Let's Talk Super Bowl
Mates,
Most all of us watched the Lions have a great first half vs. SF, only to fall flat on our figurative face in the 2nd half. Man...so close. Yet, the Super Bowl is 11 days away. The Niners opened up as 2.5 pt favorites, went down to 1 pt favs, and now it shows they are 2 pt favs (YMMV - different sites, etc.).
Watching Brock Purdy, the kid looked very good for a 2nd year QB, very good. His running in the 2nd half was back-breaking, as were our own dropped passes... And you have to love Christian McCaffrey, the guy is full-on effort and always seems to grind forward no matter when or where you hit him. He must be a beast in the weight room. The Niners have Ambry Thomas, Jake Moody and Ronnie Bell on their roster.
As for the Chiefs, love him or hate him, Mahomes got it done once again. Their main back, Pacheco, is our old friend from Rutgers and is a very solid NFL back. The only Michigan guy on their roster is Mike Danna. It is unbelievable that he is in his 4th year in the NFL. Frank Clark was in KC for 4 years but is now in Seattle.
As to betting, the line is now 2 pts as Niner favorites. The money line is a very, very slim +128 for the Chiefs, -108 for the Niners.
Tonight's questions:
1. Who is your pick to win, with or without the 2 pts given or taken, and with respect to the money line?
2. Regardless of who you think will win, who do you want to win.
Go Blue, Forward down the field,
XM
January 31st, 2024 at 9:26 PM ^
This honestly may be the first Super Bowl I don’t watch in like 20 years
I’m not even a big lions fan, but man that was so gut wrenching I don’t know if I can watch any more football this year
January 31st, 2024 at 10:22 PM ^
I will watch just to keep my 58 year viewing streak intact.....
That Lions loss was gut wrenching 🤬
January 31st, 2024 at 11:19 PM ^
It is going to haunt me for a long time, but I've lost my BPONE wrt Michigan, so.... here's to the Lions doing the same soon. Winning it all just makes life better. Sports are stupid like that.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:34 PM ^
Hopefully, it's a step along the way, like the Bird steal of Isiah's inbound during Game 5 of the 1987 Conference Finals. Better things were to follow.
February 1st, 2024 at 7:06 AM ^
I had to downvote you for reminding me of that game.
A friend of mine threw his remote control through a window in his parents' basement when that happened.
You can see by my user name that I came of age with the Pistons Bad Boys teams. It was exciting to see them get closer and closer to the ring every year.
February 1st, 2024 at 9:00 AM ^
I was in 7th grade. My parents made me go to bed so I was listening to the game on the radio. I started crying when Bird stole the pass. Funny how I can still remember that so many years later.
February 1st, 2024 at 11:23 AM ^
I was the same age and did the same thing after Chris Webber's timeout. Damn that still hurts.
February 1st, 2024 at 9:12 AM ^
Pretty much this. I'll watch, but it's going to be a lot harder to watch knowing how close the Lions were. Way different than in 91 when they were just beaten easily by a much better Washington team.
February 1st, 2024 at 11:40 AM ^
I refuse to watch the Kelce/Swift show.
I'll score watch on Draft Kings for bets and squares.
February 1st, 2024 at 6:24 PM ^
lolwut?
January 31st, 2024 at 9:29 PM ^
The Super Bowl pretty much epitomizes all of the reasons why college football >>>>>>>> NFL.
Having said that, Go Niners.
January 31st, 2024 at 9:29 PM ^
Best of luck to Moody, Ambry Thomas, Ronnie Bell, and Mike Danna!
Otherwise, meh. Will probably turn it on if it's close in the 4th quarter, really no interest outside of Michigan guys
January 31st, 2024 at 9:38 PM ^
Brian Griese, too!
January 31st, 2024 at 9:29 PM ^
GO Chiefs. I am so sick of all things Kelce, Mahomes and Swift, but I want to see that sniveling little Purdy pretender driven into the ground.
Defend against the QB run after the play breaks down and the Chiefs will win another.
January 31st, 2024 at 10:45 PM ^
I was at the game, and Purdys run past Anzalone was the real back breaker. We didn't account for his running at all.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:27 PM ^
Anzalone took such an awful angle on that scramble it was painful.
February 1st, 2024 at 11:52 AM ^
Anzalone was brutal that game. Hit a few gaps wrong too. Tackling? He resembled Deion at times. That position has to be addressed. Fuck my blood pressure is up again. I hate the Lions brought my heart back into it.
