Super Bowl XLIX

[DaddyTorgo]

Let's talk about the game itself, the matchups, etc.

Keep the nonsense for the other thread.

[DaddyTorgo]

Alright - I'll start.

All the talk I've heard about Seattle is about how their defense isn't big on pre-snap adjustements and just lines up and plays you straight, and I can't help but think that plays right into the hands of an experienced QB like Brady with a variety of weapons and an ability to threaten with things like splitting out TE and HB as WR and such.

It's going to be an interesting chess-match there I think.

[cartman]

Alright - I'll start.

All the talk I've heard about Seattle is about how their defense isn't big on pre-snap adjustements and just lines up and plays you straight, and I can't help but think that plays right into the hands of an experienced QB like Brady with a variety of weapons and an ability to threaten with things like splitting out TE and HB as WR and such.

It's going to be an interesting chess-match there I think.

You mean like Manning last year?

[stevew]

Seattle can probably scheme away Gronk and Randy Moss ain't walking through that door to beat single coverage deep. So I'm guessing it's an ugly game.

[DaddyTorgo]

Well that's why the game has to be played.

Also, for all the talk of "Seattle's defense has only given up 13 4th quarter points in the last 8 games" that conveniently ignores the fact that the Pats defense has only given up 12 points in the 4th quarter of the last 8 games (not sure where I heard that stat though).

So I think it will be a tight game. I don't see a blowout either way.

[NobodyHere]

Seattle can probably scheme away Gronk and Randy Moss ain't walking through that door to beat single coverage deep. So I'm guessing it's an ugly game.

I'm sure Belichek will find a way to cheat his way to a win.

[DaddyTorgo]

I'm sure Belichek will find a way to cheat his way to a win.

Nice job with the over/under there douchebag.

[NobodyHere]

Glad to be of service asshat

[Vince, Pt. II]

You mean like Manning last year?

This was my first thought as well. I don't know if it's going to be as easy as adjustments at the line. That being said, Seattle was not at all impressive last week, so who knows what's going to happen.

[BishopMVP]

Bryan Stork practicing again.

I think the Pats will sell out to stop Marshawn, and there will be at least 2-3 Russell Wilson 1v1 deep balls where there's a ton of contact and people will argue over the PI/non-PI call if it's a close game. The final verdict will be "neither Patriots nor Seahawks fans can complain about anything involving defensive contact"

Pray for Jeremy Lane if he ever gets matched up vs Gronk.

[Ben E Lou]

Nice job with the over/under there douchebag.

Glad to be of service asshat2 weeks each.

[B & B]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UlcAIzRbxBk/UwLTPisIQiI/AAAAAAAAFJ8/fUD43uQz78Q/s1600/kirbypuckett1987topps450.jpg

[Lathum]

2 weeks each.

Can we at least let DT out superbowl Sunday? The potential for hilarity is just to great with the Pats playing.

[Izulde]

Can we at least let DT out superbowl Sunday? The potential for hilarity is just to great with the Pats playing.

This

[Buccaneer]

Mrs. Bucc and I were talking about the whole deflating nonsense (I did bring up they did break the rule, if intentional) and the game as well. We both agree that the Pats will have an even bigger chip on their shoulders. Go Patriots.

It's funny, I asked for DT to have a 5-day waiting period before posting and doing the math, that's about what we'll get. ;)

[kingfc22]

Can we at least let DT out superbowl Sunday? The potential for hilarity is just to great with the Pats playing.

This

YES!

[SnowMan]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p>Is <a href="https://twitter.com/MoneyLynch">@MoneyLynch</a> crotch grab worth: $20k fine, 15-yd penalty and ... $149.95 for pic via NFL? <a href="http://t.co/pMlVlTQu5Y">http://t.co/pMlVlTQu5Y</a> (<a href="http://t.co/nZha07vpwA">http://t.co/nZha07vpwA</a>)</p>&mdash; Mike Sando, ESPN.com (@SandoESPN) <a href="https://twitter.com/SandoESPN/status/559440504069578752">January 25, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Hypocrisy? Or just good business by the NFL?

[cartman]

Here's 30 pages worth of prop bets to peruse.

List of 2015 Super Bowl Prop Bets (https://www.scribd.com/doc/253777365/List-of-2015-Super-Bowl-Prop-Bets)

[molson]

"SPECIAL (NE @ SEA) - How many times will Katy Perry be mentioned in the 1st Half? Over/Under 1½"

I need to find an actual sportsbook with that line. Only 1 1/2 times? The halftime show headliner? Are they not counting those "stay tuned for the halftime show" segues coming back from commercial?

[Lathum]

"SPECIAL (NE @ SEA) - How many times will Katy Perry be mentioned in the 1st Half? Over/Under 1½"

I need to find an actual sportsbook with that line. Only 1 1/2 times? The halftime show headliner? Are they not counting those "stay tuned for the halftime show" segues coming back from commercial?

My guess is they are not.

Likely how many times the announcers mention her.

[AENeuman]

2 weeks each.

I get it, they were needling each other, and DT needs to get a grip... but still, with them gone it feels like someone left the air out the room... And keeping DT out of the Superbowl thread would be deflating to us all. :D

[Coffee Warlord]

So I came up with a fun alternative to Super Bowl squares.

I picked 12 weirdo prop bets. Five buck entry, everyone makes their picks, whoever gets the most correct takes home the pot.

[Ben E Lou]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/hlpaduqvBgs" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[MIJB#19]

:bowdown: Marshawn Lynch

[Coffee Warlord]

Michael Katz on Twitter: "HOW DARE MARSHAWN LYNCH MAKE A MOCKERY OF THE MEDIA http://t.co/qEzBe1H3TY" (https://twitter.com/KatzM/status/560159541787373569)

[path12]

I love Marshawn.

[miami_fan]

That might be the most honest interview a member of either team provides all week.

[Chief Rum]

And yet still the most worthless. But he did what he needed to do so he won't get fined.

[Scoobz0202]

I noticed he was real cool with Deion. Did some searching and saw this interview he granted to Deion last year. Wonder if he just respects Deion and thinks Deion isn't going after him.

Diehardsport.com: Marshawn Lynch Media Day interview w/ Deion - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xknBTqR_-GQ)

[flere-imsaho]

To be fair, like 99% of the questions asked at media day are worthless.

[Lathum]

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/sY36BmRFf_I" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[molson]

To be fair, like 99% of the questions asked at media day are worthless.

Nonsense. Thanks to media day I know what Bill Bellichick's favorite stuffed animal is.

Belichick favorite stuffed animal - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwlPKVeNCgw)

[mckerney]

I noticed he was real cool with Deion. Did some searching and saw this interview he granted to Deion last year. Wonder if he just respects Deion and thinks Deion isn't going after him.

Diehardsport.com: Marshawn Lynch Media Day interview w/ Deion - YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xknBTqR_-GQ)

He also talked to Skittles.

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/u5PgOk1Hjcc" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[miami_fan]

To be fair, like 99% of the questions asked by the media are worthless.

Fixed

[Glengoyne]

A good friend of mine is Superbowl bound. His brother has a job with NFL administering the streaming for their online app, and he gets tickets to the game. He found out this last week that he's also got tickets/seats for the NFL honors and NFL experience events I think both on Saturday.

[Dutch]

After this weeks hype shenanigans on the part of both clubs, I couldn't see myself spending more than $300 on a ticket. So free is a bargain for sure!

[albionmoonlight]

Think the Pats will win. As much as I personally dislike Gronkowski, I think that he's the biggest difference maker on offense in the league.

And Belichick with two weeks to prepare will have enough to shut down the Seattle zone read.

[jeff061]

I have concerns about our ability to pass and our ability to hold Wilson in check enough. Hopefully our pass defense against Baltimore was an aberration(and not playoff woes) and we can get the running game going. We aren't going to completely stop Lynch, but if Wilson is making plays as well it's going to be a long game.

