Political Football

I'm not a Patriots fan but this one time it doesn't bother me much that they won. Why? Well, this article pretty well sums it up. Even though I avoided most media in the week leading up to the Super Bowl I was still aware that various sports personalities criticizing Brady and the rest for having ties to Trump. I find this despicable. I still don't like Brady or the Patriots but he made all the right people angry, and that's something.

Super Bowl Thoughts

A few thoughts on the Super Bowl:

-I'm not sure which annoys me more, Marshawn Lynch or his defenders. The job of an NFL player entails more than just playing football on Sunday. Lynch doesn't like talking to the media? Cool. I hate giving presentations, but when my boss tells me I need to give a presentation I do it because it's part of my job and I'm a professional. Lynch needs to grow up instead of being a petulant child.

-I've yet to see anyone who complains that players shouldn't have to talk to the media provide a coherent explanation of exactly how that would work.

-I also can't help but roll my eyes at the hypocrisy of the people whining about the media and the NFL while voraciously consuming every bit of news about the game. Get over yourselves.

-No strong feelings about who will win this one. If I had to pick I'd probably go with the Seahawks but I could easily see it going the other way. Either outcome is going to make for ridiculous commentary on Monday so I'm basically rooting for casualties.

Super Bets

This is a great story. Chris Pratt (Star-Lord) and Chris Evans (Captain America) have placed a bet on the Super Bowl. The loser appears in costume at a children's hospital in the opposite city. There's nothing not to like about it.

A Thought on Officiating

I saw something earlier this week that made me stop and think for a moment, though unfortunately now I can't remember where it was and give proper credit. Anyway, responding to the usual comments about letting "the players decide the game" it was noted that apparently the Super Bowl is so important that we can't afford not to let the players cheat. That's certainly a different take than we usually hear, but I think I agree. If the rules are important enough to put in place then they're important enough to count in every game. Why should pass interference (offensive or defensive) be okay just because it's the Super Bowl?

Legacy

There's been a lot of discussion the past week on Peyton Manning's "legacy" and what it will look like after Sunday's game. I'll leave it to others to talk (endlessly) about his playoff wins, his Super Bowl record, his TD records, etc. What I think is more notable is Manning's presence in pop culture and how much he's become synonymous with the word quarterback. How he plays the game seems almost more important than his actual stats. Whenever he retires he might not be the greatest quarterback ever, but he will be the quarterback.

Cold Weather Super Bowl

For those that think playing the Super Bowl at a cold weather site will be home field advantage for a team, I'm done hearing it. I love the idea. I actually thought they were doing this for Super Bowl 50 as something special, not SB 48. It would be easier to remember what SB used the first ever outdoor, cold weather location if it was SB 50. No one will remember some random number of 48, but they'll remember the game, no doubt.

Back to my beef, just because a "player" (and we all know they are referring to Peyton Manning) may not perform as well in cold weather conditions as another "player" (and we all know they are referring to Tom Brady) doesn't mean it's home field advantage for one player over another. It's called: you and your team do not play as well in cold weather conditions. Welcome to the NFL.

If they put the game indoors or at a warm site, technically you are favoring the Peyton Manning's and hurting the Tom Brady's. Is it an "advantage" for Tom Brady to play outdoor's in cold weather? No, he just plays better in those conditions than most quarterbacks. Just like another QB (Drew Brees) might play better indoors than Tom Brady.

Nobody has a problem with New Orleans playing the NFC Championship game at the Green Bay Packers for a chance at the Super Bowl, but it's terrible if the SB is held outdoors at a cold weather site because it might favor a team. I'm pretty sure playing in Miami favors Jacksonville more than Green Bay if those types of teams met up. After playing half your season in cold weather conditions, playing in Miami is NOT what you are used to. Therefore, advantage goes to a team from a warm location or indoor stadium.

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Hey, did you guys hear that Jim and John Harbaugh are brothers?

Super Bowl Thoughts

Whatever you do, don't have a child within a weekend of the Super Bowl. Forever your child's birthday party will be tied into a Super Bowl party...which means you are hosting EVERYONE (and I mean EVERYONE) at your house. I believe the final tally was 15-4 from each family. 19. 19! Just family! No friends or extras. 19! (That 19 does NOT include our family of three, so mark it up to 22 in the house.)

Solution? Well, you're stuck with the kid, so here's a few tips. Don't do anything to your TV to make it more appealing to want to stay at the B-day party longer to watch the game. Get out your old 19" black and white box and make people suffer. The flood gates will open! Or, just don't upgrade your 26" standard definition TV. ANYONE'S house will always seem a better idea. And, if you are in good with the wifey, maybe you can have an excuse to leave too. (Editor's note: None of those above ideas were attemped or worked.)

My only hope is the next baby is deep enough into February that when we do a combined family b-day party, the middle date will be two weeks after the Super Bowl. Or a large snow storm.

1. Didn't start watching until 13:00 left in 2nd quarter.

2. Saw most of the commercials, but distracted at times so I didn't get real into them. Didn't closely see "It's Halftime America" but saw enough to want to strap on a helmet and hit somebody.

3. Thought the Patriots and Brady played very well. Giants were just a really good team (under the radar?) that under-achieved all year. They were 7-6 at one point. First SB winner ever to be 9-7 in regular season.

4. Has a player ever felt more quilty scoring a TD in the SB? I really hoped they would lose when that happened. He had no clue what to do. Like they didn't even think it would happen (that the Pats would just let them score).

