The season is winding down. After tonight, the Reds have a mere 10 games left. And if we are to assume that they are going to be able to make the post-season, one question still looks like it might need some answering. Who is going to be on the post-season roster?
The obvious choices are set in stone.
Barring injury setbacks, these are your starting pitchers: Cueto, Latos, Arroyo, Bailey, Leake
The bullpen choices I see making it are: Chapman, Hoover, LeCure, Simon, Marshall
Bench players I think will definitely be there October 1st: Mesoraco, Heisey
That's 20 players. The final 5 roster spots are what give me some pause. Which players will be most effective in helping the Reds navigate the playoffs?
The remaining pool consists of these players. I'd remove these September call-up guys immediately:
Paul, Izturis, Hamilton, H. Rodriguez, Soto, Robinson, Hannahan, Miller, Christiani, Cingrani, Duke, Ondrusek, Parra, Partch, and Reynolds.
That leaves us 9 players for 5 spots.
Because there are currently no back-up infielders, I see Izturis and Hannahan both on the team. I think Parra has also earned his spot.
So that leaves us with Paul, Hamilton, Robinson, Cingrani, Ondrusek and Reynolds for 2 spots.
With a couple of short series to start, and extra starters there, Reynolds is not needed.
If you only take one more pitcher, I imagine it's Cingrani...unless he's not healthy.
So who's the last player? Each player has their positives and shortcomings.
Hamilton is the hype choice with his super-speed in pinch-running situations. He's also a decent fielder, but you're wary of him having to bat.
Paul provides more pop with his bat than the other two. He's also put in the work for the whole season. Is there a loyalty factor involved?
Robinson also provides decent speed on the basepaths and in the field. His special advantage is that he can switch-hit.
Unless they choose to carry less pitchers and use starters for relief purposes, I think this is going to be a really tough decision. I could see any these guys being the 25th man and even being rotated between each series, depending on which teams they play and what their strengths are. If they take 2 of the 3 and leave a pitcher, I think Cingrani is off and they take Paul and Hamilton.
As I write, Jay Bruce just hit a grand slam...I'm thinking his spot is pretty safe. These other guys? Well, it's gonna be an interesting week and a half.
It's been a while since I've written anything. Not sure if I haven't had any time, strong opinions, or if it was just laziness. But I got called out. So I have to tell my side. And 140 characters isn't going to cut it this time.
If you ever read Brad Johansen's blog on Local12.com, you'll see a post from yesterday. Or if you haven't, you can see it here now. I'm the guy. I asked the stupid question. Now, if you get where I'm coming from, you'd know the reason I asked. In this particular instance, I wasn't worried about if the game would sell out in a football sense. I was worried about it from a TV standpoint. I can't remember from year to year if people go to preseason games. What I do remember is that in the 3 years I've worked at Local 12, I've been witness to, and rolling live breaks for, several Bengals preseason games. But instead of calmly explaining "they never sell out home games, no one does. You must just be thinking of away games". I get snark. But it got me thinking about two things: One, I might just start asking Brad stupid questions to get him to post blogs, and two, who was I as a Bengals fan.
Brad has painted me as some sort of uber-fan, so anxious for a productive and entertaining season that I believe that the city of Cincinnati will sell out preseason games, and I began to wonder 'Am I?'.
Decidedly, I am not 'That Guy' as Brad proposes. I'm far too pessimistic toward the Bengals for that. But my allegiance to the team has evolved over the years. In the fall of 2001, I was in the 8th grade and becoming more understanding that there was a world outside of the tiny bubble I called my life. At that time I was a scrawny little kid who's only experience in organized sports was baseball. And I wasn't even very good at that. So football was not my wheelhouse. I had friends at school who played, sure, but I could not have been on the field with them. I'd have gotten snapped in half. So I lived and breathed Reds. But around this time, I also became aware that you could be a fan of a sport without ever having played it. The thought hadn't even crossed my mind. I began to expand my horizons.
