Please that’s enough Super Bowl HYPE already! How many times do we have to hear about Harbaugh vs. Harbaugh, Ray Lewis last stand or how Alex Smith is handling his second string role?

 

If I was a big fan of either the San Francisco 49’ers or the Baltimore Ravens; perhaps, I would tolerate the hoopla. Can we just get on with the game?

Actually, at times, it seems the game is secondary. This year’s Super Bowl XLVII is one big party originating in New Orleans and transcending to every other part of North America from Prince George B.C. to Waterloo, Ontario to Waterloo, Wisconsin to Pottsville, Pennsylvania, plus every city, town and village in between. From 3:30 to 7:30pm PT on Sunday, well over 100 million people, will tune in, just to catch a glimpse of what the so called excitement is about.

 

Imagine, for a moment, one of 12 TV viewers, admits they only tuned to watch the commercials which have become an entity of their own. The PVR became popular because one could fast forward thru the advertising, but with this event, some may fast forward through the football to watch the newest zany commercial on the block. Now, that’s bizarre!

 

It seems like one is an outcast by not huddling with friends and acquaintances to catch the action. Only five percent of people will watch the game alone while the average number of people attending a Super Bowl party is 17.

 

Yes, it’s eat, drink and be merry on game day and pay for it the next day. Super Bowl Sunday is second in food consumption (behind Thanksgiving Day) and the Monday after the game, an average of six percent of the workforce calls in sick.

 

Of course, if money did not change hands, then what would be the point of getting charged up for this match-up? Legal betting for last year’s Giants 21-17 SB victory over the Patriots added up to $93,899,840, second all-time behind the $94,534,372 wagered in 2006 on the Pittsburgh-Seattle Super Bowl won by the Steelers 21-10. Those numbers likely pale in comparison to illegal gambling and side bets.

 

Oh, yes, I nearly forgot the matter at hand—Baltimore and San Francisco. The 49’ers were initially favored by 4 ½ but that number is now reduced to 3 ½. Unfortunately, one Harbaugh has to win but there is no mistaking that these two teams are in the pinnacle of all games because of a punishing intimidating style that has worn down their opponents.

 

My intention is to not wager but if I did I would take the Ravens and the points. I suspect Baltimore is destined to win outright.

 

The Ravens remind me of the NY Giants last season, a #4 seed peaking at the right time. They are 3-0 in the playoffs, including two road victories as a massive underdog. Baltimore quarterback Joe Flacco has not received his due respect, much like Eli Manning last year. Flacco has outplayed Andrew Luck, Peyton Manning and Tom Brady and in those three games has thrown eight touchdown passes without an interception while averaging 284 yards per game. Flacco, is not your average every day Joe.

 

The difference for Baltimore in this game is the 49’ers QB, Colin Kaepernick, can also run. In addition to having the legs to worry the defence, Kaepernick is very accurate for a strong armed second year player making just $600,000. Only 12.5 percent of Kaepernick’s attempts fall incomplete due to an over-or underthrown pass.

 

Fans want a game decided in the last few seconds, but the odds are the Ravens-49’ers game will not live up to its advanced billing, since it is the biggest extravaganza in North American sports. Yes, double digit outcomes have decided 28 of the 46 Super Bowls and 35 of the games have been decided by five or more points. However, four or less points have decided six of the last 11 games.

 

Okay, that’s it. I am at my boiling “point” with these facts and figures. Kickoff cannot come soon enough. 

 

 

 

 

A shortage of chicken wings is expected for Super Bowl weekend. What am I going to do with my five gallon Costco size Frank’s Hot Sauce?
                                                             

 

Wes Welker’s wife is sorry she trashed Ray Lewis via Facebook. She then texted him an apology and tossed the smart-phone back to her hubby. He dropped it.

Comedy writer TC Chong of Vancouver (http://alwaysfunny.com/)

 

 

 

Ray Lewis says he forgives Wes Welker’s wife for comments posted on her facebook page. In fact, he tweeted, "Frankly, my deer, I don’t give a damn." 

 

The Denver mayor finally paid up and did the Ray Lewis dance—-it’s the one done by ‘Bambi’.

Contributor Bill Littlejohn of South Lake Tahoe, California

 

 

 

Randy Moss said during Super Bowl media day that he thinks he’s “the greatest receiver to ever do it.” Even Terrell Owens is thinking “Check that man for concussions.”

 

 

The new GM for the New York Jets John Idzik said "I feel comfortable with Mark (Sanchez) being a Jet." Great, so does the rest of the AFC East. 

 

 

 

 

President Obama says he would think twice about letting a son play football because of the risk of head injuries. I would think twice about letting a son butt heads in politics, they seem to get all common sense beat out of them.

A skills shortage will hit B.C. in 2016 and continue to grow unless action is taken, according to a warning from the Research Universities’ Council of B.C. “We are already beginning to see the trend with the Vancouver Canucks who have to go overseas to get someone who can covert in the shootout”.
Contributor Derek Wilken of Calgaryhttp://smacksport.blogspot.com

 

The Royal Canadian Mint begins melting pennies this month with almost 200,000 expected to be cashed in during the first week. And that’s just from CFL players.

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I would like to thank Elaine and Ben for giving me my first opportunity to write a weekly column and for running “Slap-shots” for 404 consecutive Fridays since Opinion250 began in May, 2005.

 

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