Super Bowl Open Thread

25 Comments

1. 

   latanawi on February 4, 2007 at 2:31 pm

   21 (Bears) to 13.

2. 

   Cali Scribe on February 4, 2007 at 2:33 pm

   Indianapolis 24, Chicago 21 — comes down yet again to Vinatieri’s foot, as it did so many times in New England.

   But I’m still pissed that Ray Guy got snubbed for the Hall of Fame yet again…if any punter deserves to be the first one enshrined, it’s Guy.

   USA Today had a great rundown of the planned ads. They didn’t have quite all of them; I heard that Apple made an ad buy, but the contents are of course top secret (rumors have it as anything from a preview of the upcoming Leopard operating system to an announcement of a deal with Apple Corps putting the Beatles on the iTunes Store and a Beatles-themed iPod).

   I’ve already seen the K-Fed ad for Nationwide — fast food restaurant groups are pissed because they think it’s making fun of fast food workers. They don’t get it — it’s K-Fed that’s the butt of the joke (and to his credit, he’s willing to play along…for the appropriate cash payment, of course).

   Halftime will likely be fairly tame — Prince has “got religion” and from what I’ve heard doesn’t even perform most of his old raunchy hits (and I’d would’ve loved to see how the FCC dealt with “Erotic City”, dammit).

   Should be a decent game…as long as it’s not a blowout I’ll be happy regardless of who wins…

3. 

   urizon on February 4, 2007 at 2:34 pm

   38-17 Colts. Close till halftime, then the Colts run away with it.

4. 

   northcountry on February 4, 2007 at 2:38 pm

   Dungy over the student…

5. 

   Arminius on February 4, 2007 at 2:40 pm

   Bears 16, Colts 10.

6. 

   Andrew C White on February 4, 2007 at 3:36 pm

   27-23 Bears.

7. 

   Cali Scribe on February 4, 2007 at 3:42 pm

   Great piece on Walter Payton and Brian Piccolo — two Bears who left the world waaaay too damn soon.

   Now where did I leave that Kleenex box?

8. 

   soj on February 4, 2007 at 3:43 pm

   I’ll be watching the game with friends but I am ashamed to admit I didn’t even know who was playing before today, so no way can I make a prediction!

   I am frightfully ignorant of sports I’m afraid.  

   Just for cosmic sake however I’ll guess the final score will be 11-7.

   Pax

9. 

   keepinon on February 4, 2007 at 4:12 pm

   Both teams certainly earned the right to be there. If I had to pick one I would say Colts 24, Bears 17. I’m personally rooting for Manning to finally get the press off his back, but if the Bears win that will be fine with me too.

10. 

    Real History Lisa on February 4, 2007 at 4:25 pm

    I just got this in the mail, and wish we were hearing about THIS on TV today:

    When I was growing up, football was dominated by Black players, but we weren’t allowed to be quarterback. And we certainly couldn’t be the coach.

    I don’t even care much about football, but I can’t wait to watch the game this afternoon. Today, America celebrates a first–two Black coaches in the Super Bowl. It may seem like an accident, or the inevitable result of time’s passage, but it’s not. Like most civil rights gains, it’s the result of active struggle.

    In 2002, attorneys Cyrus Mehri and Johnnie Cochran Jr. decided that Blacks had been shut out of coaching long enough. They released a report entitled “Black Coaches in the National Football League: Superior Performances, Inferior Opportunities” that called out the NFL’s “dismal record of minority hiring.” Two facts stood out in the report: 1) while Blacks comprised 70% of NFL players, only 6% of coaches and 28% percent of assistant coaches were Black; and 2) while only six of 400 NFL head coaches hired since 1929 were Black, they significantly outperformed their white counterparts in wins and playoff appearances. Mehri and Cochran threatened a lawsuit, and the NFL agreed to change.

    Later that year the NFL adopted the “Rooney Rule,” requiring teams to interview at least one non-white candidate for any open coaching position. In 2004, two of the seven vacancies were filled by Black coaches. The Rooney rule did what happy accidents and the passage of time could not–make a dent in race-based discrimination in the NFL.