It would have been understandable at that time if I had chosen to root for a team other than the Bengals. They were mired in something worse that terrible. I don't think anyone would have faulted me for rooting for Denver, Green Bay, or San Francisco. These were some of the biggest teams at the time, and perennials every playoff season since the inception of the sport. But the draw of staying loyal to the hometown appealed to me. And there was some loudmouth rookie receiver from Oregon State who proclaimed that he wanted to be in Cincinnati, to turn the team around. It intrigued me. I got hooked on the stripes.
Over the next couple of years, as the Bengals shifted away from being the Bungals, I grew with them, in my understanding of the game. I began to understand subtle nuances to the game. I started to understand how and why certain teams run particular plays at various times and with different results. It was a learning process that I began to enjoy. I relished watching each week. And while each year often starts with hope now, there's always that underlying Bungaldom that remains a part of every person who has ever rooted for them...and I too, have acquired that trait. I understand that with great expectations, comes great let down.
So while I am excited for the beginning of a fresh new season for a Bengals team that seems to be headed in a more positive direction than any Bengals team since I've been a fan, I can't say that I'm overly excited for the preseason. Because as you'll remember, I won't be getting to sit on my couch with a bowl of chips, enjoying the game. I'll be at work, making sure the game hits the air properly for everyone else.
So, I foolishly asked a grizzled sports veteran if he thought a meaningless preseason game would be sold out. And I got what I deserved; a snarky answer. But all I wanted to know was how many people he thought were going to care about this year's edition of the Bengals as much or more than me...and if I was going to get to go home from work on time.
I will submit to you a simple premise, that can probably be easily refuted if someone else wants to look up the historical data, but I just decided to do the number-crunching and eyeball-testing on this season.
So my premise is this: Tight ends are taking over the NFL.
As the League has moved away from the ground-and-pound style offense of its early incarnations, teams have had to adapt. Before Ditka in the 60’s, tight ends rarely caught a pass. Until Kellen Winslow, Sr. and his peers began running deep patterns in the 80’s, they mostly caught curl or drag passes. And today, many teams have begun to utilize their tight end for a variety of plays. The Patriots even had Aaron Hernandez taking snaps as an H-back in the playoffs. So if I may throw a few stats at you (since I bothered to research them like a nerd), here we go.
* Of the 12 teams to make the playoffs, only 1 team (Denver) passed to the tight end for less than 750 yards through out the regular season. * Conversely, of the 20 team who did not make the playoffs, 11 passed to the tight end for less than 750 yards.
* Of the 12 playoff teams, only 3 (Denver, Pittsburgh, Giants) completed less than 7 TD passes to tight ends. Meanwhile, of the 20 non-playoff teams, 1 (Carolina) had more than 7 TDs to tight ends. Three had 7 TDs, while the rest had less.
* The average season totals for playoff teams were 1025 yards on 86 catches, with 9 TDs. So by playoff team, per game, that’s 85 yards on 7 catches, with .75 TDs (Denver really threw off these stats by only having 11 catches for 146 yards and no TDs).
* The average totals for non-playoff teams were 706 yards on 63 catches, with 4 TDs. So, for each of the non-playoff teams, per game, that’s 35 yards on 3 catches, and .21 TDs.
In the playoffs, my stats didn’t hold true in the Wild Card Round, as every team that had less tight end yards won. There were also only 2 TDs among the 8 teams. However, in the Divisional Round (you know, the teams that didn’t squeak in), the stats did hold up, as each team that won had higher tight end yards (albeit 2 yards more in the Giants case). Also, in this round, the 8 teams combined for 9 TDs (even if 4 of them were the Patriots).
The Championship Games were split. The Pats had 153 yards but no TDs to the Ravens 64 yards and 1 TD. Meanwhile, the Giants had but 22 yards and a TD while San Francisco got 148 yards and 2 TDs. But then, as we all know, both these games were hairline plays away from going the other way.
