NFL Super Bowl XLIII: Pittsburgh Steelers Champions (Amazon Exclusive) [Blu-ray]
Starring: Mike Tomlin, Santonio Holmes, Ben Roethlisberger, James HarrisonDVD Release: March 3rd 2009
Buy DVD:
DVD Review
On February 1, 2009, the Pittsburgh Steelers became the first franchise in NFL history to win their sixth Super Bowl. The title was the Steelers second in four seasons. It was the first under second-year head coach Mike Tomlin. Led by a defense that ranked first in yards allowed per game (237.2), passing yards allowed per game (156.9), points allowed per game (13.9) and second in rushing yards allowed per game (80.3), the Steelers finished the regular season 12-4 to win the AFC North Division title. After defeating San Diego and Baltimore in the AFC playoffs, Pittsburgh culminated its championship run with a victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. Relive all the thrilling moments of the 2008 Steelers, from Opening Day right through Super Bowl XLIII. NFL Films tells their story with action highlights and exclusive sideline and locker room sound from Pittsburgh?s record-setting season. Blu-ray bonus content includes, HD Gamecast ? 4TH Quarter of 2008 Week 14 vs. Cowboys: Just as it sounds, the Fox broadcast of the 4th quarter is presented in HD without commercial interruption.
User Reviews
Great but disappointed - Rating: 4/5
Love the product but was sad that the whole game isn't on this CD. Would love to find the whole game, but will have to wait and keep looking.
Apparently not compiled by someone who followed the Steelers season - Rating: 3/5
While I love anything to do with the Steelers coming out on DVD (OK, maybe not the oft-delayed "Steelers: The Mark Malone Years"), this disc just doesn't measure up to the 2005-2006 disc in terms of drama. The entire 16 game season is covered in a half an hour, with remarkable comebacks and potentially devastating injuries (Ben dying on field in the Cleveland game, for instance) glossed over in order to quickly get to the playoffs and Super Bowl. It looks and sounds fantastic (especially the Blu-ray, which also has the 4th quarter of the Dallas game), but it really does seem like Dwight "Hands Of" Stone was given this to edit together (a lot of no-brainers left on the cutting-room floor). As many others have said, the 4-game Road To XLIII comes out June 2nd, featuring the 13-9 Baltimore nail biter along with the 3 playoff games, so for those of you saying, "Yinz guyz jipped me," I hope you have a spare $40-$50 ready for that.
A must for any Steelers fan. - Rating: 5/5
This is a must purchase for any Steelers fan.
It's important to know that this is not the actual Superbowl, but rather the highlights of the Steelers journey there, ending up with that historic Superbowl win.
If you're a fan, it's a great treat to relive the fantastic season capped off with one of the greatest catches in the history of the game.
The Blu-Ray looks awesome, and is a visible difference over the standard definition version.
The extras are:
The entire 4th quarter (in HD) of the Cowboys/Steelers week 14 game.
Post-game Superbowl highlights
Media day highlights
Willie Parker profile
Ben Roethlisberger: Captain Comeback
Mike Tomlin profile
Dick Lebeau profile
Steelers defense
Steelers nation
Great to relive the past season - Rating: 5/5
I love the picture and the extras on this BR disk I only wish it had the last quarter of the super bowl instead of the Cowboys game, still even having that great ending ROCKs.
5 Stars for the Steelers - 3 Stars for the DVD - Rating: 4/5
As a long-time Steelers fan, this DVD was a must buy and I'm happy I did it. Superbowl XLIII is a game I could watch over and over to see the great plays both by the Steelers like Harrison's record interception+return and Santonio Holmes' spectacular series of catches on the last offensive drive, as well as the great almost-comback by the Cardinals, a team that got no respect during the regular season and had to earn it the hard way in the postseason.
My problem with the DVD is that unlike many of the NFL's productions this one has no heart, no stortelling, no reason to care, presented in the program. This DVD gives you a striaght-up prestantion of the games with all the wit and charm of a statistician. If you want to see great sports storytelling and human drama played out on the gridiron, check out the NFL Super Bowl XL - Pittsburgh Steelers Championship DVD. It starts off just right with the emotionally honest speech by Hines Ward regarding the possible retirement of Jerome Bettis. Great stuff. The closest this program gets is the exchange between Ward and Limas Sweed on the sidelines - good stuff but there were MANY great storylines that are completely ignored.
Here's jsut a few that jump to mind!
The injury to longtime backup Charlie Batch that led to Byron Leftwich stepping up to help play strong.
The emphasis on discipline in training camp that got Casey "Big Snack" Hampton some press before the season started.
The long road and perseverance of James Harrison who made Defensive player of the Year (a fact BARELY mentioned on the DVD).
Hines Ward's drive to play in the Superbowl despite a knee injury two weeks earlier against Baltimore.
Oh, and lets not forget the faceoff between Mike Tomlin and Ken Wisenhunt/Russ Grimm after they all vied for the headcoaching gig in Pittsburgh two years prior.
Any or all of those would have been great to hear about but we got next to nothing on the main program, just scattered in the bonus material or completely ignored.
Griping aside, the production is nicely done and the inclusion of the 4th quarter of the Dallas game is a nice touch - but even then they cut it too short and left out the bone chilling battle cry by Nate Washington shortly after an ankle injury, a moment I was dying to see again! I hope NFL films has a few other productions planned to give this season its due.
