Hasselbeck relates a story from his younger brother, Tim, a backup quarterback for the Giants: "Tim was in there watching film with (center) Shaun O'Hara of some team going against us, and O'Hara says, 'Gosh, I don't know what's more demoralizing -- being the guy getting ready to go up against Walter Jones, or being a tackle watching him on film and knowing you'll never be that good."

It helps that the man who lines up next to Jones is exceptionally good as well. Hutchinson, nicknamed "Caveman" for both his gruff demeanor and preponderance of back hair, is strong, astute and surly. "[Steve's] actually a brilliant guy," Hasselbeck says of the Pro Bowl left guard. "He can do a crossword puzzle in like 10 minutes. And when it's late in the game and we're trying to run out the clock, he's three downs ahead of everyone -- he does the math in his head and lets us know whether we need a first down or if we should just take a knee."

Off the field, Hutchinson likes to let his teammates know how imperfect his world is. "If he isn't bitching," Dilfer says, "he isn't breathing."

Asked to provide an example, Dilfer replied, "It can be anything. Hey, you never call me back. I had to leave like 20 messages. But Steve, that was my old phone number. 'You never gave me the new one. Yeah I did. Well I didn't have it in my phone. I hate these phones. They're impossible to program..."

It's no wonder that Dilfer describes the linemen as "grumpy old men." And the crustiest and most vocal of them all is Tobeck, a 12th-year veteran known alternately as "Morganna" (as in the Kissing Bandit, because of his top-heavy physique) and "Hobbit" (he's generously listed as 6-foot-4, 297 pounds, but linemates view him as short and squat). "I couldn't imagine going to practice without hearing Tobeck's voice," rookie middle linebacker Lofa Tatupu says of the Pro Bowl alternate. "It just brightens up your day. The man is non-stop."

Gray, who played for Don Shula -- really -- is a 12th-year veteran who serves as the line's resident worry-wart. "He'll bring up every scenario," Hasselbeck says. "In our gameplan meetings he'll say, 'What if they do this?' I'll say, 'Chris, they've never shown that.' And he'll say, 'Well, what if they do? What will we do then?' We'll roll our eyes, and then in the game it'll come true."

With two weeks to prepare for the biggest game of their careers, you can bet the Seattle linemen are studying every wrinkle the Steelers' varied defensive schemes have featured. That alone won't guarantee success -- it's one thing to know exactly what Joey Porter or Troy Polamalu are going to do, but keeping them from doing it is another matter. Rest assured, however, that the Seahawks' most important players are sufficiently motivated.

"We've been together so long, and the last couple of years we tasted success," Jones said as we finished our lunch last Saturday. "Two years in a row, our playoff games came down to the last play, and both times, just like that, our season was over."

Sort of like when a car comes to a dead stop in the middle of the road? Oh, never mind.

What I said to Hasselbeck in the locker room after the NFC Championship Game

...and what I say to the athletes I cover and any readers who happen to pay attention to this stuff: What does my prediction -- or anyone else's for that matter -- have to do with winning or losing a football game?

When I'm asked to pick a game, I do so based on what I consider to be reasonably sound logic and with absolutely no passion. Being right doesn't mean that much to me, and I have good (and sometimes not-so-good) relationships with players and coaches on both teams. I'm a journalist, not a psychic, and I care a lot more about telling you what happened, and how, than how I think the stars will align. Finally, just for the record: I respect both the Steelers and the Seahawks. Sock it to me.

What if he had Stayed?

It's tough to believe that anyone could have stopped Vince Young in the Rose Bowl, but as Lofa Tatupu watched the final moments of that game at Seahawks teammate and Texas alum Marcus Tubbs's house, Tatupu allowed himself to wonder what might have been. Tatupu, the middle linebacker who left USC after his junior season and became an instant star in Seattle, wished he could've had a crack at Young on the game's pivotal play.

"I wanted to be out there every play," Tatupu says. "I wanted to be out there with my guys. The worst part is that I lost a bet with Marcus, and I had to wear UT gear all week, including this hideous, burnt orange jumpsuit."