The Super Bowl was not the game for the tight ends, as the Pats finished with 93 yards and 1 TD, while the victorious Giants had but 43 yards and no TDs from their tight ends. (Note: I fully expected the outcome of this game to be much different if Gronkowski has been at full speed, as he was responsible for 1327 yards and 17 TDs in the regular season and 258 yards and 3 TDs in 3 playoff games.)
So, as we look to the future of the NFL, I see a change in the way the offense is run. It’s not there yet, but it’s going to be. The tight end is a new position. Guys like Gronkowski,Jermaine Gresham, Hernandez, Kyle Rudolph, and Jimmy Graham are taking it a step further than players like Heath Miller, Todd Heap and Antonio Gates. While the young guys are built much the same way, they seem to be faster and still just as powerful. So while Miller might be able to hit a linebacker and keep going, but not very fast, a guy likeGronkowski has the ability to run over or maybe just out-run that linebacker…and possibly bowl over a safety. They seem to be almost uncoverable 1-on-1 by any defensive player.
This is a topic that has gotten a lot of attention on the radio, TV and Twitterverse lately. And since I haven't done a blog post in a while, this might be a good one to jump back in on.
After that fateful 14-inning, 5-hour marathon against the Pirates last September, it seems the Woo has been present at every game since. Was it an homage to the dogs that had been in the seats for "Bark in the Park" that night? Was it a shout-out to the great Ric Flair and his backhand chops to the opponent's chest? Was it some bored kid who couldn't figure out what else to yell after 14 innings of baseball? At this point, it doesn't matter. What we do know is that the next night, the Woo was out in full force. And the night after. And so on. It even traveled with the team to Pittsburgh. At first, many found it entertaining.
"Hey, those nut-jobs are doing the Woo again."
"Man, that stuff is funny."
Until it was happening constantly. And it made it to the national broadcasts during the playoffs. Then those that publicized it began to condemn it. It was made out to be a manace. But the Woo-ers soldiered on. As the 2013 season began, some hoped that the Woo had long-since been forgotten; an ugly reminder of the how the 2012 campaign had ended. However, as each game begins to dwindle into the late innings, and some of the crowd starts to head for the exits, one lone wolf can be heard beginning the howl. Then others respond. And so it goes.
According to Jim Day's twitter last season, some of the players didn't like it. Now which players and with what frequency are matters of debate. And I'm sure the Woo-ers would cite some sort of unwritten "ticket-purchasers rights" to continue barking. But if I'm supporting a ball club, and the players speak out that they're having trouble performing well because of something I, in the crowd, am doing, I think I might stop. But that's a personal choice I'd make.
It seems in this young 2013 season that divisional lines have been set. You either like the Woo or you don't. Supporters cite their "leave us alone, we're havin' fun, makin; noise" attitude. Detractors suggest the Woos are annoying and distracting. We're only 20 games in, so the sample size is small, but at 11-3 at home, it doesn't seem the Woo has affected performance on the field.
Will the Woo die? It's hard to tell. Did the vuvuzelas disappear at the 2010 World Cup? Have the Braves' fans stopped doing the tomahawk chop? Sometimes things that people want to go away are the things that stick around the most.
I personally thought the Woo was funny at first. Recently, I've found it less necessary. However, if you find that you need to let out a barbaric yawp from time to time, I don't mind. But to those that don't like the Woo, I suggest this: COME UP WITH SOMETHING BETTER. The Woo-ers, for the most part I assume, are bored. They're entertaining themselves, and they know it bothers you. Distract them with something else. I would suggest coming up with soccer-style chants. Actual words that the team and the city can be proud of. But change must come from the people.
If you want the Woo silenced, it can be done. But not with #StopTheWoo tweets and "Boo the Woo" cardboard signs. This will only fuel the fire. The Woos feed on your hate. You must drown out the Woos with your own chants and cheers. Only then will they realize the Woo has run it's course and this new chant is the hot thing.
