The Crystal Ball The Super Bowl

Originally Posted on Quick Thoughts February 2, 2007.


Welcome one and all to Super Bowl XLI. The 41st edition of the biggest football game of the year will kickoff on Sunday and has turned from small idea to pseudo holiday. How did we get here so fast? I know two weeks is a long time, but is it just me or did it seem like the time flew by? Last year, it felt like an eternity before Super Bowl Sunday actually arrived. Perhaps because I was so anxious watching that water boil. I imagine that is how Colts and Bears fans are feeling right now. I do recall last year watching NFL network every night for two straight weeks, absorbing every detail and minor piece of information. It mattered not to me how inconsequential the information was, I wanted to know. If I did not know it, I found it out. And if I could not, then I felt I was missing something from the experience, and I wanted to experience everything possible. Not that I did, though, since I was nowhere near Detroit when kickoff occurred. No matter, when Pittsburgh retools this year and makes another run, I will be in Arizona when they take the field next year. Good times to be had. But before we get to next year, we have a small matter yet to determine. Who will carry the mantle of Super Bowl Champions for the next twelve months?

As we gird ourselves for this edition of the Super Bowl, I would like to take a moment to look back at how the game has changed and how the Super Bowl has gone from an idea that almost faltered to the extravaganza it is today. When the Super Bowl was first played in 1966, it was viewed by many as nothing more than an exhibition game. The upstart AFL had been nipping at the established NFL for six years by this point. The NFL had survived and buried many upstart leagues during its tenure, but the AFL was a new challenge. The AFL had a large number of teams led by owners who had wanted to be in the NFL but were denied a franchise and therefore motivated to succeed. They had cities where there were no NFL franchises, and could thus bring the people out who were looking for some professional football. They also were shrewd in that they placed a few teams in cities that did have NFL franchises, thus giving the football consumer a choice in how to spend their pro football dollar and bringing the competition directly to the NFL. And to keep the turnstiles moving, they had an exciting style of football centered around high powered, high flying offenses. In a battle that began with the first season of play, they also fought hard to get the best players out of college, beating the NFL many times in acquiring big name, big talent men. And most importantly, they had money. The competition for players drove up salaries to heights no one who played the game ever thought they would reach. Most players up until this point in NFL history had regular jobs in the off season, and most held them down during the season as well. Salaries, which by today’s standards would seem quaint, were growing at an astronomical rate. The NFL saw that they could be beaten by this upstart, exciting league, and did three things that I believe helped create football as we know it today. One, they began expanding. They awarded franchises in cities that had been begging for one, cities such as Atlanta and New Orleans. Two, they decided to merge the two leagues, incorporating the AFL into the NFL, absorbing the teams, restructuring them into two conferences and eliminating any outside competition. The original NFL teams would form the NFC conference, and the AFL teams would join the AFC conference. The merger officially took place in 1970. And three, they created a championship game to be played between the two conferences. This championship game was to be first played in 1966. Since the merger would not take effect until 1970, and the conferences would not form until then, the two leagues decided that the NFL champion would play the AFL champion until the two leagues became one. The two separate league championships became the basis for the NFC and AFC championship games. A fun fact regarding the merger is that there were not enough teams for the AFC to equal the NFC. At that time the NFL had 16 teams and the AFL had 10. To even this out, three teams were asked to join the AFC. These teams were the Cleveland Browns, who were once a part of the AAFC league in the 40’s, the Baltimore Colts, and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

