Super Bowl XLV a Win-Win

Don't get me wrong, I want the Steelers to win the Super Bowl.

But it's rare in sports that you find true "win-wins", especially in championship games.

But I suppose that's what happens when you favorite pro team goes up against your college's current pro hero. Even if Rodgers was gone by the time I started school, most recent Cal grads will tell you -- Aaron Rodgers is our pro team. Despite being a Steeler fan, I've followed Aaron Rodgers every step of his career. Lamenting when the Niners passed on him and screaming at Bret Farvre to retire and finally give Rodgers his chance. The NFC means about as much to me as the American League, but once Rodgers took over in Green Bay, I finally had a reason to switch from CBS to FOX every now and again. I cringed when the Pack lost to the Cards last year on that freak interception in OT, as well as every other time Rodgers teammates left him out to dry. I think he's been the best QB in the league for a few years now, and I'm glad he finally has a team good enough for him to lead to the promised land.

I think all Cal grads would tell you the same thing I feel when I think about Rodgers -- pride. Pride in Cal. Pride in all things not USC. He's just "ours." And like I said, even if he was gone the year before we got there, he's still the most visible Cal presence in the NFL, and he unlike some (LONG BEACH POLY) he's proud of his alma mater...

And let's be real. Rodgers has been screwed. Screwed in '04 with the Rose Bowl. Screwed with falling so far in the draft. Screwed with the whole Brett Farve drama the year the Packers didn't want him back. And what did he do with it all? He stays at it. He keeps "doing work" as my friend Edd would say. He just wins. And that whole "cheri the angel -- save me a spot" thing? Freaking made me cry.

It's easy to be proud of a guy like that.

So that's what makes Super Bowl XLV so awesome. Steelers win, that's great. Seventh Heaven. Rodgers wins, that's great too. Oski Incarnate in the NFL ascends to the top of the NFL pyramid where all Cal grads know he truly belongs.

The Steelers won it two years ago and certainly have not accrued any kind of karma boost. Plus, as much as I hope Ben is turning his life around and working hard to become less of a d-bag, Rodgers wins the Gentleman test. Going away.

And the thing about the Steelers is -- I'm just glad they go this far. I'm glad they beat the Ravens and I'm damn glad they beat Rex Ryan and his loud mouth crew. I hate those two teams and would have hate to lose to them. But the Packers? I do not hate the Packers. So should the Steelers lose, it won't sting nearly as much as a loss to the Ravens or Jets would have. They won the AFC. Which is better than every other team I care about in the NFL.

This is gonna be an awesome game. The two marquee franchises in the NFL. League's best Defense against the world's hottest QB. I'm sure Eric and I will both have a lot to say in the weeks leading up to this game. And for once I'm glad there's a two week gap. More time to enjoy the hype surrounding this "Dream Matchup."

Go Beelers?