SUPER BOWL XL

This Steelers trophy stands on its own

By JOANNE KORTH
Published February 7, 2006

DETROIT - The Steelers finally won a record-tying fifth Super Bowl, but having a ring for each finger does not make their titles a matched set.

This one is different.

To honor the accomplishment of the 2005 team, owner Dan Rooney plans to give the trophy its own display at the team facility rather than add it to the case containing the four trophies won in the 1970s.

"It is going to be by itself, I think," said Rooney, 73, whose family has owned the team since the 1930s. "That is what our hope is."

Living up to the legacy of the 1970s dynasty can be a proud but trying task. Many times in the past two decades Pittsburgh came close, but failed. Though there is satisfaction in continuing the tradition, there also is a new sense of accomplishment.

"Those teams in the '70s put the city of Pittsburgh on the map. That was a phenomenal run," coach Bill Cowher said. "They created the tradition and the legacy of Pittsburgh. We're proud of that. But it's good to be able to say we did it, too, in 2005, and we did our thing our way."

Pittsburgh tied Dallas and San Francisco as the only teams to win five Super Bowls.

SUPER RATINGS: Sunday's game was watched in an average of 45.85-million homes, second most in television history behind the final episode of M*A*S*H in 1983.

The game drew a 41.6 preliminary national rating, Nielsen Media Service said Monday, up slightly from 41.1 last year. The share remained the same at 62.

ABC said an estimated 141.4-million people watched the game nationally, second most to the 144.4-million who tuned in to New England's victory over Carolina in the 2004 Super Bowl. That number estimates the people to watch the game at any point.

The estimated average of 90.7-million was the largest Super Bowl audience since the Steelers lost to Dallas in 1996.

In 1983, the final episode of M*A*S*H was watched in an average of 50.15-million homes.

MISSING MVPs: Newsday and the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Joe Montana was missing from a pregame tribute to past Super Bowl MVPs because he wanted a guaranteed appearance fee of $100,000. The league reportedly was providing airfare, accommodations, two game tickets to the game, $1,000 for incidentals in Detroit and the use of a rental car.

Another former MVP, Terry Bradshaw , also skipped the ceremony. Bradshaw's agent told reporters that the former Steelers quarterback wanted to spend the day with his family.

BAD BEN: Ben Roethlisberger , 23, became the youngest quarterback to win a Super Bowl, but he also left a dubious mark on the record book. His rating of 22.6 was the lowest for a Super Bowl-winning quarterback. Terrific during the team's AFC playoff run, Roethlisberger was 9-of-21 for 123 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns.

"When you think about the Super Bowl, you imagine yourself coming out and playing your best football, and it wasn't that way," Roethlisberger said. "I couldn't get it done throwing the ball, for whatever reason."

PATIENCE PAYS: No coach in NFL history won his first championship later in his career than Cowher. The Pittsburgh native is the longest-tenured coach in the league, in his 14th season.

"A lot of people have asked me, "Are you defined by one win in the Super Bowl?"' Cowher said. "I don't think it's the destination that defines you, it's the journey. ... If you don't win the game are you labeled a loser? I don't believe that."

GOING FOR IT: Had officials reversed the call on Roethlisberger's 1-yard touchdown run near the end of the first half, Pittsburgh would have gone for it on fourth down, trailing 3-0.

"It was less than a yard," Cowher said. "We were going to go for it; it was just a question of what play we were going to call."

[Last modified February 7, 2006, 03:36:26]