So the first championship game, or Super Bowl as it became known as, was a meeting of league champions between the AFL and NFL. Some looked upon is as merely an exhibition, since the NFL was regarded by most as the stronger of the two leagues. The AFL looked upon this as their chance to shine. Many in the NFL world were frightened of what it would mean if the AFL won the game, and tremendous pressure to win was brought to bear upon the Vince Lombardi and the Green Bay Packers, who were the NFL’s first entrant into the new game. The Packers and Lombardi ultimately prevailed, and did again the following year. The AFL showed they could compete with the NFL teams and the impending new league in the third Super Bowl when AFL entrant the New York Jets defeated the heavily favored Colts, and AFL teams solidified their standing in Super Bowl IV with a Kansas City win over the Minnesota Vikings. Since then, it has been a competition between conferences as opposed to leagues, and the game and league itself has grown exponentially each year since the merger. But the first Super Bowl had its share of issues. They did not know what to call the game, coming up with the name when Chiefs owner Lamar Hunt, in a joking manner, referred to it as the Super Bowl after seeing his children playing with a super ball. Hunt had meant for the name to be a stopgap, until a more suitable name could be found, but Super Bowl stuck. And the game was not popular at first. There was a scramble to fill the Rose Bowl for the first game, with some tickets even being given away. Now, you almost have to sell body parts to obtain tickets these days, which seems in odd contrast to the humble beginnings. And after the Packers won the first two games, many thought the idea, and the merger itself, might fail since many perceived that the AFL was lesser competition than the NFL. Luckily for all of us, the Jets and the Chiefs took care of that perception.

Despite the rough start, from the beginning the foundations for what we see today were in place. Television coverage for the first game was intensified more than any other game, and today we see more coverage both before and of the game itself than any other sporting event. Then commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted this game to be special, and made sure that all stops were pulled out in not only advertising, but in the pomp and circumstance. He wanted it to be more than just a game, but an event. Pre game ceremonies and lavish halftime shows were incorporated, and set the basis for what we see today. The tradition that started then has given way to shows that feature some of the biggest performers in the world vying for an opportunity to be a part of the biggest game of the year. Rozelle’s idea of the game being an event took off, and now many people and businesses use the Super Bowl as the focus of their year. Businesses pull out all the stops to debut commercials during the game, where prices for ad space have risen to $2.6 million for 30 seconds of air time. Snack food, fast food, soda, catering, party planning, electronics and beer companies along with venue rentals, clubs, bars, and sports bars amongst others see a large spike in business leading up to and during the game. Gambling, sports books and casinos see an abundance of betting done over Super Bowl weekend. Betting on a winner is no longer just an option, you can bet on everything including who wins the coin toss, first fumble, first touchdown, final score, number of field goals and on and on. If there is something to be determined by the end of the game, somebody somewhere is ready to take a bet on it. People from all walks of life gather together and indulge in a variety of foods, beverages and social interaction all to watch the game. Planning and hosting a Super Bowl party has become a cottage industry in itself, with many businesses offering catering, planning and hosting services, and many others offering how to's, menu planning and even games to play before, during and after the game itself. The Super Bowl has gone from small idea that had many opportunities to fail to a de facto holiday, where celebrations abound all across the land. A fair portion of these have very little to do with the actual game itself, with many using the day as merely an opportunity, or excuse, to gather with friends and celebrate. In some cases, there are parties that are geared around the commercials themselves, with the game being merely filler between advertising breaks. The game has come a very long way from its humble beginnings. I think Pete Rozelle would be amazed, impressed, proud and maybe even a bit frightened by all that has become of this little idea, spawned from the merging of two leagues.

There is so much more information about the Super Bowl out there, that I could go on and on. If you are interested in it, there are many fine books and websites that contain interesting facts and stories regarding the history of the NFL, the Super Bowl, the teams and players and much more. Everything from players in the first game, to the history of home versus away teams, how each are designated for the game and when home teams were first given the option of what jerseys the wished to wear can be found. Since I found this out, I have to share it. Teams designated as the home team were first allowed to choose their jersey starting with Super Bowl XIII. Before that, if you were the designated home team, you just wore your home jerseys. Since then, only a handful of teams designated as the home team have chosen to wear their road uniforms. Those teams are the Dallas Cowboys in Super Bowl XIII (they lost), Dallas in Super Bowl XXVII (they won), the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl XVII (they won), and the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XL (they won). I guess it pays to go against the grain sometimes. Take a moment to check out this and all of the other fascinating stories, factoids and history of the game and league, you will be entertained.

Now, our combatants for Super Bowl XLI are the Indianapolis Colts and the Chicago Bears. Let us take a gander at each team.

