Who’s going to win the Super Bowl?
I put that question to as many people as I could. The most common response: “it will be a close game.” The other answer I kept hearing was, “I don’t really care.”
What does that mean? How can you not have an opinion on the biggest sporting event … wait, THE BIGGEST EVENT of the year? Every year! I’m sure that many of you soccer types are going to argue that World Cup is bigger, or, during an Olympic year, that it is bigger. I’m not buying it. Those vents are too spread out. The NFL is the most powerful entity in the world. Tell me something that is bigger? … I’m waiting … Okay, someone said that the internet is bigger than the NFL. Yes, maybe, in totality, the internet is bigger than the NFL. However, the internet is so divided into business, communications and porn, that I don’t think any of those one entities are larger. Yes, I have an opinion, it will be in my betting column.
Let’s see what other people are saying …
The vast majority of ESPN folks all seem to have the game coming in at less than a TD margin of victory. The Yahoo! experts side with the Packers; SI crew is pretty split.
(Miss USA, Rima Fakih, likes the Packers (24-21).)
Celebrities are all over the map, slightly favoring the Steelers … Cloris Leachman likes Pittsburgh (24-10) … Maya Angelou likes Green Bay (27-7) … Tom Watson, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer like the Steelers … Yogi Berra, Cal RIpken, Jr. and Blake Griffin like the Packers. This is one of my favorite bets, between the Milwaukee Art Museum and the Carnegie Museum Of Art - Pierre Renoir vs. Gustave Caillebotte!
I asked some of my buddies the same question:
My dad emailed, “I will be watching for the commercials and expecting a really good game. Can’t say who I will be rooting for. Best I can come up with for a final score is 33-30 in double overtime.” He was really disturbed by the previous OT rules. He was still talking about the Saints beating the Vikings in the 2010 NFC Championship Game - the one were Favre threw a horrible late INT; the Saints won on a FG, without the Vikings getting a possession - months later.
Bowz texted, “Steelers (34-31) - Indoor game; perfect conditions.”
Rassel texted, “It’s a pickem, but I’ll take Pitt (27-23). Gut says it comes down to who gets after the QB more … Pitt separates just enough in the 2nd half by establishing the run better than the Pack, other thought is whoever has the ball last wins.”
Josh emailed, “I’m putting the over/under on strippers that Big Ben has raped this week at 2. Steelers win (24-20). MVP goes to Polamalu after he sacks Rodgers, picks up the fumble and returns it for a touchdown late in the game, completing the perfect defensive play.” Ouch!
Pete texted, “Pack (27-20) win! Rodgers MVP; Raji plays on offense one play; Kuhn over 6 yards rushing.” He is referencing the prop bets we discussed on Ep. 17 of The Hear And Now.
Teal emailed, “Justin Beiber and Ozzy Osbourne in the same Best Buy ad? Woahaoahhhoooahooooo!” Okay, maybe that doesn’t constitute much of a prediction, though, his reaction seems spot on. Courtesy of SBJ/SBD, here is the schedule of commercials. If you want to make a game of it, here is a link to some Super Bowl Ad Bingo Cards. One of the cards in pictured below.
How about what Sara texted, “Fergie pulls a Britney and has a va-jay-jay slip. $5.” Not sure where you can get the odds for that one; but I’ll call my friend Kelly, who is in Vegas, to see what she can do.
Did you know that there won’t be any cheerleaders for the game? Neither team has a squad. Bad times!
Did you know that 97.67% of all of the avocados consumed during the year are eaten o Super Bowl Sunday. (Yes, I made that up!) And, at least 417 million chickens will be killed for their wings and drummies. Yum! (Made that one up too!) Speaking of wings, check out the Wing Bowl, which was held in Philly, on February 4, 2011.
Okay, let’s get on with the game already. I hope that the NFLPA and the owners come together on a new collective bargaining agreement. The current CBA expires in March, with a lockout being the next step. If we want to see if my theory about the NFL being the biggest entity in the world, the owners should lock the players out and jeopardize the 2011 regular season.
