The Sports Monitor

I received a flier in the mail today that Pittsburgh Pirates game tickets go on sale Saturday morning. My question: Is it really worth it to buy tickets that far in advance?

We knew it a year ago when it happened, but ESPN confirmed it today: James Harrison's 100-yard interception return for a touchdown is the greatest play in Super Bowl history. I guess when ESPN says it, it must be true. Check out ESPN's page on the play, Inside a Moment in Time . It's a pretty cool page. There are quotes from players involved and a photo gallery of Harrison's game-changing play.

Random thoughts from Sunday's championship games: The New Orleans Saints have faced two Hall of Fame quarterbacks in back-to-back rounds and still won. They beat up, battered and bruised Brett Favre and the Vikings in the NFC title game and did the same to Kurt Warner and the Cardinals. It's looking more and more likely that the Saints sent both Warner and Favre into retirement. Up next, another Hall of Fame QB, Peyton Manning. I don't think that'll be his last game. The Jets still had a chance to win the AFC title game until Reggie Wayne recovered his own fumble in the fourth quarter. Had the ball bounced the other way, the Jets could be making travel plans for Miami. The Vikings got too cute at the end of regulation trying to confuse the Saints and got burned. The 12-men-on-the-field penalty cost them the game. Well, Favre's interception didn't help either. Vikings RB Adrian Peterson looked like former Steelers RB Tim Worley carrying the football. If I...

Brett Favre just loves to gamble. With a trip to the Super Bowl, a shot at redemption and a chance to rub it in the faces of Green Bay Packers fans, Brett Favre couldn't help himself and be Brett Favre. He tried to make a play with the game tied at 28 in the NFC championship game. The grizzled veteran who was supposed to lead the Minnesota Vikings to the Super Bowl instead made a rookie mistake. Favre threw the football back across the field and the New Orleans Saints' Tracy Porter picked it off. So much for a chance to win the game at the end. Favre could have thrown it away, leaving a long 56-yard field goal. He should have run the ball, which would have picked up at least 5 yards, maybe more. Nope. Favre wanted to be the hero. Now, he's the goat. In a game marred by turnovers, Favre's was the costliest. But we shouldn't be surprised. If Favre throws enough, he'll get burned. Just like he did Sunday night. He should have known better than...

I'm a Kurt Warner fan. I've been since he took the NFL by storm after rising from the AFL's Iowa Barnstormers and stocking shelves to make ends meet. So it should be no surprise that I'd like to see him return for another season. Warner still can play. The Cardinals have one heck of an offense. And, if I were a die-hard Arizona fan, I wouldn't want to see Matt Leinart taking snaps next season either. When the Steelers played the Cardinals in the Super Bowl last year, it was one time where I wouldn't have been upset with the opposing  team winning. The Cardinals have lots to like, led by Warner, and followed by Larry Fitzgerald and Ken Whisenhunt, to name a few. Usually, I'd rather see an athlete retire a year too early, rather than a year too late. And too often, they hang on too long. With Warner, it would be at least two years too early. Hopefully, we can see at least one more.

I look back at the home-run chase of 1998 between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa and shake my head. Man, we all were just fools going crazy for those two that summer. Big Mac and Slammin' Sammy captured the country's attention and brought interest back to baseball after a labor dispute wiped out the World Series a few seasons before 1998. I was a McGwire fan. I cheered every home run. I remember working in the newsroom watching SportsCenter to see if Big Mac hit a blast -- or two -- that night. Usually he did. After his confession Monday for using steroids, now we know why. What was startling wasn't the fact that he used performance-enhancing drugs; many suspected him of doing that. The amazing thing was his admission. If you followed Big Mac you were aware he ducked the question in front of Congress. Now, as he tries to rebuild his image, the truth comes out. It's a good start. It's not enough to sway me to think he's now earned a right to go i...

It's aggravating looking at the NFL playoff schedule and not seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers on it. The team's defense of their Super Bowl championship ended without a trip to the postseason. The Steelers got their ninth win Sunday, beating the Miami Dolphins 30-24, but they didn't get the help they needed to make a title run. Now, they get to watch the New York Jets in the playoffs. I have nothing against the Jets or their fans, but the Jets don't strike me as a playoff team. It's not bitter energy falsely directed at the Jets because the Steelers didn't get the help they needed to get in. In fact, a team that loses to the Browns, Chiefs and Raiders in the same season shouldn't be considered playoff material, either. No, my beef is with the way the Jets "earned" their trip to the NFL's postseason tournament. To set up their Week 17 showdown with the Bengals, the Jets beat the previously unbeaten Indianapolis Colts. The only prob...

After an extended break over the holidays, it's time to get back into the swing of things. First off, Happy New Year, everyone. 2009 was an exciting year, with the Steelers winning the Super Bowl and the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup. The Pitt basketball team reached No. 1 and the Pitt football team won 10 games, too. So with all the success, there's one wish for 2010 that I'd like to make. I'd like to see a new management team in place for the Pittsburgh Pirates. Big dreams, for sure. What would you wish for?