Midwest Sports Fans » video http://www.midwestsportsfans.com A sports blog by and for Midwest Sports Fans Sat, 11 Feb 2012 14:52:38 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Video: Will Ferrell’s Player Introductions From Last Night’s Hornets-Bulls Game http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/video-will-ferrells-player-introductions-from-last-nights-hornets-bulls-game/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/video-will-ferrells-player-introductions-from-last-nights-hornets-bulls-game/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:44:59 +0000 Josh Tinley http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=46524 Last night the New Orleans Hornets let Will Ferrell announce the starting lineups for the Hornets’ game against the Chicago Bulls.

Ferrell, who is in the Big Easy shooting a movie with Zach Galifianakis about “political rivals who are seeking the same congressional seat” (must see), got especially clever with the visiting Bulls’ lineup, introducing Joakim Noah as “a Scorpio and a terrible dancer” and announcing that Luol Deng “collects rare birds and has a pet dolphin named Chachi.”

Watch the entire thing from CSN Chicago:

 

The Bulls ended up winning 90-67.

video will ferrell introductions bulls hornets

Will Ferrell doing the intros at last night's Hornets-Bulls game. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

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Be Careful How Loudly You Watch Rocky…The Police Might Show Up http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/be-careful-how-loudly-you-watch-rocky-the-police-might-show-up/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/be-careful-how-loudly-you-watch-rocky-the-police-might-show-up/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:49:34 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=46512 Unless you want unexpected knocks on your day, you might want to be careful how high you have the volume turned up while watching Rocky.

Image source: Imgur via Reddit

For confirmation, this also appears verbatim in the online edition of the Creston Valley Advance.

If I had to guess, I’d bet it was this scene, in which Rocky and protege Dwayne Schintzius (err, Tommy Gunn, sorry) get into a street fight.

 

Any other ideas what scene might have prompted to a call to the cops?

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It’s a slow sports day, so here is a video of professional bowlers freaking out on fans and eachother http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/its-a-slow-sports-day-so-here-is-a-video-of-professional-bowlers-freaking-out-on-fans-and-eachother/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/its-a-slow-sports-day-so-here-is-a-video-of-professional-bowlers-freaking-out-on-fans-and-eachother/#comments Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:59:26 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=46505 As the Wednesday after the Super Bowl typically seems to be, today is a slow sports day. The collective media is catching its breath and recharging its batteries after a hard-working and perhaps even debauchery-filled week in Indianapolis, and with only mid-week regular season NBA, college hoops, and NHL games going on, there isn’t a whole lot to get worked up about.

And speaking of getting worked up…

I had no idea that professional bowling was so rife with outbursts such as these:

 

TAKE THAT YOU BOTTLE BITCH!

Via Bob’s Blitz, here is the complete context for Jason Belmonte’s outburst.

bottle-bitch

I’ve decided I’m going to start using this as trash talk in ironic circumstances.

Let’s say I roll up next to a Honda Civic in my Toyota Corolla Sport (that’s right, I’ve got the sport package with spoiler and racing stripe) at a traffic light. As soon as it turns green, I’m flooring it, leaving the Civic in my dust, and yelling TAKE THAT YOU BOTTLE BITCH! It won’t make any sense, and they probably won’t hear me or even care, but I’ll know. And I’ll smile inside.

But I digress.

Pete Weber’s sunglasses are pretty spectacular.

I guess such outbursts by professional bowlers make sense. Every time I bowl it’s in a crowded lane with noise everywhere and intermittent blacklighting occurring. It’s easy to focus when the noise is coming from everywhere. But when it’s quiet, the softest noise or light flash can impact concentration, like flashes during a golfer’s back swing, or co-workers walking past your office door talking and waving their hands when you’re trying to blog.

Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this video. I’ve got nothing else today.

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Video: Trailer For New Spiderman Movie ‘The Amazing Spider-man’ with Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/video-trailer-for-new-spiderman-movie-the-amazing-spider-man-with-andrew-garfield-and-emma-stone/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/video-trailer-for-new-spiderman-movie-the-amazing-spider-man-with-andrew-garfield-and-emma-stone/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 15:52:15 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=46408 I am a big Spiderman fan. He is my second favorite superhero after the incomparable Batman, who I simply find far and away more compelling than any of the other mainstream superheros (which are really the only ones that I know).

