Some last minute Super Bowl thoughts

My 49ers are in the Super Bowl? Hell, I don’t think I ever got around to writing about the Giants World Series win last year, and it’s been less than four months since the boys from the bay swept the Detroit Tigers on Oct. 29, 2012.

To a San Francisco fan like me, the past 120 days has been sports Nirvana. But it could turn into purgatory if the ‘9ers lose. They are 5-0 after all, so a perfect record is going to be put to the test.

I plan to watch the first quarter stone sober with a pen in hand, just as I have the last five Super Bowls the 49ers played. Yes, I realize they no longer script the first 20 plays like Bill Walsh used to do, but I’m a creature of habit and don’t want to give way to the jinx. I’m pretty sure I can wait until the second quarter to crack my first beer. (Editor’s note: Turns out I was wrong about that.)

Here’s to 6-0.

• • •

The Super Bowl is where it should always be in my opinion—New Orleans. It’s the perfect way to revive the city that won’t wash away. And there’s only a conflict of interest once every thirty years or so when the Saints are actually in the Super Bowl.

Next year in New York will be a disaster. Or maybe not, since global warming happens.

If we can’t have the Super Bowl in The Big Easy every year, then I say we should restrict the big game to these four cities—New Orleans, San Diego, Miami and Dallas.

Frankly, it’s not likely any of these teams will be in the Super Bowl much either.

• • •

Got my sushi, got my Lone Star beer, got my deer antler spray. Let the game begin. I’ll be keeping a blog and will post after each quarter. My prediction? 44-21, 49ers.

Hey, if you want objective, go read last year’s blog.

-30-

Advertisement

Halftime report—Texas 42, Baylor 31

By halftime report, I mean I’m going to write everything I can write during halftime of the Texas-Baylor game.

Joe Bergeron is having a hellofa game and looks like the real deal. Love that guy.

Otherwise, whoever kicks the most field goals loses. And since Baylor has the better field goal kicker…

• • •

I took a long look at the Texas football schedule today. The only automatic win is Kansas. Probably because the coach is Charlie Weis.

When you wash out at Notre Dame, I guess you get to coach at Kansas as a consolation prize. Or commentate for ESPN (that’s for you, Lou).

I think the Longhorns could lose to Iowa State, Texas Tech, Kansas State (for sure) and TCU. Hell, the Longhorns could blow it in the second half against Baylor.

• • •

The biggest upset of the day? In my opinion, Oklahoma State over Iowa state, 31-10. Did not see that coming.

• • •

Best game of the day? Texas Tech in overtime over TCU, 56-10.

• • •

Okay, on to other things. Specifically, Lance Armstrong.

So now the whole world knows about Lance Armstrong’s performance enhancing drug use. I pretty much feel the same way as when I heard Elton John announce that he’s gay. I’m not surprised, and I don’t care.

Like I’ve said before, most Austinites are more concerned about Armstrong’s drinking problem than his drug use.

• • •

I know I don’t have many readers. But when two of them are wine writer John Cesano and political writer James Moore, it makes it worth the time. Cheers.

-30-

Could we get the replacement refs back please?

Just kidding. But if you’re a Green Bay Packers fan, I understand why you might be frustrated. Good thing your team won this time. I mean… last time.

• • •

Okay. I finally got to watch the University of Texas Longhorns. Damn. Who knew quarterback David Ash would come along so well? I didn’t. He’s even throwing the long passes down field.

He’s only 19 years old, you know. I was going to give him one more year before I passed judgment, and I might yet. He should be amazing next year, the year the Burnt Orange of Austin, Texas should be ranked in the top three at the 2013 season’s start.

This year? I don’t know. What happened to the defense? More specifically, what happened to tackling?

Today on local radio, Texas head coach Mac Brown said the tentative tackling was due to the new rules tempering head-to-head contact. Okay. But how about hand-to-thigh contact? If you’re going head-to-head on an open field tackle, you’re messing up from the get go.

We’ll see. The defense seemed like the best part of the Longhorns at the start of the season, and in a way it is. But it’s a specific part of the defense—the pass rush of defensive ends Alex Okafor and Jackson Jeffcoat.

The upcoming game against West Virginia will be very telling. For both teams. Best defense wins.

• • •

I wrote the above after the Longhorns defeated Oklahom State. Here’s what I think after watching the Longhorns lose to West Virginia—I think West Virginia could win it all. Geno Smith is good.

Oddly, I thought the Texas defense did well, even though they gave up 48 points. But they also forced two fumbles, one on the goal line that allowed Jackson Jeffcoat to score a touchdown, and got four sacks.

And David Ash did great again, for the most part.

I know, I know. Next year.

• • •

Hey USGA, do you want to win the Ryder Cup? Here’s an idea. Get Ian Poulter American citizenship. You’ve got about 700 days to get ‘er done. Go for it.

• • •

Isn’t the Ryder Cup great? Golf with real crowd noise. Even cheering. And jeering. Love it.

• • •

I think I figured out the problem with the Dallas Cowboys. It’s the quarterback.

Oh. Right. You read my columns to read stuff you don’t read anywhere else. Sorry. Guess I’m piling on.

• • •

Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III are the real deal. But I think Cam Newton will be to the Carolina Panthers what Vince Young was to the Tennessee Titans. Too much head hanging there.

• • •

“Team suckage is real. It should be a stat.” Rod Babers, Oct. 9, 2012 on 300 The Zone, Austin, Texas.

-30-

Two sports events you might have missed

A lot’s happened since my last report. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Matt Cain’s perfecto against Houston or Tiger Woods three wins on the PGA tour, along with Zach Johnson’s win at the John Deere Classic, as well as the NL blowout in the MLB All Star Game.

But you can get that all elsewhere—I’d rather talk about two underreported events in sports.

First, the big fight between Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen in the UFC. Didn’t read one word about this in my local newspaper, the Austin American-Statesman—not even a sports brief.

Which is too bad, because I had to work late and couldn’t watch the fight. The next day at work, I asked if anyone knew who had won, and nobody could tell me. So I decided to see if I could find out the result organically.

I went to my local deli where the guy behind the counter practices martial arts and asked if he knew the result. He didn’t.

Then I tuned in Sports Center, and while it was the day after the fight, I didn’t hear the result during the times I tuned in. Didn’t see it on CNN or MSNBC either. Didn’t see it on local or national news.

Finally, three days later, I gave up and Googled it. Silva dropped big mouth Sonnen in two rounds, it turns out.

Okay, so it wasn’t exactly the fight of the century, but UFC deserves much better coverage than it’s getting.

You can count on me to cover the big UFC fights in this column, as cage fighting has it all over boxing these days.

• • •

Canada won the gold over the US in international football. No, not that soccer stuff, real football, American football.

In the Under-19 Championship of the International Federation of American Football (IFAF), Canada’s junior national team defeated the US 23-17 in the finals. Amazing.

This took place three miles from my house at Burger Stadium in Austin, Texas. No, I did not go, figuring it would be an American blowout, but I did listen to it on the radio. Still stunned.

Canada jumped out to a 10-0 lead and never relinquished it, although the game did come down to a failed onside kick.

I’m not big on covering high school sports, so you probably won’t hear me mention many high school games in the future. But Canada beating the US in football is like the US beating Canada in hockey.

You have to pay attention to something like that.
-30-