WAY BACK IN THE DOG DAYS OF LAST SUMMER
WHILE PLAYERS SWELTERED UNDER A BLAZING SUN
TWO UNLIKELY TEAMS BEGAN THEIR JOURNEY
DOWN TO TAMPA FOR SUPER BOWL FORTY ONE
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE CARDINALS HAVE NEVER BEEN HERE BEFORE
ON THE CUSP OF HOISTING THE TROPHY ALOFT
IT'S WIDELY THOUGHT THAT THEIR PATH WAS HELPED
BY A SCHEDULE CONSIDERED SOMEWHAT SOFT

BUT EARLY THIS SEASON A CHOICE WAS MADE
THAT DEMONSTRATED ARIZONA'S COACH HAS GUTS
AS MATT LEINART WAS BENCHED FOR KURT WARNER
A MOVE THAT MANY OBSERVERS THOUGHT WAS NUTS

BUT LO AND BEHOLD ARIZONA'S MOVE PAID OFF
AS THEY BEAT UP ON THE TEAMS IN THE WEST
BUT A LATE SEASON SLUMP LED MANY TO WONDER
IF THEY'D PASS THE GRUELING POSTSEASON TEST

THIS WAS A DOUBT THAT PROVED UNFOUNDED
AS IT SEEMED AS IF SOMEONE HAD FLIPPED A SWITCH
WITH AN UNDERRATED DEFENSE AND RUNNING GAME
THAT SUDDENLY APPEARED TO BE TALENT-RICH
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
THE STEELERS ARE A TEAM THAT'S BEEN HERE BEFORE
WINNING NUMBER FIVE JUST "THREE BOWLS" AGO
AND WHILE THEY WEREN'T A PRESEASON FAVORITE
THEY'VE EARNED THEIR WAY BACK INTO THE BIG SHOW

THE STEELERS WILL BRING THEIR TRADEMARK DEFENSE
THE ONE THAT MAKES OPPONENTS WANT TO HIDE
AND A RUNNING GAME BASED ON BIG STRONG BACKS
AND A LINE CAPABLE OF SHOVING THE DEFENSE ASIDE

WHEN THE STEELERS WON THE "ONE FOR THE THUMB"
BEN ROTHLISBERGER'S PLAY WAS LESS THAN COMMANDING
HE AND THE RECEIVERS WILL HAVE TO BE VERY GOOD
IF THEY WANT TO BE THE LAST TEAM STANDING

THE SPOTLIGHT IN THIS FOOTBALL GAME HOWEVER
WILL FOCUS SQUARELY ON PITTSBURGH'S SAFETIES AND CORNERS
AS THEY SQUARE OFF AGAINST FITZGERALD AND BOLDIN
AND THE PASSES THAT WILL BE COMING FROM KURT WARNER
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

THIS GAME WILL PROVIDE A CONTRAST OF FOOTBALL STYLES
AS THE STEELERS ARE A TRADITIONAL "RUN FIRST" SORT OF TEAM,
WHILE IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER IF THE CARDS CAN RUN
FOR THE DOWNFIELD PASS IS THE BASIS OF THEIR SCHEME

SO WHO WILL DANCE OUT IN THE CONFETTI
WHILE HOISTING THE LOMBARDI TROPHY OVERHEAD?
CONVENTIONAL WISDOM SAY IT'S THE TEAM WHO RUNS BEST
WHILE OTHERS VOTE FOR THE PASSING TEAM INSTEAD

THE STEELERS SHOULD BE THE FAVORITES SUNDAY
FOR WHICH THERE ARE A MULTITUDE OF REASONS
BUT IT'S THE CARDINALS WHO'LL TAKE THE TROPHY HOME
JUST BECAUSE IT'S BEEN THAT SORT OF A SEASON..........