And the new storyline for Spiderman looks pretty compelling, and I have high hopes for Andrew Garfield (he of The Social Network fame) taking over Tobey Maguire’s role.

But let’s be honest: what I’m most looking forward to about the new Spiderman flick is Emma Stone. I do very much enjoy her work.

Here is the new trailer if you haven’t seen it:

 

And Dennis Leary seems like an inspired casting choice. He should be solid.

Looking forward to seeing this one.

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Video: Tom Brady Safety First Scoring Play In Super Bowl 46 http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/video-tom-brady-safety-first-scoring-play-in-super-bowl-46/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/video-tom-brady-safety-first-scoring-play-in-super-bowl-46/#comments Mon, 06 Feb 2012 00:11:09 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=46223 If you had a safety as the first scoring play of Super Bowl 46, you are likely just now done jumping around in celebratory bliss.

Because, amazingly, that’s exactly what the first scoring play was tonight.

Tom Brady, on the Patriots’ first play from scrimmage, dropped back into his own end zone and fired it down the center of the field. The only problem is that no receivers were in the area. That’s a safety folks.

Here is the video:

Ouch. That put the Giants up 2-0. They scored a touchdown soon thereafter to go up 9-0, and the Patriots just kicked a field goal to get on the board. It’s currently 9-3.

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Budwesier Super Bowl 46 Commercial – ‘Flash Fans’ Video http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/budwesier-super-bowl-46-commercial-flash-fans-video/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/budwesier-super-bowl-46-commercial-flash-fans-video/#comments Sun, 05 Feb 2012 20:42:28 +0000 Keith Mullett http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=46171 Budweiser is always a major presence during the Super Bowl, and this year is no exception.

They will be running a 2-minute ad featuring two rec-league hockey teams from Ontario, Canada on Sunday evening.

Check out the commercial and read my thought below.

 

Yeah, the commercial is pretty awesome.  If my rec basketball team had a mob of screaming fans invade our empty gym on Thursday nights I would probably be caught off guard like these hockey players were, but then I would grandstand as if I were John Wall doing the “Dougie” during the pregame introductions.

Wait, I already pretty much behave like that in my rec league.  But it would be even worse if I had fans cheering for me.

Obviously if there is criticism to throw at Budweiser it’s that they made a really awesome, expensive (2 minutes during the Super Bowl?!?  Holy hell!) and inspiring commercial about HOCKEY to run during the Super Bowl.  You know, the championship game for professional football?

Plus, considering the NFL is about as American as it gets (excluding NASCAR, of course), it’s strange they would run a commercial based in Canada for the illustrious Super Bowl night.

Either way, awesome commercial that makes all of the weekend warriors and casual athletes who never had the size, speed, talent or breaks go their way to play professionally feel good.  I know that after my basketball games I like to drink some beers and wind down with my friends, so Budweiser captures that spirit well.  I do take off a few points for the curious hockey-Super Bowl pairing.

Commercial Grade: B

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Follow me on Twitter @keithmullett

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Tom Brady’s Quote Before Super Bowl 42 (“We’re Only Going To Score 17 Points?”) Continues To Live In Infamy http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/tom-bradys-quote-before-super-bowl-42-were-only-going-to-score-17-points-continues-to-live-in-infamy/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/tom-bradys-quote-before-super-bowl-42-were-only-going-to-score-17-points-continues-to-live-in-infamy/#comments Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:56:07 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=46049 Super Bowl XLVI is tomorrow, in case you were not aware.

As usual, by Saturday pretty much every angle of the Super Bowl has been picked apart, dissected, twisted inside and out, and we have all reached the stage of fatigue where we pretty much stay away from football today before totally immersing ourselves in it tomorrow.

But it hit me today that one video clip I thought I’d see a lot of this week, but that I’m not sure I’ve seen even once on TV – granted, I haven’t watched too much Super Bowl coverage on TV – is Tom Brady’s infamously smug response to Plaxico Burress’ score prediction before the first Patriots-Giants Super Bowl four years ago.

You’ve seen it before, like multiple times, but enjoy the Brady smugness one more time just for old time’s sake:

 

Burress predicted a 23-17 Giants victory, which seemed like a foolishly brash thing to do at the time, but it didn’t look quite so bad after the Giants shocked the heavily-favored Patriots 17-14 in a Super Bowl classic.

