The 10 Biggest Super Bowl Fiascos of All-Time

The Super Bowl is undoubtedly America's most hyped sporting and television event. Last season's big game, in which the once moribund New Orleans Saints defeated the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts, drew an audience of more than 106 million people, surpassing M-A-S-H as the most-watched program in US television history. 

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.

Andy Reid Wants Vick To Be Treated Like A QB—Not A Running Back

There are accusations that Michael Vick isn't being protected by the league against late hits.

Sal Paolantonio reports that Andy Reid feels the NFL needs to pay closer attention to the hits that Vick takes after the play is over.

Says Reid, "It bothers me to be honest with you. That bothers me. I see the same thing you're seeing and it bothers me...he does run, but he's still the quarterback and you can't treat him like he's a running back there. That's not what the rules state."

Well, there's just one question to be asked, how on earth is a defensive player supposed to know when Vick plans to run and when he plans to remain in the pocket?

Let's be honest here, Vick is a run threat and most defenses are looking to decapitate him if he even looks like he might be thinking of running—can you expect any less?

Defenses want to send a message to all mobile quarterbacks, be it Vick or someone else, that they plan to make life hell if they choose to leave the pocket. The way to do that is to hit them as hard as possible—as often as possible. That's precisely why, over the course of time, you see less and less quarterback's making a run for it—they can't afford potential injury.

They slide or they run out of bounds, but they don't cruise down the field for 15 or 20 yards—several times a game. Pocket quarterbacks are far more likely to get the calls because they spend the better part of their game being immobile.  Aside from taking the snap, making their drop (3, 5 or 7), and throwing the football, they don't go far. The refs can see all of those movements from one location—the pocket.

Vick has made 268 pass attempts this season (24th*). That's a lot less than most of his counterparts—the ones who are most likely to get the calls that Reid is alluding to in his statement. By contrast, he has made 74 rushing attempts (1st among QB's).

Say what you want, but defenses have to respect Vick's prowess as a rusher or they will get beat.

Is Vick a quarterback, yes, but that doesn't mean he should be allowed to run-at-will or be given the same degree of latitude as Drew Brees or Tom Brady—he's viewed differently by defenses and he knows that.

Is that fair, no? But, how does he expect that to be corrected given his ability?

Here's what Vick had to say, "This has been happening for the last four or five weeks, and I haven't complained, I haven't said anything, but it's getting to a point where I'm getting tired of getting up off the canvas...the defense is going to continue to do it because it's not getting called."

We'll see if Reid's pleas end up meaning much for Vick on the football field but, from this chair, it just seems like there isn't much to be said or corrected. Vick's still a runner, defenses know that, and he's going to continue to be a target until he stops being so productive on the ground—period.

What say you?

*Based on quarterbacks who pass the ball at least 14 times per game (NFL.com)

Related articles

• Philadelphia Eagles coach Andy Reid bothered by late hits on Michael Vick (sports.espn.go.com)

Mike Ditka and Joe Paterno: "Lose The Masks, Lose The Hits, Lose The Injuries"...Any Questions

The solution offered by both, the former Chicago Bear, head coach Mike Ditka and current Penn State head coach, Joe Paterno seems insane on the surface because that's precisely what it is—insane!

The logic is sound enough: if you take away the armor that shields the defender from possible harm, then he will think twice about how he approaches his tackle. After all, in this day of big egos trying to make it in other avenues besides football (television, movies, and music), who wants a jacked up face or a misaligned set of teeth?

Well, most players in today's game aren't always thinking about the consequences of a hit, but rather the hit itself. They won't mind taking the risk, of slight pain or injury, if they feel it's going to be worth it in the end.

Even more, there are plenty of grudges in the NFL. There would be a section of guys who would just love to get a big lick on the quarterback that's always annoyed them or beat their team.

Think about it, how many guys would love to get a big hit on pretty boy, Tom Brady or endless pitchman, Peyton Manning? You think Ray Lewis would dismiss the opportunity to show Carson Palmer how he really feels?...Just putting that out there.

Removing the helmets might change the approach for some but, for others, it would present a challenge and make them more creative as far as how they could still get the hit without causing too much bodily harm to themselves. Either way, removing the face guard would do, relatively, little to curb the violent hitting behavior we see on the football field.
 
What say you?

Related articles

• Paterno: Lose Face Masks for Safety (blogs.wsj.com)
• Joe Paterno Mike Ditka Football Head Injury Solution-No Face Mask (nowpublic.com)