The Chicago Bears are one of the oldest franchises in the NFL, founded in 1919 as the Decatur Staleys. They moved to Chicago in 1920, and were renamed the Bears in 1922. The Bears storied history also includes 26 Hall of Fame players, owners and administrators. The Bears have had a rich history in which they have had some of the greatest players to play the game on their team. Players with names like Butkus, Sayers, Nagurski and Payton. They have won nine NFL championships in their existence, including Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots. The team from that year is regarded as one of the best teams of all time, and arguably the best defense of all time. After their destruction of the Patriots, both head coach Mike Ditka and defensive coordinator Buddy Ryan, architect of the famed “46” defense, were carried off the field. The duel coach carry is a move that had never been done before or has been duplicated since. The 2006 Bears, the designated home team for Super Bowl XLI, come into the game with a record of 15-3, including two dominating playoff victories. This Bears team shows it belongs with Bears teams of yore, with a stifling defensive unit and an offense capable of beating opponents with the big pass play and a punishing one two punch at running back. The Bears will go early and often to running backs Thomas Jones and Cedric Benson, working to soften up the Indianapolis front seven, then unleash Rex Grossman with the deep pass. The Bears defensive strategy will be as it has been all season, punish the opposition. Led by perennial pro bowler Brian Urlacher, the Bears run a 4-3 defensive front with a cover 2 secondary designed to take away the big play and stuff runners at the line of scrimmage. The Bears have been stung on defense this year with the loss of defensive stalwart Tommie Harris to injury. And while some have noted their defensive production fell of near the end of the season, the team still finished the season allowing the third fewest points in the league.

The Indianapolis Colts have not existed as long as the Chicago Bears, but have a rich history as well, one that has seen them play in quite a few cities during their time in the NFL. Originally started in 1947 as the Miami Seahawks, the Colts moved to Baltimore in 1950. After a disastrous season, the team was sold to a Dallas businessman who moved the team to Texas and remained them the Dallas Texans, a name that coincidentally would be the original moniker of the AFL Kansas City Chiefs 9 years later. Another poor season left the franchise in shatters, and they became wards of the NFL, left to play out their games from a temporary home base in Hershey Pennsylvania. In 1953, Carroll Rosenbloom won the rights to a Baltimore franchise, and resurrected the team, where they remained until 1984 when owner Robert Irsay moved the team to Indianapolis under cover of night, a controversial move that is still a point of contention with many Baltimore natives. Many old Baltimore Colts and fans look to the Indianapolis franchise as separate from their beloved Colts, and the new Ravens as an extension of those teams of yore. The NFL looks upon the Colts as one continuous franchise, and the Ravens as an expansion, but many older Colts fans beg to differ. Colt legends of the past are known to frequent Ravens games, and the Ravens have even adopted the old Colts marching band, that was a staple for years at old Memorial Stadium. The Colts have won 4 NFL championships, including the 1958 championship against the New York Giants, a game that many point to as the greatest game ever played and a turning point in NFL history toward the game we see today. They famously lost Super Bowl III to the New York Jets, but followed that loss with a win in Super Bowl V against the burgeoning Dallas Cowboys. The Colts, both the Indianapolis and Baltimore versions, have 11 players and coaches enshrined in the Hall of Fame. The 2006 Colts will most likely have more than a few enshrines as well, starting with quarterback Peyton Manning. Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in the game today, and possibly one of the all time best. He is the face of an organization that has amassed a 2006 record of 15-4 heading into Sunday’s game. He leads an offense replete with weapons at both receiver and running back. Manning will direct an offense for Super Bowl XLI that will see receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne stretching the field, H-Back Dallas Clark working the seams and running backs Joseph Addai speeding from the backfield and Dominic Rhodes pounding up the middle. The Colts offense can be explosive, but is smart and experienced enough to take what the defense is offering; keeping the field and time of possession and wearing down a defense with their no huddle play calls. The defense has been known as a finesse defense, even though they run a similar setup as the Bears. They gave up a league worst in total rushing yardage this season, but have stepped up their game in the post season, holding down rushing teams such as the Chiefs and Ravens. With defensive end Dwight Freeney coming after Grossman, the Colts will look to pressure the young quarterback into mistakes and stifle a powerful Bears running game.

Ladies and gentlemen, there are your entrants for Super Bowl XLI. Pick your favorite and root them to victory. Or, pick your least favorite and root them to oblivion, since people rarely remember the losers of the Super Bowl. I know who I am rooting for; it is a pretty easy call. I will spend Sunday rooting for the Colts. Why you may ask? Well, I have a few reasons.