Brady met Burress’ prediction with understandable consternation and contempt considering how high-powered a machine his offense had been during the regular season. Because the Patriots lost their last game of that season, it is easy to forget just how dominant they were for most of the regular season. I mean, look at that. Only once in the regular season did the Patriots score fewer than 27 points before the paltry 14 they put up in the Super Bowl.

Who knows how much anyone could have or should have read into Brady’s response to Burress at the time, but there certainly seemed to be a bit of overconfidence on the part of the Patriots in that game, and perhaps that overconfidence coupled with a lot of bounces going the Giants way is what ultimately led to the perfect Pats’ undoing.

At the time of Brady’s quote,, New England was 18-0 and on the precipice of immortality. Ever since then, there has been a slow and steady erosion of his play in big games.

tom-brady-quote-response-to-plaxico-superbowl-42-only-score-17-points-videoHere is what Brady has done in playoff games since uttering his now infamous response to Plaxico Burress:

  •  29-48, 266 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT in 17-14 Loss to Giants
  • 23-42, 154 yards, 2 TD, 3 INT in 33-14 Loss to Ravens
  • 29-45, 299 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT in 28-21 Loss to Jets
  • 26-34, 363 yards, 6 TD, 1 INT in 45-19 Win over Broncos
  • 22-36, 239 yards, 0 TD, 2 INT in 23-20 Win over Ravens

Here are the totals:

  •  129-205 (62.9%), 264 ypg, 11 TDs, 7 INTs, 22.8 points per game in 5 games

And if you remove the best (Denver) and worst (Baltimore) games from the bunch:

  • 80-129 (62%), 268 ypg, 3 TD, 3 INTs, 18.3 points per game in 3 games

This last line is probably the best and most fair snapshot of the “new” playoff Tom Brady. As cemented as his place is in the history of the National FOOTBALL LEAGUE, he has become a mediocre postseason quarterback.

Granted, he doesn’t have a weapon like Randy Moss anymore, he’s had to deal with injuries to wide receivers, and 18.3 points used to be enough to win with the vintage Belichick defenses that the Patriots no longer employ; but Tom Brady built his legend on superlative playoff performances, and frankly he hasn’t had one in a close game since uttering the infamous words in the video above.

And you can say it’s a somewhat arbitrary moment in time to have chosen for an analysis like this…but is it?

I don’t think for one second Brady or the Patriots ever expected to lose that game. When you feel invincible, and are emphatically proven otherwise, maybe your sports psyche takes a hit, and it manifests itself in the biggest moments. We’ve seen it happen to Tiger Woods, though for far, far different circumstances. But there is a parallel between these two all-time great closers enduring invincibility shattering moments and then suddenly seeming to get a bit rattled when it comes time to close.

Of course, Tom Brady can erase all of this loose conjecture on my part with a great performance tomorrow and his fourth Super Bowl title. Besides, win or loss he’s sauntering into the Hall of Fame on the first ballot, and deservedly so.

But here’s the thing about Tom Brady: I used to always trust him in big moments. I used to always think he’d come through. I knew he’d come through. But tomorrow, in the biggest of big games, against his largest nemesis over the last half decade, I will be more surprised than anything if Brady delivers a great performance that leads the Patriots to victory.

If you told Brady this in ’08, he might have smugly said, “Jerod said that?” (before then wondering “Who the hell is Jerod Morris?”)

The fact is though, Tom Brady has earned some doubt since Super Bowl 42. And one of the most fascinating aspects of tomorrow’s game for me will be watching to see if he can reverse that and restore some of the faith he always used to inspire in big games.

If New England is going to win, he sure as hell better.

And he and the Pats might want to put up more than 14 points too.

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The 13 Best Super Bowl Plays of All-Time http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/the-13-best-super-bowl-plays-of-all-time-videos/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/the-13-best-super-bowl-plays-of-all-time-videos/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 17:20:14 +0000 Sports Muse http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=45832 Flash back about 15 years.

That was a time before my children had single-handedly decimated my social life.  I was out at a bar with several buddies, when one of my cronies boasted “I am going to make over $500,000 this year. That puts me in the top 2/10 of 1% of earners in the United States. That makes me truly elite.”

I came to two conclusions that night. First, this guy is a tool.  And second, I now define “truly elite” as the top 2/10 of 1%.

