The Old Chief: Adam,

Everyone is missing the obvious on this Super Bowl. While everyone is focusing on Larry Fitzgerald, I feel the most important player on the field is Casey Hampton. Yes, Casey is at bat again. The eight-year veteran from Texas is responsible for up the middle push as well as stopping the run. Why is this important? Kurt Warner steps up in the pocket, often avoiding the rush from linebackers and defensive ends. With a strong push up front, it will decrease Warner’s ability to make plays and get the ball downfield.

Overall, I think dick Dick LeBeau’s outfit will be more prepared than the Eagles were. It has recently been discovered that defensive coordinator Jim Johnson has metastatic cancer (skin) to the spine, which has limited his involvement. This might be in part responsible for the Cards fast start against the Eagles. The toughness, the balance of offense and defense of the Steelers, as well as the push up front from the three lineman plus one linebacker will be too much for the Cards.

Too tough. Too balanced. Too experienced. Plus, as someone who grew up in St. Louis, I know better than anyone that the Cardinals are born losers. After all, this is still Bill Bidwell’s team. There has never been anything “super” about that man. Meanwhile, Mr. Rooney and his Steelers have five Lombardi trophies. The Steelers win this one decisively.

Remember the name Casey Hampton.

Oh, remember the name Santonio Holmes, too. Very underrated player.

(Adam’s rebuttal after the jump…)

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This kind of first-year success makes total sense to me. Ever since free agency has come into play, we have seen teams win four games one year and then pretty soon they are going to the Super Bowl. Consequently, turning it around in one year is not impossible. And turning it around in two years is very doable. But again, it doesn’t mean just getting one or two players. And it doesn’t mean simply getting that new head coach. If you are at the bottom it means changing the entire attitude of the entire organization and bringing in the right people in administration and the coaching roles and adding some talent.

Do the Chiefs want to be that next surprise team, or do they intend to continue making excuses, further enabling them to be the Cheaps under the guises of “the youth movement” and “stadium renovation?”

Anybody else sick of hearing, “Herm Edwards is cleaning up Dick Vermiel‘s mess,” heading into a possible fourth year of his coaching tenure? Or “Carl Peterson only has one-year left on his contract,” like he’s gotten a raw deal? Or “But Herm can draft,” when he’s had three drafts and we are the second-worst team in the league?

No more excuses. Maybe the Snickers commercial was right calling us the Chefs. Hell, we cook up more excuses than any other team in the league. From us fans to the front office it’s got to stop. There’s no spinning a 2-11 record, especially in the worst division in the National Football League hands down.

We all have reread the Clark Hunt quote that wholesale changes would be coming if we had another “failure” of a 4-12 season. Put your money where your mouth is, Junior — keep your word and take Jimmy’s advice. What once was warpaint is now clown make-up, and things will remain the same if you fail to act.