Mile-High Salute will reign over Dirty Bird

When the Minnesota Vtlcings were eliminated in the NFC championship game, Fox executives all began to stake their places on the ledge outside of their offices. The game that was a whole yeM in the making did not happen.

Then a miracle happened.

Dan Reeves, coach of the longtime pushover Atlanta Falcons, opened his mouth.

Had he not said anything, then maybe all the hub bub over his past would have gone away. But instead of declining to comment, Reeves sp9ke.

Spewing from his lips were words that made reporters salivate and the executives breath one huge sigh of relief. Reeves, in just one press conference, may have saved the Super Bowl.

offs while the Broncos were saluting their way to the Super Bowl.

Atlanta has been the overlooked team this season. They Me severely underrated. The team that no one picked to go to the playoffs now gets ready for its first Super Bowl.

Who can blame the critics, though? They don't even sell out their home games, for God's sake.

All that being said, the Falcons still Me a very talented squad. Starting at offense, the Falcons have talent in all positions.

Jamal Anderson is the beginning and ending of a very talented running game behind an offensive line built by Hall of Farner Art Shell.

Chris Chandler, the perfect quarterback for this club, is an underrated player, but when healthy is one of the better quarterbacks of the past three seasons. Controversy as well as hMd feelings accompany Reeves to the Super Bowl this time and Reeves felt PAUL MOSER Chandler played on a handthat every one should know.

In 1991 Reeves was on the other side of the ball, literally. He was the head coach of the Denver Broncos, a team that routinely got blasted at the big game.

He had an assistant coach, who in his mind had undermined him and had schemed for his job.

ful of teMnSbefore landing a permanent address in Atlanta. His wide receivers, Terrance Mathis and Tony Martin, Me speedy and talented, not to mention his tight end,O.J. Santiago, who is is the originator of the famous end-zone dance, the Dirty Bird.

SUPER BOWL XXXJ/1 Who's got C the ? ~DGE.

~KS

Elway is a first-ballot Hall of Farner, but Chandler has the hotter hand here. This one is way too close to call.

EDGE: EVEN

C1ffsNswE LINE/RuNNING BACKS

Davis and company have the experience and talent edge over Anderson's flock of Dirty Birds.

EDGE: DENVER

Mccaffery, Smith, and Sharpe enough said.

EDGE: DENVER lltflnJ,lswE1.iiiE/1.iiiEBACKERS

Romanowski is great, but Atlanta has just too many players on defense, namely Chuck Smith, Corneilius Bennet and Jessie Tuggle.

The assistant coach had reportedly told Reeves' best player at that time, John Elway, things that were said at a coaches meeting which were never meant to reach Elway.

On defense, the Falcons are talented up front and also in the secondary. For them to be effective against the Broncos, they will have to get great coverage from cornerbacks Ray Buchanan and Ronnie Bradford, considering Atlanta is probably going to go with an eight man front to stop Terrell Davis. Reeves, in tfiln, fired the assistant coach. The assistant coach that he fired, Mike Shanahan, is This brings us to the best team in the NFL. now on the other sidelines as the head coach of The Denver Broncos Me equally talented on Reeves' old team, the Denver Broncos. both sides of the ball with an emphasis on of-

About one season after he fired Shanahan, fense. Reeves was fired by management, because, in Reeves' point of view, of the tiff that Shanahan had caused between him and Elway. Reeves never forgave Shanahan for that, and Shanahan nevc.,rforgave Reeves either. Instant story.

Why Reeves chose to open up old wounds which otherwise could have been kept quiet for the most part, is unknown. RegMdless of the reason, their is a method to Reeves' madness.

Perhaps he wanted to get into Shanahan's head, or maybe he just wanted to stir up himself and his team.

The Falcons Me underdogs. If Reeves, the coaching veteran of the two, can look past this distraction, he can use it to his advantage.

Just something to think about in case you see the Dirty Bird being done following the Super Bowl.

That's something that very well may happen if the Broncos overlook the Falcons, who, only a yeM yeM ago, were 7-9 and out of the play-

Like Atlanta, the Denver offense functions at its best when Davis pounds the ball into an experienced offensive line. Davis is the MVP of the league and is probably one of the best players in the NFL.

John Elway finally got the Super Bowl monkey off of his back and should be good enough to win on Sunday, which will probably be his last game.

The defense is lead by Bill Romanowski, who raises his play in big games. Romanowski is the emotional leader of this talented bunch.

The Falcons will keep it a game, but get ready with your mile high salute while you watch this one.

Prediction, Denver 28-Atlanta 20

PaulMoseris a seniormajoringin English/ communication.Heis oneof Loquitur'ssports editors.HepickedGreenBayto wintheSuper Bowllastyear.

SicoNDARY

EDGE: ATLANTA

Buchanan leads an Atlanta bunch that is solid. They get a little bit of a nod over Steve Atwater and Denver's solid crew.

EDGE: ATLANTA

COACHING

I think that the decision to talk about the past may be a factor in the game. For all of the success that Shanahan has had, I still will go with the older Reeves as the better.

EDGE: ATLANTA

IEND ZONE CELEBRATION

In this case less is more. I still need a couple of years to get used to the Dirty Bird. I think you will see more Mile High Salutes anyway in the Super Bowl.

EDGE: DENVER

PiiiiiicTiiiN

The Atlanta Falcons are one of the best stories of the year in the NFL. They are dangerous to powerhouses, which they proved to the Vikings last week. The Denver Broncos, however, know what it takes to win a Super Bowl. Davis and Elway will shine in this one. I think the Broncos will win in a close game. Prediction: Denver 28, Atlanta 20.