Super Bowl XXV 25th anniversary

Back on Wednesday January 27 marked the 25th anniversary of the 25th Super Bowl. The 1-point victory by the Giants was the smallest ever in a Super Bowl. It could've been a 2-point victory by the Bills had Scott Norwood's kick at the end of the game split the uprights and not gone "wide right."

There's never been a Super Bowl that featured 2 teams contrasting from each other so much, especially on the offensive side where the Bills had the no-huddle while the Giants preferred ball control and commanding the clock. The Giants did get it their way, setting a Super Bowl record for time of possession.

It was the last game for Bill Parcells as head coach of the Giants and also the last for Bill Belichick as their defensive coordinator. The Bills would make the next 3 Super Bowls. They lost those as well, but they were underdogs in games that would turn out much worse than Super Bowl XXV which showed that first time was their best chance as they shouldn't have been laid back in preparing for it.

In the next century, which we're now in, Belichick produced a dynasty as head coach of the Patriots, a team in the Bills' division. The Bills are the only team at this time to have yet earn a playoff berth in this century.

As competitive as Super Bowl XXV turned out to be, probably more memorable was the dedication to the troops in the Persian Gulf, the spirit most manifested in Whitney Houston's unforgettable rendition of the national anthem. To my recollection, at halftime ABC went back to N.Y. to get a war update from Peter Jennings. Then they showed taped highlights of the halftime show, which featured children singing "Wind Beneath My Wings" in dedication to the troops - this was a change in plan so if you've heard or read New Kids on the Block did the halftime that looks to be incorrect.

Super Bowl XXV was known as the silver anniversary Super Bowl. After that, I looked forward to the golden anniversary one which is coming up in just a matter of hours! Super Bowl XXV is actually closer to the first Super Bowl than the 50th (24 years vs 25). Maybe it's something like continued concern over Iraq or whatever it is but Super Bowl XXV sure feels like yesterday.