What the Raiders can learn from SB XLI

Super Bowl XLI is now complete. The Indianapolis Colts are World Champions. That certainly doesn’t have the same vile taste that it would if it began with “Denver Broncos” or “Kansas City Chiefs”. It’s not football nirvana for Raiders fans, but it’s something I can live with.

Tony Dungy got screwed in Tampa, although I don’t think the Bucs win Super Bowl XXXVI if Dungy is at the helm. The whole Jon Gruden angle is what put the Bucs over the top in that game. Gruden’s players actually won that game for Chuckie. It certainly wasn’t Brad Johnson. It was Dungy’s defense.

So now, Tony D. has a ring to call his very own. He deserved it. The Colts were the better team. Certainly better than the Bears defense. Much-maligned Bears quarterback Rex Grossman will be eaten alive over the next few days, but if you dissect this game, Grossman was no worse than a defense that couldn’t stop Joseph Addai or Dominic Rhodes.

The two Colts backs shredded the Bears for 190 rushing yards and a TD. The 247 yards of passing wasn’t vintage Manning, but it didn’t need to be. Chicago expected to face a passing barrage from the Colts, but they failed to compensate for the early warnings. Namely, the weather.

The 40% chance of rain turned into a monsoon in South Florida, but the Bears never adjusted for a rushing attack that few thought would be a problem for the Bears defense. Least of all, the Bears defense themselves.

The weather also turned what should have been a showcase of the best two teams in the NFL into a game of “he who makes the fewest mistakes, wins” game. The Super Bowl shouldn’t be decided by the elements, but this one had 6 fumbles that were rain induced. It’s too bad, because we’ll never know what could have been had this game been played in on a dry field. If Al Davis had gotten his wish, today's game would have been played at teh Coliseum. Sunny skies and mid 60's in Oakland sure looked more inviting than the rain drenched Miami marshlands.

Manning can now forever shed the underachiever tag that has haunted his career, and the Colts defense can take solace in the fact that they stepped up in the only game that mattered.

What was the most evident today is the fact that championship franchises in today’s NFL have a few things in common:

• They don’t have problem players on their rosters
• Their coaches are sensible, level headed leaders who have the flexibility to lead
• They have quarterbacks that can carry a team
• They have players who step up when it counts
• They don't need an all-star laden roster to be great

I hope the Raiders brass takes this to heart as they take steps to build the franchise back to the prominence that made it great. Distractions have been far too commonplace in Oakland, so it's time to get to work.

Every team is tied starting tomorrow. Don't expect the Raiders to be a pre-season favorite to appear in SB XLII, but they should be working to move forward. It's time to mimic the two teams that played today in so many ways.

They’ll get to take notes while in the presence of greatness as early as next season, as they’ll square off against both Super Bowl participants in the regular season.