Sweaty Men Endeavors

The sports blog with the slightly gay name

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Not cool, Joe

Is it true? Did Joe Montana really skip out on the Super Bowl pre-game celebration that honored the game's 39 previous MVPs because the NFL wouldn't pay him $100,000? Was Terry Bradshaw a no-show for the same reason?

To me, the MVPs coming out on the field before the game was one of the highlights of Super Bowl XL. (Did the Steelers fans show a lack of class by booing those who beat their team? Well, maybe. But I thought it was funny.) How many sports can march its history onto the field for everyone to see? (As Blue Cats and Red Sox pointed out, probably none.) But who wasn't there was just as - if not more - noticeable than who was.

Where's Joe Montana? Where's Terry Bradshaw? Didn't they both win two Super Bowl MVP awards? (Actually, Montana won three.) Weren't we all wondering that during the ceremony? As cool as the whole thing was, the absence of Montana and Bradshaw - two of the NFL's greatest stars - cast a huge shadow over the proceedings. And if it happened over money, that stinks. More than that, it's revolting.

How could Bradshaw not be there when his Steelers were playing for the championship? Well, he says he wanted to watch the Super Bowl with his family. Apparently, his family didn't stop him from trolling around "Radio Row" all week to promote his new movie in which he plays Matthew McConaughey's daddy.

What about Montana? Well, speculation runs rampant. Was he absent because he wanted to attend his daughter's basketball game? Did he want that $100,000 so he could donate it to charity? Tim Kawakami of the San Jose Mercury News jokingly wondered if Montana stayed away because he still holds a grudge toward Steve Young. Deadspin is worried that Joe really needs the money.

Do these guys really care so little about the sport to which they owe all of their success? Sure, they'll participate in a special moment for the NFL and its fans, but only if you meet their price? Please, you must be kidding. If it's true, that's so disappointing. But maybe it shouldn't be surprising, either. Maybe we don't realize that football was just a job to some of these guys.

Having said that, I'd like to see Howie Long smash Bradshaw's head like a watermelon for being so greedy. As for Montana, I wish Jerry Rice would dance a foxtrot on his face. But Joe already seems lonely enough playing with his football-on-a-string.

posted by Ian C. @ 9:30 AM  

6 Comments:

  • At February 07, 2006 11:50 AM, Blogger Sam said…

    Bloody Steelers. Ugh. You know, I was so occupied by other things at the time (biopsych, mostly), that I didn't even notice Bradshaw wasn't there. Now that I think about it, though, given the fact that his team was in the damn thing, his absence was sort of nuts.

    And yeah, it was kind of funny when they booed Tommy, if only because he's so inherently awesome that their booing cannot touch him.

     

  • At February 07, 2006 11:57 AM, Blogger Ian C. said…

    You know, the only booing I noticed was for Larry Brown. I've heard they booed Roger Staubach, and you mentioned Tom Brady, but I didn't catch it. Maybe my ears are automatically tuned to boo anyone with the name "Larry Brown."

    And yes, Brady is awesome. You'll never see him hawking footballs on strings when he's done playing.

     

  • At February 07, 2006 2:52 PM, Blogger the sports dude said…

    I remember a few years back seeing a story about how when Bradshaw left the Steelers there was some bad blood between him and the Rooney's, maybe that had something to do with it.

    As far as Montana goes once you do a commercial for anything on a string I think you should start paying people to allow you to show up, plain and simple.

    Yes, Brady is awesome and I fully expect the Pats to be back in the Super Bowl next year. I still think it is great seeing Henson sitting on the sidelines, now even going to NFL Europe, while Brady "is" the QB in the NFL. No hard feelings there Henson, but you screwed Brady at U of M and you get all the "bust" labels you deserve.

     

  • At February 07, 2006 4:23 PM, Blogger Big Al said…

    I forgot where I read this, as I'm in a flu induced stupor, but it makes sense. (Deadspin, maybe?) Joe Montana doesn't want to do any actual work, he just wants to get paid for being Joe Montana. But neither one has a legit excuse for blowing off the celebration. Both must think they are bigger than the game that made them...

     

  • At February 07, 2006 4:44 PM, Blogger Ian C. said…

    Correction (probably not a big deal): Montana was attending his son's basketball game.

     

  • At February 08, 2006 7:43 PM, Blogger Cutthroat Pirates said…

    I think it was poor of Bradshaw and Montana to not show up for this event. They were their all week, so why coul they not go to the Super Bowl. Sure Montana's son had a game, but who would not take their son out of that One game and go to the Super Bowl with his son. He had free tickets.

    Oh well, and yes Tom Brady is great, but he should not had the privilege of doing the coin toss. It should have been someone retired from the game.

    Oh and for those of you who think the Pats are going to next years Super Bowl don't count out my Bucs. With Cadillac and Simms, Clayton and Galloway and the number 1 def in the NFL watch out.

     

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