NBC's Madden, Michaels are TV worth watching

Al Michaels might not have gotten his wish, but he certainly wasn't complaining.

In a conference call last week to set up NBC's telecast of the Super Bowl, the veteran play-by-play man jokingly wished for double overtime. Arizona and Pittsburgh didn't oblige, but they gave NBC the next best thing -- a nail-biter in which the Steelers had to rally for a last-second, 27-23 victory. And that was after the Cardinals had come back from a 13-point fourth-quarter deficit to take a three-point lead on Larry Fitzgerald's 64-yard touchdown catch with 2 minutes, 37 seconds to play.

Even when it appeared the Steelers might leave Raymond James Stadium in Tampa with a convincing victory, NBC deserved credit for the work it did on its first Super Bowl telecast since the 1998 season. The 11-year hiatus was a result of the network being out of the NFL business for several seasons before obtaining the Sunday night package starting with the 2006 season.

NBC's presentation of Sunday's game was, for the most part, solid from beginning to end. Michaels and analyst John Madden worked their third Super Bowl together -- their first two came at ABC -- and both broadcasters provided solid performances Sunday.

Michaels actually was beyond solid and continues to be, if not the best, one of the best announcers in the NFL. His greatest attribute might be his ability to handle play-by-play duties flawlessly and provide analysis at times.

A prime example came in the third quarter when Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner was ruled to have fumbled on a pass play. Michaels and Madden both noted that Warner had control of the ball as his arm was going forward. After a review of the play, referee Terry McAulay overturned the call.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say Madden's act has grown old at times, but he was sharp Sunday. He does have a tendency to overstate things -- a first-quarter completion by Ben Roethlisberger after the Steelers quarterback escaped pressure caused Madden to state "that's Ben Roethlisberger being Superman" -- but Madden also picked out some interesting points.

Madden noted on more than one occasion that while the Steelers safeties were playing deep in an attempt to shut down Fitzgerald and the Cardinals' deep passing game, this created room underneath for Arizona. It was especially true on Fitzgerald's long touchdown.

After the Steelers' James Harrison took an unnecessary-roughness penalty in the fourth quarter for punching a Cardinals player, Madden said: "James Harrison ought to be thrown out for that. I love the way he's playing but you don't punch a guy when he's down."

NBC also got a sharp performance from its production team. Santonio Holmes' 6-yard touchdown catch with 35 seconds left in the corner of the end zone was followed by several solid replays that showed he did get two feet down inbounds. This included one from NBC's super slo-mo device that increases the picture.

To NBC's credit it also kept the focus on football for most of the afternoon. Shots of Warner's wife, Brenda, in the stands and even Fitzgerald's famous father, Larry Sr., in the press box at Raymond James Stadium were kept to a minimum. At least until the fourth quarter.

About the only place NBC really dropped the ball came in the first half, when a few graphics were put up and taken down so quickly it was tough to digest them.

Judd Zulgad • jzulgad@startribune.com