Because there is so much at stake, whether it's the Lombardi Trophy, or money for FOX, NBC or CBS, every element of the event is magnified. Mass attention is bestowed upon both the players, and non-football performers, for their actions on and off the big stage. In the past, some reveled in it while others found it bothersome, but all of it contributed to a few memorable fiascos that added drama, horror or humor to an already exciting week.
Here are just a few of those wild moments:
1. Super Bowl XXIII—Stanley Wilson's Pregame Cocaine Binge:
The Bengals entered Super Bowl XXIII as heavy underdogs to the San Francisco 49ers, so the addition of an unnecessary distraction was the last thing they needed. Prior to their last team meeting, before the game, running back Stanley Wilson, who had been suspended for the 1985 and 1987 seasons for cocaine use, told teammates he'd forgotten his playbook and was going to retrieve it. Minutes later he was found on the bathroom floor of his hotel room, debilitated by a spontaneous cocaine binge. Consequently, he was left off the roster by coach Sam Wyche and because it was his third strike with the NFL, he was later banned for life. The Bengals narrowly lost the game, which culminated with the famous Montana-to-Taylor game-winning touchdown.
2. Super Bowl XXXVII—Barret Robbins Forgets Anti-Depressants, Goes MIA:
Barret Robbins is another would-be Super Bowl participant who fell victim to his own demons before the game. The Raiders' Pro Bowl center went missing two days before kickoff and resurfaced Saturday evening, disheveled and disoriented, incapable of playing in the game. His teammates claimed that Robbins went on a drunken binge in Tijuana—located just across the border from Super Bowl XXXVII's host city of San Diego. As a result, coach Bill Callahan left him off the roster and the Raiders offensive line suffered. The Bucs defense sacked 2002 NFL MVP Rich Gannon five times, pressuring him into five interceptions, and stifled the Raiders run game—then finished with a total of 19 yards rushing. Robbins subsequently entered the Betty Ford Center and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. His personal freefall continued during the following years as he was linked to BALCO, tested positive for steroids, and was involved in an incident in which he was shot three times, resulting in an attempted murder charge.
3. Super Bowl XXXIV—Ray Lewis's Supposed Murder Involvement:
Today, Ray Lewis is recognized as a Super Bowl champ and one of the most accomplished and intimidating linebackers in NFL history. In January of 2000, however, he was viewed by many NFL observers as just another professional athlete turned criminal. After a post-Super Bowl party, he was involved in a bloody fight that resulted in the stabbing deaths of two men, and the accusation that he had a role in their murders. Lewis avoided murder charges and jail time by testifying against his two co-defendants and pleading guilty to obstruction of justice. The episode delivered yet another hit to the NFL's reputation, coming just two months after Ray Carruth was accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend.
4. Super Bowl XXXIII—Eugene Robinson's Awful Weekend:
The elaborate Super Bowl XXXIII festivities apparently weren't enough for Falcons Pro Bowl safety Eugene Robinson—he just wanted to engage in the XXX activities. Not a day after he was given the Bart Starr Award for exemplifying "outstanding character and leadership in the home, on the field and in the community," he was arrested for soliciting an undercover police officer for sex. He was bailed out by a team official and played a prominent role in the game, but in a bad way. He surrendered an 80-yard touchdown to Broncos receiver Rod Smith—which placed the Falcons in a two-touchdown hole—from which the Falcons never recovered. They lost the game 34-19.
5. Super Bowl XIII —Hollywood Disses Bradshaw, Pays the Price:
Trash-talking has long been a tradition of Super Bowl week. It adds to the anticipation of the game, especially if it involves two of the league's most prestigious teams, the Dallas Cowboys and the Pittsburgh Steelers. During the lead-up to Super Bowl XIII, colorful Cowboys linebacker, "Hollywood" Henderson, told reporters that Bradshaw was "so dumb he couldn't spell 'cat' if you spotted him the 'C' and the 'A'." The Steelers quarterback had never been viewed as the sharpest tool in the shed, nor the most emotionally composed person, but he didn't let the zinger get under his skin. In fact, he responded by putting forth the best Super Bowl performance of his career. He posted 318 yards and four touchdown passes, winning the game's MVP honors after the Steelers' victory.