I like the Seahawks, totally respect them, hoping and expecting a good game.

[albionmoonlight]

If Seattle wins another blowout, I think that they will look really good in the light of history. Winning two blowout Super Bowls is amazing enough. Winning them against Manning and Belichick/Brady back to back seems like it would age very well.

On the flip side, if New England wins, then it really helps to dull the impact of recent postseason failings from their record. Suddenly, the Belichick dynasty extends from 2001 through 2015 (and counting) and the Super Bowl losses to the Giants will be seen more in the "got to the Super Bowl" light than the "lost the Super Bowl" light.

I could be wrong, but as long as the NFL has a salary cap, I don't think we will see another extended run of elite football like the Patriots in my lifetime.

[jeff061]

Well Belichick did it all under the cap. If he did it, I'm not sure why someone else couldn't eventually.

[chesapeake]

As a Seattle fan, I like the matchups. Seattle's losses this season have been to teams that ran the football exceptionally well, avoided turnovers and controlled the clock. New England is certainly good on turnovers, but their offensive style is to throw the ball around, and Seattle has beaten those teams consistently this season. New England has to make the Seattle D respect the run or they will fly at Tom Brady at near-inhuman speeds.

I do worry about the health of Sherman and Earl Thomas. They're the two best players on the team, and both got dinged up against Green Bay. I imagine that the NE gameplan will test out those two guys fairly early.

[Buccaneer]

Albion, that was what was said after the 80/90s dynasties but the Pats still pulled it off with superb coaching and leadership - which any team can do if they get the right combination and stick to it.

[albionmoonlight]

Albion, that was what was said after the 80/90s dynasties but the Pats still pulled it off with superb coaching and leadership - which any team can do if they get the right combination and stick to it.

But the difference that I see is that the 70s Steelers, 80's 49ers, and 90's Cowboys did not have a salary cap. If you draft a Mean Joe Green or a Joe Montana, or an Emmitt Smith, that was pretty much the whole ballgame.

Here, the ability to keep a team together in the face of the cap seems like an unlikely-to-be-repeated combination of luck and skill.

All that said, y'all might be right. Maybe in 15 years, the Luck/Pagano Colts will be coming off their 6th Super Bowl. That's why we watch.

[EagleFan]

Albion, that was what was said after the 80/90s dynasties but the Pats still pulled it off with superb coaching and leadership and ability to cheat - which any team can do if they get the right combination and stick to it.

fixed it for ya...

[flere-imsaho]

fixed it for ya...

:deadhorse:

[Ben E Lou]

To be fair, like 99% of the questions asked at media day are worthless.Yup.

Tom Ley at Deadspin *nailed* it.

Here, and earlier in the column, we have Hayes admitting that Media Day is a circus at which very little useful information can be gleaned from players and coaches. And then, in the same breath, we have him browbeating Lynch for not taking Media Day ... seriously ... enough? "You're making a mockery of this farce!" protests the dipshit.

Dumbass Mad At Marshawn Lynch For Giving Him Column Fodder (http://deadspin.com/dumbass-mad-at-marshawn-lynch-for-giving-him-column-fod-1682260686?utm_campaign=socialflow_deadspin_facebook&utm_source=deadspin_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow)

[Kodos]

If ya cheat, don't be surprised or disgusted when people rip on you for it.

[molson]

If ya cheat, don't be surprised or disgusted when people rip on you for it.

Rip on who? I don't think anyone who posts here inflated any balls. This is just jerkoff material for people like you and Eaglefan who get emotional validation from trolling.

[Kodos]

"You" refers to the team, not fans of the team.

But thanks for the trolling thing. I prefer to see it as calling out something that is wrong (cheating), but you might see things differently. I also condemned Indiana for both the Sampson hiring and the subsequent scandal, so I guess I was trolling myself.

[Castlerock]

Albion, that was what was said after the 80/90s dynasties but the Pats still pulled it off with superb coaching and leadership - which any team can do if they get the right combination and stick to it.

But the difference that I see is that the 70s Steelers, 80's 49ers, and 90's Cowboys did not have a salary cap. If you draft a Mean Joe Green or a Joe Montana, or an Emmitt Smith, that was pretty much the whole ballgame.

Here, the ability to keep a team together in the face of the cap seems like an unlikely-to-be-repeated combination of luck and skill.

All that said, y'all might be right. Maybe in 15 years, the Luck/Pagano Colts will be coming off their 6th Super Bowl. That's why we watch.
The combo is a great coach (which you don't lose due to free agency) and a great QB (there are not 32 good QBs let alone great ones). With the cap all teams have a fairly even level of non-QB talent. I could see it repeated.

[molson]

"You" refers to the team, not fans of the team.

But thanks for the trolling thing. I prefer to see it as calling out something that is wrong (cheating), but you might see things differently. I also condemned Indiana for both the Sampson hiring and the subsequent scandal, so I guess I was trolling myself.

If track records matter (like the Patriots' track record should), then your track record of trolling and obsessively trying to antagonize fan bases in football and college sports threads should count too. You don't care about the cheating. That's not why you're obsessed with this.

[Kodos]

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. It is about the cheating. I despise cheaters in all walks of life. I'm a very by-the-book person. To me, it is a big thing that they have apparently tried to cheat again. And the people that try to write it off because it didn't affect the outcome of the game are missing the point. The point is that, once again, the Patriots have tried to circumvent the rules to gain an advantage, even if it is a small one. And it can't be that small if they're doing it, because how is it worth it to go to the effort of cheating and expose yourself to the risk of being caught if there isn't a worthwhile advantage to be gained?

Yes, I like to rip on teams that I don't like. You have a point there. But if it was the Broncos cheating, I would be calling that out too. One of the reasons I despise New England is the fact that they're established cheaters. Some people will knee-jerk defend their team no matter the circumstances. I will knee-jerk attack cheaters, regardless of the team.

[Ben E Lou]

Eh, after all these years, it should be pretty clear that Kodos isn't a troll. He's just overly self-righteous. :)

[mckerney]

And yet no one has ripped on the Vikings who are so far the only team that has been caught tampering with footballs this season, or the Packers whose QB seemingly admitted to trying to get illegally inflated balls party the refs, or Browns who had an OC leave because of rules violations, or the Jets owner tampering with another teams player. I guess the collective outrage over cheating only occurs when it can be an anti-Patriots circlejerk.

[Kodos]

Eh, after all these years, it should be pretty clear that Kodos isn't a troll. He's just overly self-righteous. :)

Thanks, Ben. That is correct. :)

[Kodos]

And yet no one has ripped on the Vikings who are so far the only team that has been caught tampering with footballs this season, or the Packers whose QB seemingly admitted to trying to get illegally inflated balls party the refs, or Browns who had an OC leave because of rules violations, or the Jets owner tampering with another teams player. I guess the collective outrage over cheating only occurs when it can be an anti-Patriots circlejerk.

Frankly, I was unaware of most of those incidents. I'm sure I joined in in condemning Adrian Peterson and calling for this career to be over. Along with Ray Rice. Honestly, I just don't follow the NFL as closely as I used to. The Aaron Rodgers one seems like a non-story to me. He wants the balls inflated more, but nobody has produced any evidence of him doing so. If that is produced, I will righteously condemn him too. Hell, if I turned on Dan Marino (who was by far my favorite player of all time), I can turn on anyone. I just need a good reason.

[Lathum]

Eh, after all these years, it should be pretty clear that Kodos isn't a troll. He's just overly self-righteous. :)

Odd to see Kodos and Molson bicker.

[Kodos]

Are we usually BFFs? :confused: Honestly, he strikes me as a bit of a devil's advocate kind of guy.

