Monday, Jan. 29, 2001

Monday Musings

Thoughts on Ray Lewis and the Super Bowl

By Trent Modglin, Associate editor

• Where was Disney when we needed them after the big game had ended? Hey, Ray Lewis, you just won the Super Bowl! What are you going to do next?" Uh, nevermind.

• Trent Dilfer, who was rudely shown the door in Tampa a year ago, has won a Super Bowl ring, in Tampa of all places. Dan Marino, the most revered quarterback ever in the state of Florida, is behind him in at least one category now.

• Do you notice how Lewis never takes a false step in his pursuit of the football? He almost never gets caught in a bad spot, never overruns a play and almost never gets blocked — thanks in large part to the DT tandem of Sam Adams and Tony Siragusa that blocks out the sun if you’re less than 5-8.

• After a week of tearing him apart with questions about his character and indifference to what happened in Atlanta last year, it’s ironic that it was the media at the Super Bowl that voted Ray Lewis as the MVP with an average performance by his high standards.

• The Ravens, who had a league-leading plus-23 turnover differential during the regular season, forced a total of 10 turnovers in the AFC Championship and Super Bowl.

• Giants P Brad Maynard punted seven times in the first half alone after not having to punt until the fourth quarter in the NFC championship game.

• Las Vegas should have had an over-and-under listing for three-and-outs in the game. If they did for punts, those who bet the over had money in their pockets by halftime.

• In a span of two weeks, Kerry Collins went from his career-best performance (381 yards, five TDs) to his career-worst (112 yards, no TDs and four INTs). At least there was no dissension between the offense and defense in New York’s locker room. That has been a problem in the past, but based on the supportive reaction of teammates, it appears as though the Giants are in Collins’ corner for the long haul.

• Weren’t Baltimore’s cornerbacks supposed to the one potential weakness on the defense?

• Can anyone remember the last time Shannon Sharpe lost in the playoffs?

• I know he would have been virtually useless against the speed of the Ravens’ defense, but did Ron Dayne forget his helmet in New York or something?
• So if everyone geared their offseason plans to copy the Rams’ new offensive wave of the future after their 2000 Super Bowl run, does this triumph by the Ravens mean that teams will look to win with swarming, aggressive, cocky defenses and inaccurate quarterbacks next season?

• And finally, is it just me, or does just about every food imaginable taste better on Super Bowl Sunday?

The Archives
2000 - 2001 Season