Memories of My Favorite Super Bowl Game: Super Bowl XXXIV

Around this time every year, I am bombarded with the same questions. "Who's going to win the Super Bowl?" "What was your favorite Super Bowl game?" I often hedge on the first question, since I don't want to go down in the books as a loser. However, I do answer the second question without hesitation. The game permanently etched in my mind is Super Bowl XXXIV. On January 30, 2000 the St. Louis Rams carried the Vince Lombardi Trophy out of the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The Rams outlasted the Tennessee Titans, 23-16, in a hard-fought match for the NFL Championship.

I cannot remember two more unlikely opponents to meet for a championship game. The Rams came to St. Louis from the left coast in 1995 and soon became the laughing stock of local professional teams. Four straight losing seasons meant you could not even give tickets away. The Titans, formerly the Houston Oilers and Tennessee Oilers, played mainly .500 ball during the same time frame.

The 1999 version of the Rams brought St. Louis fans whooping and hollering to their feet. Future Hall of Famer, Marshall Faulk, joined the team. An underrated defense gelled. A second-string quarterback, Kurt Warner, an Arena Football star without an NFL start, began slinging the pigskin around putting points on the board that wowed the fans. Legendary coach Dick Vermiel had his team in place and football in St. Louis was dubbed "The Greatest Show on Turf" by the national sports media. The Rams finished 13-3 in regular season play.

Although Warner and "The Greatest Show on Turf" offense dominated, St. Louis only posted three field goals on the board by halftime. St. Louis added a touchdown to go ahead 16-0, however Tennessee chipped away and just before the two minute warning knotted it up at 16 apiece.

St. Louis struck back within less than 30 seconds with Warner completing a pass to Isaac Bruce that covered 73 yards for the go-ahead TD.

Tennessee, undaunted and determined, fought back, driving down the field to the 10 yard line with 6 seconds remaining on the clock. Titans quarterback, Steve McNair completed a pass to Kevin Dyson, who raced towards the end zone and a certain touchdown. Rams linebacker, Mike Jones, caught up with Dyson and made the game saving tackle stopping him one yard short as time ran out.

The game stands out in my mind not because the home team won, but because two determined teams took the game to the very last play.