[alanmcorcoran]

Dan,

Best to not take any of it to heart. Part of the problem is that the Internet combines the worst of anonymity and publicity. People feel emboldened to take swipes they might not take, in say, a bar, but they feel compelled to defend themselves because everyone is watching. Add in that it's just text - no facial expressions or intonations to help determine if someone is angry or joking or maybe not all that quick, and you have a recipe for misunderstanding.

I find it's best to make your comment, tell your story or state your opinion and let it go. It generally doesn't accomplish much to fight for the last word or steadfastly argue one's point.

FWIW, I'm a casual, but not clueless, fan and, I will sheepishly admit I was rooting for the Steelers mostly because I did not want Kurt Warner to have yet another opportunity to credit prayer or Jesus for the win. I don't really have anything against the guy, and I kind of like his style of play, but the use of professional sports as a platform to prosyletize just bugs me. If one of these guys was handed the Lombardi trophy and said, "First off, I'd like to thank Allah for giving me the strength to prevail over the infidels..." well, all holy hell would break loose. As it was, I thought he and Larry Fitzgerald played a hell of a game and I felt a bit sorry for the Cardinals that they came so close to defying the conventional wisdom.