One, they beat the Patriots. That alone is enough for me to cheer them on to victory. I know also that I am not alone on this one by any stretch of the imagination.

Two, I am an AFC guy. Unless it is certain teams (read Patriots, Raiders and Ravens and I could even be talked into the Ravens and with enough booze the Raiders) I am going to root for the AFC team to win the Super Bowl. Unless Philadelphia is playing and Pittsburgh is not, only then I will go NFC. But with a few minor exceptions, I root AFC all the way. You have to support your conference; you always want to be a part of those on top.

And three, I am rooting for Tony Dungy. Tony is a class act all the way, an excellent coach, builder of men, a great teacher and leader who has been around football and the NFL for thirty years and has given back to the league far more than he has taken from it. And even though he masterfully resurrected a Buccaneers franchise that was nothing more than a joke and an afterthought, a team that fired him and then let another coach take them to the Super Bowl, he has been unfairly labeled as a good coach who cannot win the big game. Bill Cowher had that until last year, and now he is a winner. It is time for Tony Dungy to be a winner too. Plus, Tony is a former Steelers player and coach, who was a defensive coordinator under Chuck Noll and you always support those who spent some time in the Burgh. Especially those who helped bring a championship to the Steel City. And speaking of supporting former Steelers, one additional former coach on the Colts is to be cheered on, offensive coordinator Tom Moore. Tom was the offensive coordinator under Chuck Noll at the same time Dungy was the defensive coordinator. I think between the two of them, they have enough vibe from Noll and those Steelers to pull one off on Sunday.

Now I must admit I will have a little trouble rooting for Colts. I do not like rooting for teams that abandoned their original city. Allow me to clarify this a bit. I am not talking about the Cleveland Rams, who moved to LA after one season. Or the Chiefs, who were the Dallas Texans for one year then left because they could not compete with the Cowboys and Kansas City was salivating at the prospect of getting a professional football team. Those circumstances are different. Those moves occurred during a time when pro football was still trying to become something. During these times, pro football was not even competing with baseball as the number one sport, but with college ball as the number one football game. What I am talking about are teams from the last 30 years, when the NFL was on the rise, and moving teams became a way to extort money from taxpaying fans and cities to fund new stadiums. If a team wanted a funded stadium, they could just hold their city hostage until they either ponied up the money, or another city did the same. Super Bowl XXXIV was my least favorite Super Bowl, because each team had abandoned their former cities and fan bases for quick cash and new digs. Yes, it was one of the most exciting Super Bowls ever, but it felt hollow to me. Do not get me wrong, I am not stupid or naive; I understand that football is a business, and a business does what is best to keep itself viable and healthy. But we put different standards to sports and teams, for right or wrong. We look to teams as an identity of sorts. Who you follow and who you support says something about you, where you are from, and who you are. Newer teams do not have the years of tradition as older teams have amassed, although their fans still have a connection with them. A team forms a bond with a city and its fans, one that is established over many years. The city and its fans identify with the team, in both their successes and failures. The team in many ways becomes a part of their identity, and when you take that away it can be devastating. Baltimore fans love the Ravens, but still miss the Colts. The same could be said about Houston natives and their relationships with both the Texans and the Titans. Clevelanders fought hard to keep their Browns, even going so far as to hold onto the Browns legacy in court until they could get a new team. You may argue that it is unfair to hold teams to these standards, and I can see your point. Personally, however, what sports means to us as a society and as fans, things like loyalty, identity and community, goes beyond merely being a business, which some owners understand and others never will. And for that, I will root for the Colts, but in a muted way. The people of Baltimore deserve that much.

Moving on, there are a few loose ends to wrap up from news around the league. I know, who would have thought there are 30 other teams right now?