[molson]

I'm sorry, but you're wrong. It is about the cheating. I despise cheaters in all walks of life. I'm a very by-the-book person. To me, it is a big thing that they have apparently tried to cheat again. And the people that try to write it off because it didn't effect the outcome of the game are missing the point. The point is that, once again, the Patriots have tried to circumvent the rules to gain an advantage, even if it is a small one. And it can't be that small if they're doing it, because how is it worth it to go to the effort of cheating and expose yourself to the risk of being caught if there isn't a worthwhile advantage to be gained?

Yes, I like to rip on teams that I don't like. You have a point there. But if it was the Broncos cheating, I would be calling that out too. One of the reasons I despise New England is the fact that they're established cheaters. Some people will knee-jerk defend their team no matter the circumstances. I will knee-jerk attack cheaters, regardless of the team.

You broadly antagonize fanbases outside of cheating contexts - that why I think you're full of shit here. Nobody is a bigger troll when it comes to that stuff than you.

[Kodos]

Again, from the father of the anti-dynasty, this should not be surprising. Yes, I am vocal about rooting against certain teams. Although, honestly, I feel like I have eased off on that quite a bit in the past 2 or 3 years. I may not have even made a negative remark about the Cowboys this season. In fact, I remember posting something positive about Romo after the Cowboys won a game in the playoffs.

[Logan]

Marshawn Lynch might get fined by NFL for wearing "BeastMode" hat at Super Bowl media day, sources say - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12242300/marshawn-lynch-get-fined-nfl-wearing-beastmode-hat-super-bowl-media-day-sources-say)

[EagleFan]

Rip on who? I don't think anyone who posts here inflated any balls. This is just jerkoff material for people like you and Eaglefan who get emotional validation from trolling.

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


Overreact much? Take a Midol, sounds like you need it.

[Kodos]

Now, see? I'd consider that to be more along the lines of trolling. :)

[dubb93]

Marshawn Lynch might get fined by NFL for wearing "BeastMode" hat at Super Bowl media day, sources say - ESPN (http://espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs/2014/story/_/id/12242300/marshawn-lynch-get-fined-nfl-wearing-beastmode-hat-super-bowl-media-day-sources-say)

Could that not backfire and piss off a sponsor? Yea he wore a "BeastMode" hat.....but it was made by the official hat sponsor of the NFL and sold out pretty much immediately after the press conference according to the story. Isn't that exactly the kind of stuff they are paying the NFL for?

[miami_fan]

Could that not backfire and piss off a sponsor? Yea he wore a "BeastMode" hat.....but it was made by the official hat sponsor of the NFL and sold out pretty much immediately after the press conference according to the story. Isn't that exactly the kind of stuff they are paying the NFL for?

Ummm some might say "Rules are rules":lol:

[molson]

Now, see? I'd consider that to be more along the lines of trolling. :)

I'd say Eaglefan is like a young Kodos, but he's actually older.

Edit: Though you're both shockingly in your 40s. I don't understand the concept of hating a sports teams and their fanbases past the age of about 12, but that's another topic.

[mckerney]

Could that not backfire and piss off a sponsor? Yea he wore a "BeastMode" hat.....but it was made by the official hat sponsor of the NFL and sold out pretty much immediately after the press conference according to the story. Isn't that exactly the kind of stuff they are paying the NFL for?

Plus there's Lynch getting fined for not talking to the media but still giving self important hacks more to write about than guys who answer every dumb question they have.

[Kodos]

I'd say Eaglefan is like a young Kodos, but he's actually older.

Edit: Though you're both shockingly in your 40s. I don't understand the concept of hating a sports teams and their fanbases past the age of about 12, but that's another topic.

Often, it is the fans of a team that make me hate them. I almost always end up hating local sports teams. Like the Patriots.

You'd be surprised. We have a couple of die-hard, pure homer Pats fans in the office (the kind of fans that make me hate a team), and I have not even mentioned the deflation scandal to them in passing. I'm a reformed man!

Surely, there are sports teams you don't care for? The Jets, perhaps? To me, sports are a place where you can really enjoying hating somebody or a team, and revel in their defeats. My teams rarely win championships, so I have to get my joy somewhere. Why not pass the time laughing at Johnny Football, Jerry Jones, and Bill Belichick?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Could that not backfire and piss off a sponsor? Yea he wore a "BeastMode" hat.....but it was made by the official hat sponsor of the NFL and sold out pretty much immediately after the press conference according to the story. Isn't that exactly the kind of stuff they are paying the NFL for?

Eh, not really.

The "official hat sponsor" status is virtually certainly tied to their broader agreement for licensed merchandise. I gather from the wording of the article I saw that this isn't one of those items, or else it isn't an item that was approved by the league for use.

And, if New Era wanted to get pissy about it, they could walk away & be replaced easily enough that the league wouldn't blink. Honestly, if New Era was involved intentionally the league has more right to be pissed at them than vice versa, this sort of thing is heavily regulated.

And yes, I've dealt with the NFL rules concerning "official sponsor" status, basically everything you do associated with the league has to be approved by multiple layers including their marketing department as well as their legal department. The process takes weeks if not months and covers every single word and every single image.

edit to add: I had to have part of a TV spot reshot because of a generic jersey color that appeared in the background for less than 2 seconds.

[Radii]

I don't understand the concept of hating a sports teams and their fanbases past the age of about 12, but that's another topic.

To me this is a part of the fun of being a fan of a sport. I do try to make sure I keep it light, most of the time. For the NFL, I'm a Panthers fan. The NFC South is a bit weird because there hasn't been one dominant team. For awhie I hated the Falcons the most, for awhile the Saints, in the early 2000's it was Tampa briefly. Do I just remain neutral on the other 28 teams in the league? That seems damn boring.

I enjoy rooting against the patriots. Its a combination of all the success breeding hate, plus the generalization of Boston area fans as a group who LOVED their "down on their luck" lot in the world and who hated everything about the Yankees but then immediately turned into them the second they won something. I'm from the south, the stereotypical brash northeastern attitude is offputting. So I root against Boston teams. I am 100% capable of separating any individual out from this. But this little storyline makes it fun for me to root against this team. Again, no personal disdain for any individual patriots fan as a result.


Sometimes its just an individual here or there. Watching DaddyTorgo's reactions when his team is losing is amazing. Who here doesn't find small amounts of joy when MBBF's teams aren't doing well?

The 12th man thing in seattle is annoying as hell. Seattle is so easy to root against. They have a bunch of players who you LOVE if they're on your team, but hate if they're not. One of my best friends is a Seattle fan, a bit fair weather and he knows it. I needle him about it and I actively root against his team. Its not serious, its not hateful. But it makes following the sport more fun.


Hell, I could go through every team in the league and tell you which way I lean on them for unbelievably petty reasons. I hate the Bears because when I was 9 Walter Payton was better than my favorite player, Tony Dorsett. I will always hate the Bears because of this.

I dunno, I don't see any of this as a bad thing, as long as you can separate it out when you're talking to an individual who happens to be a fan of a team and not pigeonhole every individual into some stereotype or media story.

[Alan T]

Edit: Though you're both shockingly in your 40s. I don't understand the concept of hating a sports teams and their fanbases past the age of about 12, but that's another topic.

To this day I still despise the 49ers for their domination over the Falcons during my entire childhood. I don't think that I necessarily ever hated their fans. That probably is because there was not any internet or even any real BBS in the early/mid-80s. If I had to also endure the constant gloating or taunting from them year after year, I probably would despise them too.

So I guess I can see why fans of teams that have lost to the Patriots for years would feel the same way.

[Arles]

And yet no one has ripped on the Vikings who are so far the only team that has been caught tampering with footballs this season, or the Packers whose QB seemingly admitted to trying to get illegally inflated balls party the refs, or Browns who had an OC leave because of rules violations, or the Jets owner tampering with another teams player. I guess the collective outrage over cheating only occurs when it can be an anti-Patriots circlejerk.
No matter how many times you say this, it still isn't correct. Inflating balls to the legal limit of 13.5 PSI, taking them to refs and then complaining they reduce them to the standard 13 PSI does not equal "seemingly admitted to trying to get illegally inflated balls party the refs".

