A year ago, the crew of the USS Port Royal had to be roused at 2 a.m. to catch the Super Bowl live via satellite in the Persian Gulf.

Conditions were decidedly more palatable yesterday with the ship docked safely in Pearl Harbor and the well-rested troops assembled in the mess decks for a close, thrilling game, a spread of chicken wings and pizza, and a very special guest — Carolina Panthers all-pro receiver Steve Smith.

"Yeah," laughed culinary specialist Nixon Galan, "this is a lot better."

Smith, who is here for the Pro Bowl, greeted the troops and signed autographs before the game, then settled in to watch the game on a large projection screen with the partisan Cardinals crowd.

"I like anything that's informational, and I really enjoyed hearing about living on the ship and all of the tasks the guys have," Smith said. "If I just watched this back at the hotel, I wouldn't be around people who can teach me about a different way of life."

Smith, who is among the NFL's most active players in reaching out to different communities — he recently donated $25,000 to help the Harding University High School band of Charlotte, N.C., attend President Obama's inauguration — said he was honored to spend time with the troops.

"Because of the conditions I grew up in, I've always understood how blessed I am, and I'm happy to be able to spend time with individuals who are responsible for protecting our lives."

Seaman Devin Franzen, a Miami Dolphins fan from Albuquerque, N.M., said his first encounter with an NFL player left him impressed.

"He's just like another one of the guys," Franzen said. "He asked us a lot of questions about our jobs, what life is like at sea, and what it's like to live in other countries. He's just really down to earth."

Smith said he wasn't rooting for either team, but he wasn't shy about entering the fray when the room rocked with highly vocal debate over close game calls.

Late in the second quarter, when the Steelers' James Harrison intercepted a Kurt Warner pass in the end zone and returned it a record 100 yards for a touchdown, tumbling over Larry Fitzgerald to get into the end zone, the assembled Navy personnel leaned in for a better view of the replays.

"His knee was down," shouted incredulous assistant petty officer Jeremy Homesley. "No touchdown!"

"His knee was on Fitzgerald and his head was on the paint," Smith retorted.

"No way! He's down."

"That's a touchdown, play," Smith cackled. "You lost."

Homesley, 27, did correctly promise that the Cardinals would come back in the second half, but his predicted score — Cardinals 30, Steelers 20 — didn't survive the final dramatic moments of the game.

Still, Homesley was pleased with his new NFL acquaintance.

"He's an awesome guy," Homesley said. "Very nice."

Outnumbered by Cardinals fans, operations specialist Brittany Lynch, 19, called her family at home in Pittsburgh at halftime to share in their excitement, and to brag a bit about with whom she and her colleagues were sharing the afternoon.

"It's exciting sitting there with someone who actually plays," Lynch said. "I only watch Steelers games, so I didn't even know who he was. But he's awesome."