It is official; Brett Favre will be playing another year for the Packers. I know the older Favre gets, the more divisive his playing becomes. Some think he should retire, hang them up and stop tarnishing his image and stunting the organization’s growth into the post Favre era. Others say play as long as he wants, he has earned it. I myself have vacillated on this, but I tend to lean toward the latter. It is hard for an athlete to know when to hang them up. When you do, that is it. Playing professional sports is not like any other profession in that if you want to take a break, no problem. With sports, because of the rigors on your body, and how athleticism declines with age, once you are out, you are out. There is no going back, no return to form, no second coming. Many athletes have tried this to varying degrees of success. Michael Jordan won three championships in his second stint with the Bulls, but he was still young enough at the time. His two seasons with the Wizards were more telling of how an elite athlete cannot compete on the same level he once did. The same was proven true with Mario Lemieux and his second go around with the Penguins. As of right now, Favre still has skills, he has excellent leadership and he is great for the Packers. This year, he had some talent on the team, and it showed. They had a much better season than the previous one, and barely missed the playoffs. With those players gaining a year of experience, who knows, we could see one final run from Favre and the Pack before he rides off into the sunset.

Coach Mike Tomlin as filled out his staff and the coaches for the 2007 Pittsburgh Steelers are now finalized. I am glad to hear this, and all I have to say is, when do we start playing games?

In other Steeler news, center Jeff Hartings retired this week, ending an 11 year pro career. Hartings first played for the Detroit Lions as a guard after being drafted out of Penn State. Jeff then signed with Pittsburgh in 2001 and was moved to center, a position he had never played previously. But, his experience on the line, skills and work ethic transformed him into not just a center, but a leader on the line and in the offense. He joined the ranks of previous Steeler center greats that have held the position for the last 40 years. You thought Pittsburgh was stable at the coaching position, check out their center position. Their centers since 1964 have been Ray Mansfield, Mike Webster, Dermontti Dawson and Jeff Hartings. So after seeing just the third Steeler coach named in 37 years, we will see just the fifth Steeler starting center in 43 years. Now, that is enough, no more change this off season. I cannot take anymore. Keep everything else intact, and I will calm myself. Deal?

Also, Heinz Field was voted the worst grass surface in the NFL in a poll of players. They were second to last behind Gillette Stadium, but the Patriots replaced their surface with Field Turf midway through the season, thus relegating Pittsburgh to last place. Kind of makes you proud in a weird sort of way, does it not?

The New York Daily News has reported that Miami detectives have interviewed Chad Johnson regarding an ongoing investigation about the shooting death of a 27 year old man in a Miami neighborhood. Could #85 be the 10th Bengal arrested? Say it ain’t so Chad!

There is word going around regarding the Cowboys coaching search. Jerry Jones has been a big proponent of new offensive coordinator Jason Garrett, but is concerned regarding his level of experience and is looking to keep him as the offensive coordinator for a season or two. Jones has also been looking at former Dallas offensive coordinator and current 49er coordinator Norv Turner. Turner’s track record as a head coach as been mediocre, but the offenses that he put together in Dallas were some of the best. But now, Dallas may be waiting to speak with Chicago defensive coordinator Ron Rivera before making a decision. Rivera’s name has been floating around for a few years in association with head coaching vacancies, and he had an interview with Pittsburgh a few weeks ago. Dallas has made no decision as of late, but stay tuned, Jerry Jones hates to be out of the media limelight for too long.

This weekend I am proudly hosting my first Super Bowl party. This is something I am hoping to make a yearly tradition, since I have had fun at some in the past, and others, well not so much. Everyone has their own take on the Super Bowl party, and I have decided to create my own. No decorations are needed, but I do have a Gatorade bucket that will be filled with beer and soda. The menu is exactly what you would expect for a Super Bowl party. Meatballs, wings, guacamole, nachos, salsa, cheese, chips and dip will be served. And most important, you have to have a team and be a fan. Sure, a party for party’s sake is fine, but this is football, and the last we will see of it for months. No, the Pro Bowl does not count. I want people who love to be entertained not only by the commercials, but also by the game itself. Those who are invited are big fans, great people and fantastic friends, and I cannot wait for them to come on over, have some tasty treats and beverages and laugh, joke and talk football and commercials. It will be a great start to a new tradition. Is it Sunday yet?