[EagleFan]

I'd say Eaglefan is like a young Kodos, but he's actually older.

Edit: Though you're both shockingly in your 40s. I don't understand the concept of hating a sports teams and their fanbases past the age of about 12, but that's another topic.

What hating? Only hate is for self righteous fans who think their team is above being criticized. Here's a dollar, go buy a sense of humor.

[EagleFan]

No matter how many times you say this, it still isn't correct. Inflating balls to the legal limit of 13.5 PSI, taking them to refs and then complaining they reduce them to the standard 13 PSI does not equal "seemingly admitted to trying to get illegally inflated balls party the refs".

Stop bringing facts to the debate. :)

[Kodos]

No matter how many times you say this, it still isn't correct. Inflating balls to the legal limit of 13.5 PSI, taking them to refs and then complaining they reduce them to the standard 13 PSI does not equal "seemingly admitted to trying to get illegally inflated balls party the refs".

Yep. Usually he has a very level head, but on this topic, he's a bit MBBFish.

[Chief Rum]

Edit: Though you're both shockingly in your 40s. I don't understand the concept of hating a sports teams and their fanbases past the age of about 12, but that's another topic.

I would say you're a different sort of sports fan, then, and that you don't really "get" a good portion of the current sport population. "Sports hate" is very common and is part and parcel of the sports culture. It doesn't mean that someone isn't as mature as you; they're just view sports differently.

You don't need to belittle others to accept that they think differently than you do.

Consider flere and ISsidiqui for me. I don't often agree with them. But I respect them and accept that their world views are different than mine, but equally valid. I don't consider them immature because we don't hold the same opinions on things.

For the record, I'm 42. And I will "sports hate" USC and the Niners and the Red Wings till the day I die, and express varying degrees of hostility toward the A's, Sharks, Warriors, Arizona and Arizona State (at least) for just as long. :shrug:

[mckerney]

No matter how many times you say this, it still isn't correct. Inflating balls to the legal limit of 13.5 PSI, taking them to refs and then complaining they reduce them to the standard 13 PSI does not equal "seemingly admitted to trying to get illegally inflated balls party the refs".

No matter how many times you say this, "I like to push the limit to how much air we can put in the football, even go over what they allow you to do and see if the officials take air out of it," does not equal trying inflating balls to the legal limit and complaining that the refs let air out.

[molson]

No matter how many times you say this, it still isn't correct. Inflating balls to the legal limit of 13.5 PSI, taking them to refs and then complaining they reduce them to the standard 13 PSI does not equal "seemingly admitted to trying to get illegally inflated balls party the refs".

This disconnect here is that he's referring to the statements Phil Simms made, not the ones Aaron Rodgers made. Simms said that Rodgers said that he liked to submit balls inflated above 13.5 to the refs just to see if he could get away with it. I don't think that would be a rule violation to submit whatever you think you can get away with as long as you don't tamper with the balls afterwards, and obviously it was hearsay/game chit-chat and not necessarily 100% accurate.

[EagleFan]

No matter how many times you say this, "I like to push the limit to how much air we can put in the football, even go over what they allow you to do and see if the officials take air out of it," does not equal trying inflating balls to the legal limit and complaining that the refs let air out.

It also doesn't equal tampering with the footballs AFTER the refs check them...

[Kodos]

I, for one, will never outgrow sports hate. Or if I do, I will stop watching sports because I clearly just don't care at that point.

[molson]

I would say you're a different sort of sports fan, then, and that you don't really "get" a good portion of the current sport population. "Sports hate" is very common and is part and parcel of the sports culture. It doesn't mean that someone isn't as mature as you; they're just view sports differently.

You don't need to belittle others to accept that they think differently than you do.

Consider flere and ISsidiqui for me. I don't often agree with them. But I respect them and accept that their world views are different than mine, but equally valid. I don't consider them immature because we don't hold the same opinions on things.

For the record, I'm 42. And I will "sports hate" USC and the Niners and the Red Wings till the day I die, and express varying degrees of hostility toward the A's, Sharks, Warriors, Arizona and Arizona State (at least) for just as long. :shrug:

There's definitely a difference between "sports hate" and "real hate" and I'm only talking about the latter.

Though it's still hard for me even to have sports hate, which does make me a less passionate sports fan.

[jeff061]

Well this thread went to garbage. Despite having am entire other thread devoted to this discussion.

Nice work trolls.

[AENeuman]

I, for one, will never outgrow sports hate. Or if I do, I will stop watching sports because I clearly just don't care at that point.

I get this. My hatred for windmills that are tilted has only increased over the years.

[albionmoonlight]

I'm a very by-the-book person.

But which book . . .?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5a-ir0UQnn4/SQ1Bc3kTSHI/AAAAAAAABgE/Aj_yBnIH1Yk/s1600/800px-Hungry_are_the_Damned.png

[Arles]

This disconnect here is that he's referring to the statements Phil Simms made, not the ones Aaron Rodgers made. Simms said that Rodgers said that he liked to submit balls inflated above 13.5 to the refs just to see if he could get away with it. I don't think that would be a rule violation to submit whatever you think you can get away with as long as you don't tamper with the balls afterwards, and obviously it was hearsay/game chit-chat and not necessarily 100% accurate.
This is the quote from Simms:
"I like to push the limits of how much air we can put in the football, even go over what they allow you to do," is what Simms recalls Rodgers telling them.
I think the disconnect is people are assuming "allow you to do" meant 13.5 PSI. Rodgers later clarified to say that the officials always bring the ball down to 13 PSI - while he sends them at 13.5 PSI. So, in that context, the Simms recollection probably meant that Rodgers sent them in at 13.5 PSI - which is more than they allow you to do (given their policy of always setting the balls to 13 PSI per former NFL ref Gerry Austin).

As to the second point, I do think that also is a big distinction. If it comes out in the investigation that Brady set the balls to 11.5-12 PSI before inspection and the league allowed it - the onus is then on the league. I don't think you can penalize Brady at that point given he provided the balls to the refs for inspection. Now, if he monkeyed with them afterwards, I think that's a different ballgame as he was then knowingly trying to skirt the rules and inspection process.

[Kodos]

But which book . . .?

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_5a-ir0UQnn4/SQ1Bc3kTSHI/AAAAAAAABgE/Aj_yBnIH1Yk/s1600/800px-Hungry_are_the_Damned.png

How to Cook for Forty Humans, of course.

[molson]

It's not surprising that Sims would muck up what Rodgers told him, but I think the point was that nobody cared, so there was no need to clarify until the Patriots stuff broke. If it turns out the Patriots were submitting under-inflated balls and got them through inspection, I don't think that ends the controversy, even if they're not penalized.

[Travis]

I can't wait for this week to be over. Hated all the BS in the week leading up to the SB last year, pretty much feel the same again this year.

Come Sunday though, I'm really curious to see how the Seahawks plan to try and limit Gronk, how they'll try to mask their injury induced lack of depth at DT and if they can stop/limit the Pats run game while also making life miserable for Brady with just the front 4 pass rushing.

Given everything I've seen, seems like one of the keys on Gronk is to press him at the line every single time so I can't help but wonder if he gets the same treatment that Seattle gave Steve Smith a few years ago. They sent a LB over on most downs to bump him at the line, then pass him off to the secondary. KJ Wright is the guy usually tasked with TE coverage and could fulfill that role before handing him off to Chancellor. And if we get a good collision between Gronk and Bam Bam, well that'll be fun.

