Let the hype, and story lines begin...

Thus begins the longest 13 days for football fans, the dreaded hype machine known as the "black hole" between the Conference championships and the Superbowl.  A time when fans will have to hear things like, "The Harbowl", "The Brother Bowl", "Super Baugh Brothers" and other cute little catch phrases to explain that Jim Harbaugh will face his brother John Harbaugh in the Superbowl. 

Yes, it's pretty cool that for the first time in history, two brothers will face each other as head coaches of the Superbowl teams.  Yes, as a Bears fan and a fan of USD, it's pretty cool that Jim Harbaugh is coaching a team in the big game.  Yes, it's pretty cool that Jack Harbaugh, the dad, will have a no lose situation on his hands.  Yes, it will seem to drone on and on for the next two weeks.  

Full disclosure 

I have no real rooting interest in either team.  The teams don't mean much to me.  It's going to be hard to watch the 49'ers win, since the Colin Kaepernick era began at the expense of my beloved Chicago Bears.  

It's going to be hard to watch the Ravens win, simply because I'm not a big fan of any of their players.  I'm not one to buy into the hype of Ray Lewis either, this "retirement party" has been crammed down our throats, for the new media darling.   It wasn't all that long ago, that Lewis was involved in an off the field incident at a Superbowl. It was the 2000 game between the Rams and Titans in Atlanta, and Lewis and some "associates" were at the scene of a murder.  If you want to refresh your memory, click here for the Sports Illustrated story from January 31, 2000.  

Media Coverage

Having covered a Superbowl myself, the 2007 game in Miami, it's not an easy deal.  The days are long, and the stories become tougher to come up with as the weeks draw to an end. You find yourself searching for something out of the ordinary.  Some unique thing that your competitors haven't presented yet.  Good luck huh?  That's why you'll see some pretty ridiculous stuff.  This will especially be the case on "Superbowl Media Day" at the Super Dome in New Orleans.  Sometimes, I am embarrassed to be part of the media, no day is that feeling stronger than Superbowl media day.  Ugh. 

More musings...

You'll hear more about the Superbowl in future blog updates...but now, here's some random musings...

Enough!
I need a T.O. (time out) from all the Te'o talk.  Seriously.  It's a sad situation.  This new phenomenon of "Catfish-ing" is seriously strange.  Feel badly for the kid if he's telling the truth.  I hope he is. 

Truth is Alabama exposed Manti Te'o long before the Deadspin article and ensuing tweets and stories.  

Some wonder if maybe Lance Armstrong had something to do with this, to deflect attention from him?  Ha! 

Find out now that Te'o will actually do an on camera interview with Katie Couric this week.  Apparently Jeremy Shaap was too tired from having to recap his "off camera" interview ad nauseum?  Maybe Oprah was tuckered out after her two part mini series with Armstrong? 

Leads to another thought pointed out on Twitter this week:

If there is ever an Oprah scandal, who is she going to do the interview with?
— Geoffrey Hancock (@LeftCoastBias) January 21, 2013

Bits and pieces...quickly...

...looks like Seattle is getting the NBA again.  Many that I've talked to from the Pacific Northwest are not thrilled with the trade off, having lost the Sonics to Oklahoma City a few years back.  Hmm, Kevin Durant or DeMarcus Cousins?  Easy choice and it isn't Cousins. 

...anybody really sad to see the Lakers going through adversity?  I guess it wasn't Mike Brown's fault after all.  Have heard some Laker fans refer to the new head coach as Mike 'Antoni because he left his "D" somewhere else.  

...both San Diego schools lost Saturday night.  The Toreros ran into a hot shooting BYU team in the first conference loss for USD.  The Aztecs managed only 9 points in the first half of their loss at Wyoming.  Hope both teams bounce back this week. 

...I may be alone, but I'm thrilled the NHL is back, especially with my Chicago Blackhawks off to a 2-0 start.  5-2 in game one against the Kings in LA, and a 6-4 win Sunday night at Phoenix.  Seemed like NHL fans are quick to forgive labor unrest, most of the arenas have been sold out during the first weekend of the truncated season.  Love that word truncated by the way!

...baseball lost two greats over the weekend.  Stan "the man" Musial passed away at the age of 92.  The first ballot Hall of Famer spent his entire 22 year career with the St. Louis Cardinals.  He had a batting average above .300 17 times during his career and earned three National League Most Valuable Player awards as well as three World Series titles. 
Former Orioles skipper Earl Weaver passed away at the age of 82.  Weaver managed the O's for 17 seasons and had 1,480 wins including five 100-win seasons and a World Series title in 1970.

Enough Part II

A report from an Altanta television station says that a Falcons fan was stabbed in the neck during an altercation outside the Georgia Dome after the NFC Championship Game.  The victim is a 35 year old male, and was stabbed after punching a 49'ers fan.  After absorbing the punch, the Niner's fan stabbed the Falcons fan in the throat.  The victim is said to be in stable condition.  

Enough is enough.  I am a passionate sports fan, as you probably are too, but what is going on here?  It's one thing to root for your team, it's another to taunt, or hit, or stab an opposing fan.  Seriously?  Things have gotten out of control.  Is it alcohol?  Is it stupidity?  Is it idiots with an excuse to act like an idiot?  Stop it.  You are giving REAL sports fans a bad name. 

I'm done here....hope you enjoyed....

Andy