If South Park has taught me anything, it's that people love fads. And that if you give them something new to gravitate toward, they'll give up on what they're doing.
That, or getting their parents to think the fad is cool.
Here's the other map I promised to make. Obviously, it would have been nicer if I had started all green then changed it later. But I didn't put it together til today, so yesterday's games are already in red. I'll update it at the end of each day to reflect the teams still dancing.
Green= Still dancing
Red= Lost in the first round
Pink= Lost in the second round
Purple= Lost in the Sweet 16
Yellow= Lost in the Elite 8
I made a map to see where each school in the NCAA Tournament is located. The different colors indicate seeding. All number 1's are the same colors, all number 2's are the same color, etc. I plan to make another that I'll update when I have time of teams still in the tournament vs. teams that have been knocked out.
I'm hoping this one will be a little interactive. Perhaps get some outside perspectives on this one.
I was watching the UK-Arkansas game yesterday. I really wasn't emotionally invested in the game, but something else struck me. During halftime, CBS ran a promo for their "75 years of March Madness" series, where they highlight certain aspects of the tournament. In this particular spot, they showed a certain play. At this point, I'll allow my friend and co-worker, Bob Herzog, fill you in.
@Bob_Herzog: Just ONCE... ONE TIME... I would like to watch a UK game on #CBS and NOT see "The Shot" at halftime. #KillingMe#BBN
The shot he's referring to is the infamous "Grant Hill tosses a 3-quarter court baseball pass to a wide-open Christian Laettner who pivots, shots, and drains the game-winner" shot. It is considered by many sports observers to be one of the best game-winningplays in history. But I have a feeling Kentucky fans don't feel that way. I have friends who live in the Commonwealth who shudder at the mere mentioning of the name "Laettner".
So, my premiss for this post is simple. There are many "Greatest Plays of All-Time". Many elated fans have watched their teams climb to the top of the mountain. However, the beauty and the curse of sport is that in order for these teams to reach their pinnacle, other teams must fall. And this is what fuels my curiosity. What "Great Sports Moments" drive you crazy to watch, every time they play it, because your team was on the losing end of the incredible feat? Does the pain increase as the importance of the feat increases?
And also, what do you believe is the play that a losing fanbase is most vocal about? Who gets most indignant about their team's misfortune? Is it Laettner's shot? "The Catch"? "The Music City Miracle"? "The Immaculate Reception"? "Michael Jordan's game-winner in game 6 in 1998? Fisk waving his homer fair in Game 6 of the '75 World Series? Stanford/Cal's "The Play"?
Or is it something else that I didn't list?
As an aside, at nearly the same time Bob sent out his lamentation of "The Shot", I personally said this:
@BrianWedge88: Haha. CBS did it again. Halftime of a UK basketball game, they show the Laettner shot. Classic. #Wildcats#BBN
So, remember. One man's pain is often another man's pleasure. That's schadenfreude.
I've never hidden my affections for my alma mater. Around these parts, it was always hard to compete with the likes of the Reds, the Bengals, the Bearcats, the Musketeers, and even the Wildcats for any sort of publicity. But for the Norse of Northern Kentucky University, that all changed when they slapped that big Division-I across their athletic department. It had been something they had been building to for a while. Their basketball arena and soccer fields rival UC and Xavier for size and quality. Now, they just need to figure out how to fill them. But those things will come with time. You can't sell out a 10,000 seat arena the first year of D-I, but it will come.
At the beginning of this basketball season, I thought the teams were doomed before they started. As part of the process to become a D-I program, for some reason, they are put on a 4-year probationary period. What this means is that they can't compete in the post-season conference tournament or the NCAA tournament. Which I think is ludicrous. Like some team that has been playing in Division-II since the school was started is now suddenly going to jump up into D-I and blow away everyone they play to gain a seed in the NCAA tournament? Sorry, I love the Norse, but that stuff doesn't happen if it's not on a movie set.