With Sherman and Thomas both hurt, it's almost impossible to guess how effective they'll be and if their play in practice will dictate some changes from how the Seahawks usually play on D. So much will be on Avril and Bennett to make Brady move/throw early so that the secondary doesn't have to cover for extended periods and Gronk doesn't have a chance to get off the press and get back into his route. If ET and Sherm are less than 70% going in or worsen during the game, some of the younger guys are going to have to step up and seize the moment. I have some faith in Simon at CB, not quite as sure about the candidates that would be asked to fill Thomas' role though.

Offensively, I'd expect the Seahawks to attack Browner whenever possible (double moves, quick hitters, they know him so well still) with a lot of read option plays mixed in. Even if Wilson only has 3-4 keepers, the threat of it is usually enough to take 1 guy out of the mix when it comes to stopping Lynch and that's never a bad thing for him.

I am quite curious to see what the Pats do to account for this and if Collins will act as a spy or not. If he is asked to do that, then Luke Willson could be in for a big day as he's a speed mismatch for most LB. If Collins ends up covering him, then there's probably more keeper options for Wilson.

Absolutely love the matchup. Both coaches are great with extra prep time and the Pats can transform their offensive scheme on a week to week basis it seems. The Seahawks pretty much play the same game every week but their record in prime time games and/or an extra week off under Carroll is fantastic so it should be a lot of fun.

And by a lot of fun I mean I'll be nervous as hell right down to the wire probably. I can't imagine the Pats will wilt the way the Broncos did last year, but I sure hope they do.

[Lathum]

I hope for a close game with Husky alum Jermaine Kearse catching the game winning TD in OT. (yes, we did just see that)

[MIJB#19]

I get this. My hatred for windmills that are tilted has only increased over the years.No bad words about windmills! :rant:

[Marmel]

Often, it is the fans of a team that make me hate them. I almost always end up hating local sports teams.

How bad are Uconn fans, seriously?!?! This is one of the worst fan bases in the country. :rant:

[Kodos]

Strangely, I don't run in to many fans around here, and thus they would barely even make my dislike list. I did hate Calhoun though.

[molson]

Hmm, Marmel reminds me of one of the times I did understand and appreciate "sports hate" - the season Kodos was over-the-top hostile and trash talky about Indiana basketball all season only for them to shit the bed against a lower-seeded Syracuse team in the tournament.

[Kodos]

Yes. And Syracuse is one of my most-hated college b-ball teams. So that's nice. :)

[Marmel]

Yes. And Syracuse is one of my most-hated college b-ball teams. So that's nice. :)

That never made any sense to me coming from an Indiana fan.
That was a great Sweet 16 game a couple years back though. :)

[Arles]

It's not surprising that Sims would muck up what Rodgers told him, but I think the point was that nobody cared, so there was no need to clarify until the Patriots stuff broke. If it turns out the Patriots were submitting under-inflated balls and got them through inspection, I don't think that ends the controversy, even if they're not penalized.
I think it takes a lot of the teeth out of the scandal, but you're right - some people are extremely invested in New England getting a big penalty. I do think it would be somewhat marginalized by most fans if the balls were presented well under the min and the refs didn't check it. A lot of the vitriol would shift from the Pats to the NFL.

[Kodos]

That never made any sense to me coming from an Indiana fan.
That was a great Sweet 16 game a couple years back though. :)

Yeah, it was a poor matchup for us, and Syracuse whipped us. Honestly, I did learn some things that season. People were right. I did let things get to my head a bit. But I'm better now. :) The main person I rib in the basketball thread now is a certain Iowa fan.

I grew up in Rochester, and developed a nice hatred for whiny Jim Boeheim.

[ISiddiqui]

Consider flere and ISsidiqui for me. I don't often agree with them. But I respect them and accept that their world views are different than mine, but equally valid. I don't consider them immature because we don't hold the same opinions on things.

SPEAK FOR YOURSELF! :mad:

(No, just kidding... or am I... ;))

Personally, I understand sports hate, but I really don't get trash talk. YMMV.

[mckerney]

It's not surprising that Sims would muck up what Rodgers told him, but I think the point was that nobody cared, so there was no need to clarify until the Patriots stuff broke. If it turns out the Patriots were submitting under-inflated balls and got them through inspection, I don't think that ends the controversy, even if they're not penalized.

That's basically my feeling on it. When Simms told the sorry it was a funny anecdote that a QB might try to bend the rules and no one thought any thing. The Vikings are seen actively tampering with the ball by heating it up on the sidelines and its a complete non issue. No one seemed to care about football PSI being in the correct range or teams improperly handling footballs during games until the Patriots were involved. Just hard to take all the screaming and outrage about cheating and integrity of the game now seem stupid.

[Chief Rum]

SPEAK FOR YOURSELF! :mad:

(No, just kidding... or am I... ;))

Haha love ya, Imran! You're one of my go to people in my head for that quote someone here has in their signature, from Sports Night, which says you should surround yourself with "smart people who disagree with you." :D

[Chief Rum]

Personally, I understand sports hate, but I really don't get trash talk. YMMV.

100% with you here. I don't understand trash talk either. I don't participate in that (unless someone just has it coming lol).

[ISiddiqui]

To expound on what I mentioned above... I mean trash talk by fans. It literally makes me highly uncomfortable, even if its someone who is a fan of the same team I am, trash talking the other team. I have declined invites to "watch the game" at a house of friends who I know trash talk incessantly (and invariably think their trash talk is clever).

But, hey, some people like it. I just distance myself.

[Kodos]

That's basically my feeling on it. When Simms told the sorry it was a funny anecdote that a QB might try to bend the rules and no one thought any thing. The Vikings are seen actively tampering with the ball by heating it up on the sidelines and its a complete non issue. No one seemed to care about football PSI being in the correct range or teams improperly handling footballs during games until the Patriots were involved. Just hard to take all the screaming and outrage about cheating and integrity of the game now seem stupid.

Part of it might be that nobody cares about the Vikings.

[molson]

To expound on what I mentioned above... I mean trash talk by fans. It literally makes me highly uncomfortable, even if its someone who is a fan of the same team I am, trash talking the other team. I have declined invites to "watch the game" at a house of friends who I know trash talk incessantly (and invariably think their trash talk is clever).

But, hey, some people like it. I just distance myself.

I used to cringe when Red Sox fans chanted "Yankees suck" at baseball games that didn't even involve the Yankees, or at events that weren't even baseball games. I think that rose from "sports hate" to "real hate" for a lot of those people - hate fueled by feelings of inferiority and jealousy.

And it was also super weird a few weeks ago to see my girlfriends' parents and some house guests yelling at the TV and trash talking the Panthers during the Seahawks/Panthers playoff game. The tone wasn't jokey and fun, they seemed really angry. They also "hate" the Patriots, so I skipped watching the Ravens game over there and came later. Not that I think they'd scream at me, but I would have had to humorously and good-naturely deflect the taunting for a few hours, and that would just be exhausting. Same with the super bowl. I can deal with the deflate-gate stuff from fun co-workers who don't hold me responsible for the whole thing or harass me about it all day, but for 4+ hours at a super bowl party from a lot of strangers (mostly seahawk fans) who may or may not be trying to annoy me or get a reaction out of me, I'll just stay away.

[Chief Rum]

I used to cringe when Red Sox fans chanted "Yankees suck" at baseball games that didn't even involve the Yankees, or at events that weren't even baseball games. I think that rose from "sports hate" to "real hate" for a lot of those people - hate fueled by feelings of inferiority and jealousy.

And it was also super weird a few weeks ago to see my girlfriends' parents and some house guests yelling at the TV and trash talking the Panthers during the Seahawks/Panthers playoff game. The tone wasn't jokey and fun, they seemed really angry. They also "hate" the Patriots, so I skipped watching the Ravens game over there and came later. Not that I think they'd scream at me, but I would have had to humorously and good-naturely deflect the taunting for a few hours, and that would just be exhausting. Same with the super bowl. I can deal with the deflate-gate stuff from fun co-workers who don't hold me responsible for the whole thing, but for 4+ hours at a super bowl party from a lot of strangers who may or may not be trying to annoy me or get a reaction out of me, I'll just stay away.