5. Play of the game was the 12-Men-On-The-Field penalty. I'll put 12 guys on the field all day long if it only cost me 5 yards but the other team 00:15 (crucial) seconds. That rule will definately get looked into. I've noticed other penalties like that over the years. Eventually even one less second on the clock for the losing team is worth a lot more than a 5 yard penalty, especially if a FG will not win the game.

6. It'd still rather be 3-2 (or 3-3, 3-4, 3-5) in the Super Bowl than 3-0 if I'm Tom Brady. He still took a weaker team to the SB...and nearly won. Again, he/they played very well.

7. What did more for the other quarterbacks legacy? Tom Brady losing and now being 3-2 in SB's or Eli winning another SB? I believe Eli winning was bigger than Brady losing again.

8. Who feels even better after the Super Bowl? Joe Montana

I thought I had more. Can't think of anything else right now.

Super Ruminations

Some thoughts on the game a day later, and after watching PTI:

-I'm really enjoying seeing Belichick get crushed for leaving early, at least by Wilbon if no one else. Sportsmanship matters and the Patriots have played with a deficit of it all year. How many records do they hold now because they ran up the score? This is one of the biggest reasons for my not being able to root for them, even though I'd also like to see an undefeated team in my lifetime. It just needs to be someone else.

-I've agreed with Wilbon all season that the way to beat the Patriots was to play tough and punch them in the mouth. Too many teams played not to lose and got killed because of it. The Giants weren't intimidated and it showed.

-Yeah, the Giants have 6 losses, but they're still the champion. It's pretty impressive that they won 11-straight games on the road. The "best" team doesn't always win in a playoff, people just tend to ignore this most of the time because we've decided it's the most "fair" way to determine a champion. Unless you're playing Madden, teams don't have a numerical rating. Everyone had the same shot at the Super Bowl; the Giants pulled it off. Hats off to them.

-Has anyone come in to the NFL with higher expectations than Eli Manning? I'd take Peyton over Eli any day, but I don't think Eli sucks. He's showed improvement that would get all sorts of compliments if he had a different last name. During the game-winning drive last night he displayed all the qualities that the QB on the sideline gets praised for constantly. Peyton has had consistently tougher opposition and has played better over his career, but the best teams don't always win. Eli made the best of his chance and now he's an NFL MVP. By the way, how great is it to watch two Super Bowl MVP brothers celebrating after the game? That's a great image.

-The commercials were underwhelming. Bridgestone "Screaming", Budweiser "Horse Training", and FedEx "Carrier Pigeons" were pretty good, but the rest didn't do much for me. Okay, I guess Corolla "Soundproof" wasn't bad either. The Prince Caspian trailer was good, but Iron Man just rocked.

Liveblogging the Super Bowl (2nd Half)

Would it be crazy to say Wes Welker is more important to the Patriots than Randy Moss?

Terminator vs. Fox Sports robot? That was cool.

You can review the number of players on the field? I thought that fell under unreviewable plays.

That commercial for Wall-E actually got me kind of interested in the film. I'm sure he's not as cool as Johnny 5 though.

I love play-action early down by the goal line.

What's a zombie doing on the Giants sideline?

14-10 Patriots? Game over man, game over.

Plaxiiiiicoooo!!!!

Okay, I was wrong earlier. Is it ironic that the Giants just played the role of David? Welcome to history Patriots, you're a footnote.

Classy move by Belichick to leave before the game is over. That's downright Moss-like.

I'm no NFL expert, but I'm going to guess brothers have never won consecutive Super Bowls.

Congratulations to the Super Bowl Champion New York Giants.

Liveblogging the Super Bowl (1st Half)

Yeah, I pretty much skipped the 1st quarter. I was in an epic battle with a troll (courtesy of Oblivion).

Gisele Bundchen? See, that's why I don't like Tom Brady.

The Giants are really picking up the blitz well.

Interception. That's exactly the kind of play that always goes the Patriots way. The ball ALWAYS bounces their way.

That Iron Man trailer was awesome.

The robot is shiny today.

I wonder if the NFL told Belichick that he couldn't wear the hoody today?

You don't see Brady get sacked twice in a row very often.

Moss looks like he's going to cry. By the way, did you know that if you swap the first letters of Randy Moss's first and last name you get "Mandy Ross"?

So, can the Giants add some offense to their excellent defensive performance and actually win this thing? I'm thinking they're going to get close, then have a bad bounce and the Patriots walk away the winners.

That was a pretty decent show by Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Super Bowl Pick

With this weekends conference championship games, my selection for the NFC representative in the Super Bowl is the New Orleans Saints. I'm actually not picking them to win, I WANT them to win. Why? I'll give you a moment.
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It involves the Lions....
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I want the Lions, out of bitterness, to be the last NFL team to ever reach the Super Bowl.

Here is where I need your help. If the Saints make the Super Bowl, that eliminates one more team that still hasn't played in the Title game, which still leaves the Lions as one of those teams. I know the Lions will make it some day. I'm just thankful they didn't make the Super Bowl prior to 1987, because I would have been too young or cognizant to realize what the SB was all about and that the Lions had accomplished such an amazing feat. I wouldn't have cared about football, Lions, etc. at that age. Since it's already been 41 Super Bowls, if the Lions had made the SB in 1987, I really don't feel like waiting another 41+ years to see if they make it to another SB.

So here is the contest:

Name the teams still remaining that haven't ever played in the Super Bowl.

I already gave you two. And I'm not sure if it's even fair to count the "recent" expansion teams, even though it's been almost 15 years. Then again, that was plenty of time to reach a SB for one of them. I don't have the answers, so good luck.