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Go
Pack Go Congrats to the Green Bay Packers.....the champs of Super Bowl XLV. I didn't care which team won, but I was completely entertained with the game and that's important because the commercials absolutely sucked. More about that later. The other nugget that is appealing about Green Bay's big win is that it officially closes the door on Brett Favre. Not only with his fourth potential retirement, but also the fact that Aaron Rodgers has his own Super Bowl title and a MVP trophy to show for his splendid actions on Super Bowl Sunday. It was the last shovel of dirt thrown on Favre....and he earned it. The guy should have retired as a Packer, but I'm glad Rodgers earned the praise for his stellar play and his place in Packer lore. Now the Packers, every TV network and the rest of us can move on with our lives without hearing "Brett Favre" mentioned in a promo or conversation. The Lombardi Trophy heads home....again. The Packers now have four Lombardi's to their credit....and as the 6th seed in the NFC this year, they earned it. And while Cheesehead Nation rejoices, the rest of the country will have to wait and see what the future holds with the NFL. The labor negotiations will take over as the centerpiece of football discussion and in the meantime the Carolina Panthers will give every answer in the world why they won't acknowledge Nick Fairley as their pick in April's draft process. It's a no-brainer.....but that's what makes people in these parts nervous. Surely, they can't screw up this pick. As for the commercials...they were tame and lame. I'm glad the game gave us more to talk about than the over-priced spots....that's the way it should be. With the exception of a Darth Vader appearance in a Volkswagen spot, and a couple of beer and chip commercials....there was very little creativity from the suits on Madison Avenue. It was embarrassing to see Christina Aguilera butcher the national anthem, but were you really surprised? Cameron Diaz feeding popcorn to A-Rod? Yankee fans, you should feel so proud. The Black Eyed Peas sucked....but you knew that was going to be the deal, the second it was announced they would be performing at the game. The halftime show would have been more entertaining if Desmond Howard and Phil Simms were in a midfield hexagon. What stunned me the most was that Jerry Jones' attempt to have the largest Super Bowl attendance record in his stadium fell short. Of course, it might have helped if all the seats were actually constructed before the opening kick-off. It's a shame that the weather put a damper on Big D's Super Bowl effort.....like I've told you before, Dallas is a great city and the people are first-class.....they know how to throw a party and they love their football. Somehow, I have a feeling that they'll get another chance despite the setbacks last week. It could have been worse; the game could have been played in New York.....but just wait a few years, until that disaster unveils itself. The Super Bowl being played in the Tri-state region has as much business taking place as they do having the Super Bowl being played in my living room. I'm going to miss watching all the ESPN Super Bowl Shows being taped outdoors in the frigid Dallas air. Somewhere in Los Angeles, Jim Rome is thawing out right about now. His TV show, "Jim Rome is Burning" should have been renamed to "Jim Rome is Freezing His Ass Off". Good-bye, football....I hope to see you later this year. Now that the football season is finished, college basketball takes center stage. And there is nothing in college hoops that is more intense than UNC and Duke. Round one is Wednesday night at Cameron Indoor Stadium. I will guarantee you that it will be closer than the last time the two teams met in Durham.....that ugly mess was a 32-point Blue Devil win. The Heels are playing well....ever since a lifeless effort in Atlanta against Georgia Tech, Roy Williams has found the right combo. Part of that might have something to do with why Larry Drew II decided to take his limited talents somewhere else. His announcement last week was bizarre and I can only imagine that his father had something to do with it. UNC responded with a terrific 20-point blowout of stingy Florida State in the Smith Center. But beating Leonard Hamilton and the Noles at home is a far cry from beating Coach K in Cameron. Can the Heels pull off the upset? Sure. Will they? I wouldn't count on it.....even though they are playing their best brand of hoops all year. Something tells me that Duke forces Kendall Marshall to make mistakes and they baptize the UNC freshman. It's an awesome rivalry.....great teams....great players....great coaches. By the way, Sirius/XM has now requested my services for another day of hosting on the "College Basketball Today" show.....you can catch me every Monday and Friday, from 12-3pm on Sirius 122 / XM 143. Can the Bobcats get the Dallas Mavericks off the schedule? How is it possible that the Bobcats are winless against the Mavs in their entire existence? 0-for-life.....that's pathetic. But it's no problem for Charlotte to have their way against the LA Lakers? A winning overall record against Kobe & Co., but they can't beat Dallas. It makes zero sense to me. I get the impression that Paul Silas has done a good job keeping the team upbeat and playing enthusiastic basketball. They team has still been a disappointment this season, as they are under .500 as we head into February and on the bubble of making the playoffs. I hope Silas can find a way to get another shot in the post-season....he's a first class guy and apparently a decent coach, based on the way the team has responded to him and his staff in mid-season. The problem for Charlotte is that finishing in the 7th or 8th playoff spot means a quick exit from the post-season....again. Maybe Michael Jordan will loosen the pocketbook and spend a little in the off-season? |
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