6. Super Bowl XX—Irving Fryar's Fingers:
The two weeks that led up to Super Bowl XX were far more entertaining than the Bears' 46-10 thrashing of the Patriots. Bears quarterback Jim McMahon was the center of attention, most notably referring to the women of New Orleans as "sluts" and mooning a camera during a practice before the game. When the camera wasn't fixed on McMahon's mug, it was focused on Patriots Pro Bowl receiver Irving Fryar's two bandaged fingers, which he cut prior to the AFC Championship Game. The injury was initially explained as a freak accident with a kitchen knife, but it was later reported by the Boston Globe that it occurred during a fight between him and his wife. Fryar, a key component of the Patriots' offense and special teams, played anyway, catching the team's lone touchdown.
7. Super Bowl XXXVIII—Janet Jackson's Slippage:
One of the most dramatic games in Super Bowl history was overshadowed by the halftime show performance of Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake. The two suggestively performed Timberlake's hit "Rock Your Body"—culminating with Timberlake's tearing off a piece of Jackson's clothing and revealing her partially-covered breast for a split second. Janet Jackson's infamous "wardrobe malfunction" created a flurry of controversy and elicited heated debates about indecency in broadcasting and the supposedly corrupted morality of America. The incident resulted in a record $550,000 fine levied by the FCC against CBS. The video above features the moment as it occurred on live television.
8. Super Bowl XLI—Prince's Pointy Profile:
Although it didn't garner as much attention as Janet Jackson's performance three-years earlier, Prince's halftime performance angered the slightly more conservative crowd. During his guitar solo for "Purple Rain," his shadow was projected onto a large sheet, forming a silhouette that combined the figure of his body and guitar. Some viewers claimed the instrument appeared phallic and complained to the FCC and CBS. Late night talk show hosts poked fun at the incident, but the minor controversy subsided rather quickly. Now, most people remember Prince's performance as the highlight of an otherwise anticlimactic night. (Note: advance to 9:45 in the above video to see what all the fuss was about).
In-Game Fiascos:
9. Super Bowl VII—Garo Yepremian and The Worst Pass in NFL History:
Garo Yepremian may be one of the most proficient kickers in NFL history, but he's best remembered for his fool-hardy pass attempt during Super Bowl VII. Up 14-0 with just more than two minutes remaining in the game, the Dolphins field goal unit took the field with the intension of sealing the victory. Instead, the attempt was blocked and the ball was immediately retrieved by Yepremian. He then attempted a pass, causing the ball to flutter just above his head, bounce into the air and end up in the hands of Redskins cornerback Mike Bass, who returned it for a touchdown. The Dolphins lead was cut in half in just a matter of seconds. Fortunately for Yepremian, the Dolphins won the game, accomplishing the goal of becoming the first undefeated team in NFL history, and the play became nothing more than a comic relief highlight for NFL Films.
10. Super Bowl XXVII—Leon Lett-down:
Former Cowboys defensive tackle Leon Lett, like Yepremian, enjoyed a very productive NFL career. And Lett, like Yepremian, will always be remembered for what he did wrong. Lett was responsible for two high profile blunders, the first of which occurred late in Super Bowl XXVII. With the game already in hand in the fourth quarter, Lett scooped up a fumble and ran it back 45 yards. As he neared the goal line, he slowed and held the ball with his arm outstretched in order to showboat, but karma bit him in the butt when Bills receiver Don Beebe ran Lett down and knocked the ball out of his hand before he reached the endzone, causing a touchback. Lett was noticeably embarrassed after the game, admitting that he was looking at the Jumbotron as the play unfolded. But, some people never learn and, at the end of the next season, he cost the Cowboys their Thanksgiving game versus the Dolphins when he attempted to recover a blocked kick in the waning seconds, enabling the Dolphins to regain possession and kick the game winner.
*This article is reprinted via permission of onlinedegree.net.
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