The 1972 Super Bowl, Super Bowl VI, was played at Tulane
Stadium in New Orleans. It was 39
degrees at kickoff and remains the coldest outdoor Super Bowl ever played. Carol Channing, Ella Fitzgerald and Al Hirt
were the halftime entertainment and I am sure they heated things up! Duane
Thomas rushed for 95 yards and a touchdown leading the Cowboys to their first
Super Bowl title. When asked at the
postgame conference “If he was that fast?” His dour response was
“Evidently”. Thomas was asked if the
Super Bowl was the Ultimate game. His
response, “If it’s the Ultimate game, how come they’re playing it again next
year?” His perspective is refreshing given the hysteria that has come to be
associated with this game.
It is tortuous path that has led the Yard back to the Ram’s
band wagon. The Dallas playoff victory
was sweet in how it played that day and in Yard history. The win over the Saints was tainted but
unchanged in its results. And here come
the hated Patriots. The Boston Red Sox
already ripped our guts out in the World Series. Rams do not like seeing Brady
and company smarting off their loss in last year’s contest and rounding into a
force of nature these playoffs.
Much has been made this past week about the vastly more
experienced Patriots facing the youthful exuberant Jared Goff lead Rams and the
rest of McVay’s kids. This is only Goff’s
second season as a starter and of course his first Super Bowl. Tom the terrific is playing in his 9th. He has passed Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw and
all the legends from the early years. The
Patriot’s success has not endeared them to many. When Brady began this vision quest to become
the greatest, he was a second year QB playing in his first Super Bowl. In Super Bowl XXXVI, the Patriots were two
touchdown underdogs to HOF great Kurt Warner and the greatest show on
turf. The former 6th round
pick was not expected to be able to keep pace with the high-powered Ram
offense. Coach Belichick crafted a
brilliant defense to stop the Rams squeezing them into a tight low scoring
game. Many argued it was the early days
Patriot’s espionage. Several Ram players
recalled, Pat defenders calling out their plays at the line even though the plays
by the Rams were only used in that game.
The Patriots were finally exposed and fined long afterwards in the New
England vortex of obfuscation.
There is lots of history of 2nd year quarterbacks
winning their first Super Bowl. So,
although Goff could be intimidated by the spectacle and circumstance, he has
had others succeed under similar pressures.
Besides Brady, Russell Wilson was a second-year starter for Seattle when
they won the Big Game XLVIII. Before Wilson,
Big Ben had won his first Super Bowl in his second year. The much-maligned Colin Kaepernick was all over
the news this week without even taking a snap since 2016. But he was leading the 49ers to victory in
the 2012 Super Bowl in his second season before the lights went out at the
Superdome. The Ravens rallied to win and
Kaepernick was out of football four years later. Dan Marino played in his only Super Bowl in
his second season. Dandy would play
another sixteen years, act in an Ace Ventura movie, get enshrined in Canton but
never reach the game again. So, Goff is not in rarefied aid but the O2 might seem
scarce at times under the lights.
If the Patriots win the game, they will tie the Pittsburgh
Steelers for most titles. It only took
the Steelers eight Super Bowls for their six.
On the flip side, if the Patriots lose, they will become the all-time
leader in Super Bowl losses. They are in
tie with the Broncs at five losses apiece in the Big Game. Much has been made of the Patriots repeated
Super Bowls. They have been good, but
they also reign over the AFC East. Since realignment in 2002, the Patriots have
.764 winning percentage. No other team
is near .500. The Patriots are .788
against the rest of the AFC least. The
Pats get to play the Jets, Dolphins and the Bills twice each year. They always win the AFC East, usually get
Home Field advantage and only must win two games at home to get the
championship. It is still remarkable and
the envy of other fans everywhere.
Super Bowl weekend is one of the biggest weekends all year
in Las Vegas. New Years is always a fece
fest on the strip and March Madness brings throngs for that first weekend of
insanity. But the Super Bowl, or the Big
Game as it is known in Las Vegas brings in up to 300,000 revelers for the game. It will be interesting to see when the Raiders
get the Super Bowl in their new crib in 2025 or so. It is hard to imagine how many people would
come to Las Vegas when the actual game is here!
We also wondered if Las Vegas can call it the Super Bowl because this
weekend it is The Big Game. All the print
and media ads for viewing parties, beer specials and even betting lines all
reference The Big Game. Several years
ago the NFL cracked down on bars and restaurants advertising using their
trademarked Super Bowl. Maybe when the
official game is here in Las Vegas, the Super Bowl name might show up with the
teams.
The Dodgers have been relatively quiet this off season
besides the salary purge swap with the Reds.
Kemp and Puig were not in the Dodgers future. We are pretty sure that the Dodgers are not
in the World Series without Matt Kemp last year. When the Dodgers young Turks struggled or
went on the DL, Kemp pounded out an All-Star first half. He led when there were no leaders and kept
the Dodgers in the mix until the team sprinted to the finish line. He was a key to 2018 but not 2019. Puig was never the same after his meteoric
first few months in the major leagues.
The Dodgers received Homer Bailey arguably the worst value in
pitching. Homer posted a 1-14 record in
2018 and is scheduled to earn $23 million in 2019. He is off the books after that, but we do not
expect to see Mr. Bailey in Dodger blue anyways.
Bryce Harper and Manny Machado remain unsigned. That should change in the next ten days with
the Phillies in hot pursuit of Harper and the White Sox Machado. The Yard applauds the Dodgers for not
pursuing either. We are not sure if AJ
Pollock is the answer but the last thing the Dodger needed was another left-handed
bat and average glove. Harper will have
an impact for some team, but the Dodgers have plenty of impact players already. They need another starter and catcher. Machado
is a punk that no one should give a multiyear contract to, but someone will.
USC stayed with their man Clay Helton. The Yard has shared our delight in Helton’s
retention. We surmise it will be a story
throughout the season if the Trojans struggle again. The tea leaves do not look good for the
Cardinal and Gold. The Baby Blue and
Gold across town is not in much better shape but we do not think we are
National Championship contenders. USC
fan always thinks that. AD Swann and Helton
hired offensive wiz Kliff Kingsbury to be their new offensive coordinator. It was a cous of sorts for the Trojans and
led them to a top 20 recruiting class especially at wide receiver. After the signees were locked in, Kingsbury bolted
USC for the head coaching gig for the Arizona Cardinals. In the aftermath of that development, that
locked in recruiting class is starting to fall apart. With a season opener against a solid Fresno
State team, a visit to South Bend and UW, 2019 will be challenging season to
contend for anything for Troy.
OT: The three highest paid QB’s teams did not make the
playoffs. Jimmy Garoppolo is at the top of the list at $37,000,000. He is the former backup to Tom Brady traded
to SF. Of the top ten highest paid QB’s,
only Drew Brees won a playoff game this season.
Brady checks in at #11 making $22mil.
The Rams can fill in other pieces because Goff is “only” making $7.6MIL. Brady takes lower and deferred pay so Belichick
and company and fill in the other pieces.
Matt Stafford and Derek Carr’s obscene compensation affects what steps
that their teams can make to the playoffs.
Money Line: Sharp bettors say never bet against Tom Brady
and the Patriots. Upon further review,
they are only 3-5 Against the Spread in their last 8 Super Bowl. And that includes the backdoor cover against
Atlanta after trailing 28-3. So, betting
against the Patriots has been 60% successful.
Go Rams! Bring in an
LA Rams title for the first time.
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