🏆 Tubz 🛀 Unfiltered - Volume 68
Super Bowl Recap
Happy Monday, y’all!
This is far from an original thought, but today — the day after the Super Bowl —should be a national holiday, or the NFL should move the Big Game to President’s Day weekend. Not sure of the logistics on either, but the powers that be should huddle up and discuss until they figure out how to make it happen.
For context: In 2020, 11 million people took PTO for Super Bowl Monday, another 5 million called in sick, and 1.5 million skipped work altogether, according to a survey conducted by Workforce Institute. That means that 17.5 million people, out of the 102.1 million viewers for the 2020 Super Bowl, were not at work the day after the Chiefs beat the 49ers.
And the real kicker: in Feb. 2022, Fortune pointed out that Super Bowl Monday is the least productive workday of the year.
Programming Note: This week’s Volume is all about the Super Bowl. Next week’s Volume will return to the usual format.
🏆 SPORTZ 🏆
Super Bowl LVII
CHIEFS 38 Eagles 35
One of the best Super Bowls in my lifetime. It did not look like it was going to be an all-timer early on, because the Eagles could not be stopped offensively in the first half and the Chiefs’ defense pulled a Plaxico Burress by shooting themselves in the thigh, looking like big ole idiots in the process with costly offside penalties.
Irrespective of the Chiefs’ miscues, the Eagles’ offense was so dominant in the first half that they “turned 20 first-and-ten’s (or first-and-goal) into 17 new first downs (or touchdowns),” as pointed out by Ben Baldwin. Math is not my forte, but that seems good.
The second half, though, was all Patrick Mahomes, who was named Super Bowl MVP, & Co. They gained 221 yards out of a possible 230, and they would have gained 230 yards if (a) Isiah Pacheco did not go down at the 1-yard line late in the game and (b) Mahomes did not kneel multiple times before the game-winning field goal.
In sum, Kansas City scored on every single second-half possession. And for the entire game, the offense scored 31 points in 24 minutes of game time and surrendered zero sacks against the best defensive line in the NFL. The Super Bowl and Week 6 against the Colts were the only games in which the Eagles did not record a sack.
The elephant in the room: the holding call on Philly CB James Bradberry. Did he technically commit a holding penalty on WR Juju Smith-Schuster? Yes, and Bradberry admitted as much during his postgame remarks, but calling a ticky-tack penalty in that spot — under two minutes left in a close game with a Lombardi Trophy on the line — is lame as you-know-what.
Roger Goodell said, with a straight face, in the week leading up to the Big Game during his annual town hall meeting with the media: “For us, when you look at officiating, I don’t think it’s ever been better in the league.” Sure thing, Roger Rabbit.
Rihanna performed at the Apple Music Halftime Show. Turns out she is pregnant with her second child. Good for her. Her dancers each looked like excited little sperm, ironically enough. The overall performance was nothing to write home about, but it did remind me that she has been involved in a lot of bangers (of the song variety, you sickos). Put more succinctly and appropriately, her set list was, indeed, electric.
When she started singing “All of the Lights,” the dumb part of my brain pondered for a quick second whether Kanye West was going to join Rihanna on the stage. But then I remembered that he hates Jewish people and is unfortunately mentally unstable, so yeah, no way he was going to make a guest appearance.
The Chiefs have now won two Super Bowls in the last four years. I don’t think you can call them a dynasty just yet, but they are well on their way if they keep up the pace they are on. Through his first six seasons (five as a starter), Mahomes is a two-time Super Bowl champ and Super Bowl MVP, a two-time regular season MVP, a three-time All-Pro honoree (first-team in 2018 and 2022; second-team in 2020), a two-time regular season passing TDs leader, and holds the following NFL records: career passer rating (105.7), career playoff passer rating (107.4), total yards by a quarterback in a single season (5,614), and passing touchdowns in a single postseason (11; tied with Joe Montana and Kurt Warner).
However, as Mahomes attempts to cement himself as the G.O.A.T. going forward, he will be without his legendary backup quarterback, Chad Henne. The Michigan product and 15-year NFL vet retired after the game and will (presumably) sail to the south of France with $40 million in career earnings along with two Super Bowl rings. Hall of Fame pick pocketer.
In the loss, QB Jalen Hurts (27/38, 304 yards, 1 passing TD, 103.4 passer rating) balled out (despite the costly fumble), finishing with 70 yards rushing — a Super Bowl record — and three rushing touchdowns, which tied a Super Bowl record.
What I love about Hurts, beyond his play on the field, is how mature he is and how well he carries himself. Below is what he said after the game.
We came up short. I think the beautiful part about it is everyone experiences different pains. Everyone experiences different agonies of life, but you decide if you want to learn from it. You decide if you want that to be a teachable moment. I know I do.
Next year’s Super Bowl will be in Sin City and, of course, Super Bowl odds have already been released (via Caesars Sportsbook).
Chiefs (+550)
49ers (+600)
Bills (+650)
Eagles (+800)
Bengals (+900)
Cowboys (+1600)
Chargers (+2200)
Jaguars (+2800)
Lions (+3000)
Dolphins, Packers, Jets, Rams, Giants, and Ravens (+3500)
If you chuckled and/or enjoyed it, make sure to forward it to others and/or share it on social. Any corrections, omissions, suggestions, etc., send 'em my way. Much love. -Tubz