This.

I can't really understand this kind of sports fandom. My roommate is from New England and is a big time Red Sox and Pats homer. He was really bad at this when he first came out, but I think the three years out here among us "softer" Cali sports fans has mellowed him out some.

In a related way, I get similarly uncomfortable when someone gets extremely homerish with a team I also follow. Not like I am immune to my biases and I certainly have my threads here where I am overly defensive about my teams, but I see more extreme supporters for my teams all the time, like UCLA or the Angels, and it makes me cringe to see it. And to see them trash talking other teams when our team wins.

I have a deep sports hate for USC, but I make a point of not trash talking USC fans (in person or online), even when UCLA wins. Some of my fellow Bruins fans, not so much.

[ISiddiqui]

To me (and I'll stress that it's to me and not for everyone) trash talking other teams is just bad fan sportsmanship. I prefer the fans that respect other fans and are just as willing to give a compliment after a good play as they are to root against the team. I don't mind folks saying "I hate the xxx" as long as they act respectfully to fans of that team instead of some sort of wartime enemy.

[Kodos]

People should be able to attend sporting events in the jersey of the opposing team without fear being attacked by some drunk idiot.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Part of it might be that nobody cares about the Vikings.

+1, basically

[JonInMiddleGA]

... and are just as willing to give a compliment after a good play as they are to root against the team.

This is a key component for me. I can hate UGA with the fire of a thousand suns, but a good throw or a missed call (that goes against them) or objectively analyzing coaching decisions or line play or whatever ... that stuff is just factual.

I guess I'd call in "honesty in fandom" (or sports hate) or something. If the hated team plays great or the beloved team plays like crap, be honest about it in discussion.

I mean, I wish like hell Nick Chubb wasn't a beast of a college RB when he's getting some blocking ... but he is {shrug}, I'd just be an idiot to deny that.

[ISiddiqui]

Honesty in fandom is a good way to put it.

[Buccaneer]

Imran, but honesty goes against the tribalism you brought up.

I mentioned this earlier but I would have thought that fantasy leagues and 24-hour coverage of everyone/everything (thus reducing localism) would go a long ways in reducing the nonsense. Maybe it has but there is still way too much trash, personification and parochialism, imo.

[ISiddiqui]

Imran, but honesty goes against the tribalism you brought up.

Of course it doesn't.

One can be tribal and respectful. You don't have to choose between loving your team because its your tribe and being respectful to those who belong to other tribes.

[Buccaneer]

Don't have to but I generally have not seen that. Tribalism typically means defend and attack.

[ISiddiqui]

Tribalism simply means having more loyalty for a smaller (usually local group) than other groups. Patriotism and Nationalism are just tribalism writ large, on a national component.

[Honolulu_Blue]

While the two weeks between the conference finals and the Super Bowl tend to be pretty annoying, this has to be the most annoying Super Bowl build up of all times. The deflated football thing, the crotch grabbing, the media moaning about Marshawn Lynch not talking, Marshawn Lynch's hat, the uproar over that stupid Go Daddy commercial.

This better be the best Super Bowl ever to make up for all of this nonsense.

[Lathum]

While the two weeks between the conference finals and the Super Bowl tend to be pretty annoying, this has to be the most annoying Super Bowl build up of all times. The deflated football thing, the crotch grabbing, the media moaning about Marshawn Lynch not talking, Marshawn Lynch's hate, the uproar over that stupid Go Daddy commercial.

This better be the best Super Bowl ever to make up for all of this nonsense.

I watched that GoDaddy commercial and was amazed people got all butt hurt about it. I half expected to see them hanging pitbulls by their toenails while Mike Vick lit them on fire.

[jeff061]

I wasn't even aware of the GoDaddy drama until just now. Just watched the video.... huh? There is nothing you can do these days without someone getting butt hurt, GoDaddy should have told them all to piss off.

[Lathum]

I wasn't even aware of the GoDaddy drama until just now. Just watched the video.... huh? There is nothing you can do these days without someone getting butt hurt, GoDaddy should have told them all to piss off.

It almost makes me wonder if it was all contrived to get the eyeballs without paying the Superbowl ad premium.

[jeff061]

Maybe, I was assuming it was a home brewed controversy until I read they pull it altogether. I was thinking they couldn't recoup their costs so dismissed that idea. But I don't know how advertising works.

[Sublime 2]

While the two weeks between the conference finals and the Super Bowl tend to be pretty annoying, this has to be the most annoying Super Bowl build up of all times. The deflated football thing, the crotch grabbing, the media moaning about Marshawn Lynch not talking, Marshawn Lynch's hat, the uproar over that stupid Go Daddy commercial.

This better be the best Super Bowl ever to make up for all of this nonsense.

Worst part is, I feel like there's a lot of great actual game-centric discussions to have. They've just all been put on the back burner because of this other shit.

[Chief Rum]

I watched that GoDaddy commercial and was amazed people got all butt hurt about it. I half expected to see them hanging pitbulls by their toenails while Mike Vick lit them on fire.

There's nothing absolutely terrible about this commercial. A little short of classy, I suppose, but certainly not worthy of the uproar. I mean, it's Godaddy. Sheesh!

[Dutch]

Maybe, I was assuming it was a home brewed controversy until I read they pull it altogether. I was thinking they couldn't recoup their costs so dismissed that idea. But I don't know how advertising works.

I think the basic premise is...if people know the brand and are talking about the brand, the advertising is working pretty well.

[stevew]

You can objectify a million women, but the second you switch to puppies it's on.

[miami_fan]

While the two weeks between the conference finals and the Super Bowl tend to be pretty annoying, this has to be the most annoying Super Bowl build up of all times. The deflated football thing, the crotch grabbing, the media moaning about Marshawn Lynch not talking, Marshawn Lynch's hat, the uproar over that stupid Go Daddy commercial.

This better be the best Super Bowl ever to make up for all of this nonsense.

+1 except for the Marshawn Lynch thing. I would like to thank the media for all their moaning. I want a Marshawn Lynch press conference weekly throughout the off-season.

[VPI97]

This is hilarious.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNpkSyryQz4" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>

[stevew]

Seeing a lot of stories about the price of tickets being insane and lots of brokers reneging on tickets due to a lack of availability. If a ticket is now approaching 10K on the secondary market, why hasn't the league moved towards better variable pricing and significantly increased pricing? I'd much rather that the league(and the players) profit than a collection of third party suspect brokers.

[molson]

Ya, I've read about brokers refunding tickets at 200% what people paid, and then an extra $1,000 on top of that to compensate for other travel costs if you ask for it. Pretty easy way to make a few thousand dollars. Even if the broker actually has the ticket, they make more selling it to someone else for $10k, and if they didn't have it yet, it's cheaper not to pay for it at this point and negotiate with the buyers.

[SirFozzie]

You know what? It's time to put all the jibber jabber away. No more talk about DeflateGate, "I'm just here so I don't get fined", and other meaningless bullshit. It's almost game time, and may the better team on the night win.. so long as it's the Patriots ;)

(in all seriousness, I think the Pats are a slight favorite, Seattle is a team that takes away huge plays and makes you earn it with grind-it-out drives that puts third down conversions at a premium... which is exactly what the Pats excel at. Pats 24, Seahawks 21)

[Kodos]

This is hilarious.

<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNpkSyryQz4" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe>

:D

[stevew]

I'd pick a Seattle rout but I'm unsure of the health of their secondary. Seattle 27 New England 20 but it won't actually be that close. Brady gets a garbage time TD to make it interesting.

