Rams 23 - Bengals 20, and Other Super Bowl Thoughts

 THE GAME

What had been an absolutely terrific Playoffs Season for the National Football League culminated this past Sunday with a Super Bowl that, if it wasn't one for the ages, it was certainly a damn good game.  As I stated in the run up to the game, I, and many others, was looking forward to watching young budding superstar Joe Burrow lead the Bengals to victory.  Burrow played well, but the inadequacies of the Bengals offensive line, coupled with the great play of the Rams defensive line, led by Pitt's Aaron Donald, proved too much for both the Bengals and him.  The quarterback play on both teams, was okay, but nothing epochal.  Matthew Stafford threw two interceptions, and the Bengals had managed to to forge a 20-16 lead into the fourth quarter.

However, when the lights shined the brightest and the heat was the hottest, it was Stafford, the 12 year vet, who came through when a quarterback absolutely has to do so.  He led a lengthy drive in the fourth quarter that ate up much of the clock, and culminated in his second touchdown pass of the game to the marvelous Cooper Kupp that ended up winning the game for the Rams.  As he has been all season, Kupp was fantastic in the game and earned MVP honors.  He sealed it on that last drive by not only catching three passes, including the game winner, but by rushing for a critical first down on a third and long play early in the drive.

Even then though, the Bengals got the ball back with slightly more than a minute to play, and Burrow did complete a few passes, and it looked like Cincy was driving for at the very least, a game tying field goal attempt.  Until that is, Donald and the Rams defense took charge and forced Burrow to hurry a throw that fell incomplete on a fourth down play, and that was all she wrote.

Early in the 2010's, I saw Aaron Donald playing defense at Pitt.  He was easily the best player on Pitt's team that year, but none of us watching those games could have possibly foreseen what he was to become:  the hands down best defensive player in the NFL of his generation.  His performance on Sunday was typical of him.  He took charge of the game when the Rams needed it the most.  Kupp was voted MVP, but if Donald had received the award instead, no one would have argued the point.

As for Burrow, he shows signs of becoming one of the faces of the NFL in the 2020's.  The Bengals need to get him some help on that line to protect him, but there is every indication that we will see him again on this biggest stage in the future.  However, it's a tough game, and when contemplating this thought, it is impossible not to think about Dan Marino.  He, too, made it to the Super Bowl in his second year and lost, but everyone was sure that he would be back.  He went on to a Hall of Fame career, and he is one of the all-time greats, but he never played in another Super Bowl.

THE HALFTIME SHOW

In his column in the Post-Gazette on Monday, Tony Norman pointed out that the musical art form known as Hip-Hop made it's debut to the world in 1972, fifty years ago.  FIFTY YEARS AGO!  So it is quite possible that there were some early twenty-somethings watching the halftime show who said "what are they doing dragging those old guys out to perform?  How about something current?"

The point is, popular music is generational.  My parents didn't get Chuck Berry or Elvis, perhaps my twelve-years-older-than-me sister didn't get the Beatles or the Rolling Stones, so while the music of the '10s and '20s might not be my cup of tea, I am not going to shout at the clouds about it.  So, what the hell, bring it on.  That show on Sunday might not have been for me, but I did like seeing Snoop Dogg perform.  Actually, I could watch Snoop's Corona beer commercials run on an endless loop and enjoy those.  "It's the fine life, baby."

Which leads us to....

THE COMMERCIALS

I don't pay as much attention to the commercials as I used to. There was time when I would actually write them down and take notes.  No more, so I can only give you my impressions of the ones that I liked and stayed with me.

• The Chevy electric truck commercial that was a riff on "The Sopranos" opening credits and featured the actors that played Meadow and Anthony Jr. in that series.  (Note to self: Check IMBD later to see if those two have actually been in anything since "The Sopranos" went off the air.)  I loved it, but at the same time, I have heard from people who had never watched "The Sopranos" (??) and had no idea what was going on.  For your enjoyment, here is that commercial.

• Any commercial with the Mannings in it.  (The one in the bowling alley with Peyton, and the Caesar's Sports Book with Peyton, Eli, Archie, and Cooper.)
• Larry David for crypto-currency.
• The E*Trade Baby is back!!!

I'm sure that there were others, but three days after the fact, these are the ones that are sticking with me.

THE BETTING

I put my money on the Bengals +4, so good.  Also, a month ago I made wagers on a couple of different teams to win the Super Bowl, including the Rams, so good.  Had a few prop bets that came through as well.  All in all, I finished in the black on my Super Bowl wagers.  Not a lot, mind you, but I didn't lose money, so hooray.  Oh, and I won fifty bucks on a block pool for having 7 and 3 for the first quarter score!  Thank you, Jen Wickert!