So, I am sitting around last weekend, basically bouncing off the walls suffering from football withdraw. By Sunday evening, I was flopping around like Ewan McGregor in Trainspotting and watching Super Bowl recap shows on the NFL Network desperate for any fix I could get. Getting a taste of Sundays with no football did not agree with me. But I thought to myself, why do we need this early reminder of what the next seven months will be? Cannot we prolong this withdraw until after the Pro Bowl? Yes, I know, the Pro Bowl barely counts as football, but it is something, and as the long dark winter of the off season approaches, you always enjoy that one last sunny day, even if the day is cold and windy. But I kept coming back to last weekend. What could we do to have some football between the championship games and the Super Bowl? Sure you could move up the big game, but then no one would have time for the hype, travel plans, and general mania that is created with a two week build up. All the other playoff teams have been eliminated, and there is nothing left to play for from them. Sure, you could have the losers of the championship games face off, but why would they want to play? They were one step from the big game, and now you are asking them to play in a conciliation game? Those teams would probably punch you in the face. But what can we do? A college exhibition game? That does not feel quite right. An NFL Europe exhibition? Sure, they are pro athletes, but still not quite right. Then it dawned on me. During the off week, the NFL should play the Super Bust.

The Super Bust would match the two consensus pre season favorites to play in the Super Bowl, yet failed to get there, against each other. Every year, almost every talking head out there sputters who they think will go to the playoffs, go to the Super Bowl and ultimately win it all. Rarely are any of these prognosticators correct, and most of the time, they are way off on their playoff entrants as well. The Super Bust would give them a chance to see their initial favorites square off against each other, as well as give the rest of us one more game. Sure, it is not bound to be good football, remember these teams are not playing on Super Bowl Sunday for a reason. But it is still football. And I would take that over a Sunday movie any day, and I know I am not alone on this one. There would be a few sticking points of course, like if one of the favorites actually made the Super Bowl. Then the second consensus favorite of the conference would play. Or, if the teams just played the week before and lost, they might not want to continue their season. This would be resolved as they would be bound by it from an agreement that was ratified by the league and the teams. And anyway, the players and coaches are all professionals, so I imagine if they have to play, they will, at least for pride and some scratch. Now, while the Super Bust would be treated as an exhibition game, nothing would count toward post season or season records, there could be incentives for the teams involved. For instance, pride at not being the loser of the loser game. But since most teams operate on a bottom line sort of operation, how about an extra first round draft pick for the winner, and an extra fourth round pick for the loser and maybe some cash thrown in for the team and a set game rate for the players as well. If the players want more than a set rate, give them a game salary based upon ticket and/or advertising sales. Next, what if one of the teams was a playoff team and the other finished 4-12? Well, we have either a blow out or a close game since the 4-12 team will play above their heads against a deflated opponent. As for venue, you could have cities bid on this game, much like the Super Bowl. You could even think outside the box and have the game in cities with no NFL team. I was thinking of maybe a permanent location like the Pro Bowl, perhaps in Los Angeles, but a better thought sprung to mind. How about having the game in Las Vegas? There is a ton to see and do there, no one would really be taking the game seriously anyway, and Vegas knows how to host a party. For an example, if this was in effect now, last Sunday we could have watched live from Las Vegas the Carolina Panthers versus the Miami Dolphins in the Super Bust. That’s a great game, I would have definitely tuned in. It would be perfect. Think of all the things this game would give us.
- A chance for two fan bases to see their team in action one more time before next season
- An added opportunity for one team to end their season with a win.
- Some extra earnings for players, even though many do not need it.
- A chance for each organization to strengthen their team monetarily and physically with added income as well as additional draft choices
- An opportunity to show how wrong most prognosticators really are
- An extra game of football
- A weekend of football and fun in Las Vegas
- A perfect excuse to go to Las Vegas (like you need one anyway)
- An excuse to have another big game party, this one where the game does not matter
- A chance to use the game as a warm up to your real party the next week for the Super Bowl. Try out those far out recipes you think may not work on the real game day. Almost like a Party Pre Season.
- Staving off football withdraw for another two weeks
- Another game for the NFL Network to show, giving more practice to both their broadcast crews and technical crews, both of which need some work
- Something for the sports media to talk about during the dead time when all other Super Bowl stories and angles have been beaten to death
- food and service industries seeing a bigger bump in production and sales, thus adding more stimulus to the economy
- Businesses around the world that have a stake in football seeing an increased profit, adding even more stimulus to the economy
- The advertising industry having another forum to debut killer commercials, almost like an exhibition commercial season
- Better play from the preseason favorites during the regular season, since none of them would want to play in the Super Bust

See all the good this one little game could add? Seriously, this is a perfect idea that needs to happen before next season. This needs to be brought up at the winter meetings and ratified by the teams with a 32-0 vote. Commissioner Goodell, I put the onus on you to make this happen.

