Last Day for the Rocky

With today's edition, the Rocky Mountain News in Denver ceases publication.

The newspaper was closed by Scripps after the company lost $16 million in 2008 and was unsuccessful in finding a buyer. "Rocky silenced 55 days short of 150th birthday," the newspaper said on its front page. In a commemorative wrap, the newspaper bid "Goodbye to Colorado" in a note framed by an image of the Rocky's first edition in 1859. The Rocky's Web site features a collection of front pages.

The closure leaves Denver with one newspaper, The Post, which devoted three-quarters of today's front page to the "sudden end to a good friend." In 2001, the Rocky and the Post joined forces in a joint operating agreement.

In writing its obituary, the Rocky described its past: "The Rocky was founded in 1859 by William Byers, one of the most influential figures in Colorado history. Scripps bought the paper in 1926 and immediately began a newspaper war with The Post. That fight ebbed and flowed over the course of the rest of the 20th century, culminating in penny-a-day subscriptions in the late '90s. Perhaps the most critical step for the Rocky occurred in 1942, when then-Editor Jack Foster saved it by adopting the tabloid style it has been known for ever since. Readers loved the change, and circulation took off."

But the Rocky's editor, John Temple, wrote today about current circulation and advertising challenges and "Why Denver can't support two newspapers."

In its goodbye note, the Rocky looked back at its history and ahead to the unknown future of news: "To have reached this day, the final edition of the Rocky Mountain News, just 55 days shy of its 150th birthday is painful. We will scatter. And all that will be left are the stories we have told, captured on microfilm or in digital archives, devices unimaginable in those first days."

Nothing but The Truth

The RV capital of the country, Elkhart, Ind., got a visit from Barack Obama on Monday, as the president pushed for passage of an economic stimulus package. "Who was that guy with Obama?" asked the city's daily newspaper, The Truth. It was Ed Neufeldt, a 62-year-0ld laid-off RV worker chosen to introduce the president during an appearance before 2,000 people at a high school.

Neufeldt believed he was chosen to do the introduction because he earlier was featured on ABC News doing volunteer work at his church.

From the small city with double-digit unemployment, Neufeldt said he hoped the attention from Obama's visit would help his fellow unemployed get back to work.

In the quote of the day, Neufeldt told the newspaper: "It's a new world for me. I feel like Joe the Plumber, except I'm Ed the Unemployed."

An extra edition was published by the The Truth on Monday and included in Tuesday's newspaper.

Six Wins, Seventh Heaven

With Sunday's win over the Cardinals, the Pittsburgh Steelers claimed their sixth Super Bowl victory. "A championship is the Pittsburgh version of seventh heaven," Robert Dvorchak wrote in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

The Post-Gazette labeled the team "Lord of the Rings" and summed up the thrilling game with "Harrison's immaculate interception, Holmes' dramatic reception seal Steelers sixth Super Bowl victory, 27-23." Receiver Santonio Holmes, named the game's most valuable player, was pictured the width of the page with arms wide.

The Arizona Republic was all about "Heartbreak" and a "Stinging end to a profound season." Dan Bickley began his front-page column, "In the NFL, they say that nobody remembers who loses the Super Bowl." But in a reference to inside content, the front page said, "Game will be remembered as a classic." "Cardinals nearly win first Super Bowl, then see it snatched away."

Eye on the (Foot) Ball

For the few who weren't tied to their televisions, news Web sites provided top Super Bowl headlines from quarter to quarter:

7:24 p.m.: USA TODAY: "Steelers taking early command."

7:33: The Arizona Republic: "Cards strike back; close lead in second quarter."

7:53 p.m. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Steelers 10 Cardinals 7. Second quarter in progress."

8 p.m.: The Tampa Tribune: "Cardinals go to their strength to close gap."

8:01 p.m.: The New York Post: "Jennifer Hudson returned to the spotlight ... with a flawless performance of the national anthem ..."

8:28 p.m.: USA TODAY: "'The Boss' lights up the Super Bowl."

8:59 p.m.: The Arizona Republic: "Cards' first drive of second half stalls."

9:02 p.m.: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: "Steelers fans get rowdy after late first-half TD."

9:05 p.m. Los Angeles Times: "Arizona: 7 Pittsburgh: 20."

9:18 p.m.: The New York Times: "Ads That Pushed Our Usual (Well-Worn) Buttons/Few commercials that ran during Super Bowl XLIII offered anything special."

9:28 p.m.: The Arizona Republic: "Fitzgerald touchdown gives Cardinals some hope."

9:50 p.m.: The Arizona Republic: "Cardinals lead on Fitzgerald touchdown."

9:52 p.m.: The New York Times: "Cardinals 23, Steelers 20/In the final minutes of the fourth quarter, the momentum has shifted to Arizona."

9:57 p.m.: The Tampa Tribune: "Fitzgerald's Leap Breathes New Life into Cardinals."

10:01 p.m.: The Tampa Tribune: "Fitzgerald's 2 TDs Thrust Cardinals Into Remarkable Lead."

10:02 p.m.: The Arizona Republic: "Tampa shocker: Cardinals storm back."

10:09: The Washington Post: "Steelers Lead Cardinals, 27-23."

10:10 p.m.: The Arizona Republic: "Miracle season ends inches from title." It added: "The Cards lose a nailbiter in Tampa."

10:12: The New York Times: "Steelers 27, Cardinals 23."

10:14: The Tampa Tribune: "Amazing: Holmes Catch Regains Lead for Steelers."

10:15 p.m.: The New York Times: "Steelers Win Super Bowl."

10:17 p.m.: The Washington Post: "Steelers Capture Super Bowl Over Cardinals."

10:18 p.m. USA TODAY Sports home page: "Steelers Rally to defeat the Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII."

10:19 p.m.: USA TODAY: "Curtains for Cards: Steelers win thriller."

10:23 p.m.: Post-Gazette: "Steelers 27 Cardinals 23/Late drive wins sixth Super Bowl."