Sunday started with a bang for me with a flag football game partially played in Piedmont Park (site of the first Auburn/Georgia football game played in 1892 that kicked off the oldest football rivalry in the South.) The black team beat the red team 77 – 56. Like most football games the outcome was determined by turnovers.
Now I am starting feel the effects of two and a half hours of football and starting to think about the Super Bowl. This year is not as exciting for me as last when I was cheering on the Bears. But it is an interesting game with history on the line.
While I was hoping to see the Packers in this one so that Favre could ride off into the sunset, I am going to be cheering for the underdog Giants. Not because they are dogs. I have cheered for them from my Hoboken days when I was lucky enough to make it out to Giants Stadium once or twice to see the great LT play. That man was scary fast. Regardless, I was rooting for them from a Hoboken bar in Super Bowl XXV when they beat the Bills. I was in the stadium looking for some O when the Ravens defense shut them down in Super Bowl XXXV. Tonight I am going to be cheering them on from my couch with two sick kids.
Their are some interesting technical innovations that will be happening during the game. There is going to be the first Twitter Bowl, where twitter users can send tweets to @superbowlads rating commercials. Those following will have a pretty good idea of the ad scorecard as the game progresses.
The NFL is going to let fans help pick the game’s MVP. During the fourth quarter fans can vote at Super Bowl web site or by texting to 99777. The fans vote counts for 20% with media getting 80%.
So I am going to be rooting for the Giants, watching the ads, playing with some tech stuff, and taking care of the kids.
My prediction? Plaxico almost has it right. Add ten points to his call of 23-17 and switch the winner. The Giants cover, but lose 33 – 27. I hope I am wrong, because I really want the 85 Bears to remain the 2nd greatest team to play in my lifetime.