However, despite the probationary period, I learned something interesting from Paul Daugherty's article about this same topic yesterday, where he spoke to coach Dave Bezold:
"Bezold says that if the Norse finish .500 or better, they will be eligible to play in the College Basketball Invitational. A CBI bid might sound marginal. But for a team of D-I rookies, it would be astounding."
You can read the full article HERE if you haven't maxed out your reads with that silly paywall.
But anyway, that sounds pretty neat to me. Playing in any sort of post-season tournament is pretty cool your first year in. The Norse are currently 8-11 with 7 games to play. So if Bezold's .500 mark is correct, then they'd have to finish the year on a 5-2 run. Which isn't impossible. They've got a 4-game win streak going right now. I made a chart below of the remaining opponents and how they faired in the previous match-up. All are league games.
Remaining Schedule
Opponent
Previous Result
Score
Location
Feb 8
Lipscomb
W
67-53
Home
Feb 14
Fla. Gulf Coast
L
73-54
Away
Feb 16
Stetson
L
71-59
Away
Feb 21
Kennesaw State
W
64-53
Home
Feb 23
Mercer
W
63-53
Home
Feb 28
Univ. N. Florida
W
65-52
Away
Mar 2
Jacksonville
L
53-51
Away
All three losses came on the road, and one was by just 2 points. Kennesaw State, Lispcomb and North Florida all have sub .500 league records (NKU is currently 6-5). Of their seven remaining opponents, only Florida Gulf Coast and Mercer have overall winning records. I'd like to think with all four home games coming against teams from Florida, it may help the Norse steal a few they weren't expected to win because of travel. Also, I think of the three away games remaining, that they might only have trouble with Mercer.
The Norse are averaging 60.1 points a game in league play. In their 6 league wins, they scored above that number. In their 5 league losses, their total was less than 60. Meanwhile, they've been holding league opponents to an average of 58.45 points per game. So, logic says NKU needs to get to that magic 60 and play enough defense to keep opponents where they've had them, and they'll be fine.
I really think this team has the chance to make it to that .500 mark. At that point, as Bezold said, they'd only be "eligible" for the CBI. It's no guarantee they'd be invited. But, boy, wouldn't that be the icing on the cake if they could get the invite.
**I'm going to check into whether or not this same scenario applies to the women's team and the alternate tournaments available. They are currently 9-11 with 7 games to play against the same opponents.**
Every actual sports writer is going to write about the game. The Ray Lewis finale controversy. The blackout. The brothers Harbaugh. The no-call holding at the end. Beyonce. You can get all that anywhere and everywhere. So I'm going for the other side of the party, the commercials.
I'd have to say, as far as collective Super Bowl commercial sets go, this year's crop was overall kind of sad. I'm not sure if the right advertisers didn't get the right creative teams in on the process, or if the skyrocketing cost of a 30-second spot has become too prohibitive for some of the smaller companies to compete. But for whatever reason, there wasn't much I liked this year. Also, there were a lot more movie trailers than I remember from previous years. I'm not counting them in my list.
I'll lay down my top 5 here and why, then do some lowlights as well.
5. M&M's "Love Ballad"- M&M's came strong out of the gate as the only commercial in the first break that did anything for me. That black something or other beer didn't make a lick of sense. And speaking of licking, that's what the chicks were planning for Red...and I assume more. Plus, I love when a commercial rocks a little Meatloaf, without actually having to see Meatloaf. The fellas over at Mars did pretty well here.
4. Tide "Miracle Stain"- Love a P&G spot for the hometown economy. And it's always smart to work football into your stuff. Really connects with the audience. I liked how it flowed. A lot happened in that minute. I kinda smelled the ending because the wife was doing laundry at the beginning. (Some nice foreshadowing) But the fact that she was a Ravens fan was a nice twist at the end. Plus, who doesn't want some "stain on a stick"?