So, with a split in the championships, I am dead even for the playoffs. Check it out.

Last Week: 1-1
Playoffs to Date: 5-5
Season to Date: 155-111

So it all comes down to one game. I have long ago secured a winning season, but will I have a winning post season as well? There is only one chance left to make it happen, so here goes.

Indianapolis vs. Chicago

For the Super Bowl, it basically comes down to a coin flip when picking a winner, unless you have something invested in either team. At this point, you know both teams are good, have stellar records, have had a bit of luck, are well coached and have lots of key personnel that can change a game as well as loads of role players that get the job done. You do not make it this far without having those things. So your standard match ups and game plans really do not play well into picking a winner of the game. Yes, they will play a part in the final outcome, but it is so different for this game than any other that it is difficult to use them to accurately predict a winner. It really comes down to a 50/50 shot in the dark. So people begin to look at other determining factors, and some of them can get pretty crazy.
- Who has the better uniforms
- Domed versus outdoor stadium teams
- Domed teams record in Super Bowls versus outdoor teams in Super Bowl
- Teams record in coin tosses during the season
- AFC versus NFC regular season records
- AFC participant versus NFC competition
- NFC participant versus AFC competition
- Computer predictions based upon record, level of competition, points scored, points allowed and any other factor and record known in the universe
- Experience at key positions
- Players ability to withstand and tune out the hype of the week
- Coaching leadership
- Team leadership
- Teams records on sunny days, rainy days, cloudy days
- Teams records in afternoon and evening games
- Proper Zodiac alignment
- Avo Bowl team themed guacamole recipe winners (Yes this does exist)

There are about a million different factors that people can come up with that can determine who will ultimately win the game. Some make sense, some sound crazy, while others sound strangely logical. I tend to lean toward the strangely logical, and my determining factor is just that. My factor is based on scandals. Try to stay with me on this one, because it may get a bit confusing. I determine Super Bowl winners based on who has a scandal, started a scandal, is embroiled in a scandal or on the cusp of one. And by my definition, a scandal is anything off the field that takes away from the team itself, puts all the focus on one player or anything that may disrupt a team from properly preparing for the game. It does not even have to happen on the eve of the game, one can blow up during media day, which is a great way to determine the scandal of the Super Bowl. If it happens beforehand, even better determination, since that is all anyone will want to talk about during media day, especially to the player in question and to all of his teammates. This kind of distraction can impair preparation and even cause disharmony in the locker room, which is exactly the kind of thing that a team looking to win it all does not need leading up to the game. Here are a few examples of scandal in recent Super Bowls
- Super Bowl XL: Jerramy Stevens runs his mouth - During media day, Stevens stated he thinks the Jerome Bettis story is a good one, but will end unhappily when the Seahawks leave with the trophy. This may seem like a minor, innocuous statement and mere trash talking, but this is a huge one. With this statement, Stevens basically gave the media something to pester the Hawks about all week. Plus, he brought on the ire of trash talking champion Joey Porter, who took major exception to his statement. On top of that, he added fuel to Pittsburgh’s already raging fire, and may have brought on the ire of his teammates. What did not help him was his penchant for dropping passes, which he continued to do famously during the Super Bowl, killing his team in key situations.
- Super Bowl XXXIX: TO – How can TO be a scandal? He had a great game! The Eagles acquired Owens for one reason, to take the team to another level. And he did just that, taking the Eagles to another level all season. The team felt invincible until they lost him to a broken leg. When faced by the fact that they would need to do it themselves or fail again, the team found something deep inside and pushed their way to the Super Bowl. During this time, however, TO keeps talking about how he is going to play in the Super Bowl. How he is going to come back and save the day, how he will be the key to victory. This causes locker room divisiveness and diverts attention from the team to one player. The rest of the team looks at this and does not want to play for the glorification of one man’s ego, especially when they did all the heavy lifting to get there without him. With all the talk being about TO, the focus went away from the team, and they lost. And it didn’t help that McNabb choked at the end of the game either.
- Super Bowl XXXVII – Barrett Robbins and Tijuana Nights – Oakland Raider center Barrett Robbins had a bender in Tijuana for most of the week leading up to game, and was unable to play come game day. His backup had to step in and start the game at a key position on the offensive line. Robbins, it later turned out, was suffering from bi-polar disorder and depression. But the distraction was enough to trump the Buccaneers distraction, which was head coach Jon Gruden was facing off against the team he coached just the year before, and the Raiders lost.
- Super Bowl XXXIII – Eugene Robinson’s bogus journey – Atlanta defensive back Eugene Robinson was busted the night before the big game for solicitation of an undercover officer. It would seem Eugene was in need of a little oral gratification, the kind that only $40 and some loose morals could cure. Two big problems with his plan. One, he tried to get it from an undercover police officer. And two, earlier in the day he had been awarded the Bart Starr award for high moral character. These things combined to make a huge distraction, and Robinson was burned several times during the game, including once for an 80 yard touchdown. Atlanta lost.

