US Sport story by Carl Anders, Mon, 06 Feb 2006 20:36:00 GMT


Pittsburgh Steelers overcame a stiff challenge from Seattle Seahawks to clinch the Super Bowl XL 21-10. Willie Parker set a record with a 75-yard run to push the Steelers to a 14-3 lead just into the third quarter.

Parker's run bettered the 74-yard run scored in the Super Bowl XVIII for the Los Angeles Raiders by Marcus Allen. The star of the evening was undoubtedly wide receiver Hines Ward who caught a long pass from Antwaan Randle El to clinch the title for the Steelers. It was a disappointment for Seattle's Mike Holmgren, who was aiming to become the first coach to win the Super Bowl with two different teams. He had won it in 1996 when he was with the Green Bay Packers.

But it was his counterpart Bill Cowher, who was smiling in his 14th season at Pittsburgh. "This may not hit me for a couple of days," said Cowher of what was the Steelers first Super Bowl win since January 1980.

Ben Roethlisberger became the youngest starting quarterback at 23 years and 11 months to win the Super Bowl. "I couldn't get it done throwing the ball today for whatever reason. But we got the win, and that's all that matters.

Boy, it feels so good," he said after the game. And someone else who definitely felt good was Hines Ward who won the Super Bowl Most Valuable Player trophy after scoring the game-winning touchdown, "I was so nervous, that it didn't really hit me until late in the second quarter, 'Man, I'm playing in the Super Bowl,' " he said after the game. "I woke up like five times last night, got out of bed about 5:30 a.m. I had nerves so bad, I was trying to do too much with plays I could make in my sleep."

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