    Today, we’ve got two black coaches in the Superbowl (and a Black Presidential candidate in the wings), but these are small steps towards a much greater goal of equality and racial justice. Most Black people still have second-class access to quality health care, jobs and education; an increasing number of Black men go to prison instead of college; and Katrina made clear that protecting the lives of Black folks, especially if they are poor, is of little importance to those in power.

    Van and I started ColorOfChange because we know that change doesn’t happen without a fight, and because we have faith–and great hope–that all of us, together, can keep pushing forward to make major change for Blacks in America.

    Today, let’s celebrate these two amazing brothers–Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears and Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts–and pay tribute to those who helped them get to the top of the game. And then tomorrow, let’s continue the work of raising our collective voices, applying pressure, and fighting for greater justice for us all.

    Thank you for being a part of this work,

    — James Rucker
       Executive Director, ColorOfChange.org
       February 4th, 2007

    • 

      chocolate ink on February 4, 2007 at 5:13 pm

      Lisa, thanks for putting this up.  The battle for equal rights for any group or minority is a long fought battle and never ever just happens serendipitously.

      • 

        Real History Lisa on February 4, 2007 at 5:26 pm

        To be honest, I was shocked to turn on the TV and hear people commenting on the color of the skin of the coaches. That just seems to retro – so 60s. I wouldn’t have even noticed, if they weren’t making such a big deal about it.

        Whoever wins today, it’s still a big victory against racism in the NFL. I hope that trend continues, in all areas of life.

11. 

    americanforliberty on February 4, 2007 at 4:44 pm

    34 Bears  6 Colts…..believe it or not

    • 

      Real History Lisa on February 4, 2007 at 5:26 pm

      Woohoo – that’s very bold. That’s so bold I hope you’re right! I have no horse in this race. I just hope to hear a good game while I get other stuff done today…!

      • 

        americanforliberty on February 4, 2007 at 5:37 pm

        well that way we can watch the commercials

12. 

    KNUCKLEHEAD on February 4, 2007 at 4:49 pm

    Iraqis; 683,586,  US; 3,089, but it`s only halftime. The second squad may come in with 48,000, new players soon & the US score may end up being not so low. I hate high scoring games, & please let`s hope the game ends soon.

    • 

      idredit on February 4, 2007 at 6:17 pm

      Thinkprogress notes VoteVets Ad to run during Superbowl opposing Bush’s escalation policy
      willair in DC MN and Maine

      • 

        KNUCKLEHEAD on February 4, 2007 at 6:56 pm

        Thanks, iredit, I`m going to check that now.

      • 

        KNUCKLEHEAD on February 4, 2007 at 6:58 pm

        iredit, On The Other Hand, I saw that ad the other day. Very good one.

13. 

    Real History Lisa on February 4, 2007 at 6:04 pm

    Here are the startups that couldn’t afford the Superbowl spot, but tried to shoot for the stars in any case:

    http://www.techcrunch.com/2007/02/04/superbowl-ads-not-really-from-startups/

14. 

    Teach313 on February 4, 2007 at 7:22 pm

    Colts 34 – 17

    • 

      Teach313 on February 4, 2007 at 7:23 pm

      I’m gonna gloat no matter what. I have had a chance to gloat in a while.

      • 

        keepinon on February 5, 2007 at 9:32 am

        Nice going teach! If you look upstream, I believe that I was five pts. low on the Colts, while you were five pts. high. Notice the time of my prediction (prior to kickoff). So if I invoke the tiebreaker clause (remembering the rules of “the price is right”) I believe that my prediction came closest with out going over the actual score………
        :-)) But I wouldn’t be soo petty as to invoke the price is right tiebreaker clause with a good friend. That might get me put on double secret probation or something. Seriously though, I am glad that Manning finally won the big one so ESPN experts can hopefully find another equally compelling story line to ramble on and on and on about for the next decade.
        Maybe something like “who is the worst QB who never started in a Superbowl game but should have?” That ought to keep them going for a while eh?

15. 

    Teach313 on February 4, 2007 at 8:13 pm

    Prince electrocuted while playing electric guitar in the rain. Pat Robertson says, “God struck down the midget sinner.”

16. 

    northcountry on February 4, 2007 at 10:49 pm

    Whooo Hooo!!!!