With that in mind…

kevin-dyson-best-plays-in-super-bowl-history

The Best, “Truly Elite” Plays in Super Bowl History

I am guessing – and please, if your Google skills are better than mine, tell me the exact number in the comments section below – that the Super Bowls, all 45 of them (I feel like I should say “all XLV of them”), have had about 5,500 total plays.

So, to be considered a “truly elite” play, you are talking about the top 2/10 of 1% of all plays ever run in a Super Bowl. The cream of the crop, the top of the heap, the best 13 plays in the history of the Super Bowl.  (Note: best does not always mean good, in fact it could be the opposite, at least in the world through my goggles.)

You may disagree with some of these, so let the banter begin. I think these are the 11 best Super Bowl plays ever, the ones that changed history…

#13. Lynn Swann’s Catch in Super Bowl X

Lynn Swann’s 53-yard catch from Terry Bradshaw.

This play probably shouldn’t be on this list because it had no ultimate effect on the game and was not even part of a drive that resulted in points.  But, man, that was one of the prettiest catches you will ever see.

First catch in the video below, with bonus John Facenda on audio:

#12. Unitas (to Hinton) to Mackey in Super Bowl V

Johnny Unitas’ 75-yard TD pass to John Mackey.

The Cowboys had a 6-0 lead and all the momentum in this one when Unitas’ passed deflected off his intended receiver Eddien Hinton and ended up in the arms of his stud TE, who rumbled 75 yards for the score.

Interestingly, the PAT was blocked, meaning that Jim O’Brien, the Colt kicker, had to redeem himself with a game winning field goal in the final seconds.

#11. Scott Norwood in Super Bowl XXV

Scott Norwood misses a 47-yard game winning field goal.

Yes, I put this play on the list over either of the Adam Vinitieri game winning field goals.  Why?  Because those kicks were the difference between winning and overtime.  This was the difference between winning and losing.

One play. All the marbles. All on Scott Norwood’s right foot. Wide right (a saying that Bobby Bowden then went on to immortalize).

I still feel bad for him.

#10 (3-way Tie). Garo Yepremian, Jackie Smith, Leon Lett

All of these just had to be included. Classic. Priceless.

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#7. Marcus Allen in Super Bowl XVIII

74-yard touchdown run by Marcus Allen in which he starts left and then cuts back and runs by the entire defense. 

This is simply one of the prettiest runs you will ever see.

I would have been raked higher on this list except the fact that the Raiders won 38-9, and the score was already 28-9 when this happened in the 3rd quarter.

#6. 49ers’ Goalline Stand in Super Bowl XVI

It is almost unfair to include this as a single play, because, really, the entire 4-play, goal-to-go stand was remarkable.  But the 3rd down swing pass to Charles Alexander, who was stopped a foot short of the goal line by Dan Bunz out in the flat in isolation, is one of the most memorable and important plays in Super Bowl history.

This video chronicles the entire four-down sequence, with John Facenda as a bonus narrator:

#5. David Tyree’s Catch in Super Bowl XLII

Eli Manning’s 32-yard pass to David Tyree. Facing 3rd and 5 from their own 43 with time running down on the Giants’ Super Bowl hopes, Manning escapes a near certain sack, then throws the ball up to David Tyree (who had 4 catches all season long, AND NONE EVER AGAIN IN HIS CAREER), who somehow secured the ball against his helmet.

Of course, The G-Men went on to win on a Plaxico Burress (pre-gunshot wound) TD, but this is the play everyone remembers:

#4. Kevin Dyson Stopped At The One in Super Bowl XXXIV

What a magical season.

St. Louis came out of nowhere to shock the world in still must be regarded as the most surprising rise from ashes in NFL history.

When they played the Titans for the championship of the world, many people point to Kurt Warner’s 73-yard TD pass to Isaac Bruce in the game’s last two minutes as the highlight of the game, but the “elite” play came from less heralded LB Mike Jones, who stopped Kevin Dyson from scoring on a slant pass as time expired, stopping him one yard short of the end zone and overtime.

Never before, and perhaps never again, has a Super Bowl ended so close to the end zone:

#3. James Harrison’s Pick-6 in Super Bowl XLIII

As with #4, many people would have the game winning TD as the play they point to when remembering Pittsburgh defeating Arizona just three years ago.  And Roethlisberger’s pass to Santonio Holmes (and the entire two-minute drive) were tremendous, but none of it may have been possible without the game changing effort of James Harrison on the last play of the 1st half.

