmes catch ranks all-time. Like I said I have a limited history but I have it as the best catch of all-time. This article makes the similar argument that a great play should be in the biggest stage and win the game. Unlike Tyree's catch last year this won the game.
  
• Vikings fans have always been told that we just need a QB to manage the game given our team to succeed. This Super Bowl proved that is the biggest myth this side of Troy Williamson being Randy Moss. Pittsburgh had the best defense in the NFL only allowing 1 team to have more than 300 yards all season, still they needed Ben all season. They had a total 7 games in which they came back in the 4th Quarter to win. He manages the game for awhile and doesn't put up great numbers but is there when they need him. No matter how good the team is there always comes a point when you don't need a player to make a good play they need them to make a great play and Big Ben does that. A true managing QB is Joe Flacco and he went down to Pitt because he couldn't get it done when they needed him. The Vikings will not go to the Super Bowl until they get a real QB.
  
• The Gophers are back into the AP 25 with a bang and are currently ranked 19. They are ranked 22 in the RPI. In the latest ESPN bracketology they are a 5 seed playing BYU. This all is nice but it means little this week because a lot will change this week. We could easily go 0-2 and drop out of the Top 25. Even if we go 1-1 we should be moving significantly up depending on which game we win.
• The Gophers did receive a bit of good news in that it seems likely that Raymar Morgan will miss the game because he is still affected by what has been diagnosed as walking pneumonia. This is a big deal. He has been affected by this in their last 5 games. They have gone 3-2 in those games losing at home to Northwestern and Penn State. In their 3 upset losses (Mayland, Northwestern, Penn State) they have gotten a total of 5 points from Morgan. With a healthy Morgan we can't win the game, without him we have a chance.

Stats of the Day

• 546: Yards by Larry Fitzgerald in 4 playoff games. He also had 7 touchdowns.
• 3301 yrds 17 td 15 int vs. 3213yds 21 td 17 int: Roethlisberger's stats vs. the Vikings QB's this year. Vikings QBs had more tds and only 100 less yards but who would you rather have leading the Vikings.
• 15.4: PPG by Raymar Morgan in MSU victories while he was healthy.