Global Event Forum Blog

Green Bay beat the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-25 in Super Bowl XLV.  It was the Packers’ fourth Super Bowl win and thirteenth NFL Championship.

In case you were wondering: Steelers’ backup center, Doug Leggit, did well in Maurkice Pouncey’s absence, and Super Bowl XLV had record television viewers but not attendance.  

In other news: Super Bowl MVP Aaron Rodgers appeared on The Late Show last night.  Rodgers was his usual underwhelming-yet-endearing self, and really did a nice job. 

On why he wasn’t recruited out of college:

“I’m not 6’5″, not going to run a 4.5 40 [yard dash]… but I think a lot of times the things you can’t measure are the things that give people the most success”

On Brett Favre:

“I was the guy who took all the reps in the off-season, he was the guy who took all the reps in the regular season”

What Rodgers said to injured Charles Woodson at halftime:

“Hey man, sorry you can’t finish it but I’ll see you on the field after to celebrate”

Saddle up

Texas commissioned hand-made saddles for its visiting Super Bowl teams.  The Steelers and Packers were presented with their gifts upon arrival.

Stay classy, football

Pittsburgh’s Carnegie Museum of Art and the Milwaukee Art Museum have a friendly wager riding on Super Bowl XLV.  If Pitt wins, Milwaukee will loan  ”Boating on the Yerres” to the Carnegie.  If Green Bay wins, the Carnegie will send over “Bathers with Crab.”

“Boating on the Yerres” by Gustave Caillebotte

“Bathers with Crab” by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Beard v Beard

Brett Keisel’s beard has drawn attention throughout the playoffs, and for good reason.  But is it better than Brian Wilson’s BEARD OF ZEUS?!

So Punny!

Worst/best headline of the week honors go to USA Today’s feature on a 400 lb goalpost made entirely of provolone cheese:

CHEESE GOALPOST IS WHEY COOL

Official tickets for Super Bowl XLV

Protip: NFL players, ESPN analysts, et al LOVE them some steak.  

So if you’re in Dallas and want to see Chris Mortensen, John Gruden, Tedy Bruschi or anyone else, grab a table and enjoy the show: Mortons, Nick and Sam’s, Ruth’s Chris, and Del Frisco’s are all good bets for football celebrity this Super Bowl weekend.

In other news… 

Steelers starting center Maurice Pouncey will try to practice tomorrow.  He suffered a severe ankle sprain eleven days ago in the AFC Championship game.  It remains unlikely that Pouncey will be able to play in the Super Bowl, but never-the-less this is encouraging news for the black and gold.

Due to weather concerns, Cowboys Stadium’s roof will be closed for the big game.

Commercials.  30 second spots at Super Bowl XLV went for $3 million (nominally up from $2.97 million last year).  Look for Pepsi Co’s ads for Doritos and Pepsi max.  They were created by aspiring/amateur filmmakers and voted on by the public at crashthesuperbowl.com.  

Not news:  Roethlisberger and his linemen like karaoke.   

Steelers arrive in Dallas

A week from Sunday the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers will face off in Super Bowl XLV.  Here’s what you should know.

The Packers are a publicly owned, not-for-profit organization.  

“Ownership” is comprised of 112,000 shareholders, none allowed to own more than a 5% stake.  At Lambeau field, volunteers work concessions and 60% of the proceeds go to local charities.  And in the event of snow, the Packers recruit community members to shovel.  

Unfortunately, this model will remain unique – NFL bylaws were amended in 1960 to prevent charitable organizations and corporations from owning teams.  Dave Zirin of The New Yorker wrote a nice piece on all of this.

Steelers starting center Maurkice Pouncey will not play.  

Pouncey injured his left ankle last Sunday against the Jets.  It was originally reported as a high ankle sprain but today the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette revealed that Pouncey may have a broken bone in his foot and significant ligament damage.

This is a huge blow to the Steelers.  Their offense is hallmarked by a dominant O-line, and the biggest determining factor for Pitt victory will be the performance of Pouncey’s backup Doug Legursky.

Hines Ward and Dick LeBeau eye retirement… but aren’t going anywhere.

All-Pro receiver Hines Ward had said he would retire after this season if the Steelers won the Super Bowl.  However, he’s under contract through 2013 and has backed away from those comments of late.

Pittsburgh defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau is 74 and in the final year of his contract, but wants to keep coaching.  There have been mixed reports on whether he’ll be retained by Pittsburgh or go to Arizona, but in either case LeBeau will be working for an NFL team next year.

This Super Bowl will live up to its name.

As we’ve said before (and ESPN agrees), Super Bowl XLV is going to be HUGE.  Projected record attendance and tv audience, a stellar halftime show, and Michael Strahan playing Joan Rivers on the red carpet… oh my!  

Global Event Forum is heading to Dallas on Tuesday.  If you want to join us, Super Bowl Ticket and Travel Packages are available here.   

Last week, a Seattle-area middle school student was sent home for wearing a Steelers jersey on ‘Seahawks Pride Day.’  Monday, a Chicago car salesman was fired for refusing to remove his Green Bay Packers tie.

Thankfully both incidents were handled appropriately.  When asked to comment, the student’s father said:

“I don’t plan on calling the ACLU or suing or anything, that’s ridiculous.  What we’re trying to do here is poke a stick at the Seahawks fans who have given us so much grief over the years.”

As for the salesman, he was promptly hired by a rival car dealer, and is flooded with orders from Packers fans across the country.

Christmas The Super Bowl, most definitely, is in the air.

Trans-Siberian Orchestra “Christmas in the Air”

Rashard Mendenhall lead his Steelers to victory, rushing for 121 yards and 1 touchdown behind a dominant offensive line.  Super Bowl XLV is set: Pittsburgh Steelers v Green Bay Packers.  Pittsburgh Steelers Super Bowl packages and Green Bay Packers Super Bowl Packages are available now at Global Event Forum.  

Congrats to B.J. Raji and the Green Bay Packers for winning 21-14 in Chicago and earning a spot in Super Bowl XLV.  Green Bay Packers Super Bowl Ticket and Travel Packages are available now at Global Event Forum!

B.J. Raji interception and touchdown celebration