Sitting on the Pittsburgh 2-yard line with a 1st and goal with 18-seconds left in the first half, Arizona was poised to take a 14-10 halftime lead when Kurt Warner was picked off by James Harrison. It took him a while to get there, but Harrison made it past the entire Cardinals team to just get over the goal line for a 14-point swing

Gambler’s bonus: Pittsburgh was favored by 4 in the first half, so the TD resulted in the unlikeliest of covers.

#2. Montana to Taylor in Super Bowl XXIII

The greatest #2 receiver in the history of NFL football, John Taylor, finally got his due, scoring the game-winning touchdown with only :34 seconds to play.

Joe Montana marched the team 92 yards on the game winning drive, after famously walking into the huddle, pointed at the crowd, and asking “Hey, isn’t that John Candy?”). Of course, Rice was still named the game’s MVP, but this is the play everyone remembers.

#1. John Riggins in Super Bowl XVII

With the Redskins facing 4th & 1 in the 4th quarter, trailing the Dolphins 17-13, Joe Gibbs went for it and handed the ball to his horse, John Riggins, who broke a tackle at the line and rumbled 43 yards for the go-ahead (and ultimately winning) score.

Nothing fancy. Just your typical dive play that decides the Super Bowl.

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So, what do you think? What did I miss? What did I get right?

Let the debates begin….

Follow Brian Dilsheimer on Twitter @Dils_Ignite

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Super Bowl 46 Drinking Game http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/super-bowl-46-drinking-game/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/02/super-bowl-46-drinking-game/#comments Wed, 01 Feb 2012 12:14:00 +0000 Drew Lange http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=45694 Watching football is good for three things: drinking, gambling, and having something to do on Sunday nights.

Thankfully, Super Bowl Sunday is the perfect combination of all three.

And what fun is it to just sit around and drink casually on your own terms? Why not have a little fun with it?

So to make things a bit more interesting, because let’s face it no one outside of the northeast corner of America actually wants to watch this year’s Big Game, here is the official MSF Super Bowl XLVI Drinking Game.

The rules are simple: anytime something in the list below happens, take a drink according to the category it is under. Feel free to add your own rules as well.

One Drink

  • Anytime Peyton Manning is mentioned
  • Anytime Archie Manning is mentioned
  • Anytime a beer commercial is played
  • Anytime a player is shown crying
  • Anytime Super Bowl XLII is mentioned
  • Anytime Rob Gronkowski’s ankle is mentioned
  • Every time you lose a bet (because it’s not a Super Bowl if you don’t have a few bets on the line)
  • Successful Extra Point
  • Bill Belichick and Tom Coughlin are shown and you’re first thought is, “That man looks constipated.” (Then stop taking drinks after this occurs three times, otherwise you’ll die.)
  • Anytime Eli is caught making the “Eli Manning Face”

Two Drinks

    • Anytime Cooper Manning is mentioned
    • Anytime a baby appears in a commercial
    • Anytime Gisele is on screen
    • Anytime a player complains to the ref about a call
    • Anytime Tiquan Underwood is mentioned
    • Any pass over 30 yards
    • Any run over 20 yards
    • Anytime this infamous Tom Brady quote from Super Bowl 42 is shown:

Three Drinks

  • Anytime Archie Manning is on screen
  • Anytime David Tyree is mentioned/shown on screen
  • Field Goal
  • Onside kick
  • Interception
  • Fumble Recovery
  • Victor Cruz salsa dances
  • Anytime you hear Joe Buck’s voice
joe-buck-super-bowl-46-drinking-game

Yes, the game is on NBC, but Super Bowl 42 was on FOX...so it might happen during highlights.