3. Time Warner "Clean This Up"- Anyone who's read my blog or twitter before knows I'm a "Walking Dead" fan. I'm not as much a Time Warner fan. However, much like the Volkswagen "Darth Vader Kid" spot, I'll appreciate the content of the commercial without subscribing to the advertiser's product. Plus, they got Norman Reedus to be in the spot, which adds a whole different element of awesome. **This spot is not listed on the "Adblitz" page of Super Bowl spots. I know (because I work at the CBS affiliate in Cincinnati) that this spot was actually a local commercial that was sent to us. So I'm not sure if everyone across the country saw it. I would hope so. If not, here's a look:
2. Oreo "Whisper Fight"- Another early-game favorite. The irony of having a huge, heated argument that turns violent and requires emergency first responders over a cookies is, in itself, hilarious. But to add in the fact that the entire situation occurs in a library, where everyone still adheres to the common curtesy of being quiet, is awesome. Also, it was nice of the people of Nabisco to introduce children under the age of 12 to a library, which I assume most of them believed to be a tree cemetery.
1. Budweiser "Clydesdales: Brotherhood"- Once again, Bud knocked it out of the park for me. The guys with the horses always seem to find the most creative and thought provoking commercials, and usually it has very little to do with beer. Another "lots of info in a minute-long spot" commercial, but this one tells a very poignant of a man who raises his very own Clydesdale, forms a bond with him, then sends him off to be a professional Budweiser Clydesdale. I'm sure for people with kids, it probably brought a lot of those "If you love your kid, you've got to let them make their own way in life" kind of feelings. I think everything about this commercial was well done. Not only was the content great, but it was really well-shot. Sometimes the best Super Bowl ads have nothing to do with their product, they're just memorable. This one was memorable for me.
Honorable mentions: I also liked Bud's secondary commercials with Stevie Wonder as a witch doctor controlling "Superstition". But did anyone else notice Stevie drop his shades to check out the woman who walked up? I still think Stevie might be the biggest hustler in the world. I also liked the Taco Bell stuff, although when it first came on, I thought somebody had whacked the SAP button on the TV...til I realized who the advertiser was.
Now for my Super Bowl, huh's, gross, and WTF moments.
Huh: As good as Bud was on their other spots, I really didn't get the "Black Crown" stuff. Is it just an amber lager? Ok fine. But are you saying in order to drink it, we have to be people who live in darkly lit mansions and only wear all black? Cause if that's who you're tailoring it for, you missed the mark with your football-watching audience.
Gross: GoDaddy has been going downhill for quite some time. They used to tease you with attractive women. Then, they realized the gimmick was old. So they pretended to tease you with attractive women, then it turned out to be Joan Rivers. I thought that would be the last time GoDaddy would try to give me nightmares. And I suppose this was a salute to the "Any guy can get a hot girl" notion, but this was too much. The sound effects were off the deep end. And then they showed it in the post-game too? Like I needed my eyes and ears abused twice in one night.
WTF: I know. Super Bowls aren't just about football. And approximately 50% of the audience is female. But honestly Calvin Klein. Who were you drawing in with that man-thong spot? Something about a 360-something or other, no visible panty lines or some such? I don't know. I had to block it out. The point is, if it was for the ladies, fine. But don't try to sell ME something then. Just have the guy stand there in his underwear for a while and be done. Let him read a chapter of "50 Shades of Grey" if you want, but warn me first so I can walk away. But don't ask me to be interested in your product. Cause I don't want what you're selling now. Also, I like my Hanes boxers. 3-pack for 6 bucks. And that ad ain't gettin' me to switch.
Also, the E-Trade baby is played out. That Psy "Pistachios" commercial would have been funny about 2 months ago, and not even for that long. And the whole "Coke Chase" thing didn't seem to have a very good pay-off.
****Oreos won the Super Bowl by the way. But it wasn't for a video commercial they had on during the game. It was the picture they tweeted during the power blackout that totally trolled the whole game. A winrar is Oreos****
Opinions? Disagreements? No one's ever posted a comment on any of my blogs before. Feel free to say something. I'll probably answer cause I care too much.
