We have heard tons of clichés and we are well aware that Andy Reid, despite a great career as a coach, has not won a Super Bowl yet.
We have also been inundated with how good Kansas City quarterback Patrick Mahomes is and how San Francisco QB Jimmy Garropolo is an effective game-manager.
In his career including playoffs, Patrick Mahomes has posted a 71 Total QBR when put under pressure, best in the NFL over the last 10 seasons.
In fact, his Total QBR when pressured is equal to some of the best quarterbacks overall performance. pic.twitter.com/xv53K3JUQw
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 30, 2020
We have also been told on numerous times that Kansas City (1-1) has not played in the Super Bowl in 50 years and that if San Francisco (5-1) wins, they will tie the New England Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers for the most Super Bowl victories in NFL history (6).
But enough is enough!
Can we just ignore Super Bowl Hype and get on with THE GAME.
After two weeks of hoopla, Super Bowl 53 kicks off on Sunday (3:30 p.m. PST) from Miami.
On this day, millions of North Americans will be partying, eating food, sitting in front of large screen TV’s, and of course, enjoying the most anticipated football game of the year.
Whether one lives in Prince George, BC; Waterloo, Ontario; Waterloo, Wisconsin; Pottsville, Pennsylvania, or any other city, this four-hour spectacle (including the lengthy half-time show) has evolved into a North American tradition.
Indeed, this is a time when fans and non-fans alike will tune in and try to experience the excitement of the biggest extravaganza in North American sports.
Other leagues shut down because of a game that will be seen by a bigger audience than any other event.
Last year’s Super Bowl drew 98.2 million viewers on CBS Sports TV and another 4.33 million viewers on the Canadian networks that carried the game.
When the NFL championship game for the Vince Lombardi Trophy starts, there will be no action in the NBA, NHL or WHL.
(The NBA & NHL games on Sunday will be completed before kickoff)
The Chiefs have gone with a pass play 61.4% of the time this season, including playoffs. The only teams with higher % prior to playing in a Super Bowl were the 2008 Cardinals (63.1%) and the 2009 Colts (62.8%), per @EliasSports. Both teams lost in the Super Bowl. pic.twitter.com/i8NFL7vAzQ
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 28, 2020
It is nearly impossible for this Kansas City-San Francisco match-up to live up to its advanced billing.
Double-digit outcomes have decided 31 of the 53 Super Bowls.
One thing is almost a guarantee and that is there will be much more scoring this year than last.
The New England Patriots 13-3 victory over the LA Rams in 2019 was the lowest-scoring Super Bowl on record.
The Chiefs and 49’ers could very well top those 16 paltry points in just the opening quarter.
The 49ers enter Super Bowl LIV having attempted just 27 passes so far this postseason.
If they throw 25 or fewer times against the Chiefs, they’ll finish in the top 5 in terms of fewest pass attempts by a Super Bowl team in a single postseason. pic.twitter.com/uUHUDPFCZj
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) January 30, 2020
The 54 fun facts on the game are right here.
Bettors and oddsmakers are divided among a winner as the Chiefs are very slightly favoured.
The NFL odds are right here.
Chiefs open as 1-point favourites to win Super Bowl LIV
Here’s a Tale of the Tape of KC and San Francisco’s regular season + playoff stats pic.twitter.com/GWDxYCGInP
— Sportsnet Stats (@SNstats) January 20, 2020
There’s still time to dissect, analyze, scrutinize, study, evaluate and examine every little detail about ‘THE GAME,’ but I’m sure you will agree that kickoff cannot come soon enough.
THE PICK: Kansas City to win by 4.
#
Many non-football fans will join the party but not necessarily to intently watch the teams.
One survey suggests that only one in five Americans watch the Super Bowl for the football.
While 59% of Americans are interested in both the game and the commercials, only 21% tune in for the game alone. 15% are in it just for the commercials, and another six per cent are forced to suffer through the Super Bowl against their will.
The most popular Super Bowl food is chicken wings.
To round out the top 15 list click here.
Here are some more “out of the ordinary” Super Bowl facts:
- The average number of people at a Super Bowl party is 17
- 35% of people who attend the game write it off as a corporate expense
- 80% of all Super Bowl tickets sold go to corporate sponsors of the NFL and of the Super Bowl
- Super Bowl Sunday is second in food consumption behind only Thanksgiving Day
- The amount of food consumed includes an estimated one billion number of chicken wings and 28 million pounds of potato chips
- On the Monday following the Super Bowl, an average of six per cent of the workforce calls in sick
- On the same Monday, antacid sales show a 20% increase
- More drivers are involved in alcohol-related accidents on Super Bowl Sunday than any other day of the year (except St. Patrick’s Day)
- Of the top 10 most-watched television programs of all time, nine of them are Super Bowls
- Over 700,000 footballs are produced annually for official NFL use, 72 of them are used for the Super Bowl
#
This is season two of Hartley’s Cat Scan, a weekly podcast show that primarily features the Prince George Cougars.
My guest on the 20th Cat Scan in year two is former PG Cougars sniper Quinn Hancock.
Quinn talks about being on the receiving end of a widely-viewed hit by Cory Sarich. He also reflects on his record-setting season in 1997-98 setting a new franchise high for goals (54) and points (112), a mark that still stands over 20 years later. Quinn also touches on his lengthy pro career in Europe.
LISTEN: @Hartley_Miller chats with @PGCougars goals and points record holder Quinn Hancock on this week’s edition of the Cat Scan podcast | https://t.co/qGT3ZNNW13 #cityofpg #sports #NorthernUprising pic.twitter.com/rVhyuIHxuT
— My Prince George Now (@mypgnow) January 30, 2020
FROM THE QUOTE RACK:
Each moment of my life I was dreaming of how great I could be and continued working hard. Each time I closed my eyes I could see me shining bright like a sun.
Kobe Bryant
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Kobe Bryant pic.twitter.com/P88GwIwmYV
— NBA (@NBA) January 26, 2020
Dusty Baker (70) has been hired as the new manager of the Houston Astros, mostly because at his age he is too old to know how to work any electronic equipment newer than a VCR.
*Comedy writer Jim Barach http://jokesbyjim.blogspot.ca/
You think you’re having a bad day at work. How’d you like to be the director of marketing for Corona beer?
*Comedy writer Janice Hough of Palo Alto, California www.leftcoastsportsbabe.com
Andrew Berry will be the next GM for the Cleveland Browns. His first order of business will be to get rid of the blindfold and dartboard used by former GM John Dorsey
*Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California
Now selling online, “Houston Asterisks” T-shirts. Act now and they’ll even throw in a complimentary Asterisks trash can.”
*Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times http://www.seattletimes.com/author/dwight-perry/
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:
UFC Octagon girl Brittney Palmer appeared in an issue of Playboy. As expected, more than her knuckles were bare.
*Canadian comedy writer RJ Currie www.Sportsdeke.com
————————————————————————————————————————————————
Hartley Miller is the news and sports supervisor and morning news anchor for 94.3 the GOAT and Country 97.
He also is the 94.3 radio colour commentator for P.G. Cougars home games.
His column appears Fridays on myprincegeorgenow.com.
Send along a quote, note, or anecdote to [email protected]