A Grip on Sports: The Tampa Bay defense knocks away the Chiefs’ hopes of a repeat and allows us to enjoy the commercials guilt free
A GRIP ON SPORTS • There is little to argue about today concerning the Super Bowl. We probably can agree on all the major points, down to the lack of excitement for most of it. So we’ll turn our attention to the periphery and look ahead to a WCC showdown tonight.
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• We’re sure everyone saw the same things on Raymond James’ field Sunday.
– Tampa used two high safeties (see what I did there?) to stymie the Chiefs’ deep passing game. Of course, Kansas City’s porous offensive line (yes, there were injuries involved) helped too.
– The officiating wasn’t great. The emphasis on defensive holding (after a season of letting most everything go) worked to limit Kansas City’s secondary.
– Tom Brady just added to his resume as the greatest quarterback of all time.
Hard to get on a virtual soapbox to yell a counterpoint. So what’s left after a turn-it-off-minutes-into-the-third-quarter Super Bowl?
The commercials, of course.
Everyone has an opinion on the $5.5 million-per-minute ads and none of them dovetail with mine. And by “mine,” we’re speaking for everyone. Nothing is more divisive than rating Super Bowl commercials, including the halftime show. Heck, Bruce Springsteen tries to sell Jeeps by talking about meeting in the middle and is met with stony silence by some reviewers. Personally, I was offended by a guy from Jersey wearing a cowboy hat.
There were some memorable commercials yesterday, though this morning I’m struggling to recall them. My favorite? The Jason Alexander sweatshirt, mainly because the “Greatest American Hero” theme song always makes me smile.
Other things that caught my eye:
– Tracy Morgan doing a commercial that includes a car crash. That seemed odd.
– The State Farm ad was fun, because anything with Paul Rudd is fun.
– Same with Will Ferrell, who made a series of little vignettes leading up to his Norway commercial.
– Oatly’s CEO is never going to get a gig as a Vegas lounge singer. His song, however, did remind me of one of my favorite ditties, “I Have A Piano.” (If you know, you know.)
– I use Scotts’ fertilizer all the time. John Travolta has never danced on my lawn. That’s a win-win.
• Though the date has changed, tonight’s game in Provo is one Gonzaga fans have pointed to since last February. After all, with the Marriott Center packed to the gills last year, the Cougars pulled off the upset of the WCC season. Will it happen again?
If it does, it won’t come because the Zags weren’t focused. There is no way Mark Few’s team will be doing what it seems to have been doing at times this conference season: going through the motions. Brigham Young University has their attention. At least it did Jan. 7, when GU played one of its best 30-minute stretches of the season.
The rematch should be closer at halftime, even though there won’t be 20,000 screaming fans tonight. There is little chance BYU can play worse and Gonzaga better. So don’t expect a 32-point Bulldog lead at any point.
Can the Cougars knock GU from the unbeaten ranks? If anyone in the WCC can, it seems they are the candidates. But what set of circumstances will have to occur?
Let’s see. The Zags’ inside players will have to get into foul trouble. The Cougars need have to shoot well from beyond the arc. Jalen Suggs has to struggle from long range, allowing BYU to keep him out of the paint. If those three things pop up, give BYU the upset. If two of three happen, it still has a shot.
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Gonzaga: Jim Meehan has his preview of tonight’s ESPN contest (it starts at 8, though Oklahoma State at Kansas is on just before, so there is a chance of a later tip). He also has the key matchup. … BYU is wondering what it has to do to overcome GU’s talented offense. … Is Gonzaga’s defense good enough to get it a title? … Elsewhere in the WCC, the Bay Area schools are ramping up to play again.
WSU: The women’s basketball team followed up its upset against No. 5 UCLA by losing to USC. The highs this season have been really high, but there have been a lot of lows as well. … Around the Pac-12 and college basketball, Oregon State’s schedule is about to get harder. … First up for the Beavers is Colorado. … There was one game Sunday. Stanford picked up its second win over California in four days. … USC’s Saturday-night win over UCLA just part of the Trojans’ championship plan. … Arizona received an unexpected boost against Colorado.
Seahawks: Though the Hawks weren’t playing – someday they will again – we decided to put all the Super Bowl stories in this section. Yes, even the Tom Brady stories, though we did link a couple above. … The Tampa Bay defense was exceptional. … The golf before the game was better than the football. Brooks Koepka’s eagle chip was the decisive stroke.
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• I have a dental appointment today. The dog has to visit the vet. Gonzaga is in Provo so I have to work tonight. This is one of those Monday’s Garfield warned us about. Until later …