[BishopMVP]

You know what? It's time to put all the jibber jabber away. No more talk about DeflateGate, "I'm just here so I don't get fined", and other meaningless bullshit. It's almost game time, and may the better team on the night win.. so long as it's the Patriots ;)You would say that you traitor. ;)

Can't wait for the game, because it will legitimately go down in history. Either we have the best dynasty of all time, or Seattle just dominated the most impressive 2 year period ever.

[Lathum]

6 superbowls is impressive but I can't call a team that goes 10
years between winning one the best dynasty of all time.

[EagleFan]

Go Hawks!

[Dutch]

Thank God it's gameday. I'm so glad this negative press, clown-like atmosphere these two teams have generated is almost over! Worst pre-Super Bowl hype ever. To be fair, I mostly blame E!(SPN) for this...

No dog in this fight, early thoughts are that I'll be pulling for the Seahawks, but it's possible to find myself pulling for the Pats under some circumstances...it's just "to close to call" for me as a fan. I guess I'm just rooting for a good game.

[flere-imsaho]

6 superbowls is impressive but I can't call a team that goes 10
years between winning one the best dynasty of all time.

How about winning 3 in 4 years? Or is that too short a time frame to be considered a dynasty?

[Lathum]

How about winning 3 in 4 years? Or is that too short a time frame to be considered a dynasty?

In football I think you can because the team would have many of the same players. How many guys on this squad are left from those pats teams of the early 2000s?

[JPhillips]

Seeing a lot of stories about the price of tickets being insane and lots of brokers reneging on tickets due to a lack of availability. If a ticket is now approaching 10K on the secondary market, why hasn't the league moved towards better variable pricing and significantly increased pricing? I'd much rather that the league(and the players) profit than a collection of third party suspect brokers.

I don't think the league wants feature stories about how the NFL charges 5000 or 10000 per ticket.

[sabotai]

If we're extending "best dynasty of all time" to pre-Super Bowl championships, it's probably going to be impossible to best Green Bay's 5 NFL Championships + Super Bowls in 7 years (61, 62, 65, 66, 67).

[JPhillips]

The Browns are in that discussion. In the ten year period from 1946-1955 the Browns won the AAFC four times, the NFL three times and lost in the NFL championship game three times. For ten years they were either first or second every year.

[frnk55]

So who's going to watch 6 1/2 hours of pregame? ;)

[kingfc22]

So who's going to watch 6 1/2 hours of pregame? ;)

When you have Johnny Wier and Tara Lapinski as hosts for your coverage. Not me.

[Izulde]

I still remember Tara Lipinski winning gold in the Olympics. A buddy of mine had a creative writing class and needed a poem, but couldn't think of one to write, so he asked me. I dashed off a quick one about Tara. Dude got so much shit for it from the rest of the class, but he didn't care because he got an A on it and the professor loved it. :D

[kingfc22]

And finally it's almost time!

[Butter]

Adele Dazeem!

[Grover]

Why must everyone murder the anthem?

[stevew]

Is the game streaming? Sat keeps going out because of snow

[QuikSand]

Michele Tafoya looks like she bought and wore the skin suit from Silence of the Lambs.

[EagleFan]

It's TIME........

[kingfc22]

If that first attempt at a tackle is any indication, the Pats should attack Sherman's side on any wide runs.

[Grover]

Oh look, the ref is already making the wrong calls.

[kingfc22]

And first blown call of the Super Bowl?

[bhlloy]

They don't have the balls to call that a 15 yarder

[kingfc22]

They don't have the balls to call that a 15 yarder

Pereira on Twitter says it is up to the discretion of the official. Paging Dr. Sak?

[Abe Sargent]

Let's go Seahawks

[Coffee Warlord]

So, since I missed the first couple minutes, and to see how my silly office prop bet pool is going...

What was the coin toss, and which coach was mentioned first after the kickoff?

[EagleFan]

No matter what Collonsworth says it is up to the discretion of the official.

[kingfc22]

So, since I missed the first couple minutes, and to see how my silly office prop bet pool is going...

What was the coin toss, and which coach was mentioned first after the kickoff?

Coin toss = tails.

[Coffee Warlord]

Whoo tails!

[EagleFan]

Think hoodie was the first coach mentioned.

[jeff061]

No matter what Collonsworth says it is up to the discretion of the official.

When he was blabbing I was just assuming he was wrong.

[EagleFan]

Now there was a missed call on the pick play on 3rd down.

[Coffee Warlord]

Think hoodie was the first coach mentioned.

In which case, I'm 3 of 3. I got the hoodie color right, coin toss, and coach named first. :)

[sabotai]

They don't have the balls to call that a 15 yarder

i can't remember the last time I saw Roughing the Kicker called.

[jeff061]

Picks never get called unless they are especially aggressive.

[Grover]

In which case, I'm 3 of 3. I got the hoodie color right, coin toss, and coach named first. :)

What other prop bets do you have going?

[Abe Sargent]

PICK

[kingfc22]

Ugh. What a terrible pass.

[jeff061]

There's the Brady I know. Good for a couple of those a game these days.

[whomario]

Brady brain fart ...

[EagleFan]

Yes!!! Though I think he was hurt when the Patriot took his knees out.

[jeff061]

Brady brain fart ...

No longer a brain fart when it happens every week. It's just Brady.

[Coffee Warlord]

Bear in mind, these aren't real "bets". I picked 12 prop bets, and my office made their picks - winner takes the pot.

If I remember correctly.

Coin Toss
First Coach Mentioned after Kickoff
Hoodie Color
Color of Gatorade poured on winning coach
First thing MVP thanks in speech (teammates, god, coach, fans, etc)
# of times Katy Perry mentioned before half (during game, not commercials)
Will Belichek smile on camera during game.
Over/Under Duration of National Anthem (need to find that one out)
Will Al Michaels mention prop bets during game.
# of times 'deflate' is said during game.
Will Katy Perry wear pants, shorts, or dress/skirt.
Which will be higher: WIlson's passing yards, or national avg price of gas.

[EagleFan]

Surprising, looks like it was his arm when he came down, thought that was an ACL the way the tackle looked.

[Chief Rum]

That pick was deflating.











Too soon?

[jeff061]

Let's see if we can win despite our "superstar" quarterback.

[cuervo72]

Uh, he was 33 over 9 this year. I don't think INTs are exactly typical.

[EagleFan]

Let's see if we can win despite our "superstar" quarterback.

Why are you posting if you are on the team? Hoodie is going to be pissed at you.

[jeff061]

Uh, he was 33 over 9 this year. I don't think INTs are exactly "typical."

I don't care about stats. Sure seems like majority of those nine were him panicking and floating an air ball in key situations.

[Abe Sargent]

Loved that Avacados from Mexico commercial!

[Coffee Warlord]

I never knew the Polar Bear fell to Mexico in the draft, and they passed on them for avacados.

What a bust.

[Butter]

Loved that Avacados from Mexico commercial!

Agreed!

[Butter]

Bear in mind, these aren't real "bets". I picked 12 prop bets, and my office made their picks - winner takes the pot.

If I remember correctly.

Coin Toss
First Coach Mentioned after Kickoff
Hoodie Color
Color of Gatorade poured on winning coach
First thing MVP thanks in speech (teammates, god, coach, fans, etc)
# of times Katy Perry mentioned before half (during game, not commercials)
Will Belichek smile on camera during game.
Over/Under Duration of National Anthem (need to find that one out)
Will Al Michaels mention prop bets during game.
# of times 'deflate' is said during game.
Will Katy Perry wear pants, shorts, or dress/skirt.
Which will be higher: WIlson's passing yards, or national avg price of gas.

National anthem was 124 seconds long according to what I saw.

[Grover]

Doritos is now the clubhouse leader.