Four Drinks

  • Safety
  • Touchdown
  • Anytime Peyton Manning appears on screen
  • Player waves to the camera and says “Hi Mom”
  • Anytime Madonna does a hip thrust during her act
  • Blocked Punt/Kick
  • Either team attempts 2 point conversion
  • Vince Wilfork salsa dances
  • Jim Irsay provides backup instrumentation for Kelly Clarkson’s national anthem
  • The Tom Brady Combine picture is shown.

tom-brady-combine-super-bowl-46-drinking-game

Finish Your Drink

  • Fat man interception (take an extra shot if he scores)
  • Anytime a quarterback gets sacked
  • Chad Ochocinco catches a pass
  • Missed Field Goal
  • Fake Punt/FG
  • Tom Coughlin or Bill Belichick smile
  • Jim Irsay provides backup instrumentation for Madonn’a halftime show
  • Tom Brady does this dance after a big play
  • Anytime Tim Tebow is mentioned

Shotgun a 12 pack

  • Chad Ochocinco scores a TD

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Now it’s your turn.

What rules would you add? Comment below. If there are enough new rules added we’ll re-post before our Super Bowl 46 live blog on Sunday.

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Super Bowl 46 Point Spread and Over-Under for New England Patriots v New York Giants Holds Steady http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/super-bowl-46-point-spread-and-over-under-for-new-england-patriots-v-new-york-giants-holds-steady/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/super-bowl-46-point-spread-and-over-under-for-new-england-patriots-v-new-york-giants-holds-steady/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 23:05:35 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=45755 super bowl 46 point spread and over-under new england patriots-new york giantsALL the way back on January 23rd, I posted the initial point spread and over-under for Super Bowl 46 between the New England Patriots and the New York Giants.

At that time, the Patriots were favored by three points, which seemed reasonable considering that they were the more consistent team during the season and most bettors still probably trust Tom Brady more than Eli Manning whether they still should or not. The over-under was initially set at 55.

In the week since, we’ve heard various ominous reports of Rob Gronkowski’s high ankle sprain, and I’ve personally heard far more pundits and analysis predict a Giants victory than a Patriots victory. I figured these two elements would combine to cause most bettors to bet on the analyst favorite and the team not likely to be playing with one of its biggest weapons gimpy, especially when said team – the Giants – is getting points.

But apparently that hasn’t happened.

Super Bowl 46 Point Spread and Analysis

According to our friends at DocSports, every single sportsbook save for one still has the Patriots at -3. The outlier sportsbook has the Pats at -2.5. I have to say that I’m pretty surprised.

Remember that sportsbooks don’t set lines based necessarily on how they think the game will. They set lines based on what they think will draw the most action on both sides of the bet. So we can safely assume that roughly an equal number of people are taking the Patriots -3 as are taking the Giants +3. Otherwise, the line would have moved to even up the action.

When I made my Super Bowl 46 pick, it was easy: Giants +3. And I did it last Monday before we knew much about Gronk’s ankle and before I realized just how easy of a schedule New England played this year, which made their regular season exploits seem a little less impressive to me.

Perhaps with more betting action sure to come over the balance of the week leading up to Sunday’s game, we’ll start to see more action on the Giants’ side, which will close the gap. I’d be really surprised if it doesn’t close at least a little bit before game time.

Of course, we’ve learned to expect the unexpected when it comes to the Patriots and Giants in the Super Bowl. New England was a 12-point favorite in that one, and we all know how it turned out.

 

Side note: I forgot how close Asante Samuel was to an INT that would have ended that Giants drive. Wow. As there are in any big game, there were so many plays in this game that if they’d swung the other way would have changed the outcome not just of the game but of history.

Hopefully we’ll be treated to similar excitement on Sunday.

Super Bowl 46: New York Giants v New England Patriots

  • Super Bowl 46 Date: Sunday, February 5th
  • Super Bowl 46 Time: 6:20 ET
  • Super Bowl 46 TV: NBC
  • Super Bowl 46 Announcers: Al Michaels and Cris Collinsworth
  • Super Bowl 46 Point Spread: Patriots -3
  • Super Bowl 46 Over-Under: 55
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Awesome Video: Herm Edwards, Michelle Beadle Dancing To The Twin Cats On SportsNation Set http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/awesome-video-herm-edwards-michelle-beadle-dancing-to-the-twin-cats-on-sportsnation-set/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/awesome-video-herm-edwards-michelle-beadle-dancing-to-the-twin-cats-on-sportsnation-set/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 17:56:41 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=45722 As you know if you’re been following me on Twitter, one of MSF’s contributors since the very beginning – Nicholas Gerlach – is having quite the Super Bowl experience.