January 31st, 2024 at 9:32 PM ^
I'm challenged to care as well. I'm planning on skipping it...but as usual I will end up turning it on. Usher should be interesting. That's where I'm at for now.
Why care? Give me some reasons.
Ok ... Moody. Wasn't thinking about that. I honestly missed the other Michigan connections (thanks A Lot of Milk.)
January 31st, 2024 at 9:47 PM ^
Not too interested in the game, but would like to see Mahomes lose. His tantrums are pathetic and have made me strongly dislike him, but they could make for some good schadenfreude in a game I’m otherwise unconcerned about. Regardless, I’m sure I’ll end up watching and just hope it’s a close game.
In other schadenfreude news, it’s always nice to see Taylor Swift get some airtime, knowing that it’s sending some lonely guys into apoplectic rage. Colin Cowherd did a nice bit on that phenomenon recently, highly recommend.
January 31st, 2024 at 10:12 PM ^
I respect Mahomes for his game. The NFL is such a crock. I bet he wins the Walter Payton award for his foundation... it fits the turn around Mahomes' PR campaign. He is awesome, just not in a JJ or Penix way.
I'm not sure which QB I'd draft first now that I think about it. I would probably take Nix. He is the complete package. Caleb... IDK. Penix has such a compelling story, but so many injuries. JJ has a very long career so the later he falls the sweeter the deal.
Taylor doesn't get too much coverage in my view. She is a generational talent. I guess I'm not lonely enough to be rageful. I take in the Kelce podcast. Those guys are great. I'm happy for them both. I don't know how anyone could have recruited those guys out of high school. Great stories. That cast is number one in many markets, international as well.
Wait... what are we talking about again... sorry.
January 31st, 2024 at 10:23 PM ^
mahomes is rightfully due respect for his game and successes. wish he wasn't a whiner.
tired of KC and their incredible overexposure (will never buy state farm anything), but the thing that is the most overexposed is the taylor swift stuff. cut that manure out. way, way, way too much. i couldn't name a song of hers, she might even have talent, but i ain't listening. from the interweb, it sure seems like kelce is setting himself up to be her next break-up song.
January 31st, 2024 at 10:35 PM ^
If you want the Chiefs to lose because Taylor Swift gets 30 seconds of airtime through a 180+ minute broadcast, that’s on you.
January 31st, 2024 at 10:37 PM ^
She's on screen for maybe 30 seconds of the 4 hour broadcast bud. Also zero chance you don't know a song. If you really didn't you wouldn't give a shit.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:02 PM ^
a.) i actually wouldn't know a song. seriously.
b.) it wouldn't bother me one bit if it had been mentioned once. twice. 5 times. 10 times. but literally dozens and dozens (maybe hundreds?) of headlines, mentions, and TV shots of someone who has no impact on football is still mentioned in football. that's more weird than brent musberger's bizarre take on the alabama QB's girlfriend years ago.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:04 PM ^
I can't tell you how easy it's been to not hear about it. And I haven't even tried that hard.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:15 PM ^
It's not triggering you so you're not noticing it. If it triggers you, one time feels like 100 times.
That's my theory, anyway.
February 1st, 2024 at 7:44 AM ^
Another thing would be the difference between watching games, where she gets a snippet of coverage, and watching the 24-hour sports fluff “news” cycle, where they talk about her more. But the entire 24-hour cable infotainment news model is annoying and should be avoided whether they’re talking about pop stars or some other contrived drama.
February 1st, 2024 at 7:45 AM ^
question: does 'trigger' now mean the mere mention of a subject/topic if it's not exactly what the euphemistic 'you' believe? for instance, are you 'triggered' by ohio, sparty, the refs, or whatever else we discuss here? or is 'trigger' now used as a pejorative to try and slam someone who says anything at all that might not be in agreement with whatever a person believes? so the euphemistic 'you' are triggered by [political/economic/religious/social topic] because your views are different, and someone else will make fun of you and say you are triggered? is that what 'trigger' now means?
and henson, not picking on you but this seems like a logical place for this question.
February 1st, 2024 at 9:44 AM ^
Good questions. I don't know.
I think "trigger" now often is used as a pejorative to slam someone for having what is deemed to be an emotional overreaction to something that is fairly benign.
"Overreaction" as well as "benign" are, of course, in the eye of the beholder. You did not have an unhinged rant. You're reasonably explaining your distaste for the amount of exposure she's receiving in football coverage.
If you had merely remarked on the amount of coverage, in your opinion, seeming unwarranted, then I probably would not have used the word triggered.
