I'll hand it to Arizona fans -- they have handled the gut-wrenching loss with dignity.  This website's inbox, at least, received more emails from rational Cardinal supporters than irrational.  Most of Cardinals nation is disappoined and sullen for the outcome, yet grateful for their team's overall ascention.  Congratulations Arizona, you have represented.

Unlike some Seahawks faithful, who still whine about an offensive pass interference call in the first half of Super Bowl XL; the Cardinals supporters recognize they did not play well enough to win.  Missed opportunities, misexecution -- they had their chances but ultimately lost to the better team.  By the closest of margins, of course.

Here's what our friends at Shutdown Corner had to say about the officiating.   

What does WeTheSportsPeople staff think about the specific calls?  Here are the bullet points:

One - The first tricky point of the game was the Roethlisberger - endzone replay, after which officials overturned the ruling on the field.  It was close, and #7 was probably short of the line, but was there conclusive evidence?  Cardinals got the benefit here.

Two - The first Kurt Warner forward pass replay.  This one was fairly clear, and it the Cardinals won this call too.

Three - Holding calls.  While both teams were flagged for their share of holding violations, Arizona's Gandy could have been flagged for half a dozen more.  James Harrison and Lamar Woodley were virtually unblockable.  On an important 4th quarter pass play and converted first down catch by Steve Breaston, you can clearly see Woodley's #56 Jersey becoming disfigured in the hands of the out-of-position Right Tackle.  Amazingly enough, the Cardinals continued to use just one blocker on these beastly linebackers.  Often using James and Hightower for receiving threats in the flat, they left the O-Lineman overmatched.  Memo to Carindals fans who think they got flagged too many times -- if you double-teamed the defensive player of the year, you might not have to hold so much.

And don't forget the most important holding call -- Justin Hartwig's holding in the endzone.  It was iffy at best, and it changed Pittsburgh's near-game icing pass play into a safety/turnover.  If they don't throw that flag -- and they probably should not have -- the Steelers have the ball at the twenty five and need one more first down to kill the clock for good.  There isn't any time for Fitzgerald's second TD, let alone a possible Warner Hail Mary.    

Four - Roughing Big Ben.  A borderline call, one that probably should not have been called.  Arizona got snubbed on this one.

Five - Running into the holder by Adrian Wilson.  Just a dumb, dumb play that warranted the call.  It looks ticky tack, because the ball was already through the uprights, but Wilson put the official in a bad spot -- you just can't run over the holder after the play.

Six - Warner's second forward pass call.  While the first one was a likely forward pass, this one leaned fumble.  Woodley made contact with the ball early in the backwards arm motion, and The football was moving when Warner went to release.  Could have gone either way, but it leaned fumble, and there was certainly no clear evidence to overturn the ruling on the field.

So congrats to the Cardinals on a fantastic performance in a close loss; and congrats to the Cardinals fans for not being like Seahawk fans.