Super Bowl LV

Just as last Monday’s almost a blizzard two and a half feet of snow started to get that greyish “been here too long” look, Stars Hollow has gotten a fresh coat of the cold white stuff. Not as much as last week but enough for the town to get out the plow guy. He does a good job on the steep hills in my part of this berg, on that I can’t complain. But, as they say, whoever “they” are, I’m digressing. So, let’s get on to the subject of this missive Super Bowl LV, that’s 55 for those not literate in Latin. Ego Latinam dictum . I took 4 years in high school and at one time spoke it fluently. It was only useful when I needed to converse with my Latin teacher. Yes, I’m an over achieving polyglot and always got an “A”. Anyway, back to “Throw the Damn Ball.”

This year’s spectacle is between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with former Patriots’ (ek hornbeck hated them) MAGAman Tom Brady and the almost equally despised Kansas City (MO) Chiefs with their youngster quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. You don’t hear too much about Mahomes in the news because it’s been all about cheater Brady in his 10th Super Bowl at age 43 which is long in the tooth for just about any professional athlete.

I’m truly disappointed that neither the Buffalo Bills (the only NY team that play IN NY) or the Green Bay Packers are in the game. Just as an aside, the Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rogers announced he is staying with the team for another season. He also was named NFL’s 2020 MVP and announced his engagement to Ms. Shailene Woodley. At 37, Rogers was them most “never married” bachelor around, now he’s off that playing field, maybe.

I can’t which team I’m rooting for since I hate them both just about equally: the Bucs because, well, Brady and Floriduh; the Chiefs because they continue to insult Native Americans with their racist chant and logo. The Chiefs are seeking to repeat last year’s SB LIV win and keep the Bucs from being the first franchise to win a Super Bowl on its home turf. I suppose I’ll support the Chiefs because I really loath Brady.

The game is being played in Raymond James Stadium, or “Ray Jay” stadium as the locals call it, an open air stadium with just 25,000 of its 65,890 seats occupied by guests and first responders. The weather is forecast to be cool (mid 60’s) and breezy which is a blessing since last night there was a tornado watch for the city which was lifted early this morning.

This year the game is on CBS and CBS Sports channel on cable. Pre-game babble and ceremonies start at 6 PM ET with kickoff at 6:30.

The halftime show will start about 8 PM because it takes over 2 hours for them to get through 30 minutes of actual play with all the interruptions due to time outs, flags on plays, injuries and, lest they be forgotten, the highlights of the Super Bowl games, the commercials. Sorry but this year there is no new Budweiser commercial, nope no horses and no showdown between Coke and Pepsi. The half time show will not be on the field this year, either, it will be in the stands thus eliminating the mob scene on the field during a pandemic. Sensible.. Canadian artist The Weeknd will be the guest star, real name Abel Tesfaye, who has won three Grammy Awards, five American Music Awards and nine Billboard Music Awards. Super Bowl halftime performers do not get paid. The NFL does cover the cost of the performance.

The national anthem will be sung by Grammy-nominated artists Jazmine Sullivan and Eric Church. Nothing can top Whitney Houston’s or Lady Gaga’s performance of the anthem, ever.

And now a word from ek hornbeck from 2019:

Let’s get this out of the way first. There is <i.no team in the NFL I despise more than the Patsies, not even the ‘Boys. So my rooting is entirely with the Scams despite the fact they stole the Super Bowl from the ‘Aints (who are at least tolerable) through bad officiating.</i.

And the NFL as an Institution is nothing more than a Blackface Minstrel Show where the only real thing is the Traumatic Brain Injury Owners inflict on their Slaves.

This has become a secular holiday and a corrupt display of late stage capitalism through relentless marketing. Only the naked advertisements will hold my attention as I find Throwball in general intensely soporific (also Football, give me some Curling or Darts).

So Let’s Play Ball!! Oh, wait, that’s baseball, isn’t it?

TMC for ek hornbeck

Up Date: Once again comments are not visible. WordPress was supposed to have resolved this issue, obviously they didn’t. Limited commentary will be below the fold.

18:20: Festivities open with a message from the President and First Lady.

H.E.R. sings “America the Beautiful.”

Joint Service Color guard followed by the National Anthem. This has got to be one of the worst renditions since Rosie O’Donnell.

18:20: Festivities open with a message from the President and First Lady.

H.E.R. sings “America the Beautiful.”

Joint Service Color guard followed by the National Anthem. This has got to be one of the worst renditions since Rosie O’Donnell.

Fly over and fireworks

18:31 Poem by Amanda Gorman dedicated the our first line workers in this pandemic.

Coin toss by Ms. Gorman.

18:38 KC kicks off the TB.

18:53 So far no score. The ball has gone from the Bucs at the start to the Chiefs three times on 4th downs. This is not going to be a high scoring games. Yes, you can win a game on FG’s that;s if you get close enough to kick one

19:00 Finally a score. Chiefs got close to a TD but had to settle for a FG.

Chiefs 3 – Bucs 0

17:05 The Paramount cable channel commercials are amusing

7:11 Bucs Touchdown

Chiefs 3 – Bucs 7

17:30 Bucs went for a 4th down conversion instead of a FG and lost the ball to KC. It will be KC 1st & 10 on their own 1 yd line.

17:48 It was back to the Bucs on 4th down. Now it’s 4th down for the Bucs with a flag against the Chiefs on the Fg attempt making it 1st down for the Bucs on Tampa Bay 18. Result – Touchdown Bucs

Chiefs 3 – Bucs 14

20:00 Another FG by KC. One second left in the half.

Chiefs 6 – Buccaneers 14

20:14 Another Touchdown for the Bucs with less than a minute left in the 1st half.

Chiefs 6 – Buccaneers 21

20:20 Halftime and it only an hour and forty some odd minutes to play just 30 minutes. These guys wouldn’t last 5 minutes in a soccer game.

20:42 The Halftime show was entertaining and visually pleasing. No crazed crowds an the field was a plus. The show started in the stands around the stadium and ended on the entire field. The Weeknd has a really good voice and you can understand the lyrics. I’d give a 4.5 Star out of 5 rating.

20:45 Bucs kick off to the Chiefs for the start of the 2nd half

20:54 Chiefs FG.

Chiefs 9 – Bucs 21

21:00 2nd half is starting to look like the 1st half. Bucs Touchdown.

Chiefs 9 – Bucs 28

Not looking good for a Chiefs’ repeat.

21:19 I’m sorry. I missed the Bucs forced to make an FG.

Chiefs 9 – Bucs 31

21:32 It’s almost like Mahomes has forgotten how to throw the ball and his team forgot how to catch. Incomplete on 4th down conversion. Ball goes to the Bucs on their own 12.

21:41 Bucs 4th down punt to Chiefs. 1st & 10 on Chiefs own 8

21:44 Mahomes was sacked and the Bucs cought a 15 yd penalty for it and automatic 1st down. There is no reason for this when you’re winning by 22 points

22:00 This game was over at halftime.

22:12 Chiefs 9 – Buccaneers 31 Final