For example, you compared it to Brent's infatuation with Katherine Webb, which you called "weird." And indeed, that was weird. But you did not call that "manure," did not complain that it was "way, way, way too much," and did not derisively say "I don't even know the girlfriend's name" the same way you stated that you don't know any of Swift's songs, and won't listen, I think to indicate in some way how unworthy of attention she actually is.
My guess is you don't actually view Mussberger's slobbering over Webb in the same way you view cutaways to Swift for her fan reaction after KC makes a big play. Mussberger was creepy, and therefore uncomfortable and noteworthy. The continued exposure of Swift is triggering (in the non-pejorative sense) something closer to resentment.
To answer some of your question even more directly, I am not triggered by Ohio State. I'm not quite triggered by Urban Meyer either, although I'm more likely to overreact to the thought of him than OSU in general. I am fairly triggered by MSU in general, and specifically Dantonio, although that has somewhat dissipated over time. I'm not triggered by referees; if they make a bad call that hurts my team that is cause for legitimate outrage, I'm sure we would all agree. I am, however, triggered by John O'Neill and whatever crew did the OSU 2016 game. I'm not triggered by Teddy Valentine because he just makes me laugh.
I think the last time I was ever really triggered by what I considered overpraising and overexposure was when Tim Tebow was at Florida. I just hated Tebow. But then I turned when he was winning games with the Broncos and it made everyone mad that he was winning because he wasn't actually a good QB. I think now I would not be triggered by a Tebow at Florida. I enjoy watching greatness, like Mahomes. But when there are direct rivals who stand in Michigan's way, that still affects me.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:16 PM ^
I knew you were trouble when you started this thread. We are never ever getting back together. Look what you made me do. This is me trying. Should've said no to this thread.
Seriously, she is famous for a reason. Not my fave but she deserves her close ups. And Kelce is hillarious and the TE GOAT, that's saying something. Now he'll do something infamous and make me take that back. That is what happens when you call someone the GOAT.
February 1st, 2024 at 6:26 AM ^
funny. and yeah, kelce is a super player and his brother seems like a fun wildman, too. i bet the family reunions are quite entertaining.
February 1st, 2024 at 6:26 PM ^
I literally never see anything about Taylor Swift except when my conservative acquaintances make posts bitching about her XD Then again I don't watch NFL except for Lions games so idk if you love the NFL and watch all the Chiefs games it gets annoying?
January 31st, 2024 at 11:01 PM ^
Like it or not, she brings in money for the TV networks via ratings bumps among a fresh demographic. I can think of worse ways to boost ratings. And it’s not like briefly showing celebs attending games is a novel thing; it happens all the time, but somehow doesn’t seem to draw as much vitriol. Strange, innit?
January 31st, 2024 at 11:24 PM ^
I don't get people being triggered by Taylor Swift being shown. She has zero control over it (she actually mouthed "go away" when the camera was on her the other day), and it's otherwise some other shot they are going to show. It ends up being under 30 seconds in the entire broadcast and people get massive rage over it. I just don't get it. Gronk's stupid (totally "live" and not prerecorded at all) kick of destiny commercials eat up way more of your life. You've probably seen the Geico Caveman/Gecko documentary commercial for more total time in the past week than you did the combined about Swift was on TV for the past 3 weeks).
February 1st, 2024 at 5:43 AM ^
I have nightmares about Coach Reid stealing my nuggies.
February 1st, 2024 at 7:17 AM ^
"I don't get people being triggered by Taylor Swift being shown."
Seriously. This (ample in-game coverage of a female pop megastar who happens to be in a relationship with one of the NFL's most presentable players) is as inevitable as it gets. Occam's Razor, people. TV is an advertising medium.
But, NO!, says one of the edges of the political internet. It's a psyop! If you believe that, better put all your chips on the Chiefs (and Biden's re-election).
February 1st, 2024 at 7:40 AM ^
You can’t expect media companies to do something just because it makes them lots of money. There has to be a subversive reason for it!
February 1st, 2024 at 8:20 AM ^
You lost me when you said Taylor Swift doesn't get too much coverage.
January 31st, 2024 at 10:33 PM ^
Serious question: what tantrums?