[Abe Sargent]

The full 1:00 commercial:


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/26hl9YWLyn4" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

[QuikSand]

So, I've hear there's a football game going on too, anyone have ay updates?

[QuikSand]

Have to like the NE strategy to throw underneath. Looks like the stuff to Vereen and the slot guys is just there all day. Not sure how you respond to that, even with an excellent defense (and Seattle is playing pretty well, overall). Getting thin at DB won't help.

[Butter]

Doritos is now the clubhouse leader.

No they aren't.

[Abe Sargent]

Beast Mode Engage baby

[wade moore]

Have to like the NE strategy to throw underneath. Looks like the stuff to Vereen and the slot guys is just there all day. Not sure how you respond to that, even with an excellent defense (and Seattle is playing pretty well, overall). Getting thin at DB won't help.

Pretty even game so far. Defenses playing well so far - particularly the NE DBs.

Living up to a fun game so far.

[EagleFan]

What happened to the league cracking down on hands to the face? It seems that almost every play on that drive a Patriots lineman took a shot the head of a blocker.

[HerRealName]

I still cringe before every commercial in fear of hearing Fall Out Boy.

[Bobble]

I still cringe before every commercial in fear of hearing Fall Out Boy.

Point out on this doll where the College Championship game touched you. The ears, eh?

[MIJB#19]

Quite the run by Blount.

[Grover]

This has been an absolute school of how to run the 2 minute drive.

[kingfc22]

Good answer by NE.

[bhlloy]

What the hell kind of defensive scheme is that? Leaving a LB on Gronk split out wide in the red zone is absolute madness

[cthomer5000]

Just kick the FG. Don't overthink this.

edit: Nevermind, didn't realize they were down to the 11. Hell, they could even run it. definitely run a play.

[kingfc22]

This would be quite the gamble with six seconds left.

[QuikSand]

wow

[Abe Sargent]

Lotsa scores later

[cthomer5000]

I'm baffled as to why any CB wouldn't be jumping that route - the most obvious pass possible.

[Eaglesfan27]

Big Balls Pete!

[bhlloy]

Ok, that coverage was even worse. There are 6 seconds left, how are you giving him that throw?

[Butter]

Seattle is playing hardball with Chris Matthews!

[kingfc22]

Nice drive by Seattle.

[QuikSand]

I'm baffled as to why any CB wouldn't be jumping that route - the most obvious pass possible.

no foolin'

[cthomer5000]

no foolin'

The older I've gotten, and the more I've watched sports of all kind, the more I have come to the conclusion that a large majority of athletes have no situational awareness whatsoever. They just play the way they have been coached, never taking into account the permutations of the specific situation at hand.

[bhlloy]

I'm baffled as to why any CB wouldn't be jumping that route - the most obvious pass possible.

So freaking basic. They can't throw the fade because the half is over if it's incomplete. And NE took a timeout to talk it over as well

[Butter]

Moms getting no love in the commercials.

[Easy Mac]

Anyone else annoyed by all the super serious commercials this year?

[cartman]

What in the heck is that thing she is riding?

[BillJasper]

Anyone else annoyed by all the super serious commercials this year?

+1

I can't believe New England got pushed down the field that easily at the end of the half. That entire series was disturbing.

[EagleFan]

Anyone else annoyed by all the super serious commercials this year?

yes

[EagleFan]

I can't wait for the second half, this halftime show sucks.

[cthomer5000]

Not gonna lie - I'm into the sharks and beach balls.

[EagleFan]

Make it stop...

[cthomer5000]

How can I seem even whiter?

Lets bring out Missy Elliott, and have me awkwardly interact with her.

[kingfc22]

When was the last time Missy Elliot even made a song? This was a song back when I was in high school 15 years ago.

[Carman Bulldog]

No Snoop Dogg = Fail

[cthomer5000]

When was the last time Missy Elliot even made a song? This was a song back when I was in high school 15 years ago.

Yeah, honestly without researching if they've done a song together that I missed... this seems like an out-of-nowhere featured spot.

[kingfc22]

At least she ended on a high note. The middle was not very memorable.

[EagleFan]

Okay, the Pete Rose commercial was pretty good.

[MrBug708]

Thought it was a great halftime show

[Grover]

Did anyone take the prop bet on Lenny Kravitz showing more cleavage than Katy Perry?

[B & B]

Who watches the half time , that's for the ladies.


I was in Vegas for a SB party and went down to the casino during the most controversial HT ever, came back, watched the whole game and didn't find out until way later the next day about the JJ nipple or whatever.


Guess to each their own.

[cuervo72]

The older I've gotten, and the more I've watched sports of all kind, the more I have come to the conclusion that a large majority of athletes have no situational awareness whatsoever. They just play the way they have been coached, never taking into account the permutations of the specific situation at hand.

Which is why things like the NE ineligible receiver thing can be so effective.

[cthomer5000]

Chris Matthews is going hard!

[Abe Sargent]

Yeah Wilson, keep it going

[EagleFan]

Beast mode!

[bhlloy]

How do you find a receiver like that off the street at this point of the season?

[EagleFan]

Wilson should have kept it on 3rd down, he probably scores.

[EagleFan]

That Clash of Clans commercial was good.

[cuervo72]

Ok, Liam has me laughing here.

[Grover]

Such a damn shame that Perry got a TD in that Super Bowl and not Payton.

[MIJB#19]

How do you find a receiver like that off the street at this point of the season?They found him in February, but kept him hidden as their secret weapon for the Super Bowl.

[Abe Sargent]

Interception #2 baby

[cthomer5000]

Great pick - not an easy catch.

[tarcone]

Seattle needs to stop getting picks

[Pumpy Tudors]

Super Bowl halftime show planning meeting:

"OK, so, Katy, you're going to ride in on a big ass lion. Then you're going to dance with some dudes who look like the Oakland Raiders performing Alice in Wonderland. It's going to be kinda loud, so it might awaken Lenny Kravitz from his slumber, and you'll have to sing with him for two and a half minutes until he falls asleep again. Then Missy Elliott for some reason. We have some shark and beach ball costumes lying around. Somebody should wear those so we get our money's worth. Then we're going to blast you into orbit. And could you be naked while doing this? Wait, THAT'S the part you object to?"

[EagleFan]

Super Bowl halftime show planning meeting:

"OK, so, Katy, you're going to ride in on a big ass lion. Then you're going to dance with some dudes who look like the Oakland Raiders performing Alice in Wonderland. It's going to be kinda loud, so it might awaken Lenny Kravitz from his slumber, and you'll have to sing with him for two and a half minutes until he falls asleep again. Then Missy Elliott for some reason. We have some shark and beach ball costumes lying around. Somebody should wear those so we get our money's worth. Then we're going to blast you into orbit. And could you be naked while doing this? Wait, THAT'S the part you object to?"

lol

[kingfc22]

Seattle starting to win the physical battle as per usual.

[cthomer5000]

Seattle, you have to get in the end zone this time.

[Abe Sargent]

TD and yay Hawks!

[Abe Sargent]

That Pierce Bros car commercial might be my second fav thus far.

[cuervo72]

We have some shark and beach ball costumes lying around.

The sharks reminded me of Dr. Shark from Wonderella (http://nonadventures.com/cast/).

[PilotMan]

I guess I'm cheering for the Seadonkeys. I hate the Pats that much. I'm not sure what's going to be worse, the back to back hype or the Belli iz a god hype.

[Pumpy Tudors]

The sharks reminded me of Dr. Shark from Wonderella (http://nonadventures.com/cast/).
I had never heard of that, but I totally see what you're talking about. I have been dared to get one of those shark costumes and wear it to work. So now I'm shopping online for one.

[kingfc22]

Short crossing routes are not going to make up a 10 or deficit agains this defense.

[EagleFan]

Another touchdown drive here would be GREAT.

[EagleFan]

Shame Kearse dropped that, that was a great throw.