Patriots 28 - Seahawks 24, and Other Super Bowl Thoughts

Okay, okay, I know that no one is supposed to like the New England Patriots, but you've got to hand it to them, and you most especially have to hand it to Tom Brady.  They are good, Brady is perhaps the Best Ever, and that 28-24 win over Seattle last night was one whale of a football game.

When Brady threw that second interception, which led to a Seattle TD and a 24-14 lead at the end of three quarters, that game was this close to being over.  I said at the time that the Patriots simply HAVE to respond right now, or this one could be over.  Did they ever.  Brady responds with a TD drive, the New England defense responds by forcing a three-and-out, and Brady responds AGAIN with another TD drive. Excellent play by the Patriots and positively brilliant play by Brady.

Of course, all of it could have been rendered moot because of a fluky tip ball catch by the Seahawks.  

Which leads up to that positively stupefying play call by Seattle on the goal line which led to the interception that sealed the deal for New England.  You don't give the ball to Marshawn Lynch when you are on the one yard line and a TD wins you the Super Bowl?  The term "dumbshit" doesn't even begin to describe the stupidity of that play call.  That one is going to haunt Pete Carroll forever, or at least until he coaches another Super Bowl win (and maybe not even then).

And how fitting that this 2014 NFL season ends in a Pier Six brawl.  What great imagery.  Stay classy, Seattle.

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Of course we all know that the actual game is merely a footnote to the Super Bowl, so here are my random thoughts on everything else.....

• It took Idena Manzell 2:07 to sing the National Anthem.  Too long.  That song should be sung in ninety seconds, tops.

• We liked Katy Perry and her halftime show.  Very energetic, very talented. Now, like Bruno Mars last year, Miss Perry doesn't appeal to our particular demographic, but there is no denying the talent.  For the second year in a row, the NFL has abandoned Geezer Rock and hit it out of the park.

The there are the commercials.  Here are the ones we found worth noting.

• BMW with Bryant Gumbel and Katie Couric
• Carnival Cruise using JFK's voice to hawk their cruises.  I found that to be inappropriate.  Wonder what the Kennedy Family thought. At what point does a President, even a deceased one, become public domain?
• What happens when you pour Coke into a computer
• The Dove soap "Daddy" commercial
• The Doritos ad with the guy on the airplane
• Nissan "Cat's in the Cradle"
• Fiat "Viagra" commercial
• Kia commercial with Pierce Brosnan
• Wix website with old football players "Farve and Carve", "Immaculate Receptions"...brilliant
• Victoria's Secret "let the real games begin"
• Then, of course, Sketcher's shoes using Pete Rose.  Is there nothing that guy won't do for a buck?  Note to self: never, ever buy a pair of Sketchers.  Never.

There are now sixteen days reaming until Pirates pitchers and catchers report to Bradenton.

The Super Bowl

Regulars have no doubt noticed that I have been almost completely silent about the NFL Playoffs and the upcoming Super Bowl.  I just know that you have all missed my always not-so-accurate playoff predictions.  This can be traced to a couple of reasons.

One, due to our vacation in Hawaii and it's five hour time difference, I saw exactly NONE of the divisional playoffs or the conference championship games.  That's not exactly true.  I ducked into a bar in a town called Paia on Maui and saw Marshawn Lynch score the touchdown that put Seattle ahead of Green Bay late in the fourth quarter in the NFC title game.  The bar was filled with Seahawks fans, and the place exploded.  At the time, I was in a complete vacuum about the game and had no idea of what led up to that point.  And we got back to our hotel room in time to tune into the New England-Indy game in the fourth quarter with the Pats up 35-7, so why bother with the rest of it?

That has been the sum and substance of my NFL watching since the Steelers went down to the Ravens back on January 3.

The second reason for my silence on the game is the fact that I seem to be able to generate only negative passion for either of the participants.  Deflated footballs, smarmy coaches on both sides, loudmouth Richard Sherman, closed-mouthed Marshawn Lynch, blowhard Robert Kraft.  Hard to like either team, and both teams have enough going for them that you wouldn't mind seeing both of them lose.

This means I'm going to skip the game, right?  Not on your tintype, my friend.  The NFL has done a lot to turn you off in 2014, but I still like it, I like watching football, and, hey, it's the SUPER BOWL!!!!  And, whatever the faults of these two teams, they are both very good teams, and it should be a hell of a good football game.  As always, I will skip the hype and the hoopla of four plus hours of pre-game shows, (will probably watch a movie in the afternoon leading up to game time), and will tune in around 6:00 or so for the 6:30 kick-off.  I learned a long time ago that skipping all the network pre-game b.s. prevents you from being burned out before the game even begins.  Then there are the commercials, and the half-time show. I am completely unfamiliar with Katy Perry, other than I know shows a good looking young woman, and am anxious to see what kind of talent she is.

As for a prediction, well, here goes, and having not watched any of the games leading up to this one, it will not be my most informed prediction.  I am going to make this one based strictly on the two quarterbacks.  Russell Wilson is a terrific young talent, but Tom Brady is TOM BRADY, and, much as many may be loathe to admit it, he is one of they greatest of all time.  I am guessing that he wants to avenge those two Super Bowl losses to the Giants in recent years, and I am predicting that the old guy will out play the young guy in the one.  I also think that Bill Belichick will out coach Pete Carroll.

So call this one a win for the Patriots in what I hope will be a tense, close, and exciting game.  Then, we can all hold our noses when the Lombardi trophy is presented to Bob Kraft and Bill Belichick, or just turn the TV off when the final gun goes off, or immediately switch over to the new episode of "Downtown Abbey" that you DVR'd while the game was going on.

Enjoy the game, and party responsibly.