There are a multitude of other examples out there, and most of them show the team with the biggest scandal as the loser of the contest. Now, it does not always work that way, there are always exceptions to every rule. Brett Favre, who had been suffering from alcohol and pain killer addiction, was reportedly seen drinking a week before the Packers Super Bowl in 1996. While this was a huge distraction, the Packers did go on to win. Max McGee, a notorious partier, skipped curfew to tie one on in LA the night before Super Bowl I, and tie one on he did. McGee did not return to the team hotel until the next morning. McGee’s thought process was that as a back up he would never see duty. But when the starter was knocked out, suddenly a hung over McGee was in the game. But this worked out in the end as McGee caught seven passes for 137 yards and two touchdowns, the Pack won going away and a great story was passed into Super Bowl lore. Maybe the curse does not affect the Packers. Let’s see, anything else here? Ahhhh, how about Super Bowl XX. Jim McMahon, who was already causing a stir through the entire playoffs, a topic of conversation during the build up to the game and a major thorn in Pete Rozelle’s side, continued his antics by mooning a news helicopter during practice the week before the game. But this had zero effect on the band of characters that were the 85 Bears, and they won handily. Or perhaps they won because it was found out that Patriots receiver Irving Fryar had cuts and bruises all over his hands because of a scuffle with his spouse. Hmmm, maybe the Packers are immune after all.

So what is this year’s scandal, or has it even happened yet? I can report that yes, barring something major happening before kickoff, and something could still happen, this year’s scandal is already in, thanks to Bears defensive lineman Tank Johnson. Tank was the talk of media day, mostly because he needed a judge’s permission to even be there. Tank has been arrested 3 times in the last 18 months, the most recent due to a cache of guns found in his home as well as a large amount of marijuana. Tank, however, is currently not allowed to have guns due to his parole, nor is he allowed to have the weed. Add to that, his bodyguard was shot and killed the same night Tank had his most recent arrest. It seems he and Tank decided to go out after Tank made bail. Because of all his self inflicted legal woes, Tank is currently under house arrest, only allowed to leave for work, which happens to be for the Bears. But one stipulation of house arrest is he is not allowed to leave the State either. So, just to play in the Super Bowl, Tank and his team of overworked lawyers had to petition a judge to let him come with the team to the Super Bowl. I think this more than qualifies as a distraction to the team and a worthy scandal. And with this information, I know exactly who to pick.


Indianapolis over Chicago


Now with that being said, and my explanation put forth, if the Bears win, I will not feel bad. They have always been a part of Chicago, and perhaps that is the karma that will lead them to victory. Plus, I really have nothing truly invested in either team, so it really does not matter much to me. And with two days left, the Colts could put out a scandal that would trump the Tank Johnson saga. If the Bears do win, at least I can yell, DA BEARS for the next 7 months. Now enough chit chat, let’s get this show on the road, it is time to crown a new champion.