January 31st, 2024 at 10:57 PM ^
Haven’t watched a lot of KC this year but there’s the one instance where chucked his helmet into the ground and scream at a ref for making an obviously correct call that he didn’t like, that got a lot of coverage. Then proceeded to double down in the postgame despite being objectively in the wrong. And when I tune in he seems like he’s lashing out on the sidelines with some regularity; can’t think of other specifics but it seems like a thing, maybe I’m misremembering something.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:20 PM ^
Noted below, you're both talking about the same game. Yes, he had a bad reaction that game and has owned it, but that's a massive outlier.
I watch a lot of NFL, and the sidelines stuff he does is pretty tame that happens in just about every game.
He whines for penalties, which yeah, everyone basically does but I think he gets a lot of hate for that since KC is good and he's the face.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:32 PM ^
There's a certain guy, who I'm sure almost everyone on this board loves who did a lot of that in his HOF career.
February 1st, 2024 at 7:38 AM ^
Did he own it? Didn’t see that. Just saw him doubling down even after having ample time to cool his head.
Anyhow, I’m sure there’s just some bias I have that makes him seem whinier. Reflecting on it, it’s probably just his baby face makes it look worse. Which isn’t fair. Then again, it’s also probably amplified by the fact that he’s the best QB in the NFL, gets all kinds of favorable calls and advantages in-game, and whining when you’re on top is just bad form.
Human perception is weird. Likely it’s ultimately a product of seeing the same coverage of him spiking the helmet over and over that’s created a skewed impression. Fuck it dude, let’s go (super) bowling
February 1st, 2024 at 2:30 PM ^
It's totally fair to call out that he behaved inappropriately, so I get it. I sort of had forgot about it to be honest when I asked the "what tantrums" question, so I feel kind of dumb since I think that's the obvious answer. I'm sure you saw, but I shared some links below where we apologized for it, said he wasn't being a good role model, etc.
But I get it, KC is winning a lot and that generally gets people criticizing stuff you do, which is what I do do every other team that isn't my team, so I think it just comes with the territory. It's weird being part of the evil empire after chasing it for so long pre-Mahomes. Just amazing how much he has changed the fortunes of KC.
February 1st, 2024 at 10:44 AM ^
As someone else mentioned, Tom Brady was in a heated argument with his OC, Bill O'Brien that I think Belichik had to step in. Brady said that's how the relationship was, nothing really personal.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:01 PM ^
How about the post game handshake with Allen where he was still whining about a call? Hot mic picked it up.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:18 PM ^
Yes, as you both point out he had an emotional response against Buffalo on the offsides call.
The mic caught *part* of the conversation for what it's worth, not all of it as Josh Allen noted when Mahomes called him to apologize (link). They know each other pretty well if you've seen them interview - they say they consider each other pretty good friends (they do a lot of the golf stuff together in the offseason). Mahomes has owned that it was a bad reaction (link).
This is pretty out of character. He generally handles himself pretty well, and didn't in this instance. But most players have examples like this they can point to where they had a blowup. It happens.
Does he do some of the whining for hits/penalties/etc? Yes, as every other QB (among others) does.
January 31st, 2024 at 11:54 PM ^
I can see how Travlor Kelft can get a bit over the top, and I do suspect Swift (not really a fan of her music but don't have a huge problem with her otherwise) is very aware of the eyeballs she grabs and cultivates that to some extent, but yeah, let it go people. Frankly, the NFL would be idiotic for not milking this phenomon because it definitely brings more attention and eyeballs to the NFL that it wouldn't get otherwise - in fact, it would be absolute malpractice for them to encourage the gatekeeping of pro football fandom. As for the complaint that they're fickle and casual fans who don't really know football? Leaving aside the fact that it's kinda sexist, I would bet you dollars to donuts that the average Swiftie is probably equally qualified to pontificate about the NFL as the average talking head on ESPN
February 1st, 2024 at 7:15 AM ^
It's interesting to see people on this blog complain about the attention Swift is getting.
I'm assuming these same people have typically defended Harbaugh against the complaints that he gets too much attention in the media.
It's not Swift's - or Harbaugh's fault - that what they say and do gets so much attention. That's what happens when you are very successful in your field...and do things a little bit differently than what is expected or desired.
The reality is that Swift's following is bigger and stronger than that of the NFL...or any individual team or player. The thirty seconds (or less) of exposure she gets every Sunday helps the NFL a lot more than it helps Taylor.
I, for one, am looking forward to the halftime announcement that Taylor and Travis are supporting Joe Biden...as has been predicted by various conspiracy theorists in the MAGAsphere.
February 1st, 2024 at 8:24 AM ^
I certainly understand why she gets all of the coverage but that understanding doesn't make me less sick of it.