MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / Febuary 3, 1999

Could Super Bowl XXXIII be as Yogi Berra once said “Deja vu all over again.”Flash back to the NBA Finals last summer. Michael Jordan sinks a jumpshot to give the Chicago Bulls their third straight world championship and sixth in eight years. Less than a year later, the Finals MVP announces hisretirement.

Back to Miami this weekend. Elway passes for 336 yards and a touchdownand runs for another to help the Denver Broncos win their second straight Super Bowl with a 34-19 win over Atlanta. Now the question is whetherthe Super Bowl MVP will follow Jordan into retirement.

Elway probably could not pick a better time to call it a career. Super BowlXXXIII may have been the finest moment of a 16-year career that has seen many fine moments. This year’s victory helped put to rest thedisappointments of the three Super Bowl losses early in his career.

Yes, Elway received his first ring last year and his teammates said it was done for him but it really was the Terrell Davis show. This year thespotlight shone brightly on Elway in what could be the twilight of his career.

With the Broncos nursing a 10-3 lead after Morten Andersen missed a 26- yard field goal with 4:54 left in the second quarter, Elway came up with another of those clutch throws he has done so often in career.

With eight Falcons up at the line determined to stop Davis, Elway called for a play action pass, faked to Davis, rolled to his right and threw deep for Rod Smith. The throw was right on the money to Smith who had beatenEugene Robinson over the middle. Smith took it the rest of the way tocomplete the 80-yard scoring strike, putting the Broncos ahead 17-3.

Elway had more than his share of help in the game. Davis, despite beingkeyed on by the Falcons’ defense, set an NFL record with his seventh straight 100-yard game in the postseason, rushing for 102 yards on 25 carries.

With the Falcons focusing on Davis near the goal line, fullback Howard Griffith scored twice from the 1-yard line. Smith had 152 yards on fivecatches. The offensive line gave Elway all the time he needed and did notallow a sack.

On defense, the Broncos did not allow the Falcons to score an offensive touchdown until late in the game. Darrien Gordon picked off two passes inDenver territory with the Broncos clinging to a 17-6 lead in the second half, returning them a Super Bowl record 102 yards to set up two touchdowns.

The Falcons also contributed, scoring a total of six points in their first six trips inside Denver territory.

The last Denver touchdown was vintage Elway, a 3-yard sneak up the middle. The run was typical of a competitor who struggled as one of themost touted rookies in NFL history and came back to lead the Broncos to five Super Bowls. A competitor who led his team on a 98-yard march inthe closing minutes to win the 1987 AFC Championship game. Acompetitor who led his teams to win after win after trailing in the fourth quarter.

It was never wise to count Elway out any time during his career. Healways had one last comeback in him. He may decide to come back nextyear to try to win a third-straight Super Bowl. But if retires now, Elway,like Jordan, can go out not only as a winner but as a champion.

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