I have taken a, what's the word? Brea...? Hiat...? Sabbati..... Oh right, that's it. I got lazy. Yeah. I just couldn't find the right topic to get excited enough about to make time to sit down and slap down some stuff that a million other people didn't already beat to death (I'm looking at you, Manti Te'o). Plus, I'm doing this for my own amusement and the few people who take the time to look. But, since the match-ups are set, I thought I'd get into a little Super Bowl talk.
Now, even though the Bengals made the playoffs, I never hold out hope for them. And as evidenced by the interwebz, lots of people didn't get the teams they wanted in the Big Game, either. But honestly, unless you're a fan of one of the two teams, are you ever really happy with the teams that make it? Every team has an element of "that's a neat story, good for that guy" mixed with "boy I hate that player/team".
But if you want some reasons to root for or against each team specifically here are my top 3 reasons for each team, pro and con.
Ravens-Pros
Maybe Ray Lewis will finally be satisfied and go away.
There are other players on their team. It would be nice if they got to win a ring too.
The memory of Art Modell will be a feel-good thing for everyone. Except Cleveland...but then what feels good in Cleveland?
49ers-Pros
People will finally give Colin Kaepernick some credit for his skill. Not just point out that he has tattoos.
While he doesn't have as many years of NFL experience as Ray Lewis, David Akers will be the oldest player to step onto that field. He has never won a ring. I root for things like that.
I won't have to go through the pain of another division rival winning another Super Bowl before the Bengals. (If Cleveland gets one first, I quit).
Ravens-Cons
We're going to have to listen to Ray Lewis incessantly tell us why God helped him win a football game. Cause God cares more about him and the Ravens than anyone else.
Michael Phelps will get to vicariously claim this victory. As if we need that guy to win any more trophies for anything. Yeesh. I guess it could be worse, he could be Ryan Lochte.
Flacco will further his status as 'elite'. And I suppose it's true. But I won't want to hear about it.
49ers-Cons
San Francisco already won the World Series. If they get this, we'll have to hear "San Francisco is the 'sports capital of the world'" for a whole year.
Randy Moss would finally get a ring. And you'd have to hear about it. From him. Repeatedly.
Alex Smith can kiss his career in San Francisco goodbye. As much as the foundation has been building all season, Kaep winning the big one has to be the cement in his shoes.
The obvious storylines will be there. The Harbaugh brothers coaching against one another. The 'love him/ hate him' situation surrounding Ray Lewis as he retires. But the one I think a lot of people will gloss over is possibly my favorite. As franchises (Just the Ravens, not a team that used to play in Baltimore under a different name) both teams are undefeated in Super Bowl play. RayRay's first Super Bowl win was also the Ravens only Super Bowl. Conversely, the Niners will appear in their 6th Super Bowl, tying Denver for 3rd on the list of Super Bowl appearances. San Fran has won all 5 previous match-ups (Although, admittedly, two of those were against the Bengals, soooooo...yeah). So, in two weeks, one team will be undefeated in Super Bowl play, and the other, will not be.
As I noted last night on Twitter, last season's playoff victory margins versus this year's break-down like this:
So as you can see, this playoff season, we've been treated to some tighter games than last year. And unless I lay down a 5 dollar bet with someone, I'm just gonna root for a good game.
[Side note: I will be at the helm of Master Control at Local 12 the night of the Super Bowl, so I'll mostly be rooting for a long, long game so that the news starts late and I don't have to stay for the whole thing. My own selfish reasons, I guess. Unfortunately, I anticipate extra people to be lurking around all night, so I'll probably have to stay away from social media and stay on my game. You'd all like to see the Super Bowl and not a repeat of Homeworx or Andy Griffith right? Guess I better do my job.]
And on that note, I leave you with the Super Fans, to pick the winner of the Super Bowl...although their quip about 'the queers' might be a bit insensitive.
