No Three-peat for the Chiefs

Hail to the Eagles! The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 in the latest version of the "Super Bowl".  The team from the City of Brotherly Love had the game won at halftime as it took a 24-0 lead to the locker room.  It continued to add on in the third quarter going up 34 - zip before the Chiefs finally got on the scoreboard.  A lot of the 4th quarter was garbage time with the Chiefs adding two touchdowns in the last 5:05.  The game was never in doubt after the first quarter and dominated by the Eagle defense.  Add three touchdowns from Philly quarterback Jalen Hurts and it was never in doubt. Hurts was the MVP of Super Bowl LIX (59).  The game was played at the New Orleans Superdome.

Thoughts on Super Bowl 57 (LVII)

This image belongs to the NFL

Hail to the Chiefs!  The Kansas City Chiefs are the 2022 world champions of NFL football.  (I don't know why the media keeps saying world champions, because there are only 32 American professional football teams in the world and they're all in the United States).

-I thought the Chiefs were in trouble when QB Patrick Mahomes trotted off the field just before half wincing in pain.  The Chiefs were down 24 - 14 to talented Philadelphia Eagle quarterback Jalen Hurts. The KC defense had failed to stop Hurts on numerous occasions to that point.  But, one thing I know about Mahomes and the Chiefs is never give up on them.  They are talented, fast and deep.  And they came back to score on every possession in the second half. The Eagles defense was feckless as Mahomes went on to claim the game's MVP trophy and lead his team to a 38-35 win.

-We didn't go out to a party this year and I fell asleep watching the game shortly after the opening kickoff.  But, I did see all of the highlights after the game on ESPN.  I kept my record for the year in tact by not watching one NFL game from start to finish.  I could go on a long rant why I don't watch professional games, but leave it to say I could care less about a league of billionaire owners and felon players that on two occasions moved the teams I had cheered for to two other cities.

-I think Andy Reid, the Chiefs head coach, is without a doubt the best coach in the game today.  He has been to Super Bowls in three of the last four years and won two of them.  He will be in the Hall of Fame five years after he calls it quits.

-I understand the need for diversity and inclusion but the NFL seems to have gone overboard.  What' s up with needing an all female fighter squadron to fly over the stadium after the national anthem?  The Air Force doesn't practice discrimination so why does the NFL?

-Speaking of the national anthem, why can't the selected artist just sing it by the book like Whitney Houston did at the start of Operation Desert Storm in 1991?  The country music artist that sang it last night, Christ Stapleton did nothing to distinguish himself from the rest of the morons who have butchered it over the years.

-We ate dinner at halftime of the game because Fox told us it would be about a half hour long.  I left the TV on at the start of halftime when this Rhianna woman came out to "sing", but turned it off pretty fast.  Is that all the better the vaunted National Football League can do?  As many on social media put it..."worst halftime show ever!"  And that's a shame because the game was in my top three Super Bowls of all time.  And I've seen every game on TV since the first one in 1967.

-Someone smarter than me may have already pointed this out, but the "City of Brotherly Love", has now managed to lose two of the biggest sporting events in the country in just over three months time.  First the Philadelphia Phillies got beat by the Houston Astros in the 2022 World Series and now the Philadelphia Eagles lost to the Chiefs.  Maybe Philadelphia should rename itself the "City of  Runners Up".

-I thought Fox TV was adequate in its presentation of the game but there is nothing about last night's telecast that really stands out in comparison to previous years.  The announcers were OK and the technology was good, but nothing innovative.

-One thing I did find annoying was youtube.tv told me the game was available in 4K.  (It's something every TV network should be doing, since millions of smart TVs have that capability).  But, no.  Youtube.tv wanted me to shell out another ten bucks if I wanted to see the game in 4K.  Sure, I would love to see it in that definition but not for another ten dollars a month.

-Why, when there is no competition from other sports leagues does the NFL persist in playing its championship game on a Sunday night?  Numerous people over the years have asked why the game isn't played on a Saturday night.  That way thousands would have a chance to rest and relax on Sunday (ie, nurse their hangovers). I realize the league plays its regular season games on Sundays, but it schedules playoff games on Saturdays almost every week in January.  Why not its ultimate game of the year?

-Finally, if last night's Super Bowl was the ultimate football game, then why will the NFL play another ultimate game one year from now in Las Vegas?  That should be interesting as the circus comes to Sin City. And another "ultimate" championship game is scheduled for two years from now in New Orleans.  More freaks in The Big Easy.

Congratulations Dick Vermeil!

It was 22 years in the making but it finally happened.  Saint Louis Rams head coach Dick Vermeil was enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame yesterday afternoon.  Vermeil coached the Rams to their only Super Bowl Championship in St. Louis in the fall of 1999 and won the big game in late January 2000.

Vermeil came to the Rams and had losing records in 1997 and 1998 winning just nine games over those two years.  But, then in 1999 a pre-season injury to starter Trent Green led to Kurt Warner taking the reins of a very talented team that came to be known as "The Greatest Show on Turf".

Under Vermeil's direction and tutelage that 1999 Rams team turned it around posting a 13-3 record.  It then beat the Vikings in the playoffs and the Buccaneers to win the NFC Championship.  On Sunday January 30, 2000 the St. Louis Rams became world champions beating the Tennessee Titans 23-17 in Super Bowl 34.  I remember watching the NFL's highlight film a few months later and Vermeils only audible reaction to the win was simply "Super Bowl Champions".

Vermeil won his gold jacket to the Hall of Fame by coaching 15 seasons in the NFL and winning 120 games.  He also took the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl 15 in 1980 where the Eagles lost to the Oakland Raiders and John Madden 27-10.  Vermeil also coached the Kansas City Chiefs for five years taking them to the playoffs one time.  All together Vermeil's NFL teams appeared in the post season six times.

A total of eight men were elected to the Hall in Canton, Ohio.  In addition to Vermeil, Tony Boselli, Cliff Branch, Leroy Butler, Art McNally, Sam Mills, Richard Seymour, and Bryant Young were enshrined in a nationally broadcast ceremony.

Congratulations to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022!

...The Rams Were Awful

As good as Missouri was this weekend the St. Louis Rams were just as bad.

I watched the first half of the game and the Rams were so bad I turned it off at halftime. The Eagles led the Rams 21-0 and it could have been much worse. I ended up taking a nap. It turned out to be a better use of time. The final score was Philadelphia 38 - St. Louis 3.

The Rams gave up 361 yards in passing to Donovan McNabb who had to feel as if he was back at Syracuse University. The St. Louis defensive line was that bad and got no pressure on McNabb all day. And, the Rams offensive line was just as awful. Unless something changes the Rams are going to be in for another long season.