In Saturday's WSJ, former Pittsburgh coach Bill Cowher offered a Super Bowl preview that proved prescient:
At quarterback, the game offers a wonderful contrast. Kurt Warner, 37-years-old, resurrected his career, leading a second team to the championship; he was the most valuable player for the victorious St. Louis Rams in 2000. A decade his junior, "Big Ben" will be looking for his second ring with Pittsburgh. Warner has already earned his place in the Hall of Fame, says Mr. Cowher, staking out a mildly controversial position, "but obviously a win here will cement him." As for his former quarterback, "he could go down as one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game." Even with Roethlisberger's not-so-great statistics? "He's never been about stats, he's about winning," Mr. Cowher says. "There's a lot to be said for that. Ben has a way of making a play that's not there."
Speaking from experience, he continues, "Undesigned plays will take place more with him than with Kurt. Kurt is more of a pocket quarterback who runs an offense that's designed. The success of Ben is more things that are improvised. Let me tell you, when it's in the fourth quarter and you get the look on his face, he's got the confidence he's not going to be denied. If I was Arizona I would not want Pittsburgh within a touchdown of me in the fourth quarter because he has done this time and time again and he will be in his domain."
And indeed he was.
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