Let me make this point first: I really wasn’t taking much of an interest in this year’s Super Bowl.

Honestly, I was more excited for the commercials and -- to a much lesser extent -- the halftime show. Yes, the game between Seattle and Pittsburgh, a couple of relatively boring teams, did not seem to be much of a show-stopper.

The 2006 version of America’s most-hyped sporting event didn’t have any John Elways, Brett Favres or Tom Bradys. There was no America’s Team or regional interest for us here in the upper Midwest to pay close attention to.

There was no villain to root against, like Deion Sanders, Terrell Owens, or Ray Lewis. It’s safe to say this year’s Super Bowl really wasn’t a sexy match-up.

So as the clock moved ever closer to kickoff (finally after about 12 hours of pre-game madness), I wasn’t planning on rooting for either squad.

That all changed about 45 minutes into the game, when with just under five minutes on the clock in a scoreless first quarter, Seattle’s Darrell Jackson was called for pass interference on what would have been a Seahawk touchdown.

The problem with the call? Jackson’s "penalty" shouldn’t have been whistled in a flag football game. It was a phantom foul and would have been a no-call 90 percent of the time.

This was only the beginning of what was easily the worst officiated Super Bowl of all time. The only things worse than the refs in Sunday’s spectacle were the commercials -- and that could be debatable (honestly, the Hummer and Burger King spots had to be two of the worst creations in advertising history).

Besides the fact that the ratio of holding penalties --a foul that could legitimately be called on every play in the NFL -- was called on Seattle four times and, amazingly, never called on Pittsburgh.

In fact, after two false start penalties on Pittsburgh during its first drive of the game, the Steelers were called for only one penalty the rest of the game. It was so ridiculous that about the time when Ben Rothlisberger’s quarterback sneak was incorrectly called a touchdown just before halftime, I turned into about the biggest Seahawks fan east of Steve Largent.

After I saw the replay of that phantom touchdown, I was rooting for Seattle so hard that I felt like drinking extra foamy lattes and looking for a sasquatch. Where’s a Starbucks when you need one in this town?

After Pittsburgh took a 7-3 lead into halftime, the two teams traded touchdowns until Seattle found itself starting a drive at its own two-yard line with just under 10 minutes to play in the third quarter.

Ten plays later, Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselback completed a pass to tight end Jerramy Stevens for a first-and-goal at the Steelers’ one. But wait, the play was called back because of a hold on Seattle.

Before rushing to any conclusions, I wanted to see the replay. After seeing it in slow motion twice (and hearing John Madden agree that the call was bogus), I wanted to write a letter to the commissioner. I’ve seen more blatant holds at junior high dances.

Wouldn’t you know that two plays later, Pittsburgh intercepted a pass and scored a touchdown -- in effect, sealing the game -- on the ensuing drive? I don’t care what anybody says, what happened in Detroit on Sunday was truly an injustice.

Some things you just know aren’t right (the new bill to limit financial aid, Mick Jagger’s dancing and most of Ben Affleck’s movies are a few others that come to mind).

Am I saying that the NFL was conspiring to hand the game to Pittsburgh? No, I won’t go that far because I have no evidence.

What I will say is that the officials certainly went against Seattle on every controversial call. Call me a conspiracy theorist (it wouldn’t be the first time), but those calls made me think about some things.

At its best, Super Bowl XL was the most controversially officiated championship game in a long time, maybe ever.

My guess is Mike Holmgren will be "Sleepless in Seattle" possibly for weeks to come. In my opinion, he has every right to be.