His band The Twin Cats was chosen as the house band for ESPN’s show SportsNation, hosted by Colin Cowherd and the wonderful Michelle Beadle. One of the band members just posted this video from yesterday’s taping. It features Herman Edwards losing himself in the midst of The Twin Cats’ face-melting funk, and then pulling Beadle onto the dance floor with him.

(Note: Nick is the bearded wonder playing the sax.)

 

Tune in to the show later today, or if you’re in Indianapolis head down for a taping. The Twin Cats will be there. Tell ‘em MSF sent you.

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Blake Griffin’s Dunk Over Kendrick Perkins or Over Timofey Mosgov…Which Was Better? [Video] http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/blake-griffins-dunk-over-kendrick-perkins-or-over-timofey-mosgov-which-was-better-video/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/blake-griffins-dunk-over-kendrick-perkins-or-over-timofey-mosgov-which-was-better-video/#comments Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:33:15 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=45677 When I woke up this morning and popped on the TV, the first thing I heard was, “Twitter it exploded last night! Find out why next.”

My first thought was that Rob Lowe had said something provocative. Then I had an awful thought that maybe someone had gotten injured, sick, or worse…but I immediately was reassured by the tone of voice of the speaker.

No, this wasn’t a negative Twitter explosion. It was a jubilant.

And then I found out why.

And oh me, oh my.

Blake Griffin was the reason for the Twitter explosion, and as soon as I saw the monstrous and absurdly athletic “dunk” he threw down on Kendrick Perkins I knew why. Watch the video if you, like me, didn’t see it last night:

 

The reason I put dunk in quotation marks above is because it almost looks like Griffin’s hand doesn’t touch the rim. You can see the ball slipping out as his arm comes down towards the rim. It’s more of a “throw down” than a dunk.

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Although, in the postgame interview, Griffin said that his hand did touch the rim this time, unlike in past spectacular slams. Not that it matters. It’s breathtaking either way.

And one spectacular slam in particular that he is referring to is Griffin’s famous throw down over Timofey Mosgov of the Knicks.

In case you’ve forgotten, watch the video below. I promise it’s a different video than the one above.

 

It’s incredible how similar the dunks are. Both are perfect showcases for Griffin’s scintillating blend of athleticism and power. But is one better than the other?

Chime in.

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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The Top 5 Best and Worst Super Bowl Halftime Shows of the Last Decade http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/the-top-5-best-and-worst-super-bowl-halftime-shows-of-the-last-decade/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/the-top-5-best-and-worst-super-bowl-halftime-shows-of-the-last-decade/#comments Mon, 30 Jan 2012 03:45:50 +0000 Steve Kubitza http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=45461 The halftime show at the Super Bowl is second only to the commercials as the most talked about event that is not the actual game. In this post, we remember the iconic halftime show that started it all and then count down the five best and worst of the past decade.

The Super Bowl halftime show really became a major focal point in 1993, when Michael Jackson performed at the Rose Bowl for Super Bowl XXVII. His appearance drew in many viewers that otherwise would not have watched the game. (I know, it is hard to believe that people actually watch something else on when the Super Bowl is on.)

 

 

MJ’s performance led to the halftime show being an event to feature top musical acts. This year, Madonna will provide the halftime entertainment, a choice that has be criticized by many, and surely will be watched by hundreds of millions, good or bad.

This countdown of the best and worst Super Bowl halftime shows focuses specifically on the performances of the last decade, when the halftime show became the highly discussed and analyzed spectacle it is today, and it begins in 2002 with Super Bowl XXXVI.

Top Five Super Bowl Halftime Shows

5. Super Bowl XXXIX (2005): Paul McCartney

The game itself saw the New England Patriots defeat the Philadelphia Eagles in a three-point game. McCartney was chosen for the halftime show a year after the infamous “wardrobe malfunction”, which will appear later in the post. He was a very safe choice for the performance and played some of his hits from his time in the Beatles.

His setlist included: “Drive My Car”, “Get Back”, “Live and Let Die”, and “Hey Jude”. Below is a video of his performance of “Hey Jude”.

 

4. Super Bowl XL (2006): The Rolling Stones

A year after McCartney’s performance, the halftime show featured another not-so-modern act. Well, the Rolling Stones are timeless and Mick Jagger is clearly immortal, so I may be wrong.

They performed on a stage that featured the giant tongue logo that is associated with the band, andthey  even had some of their lyrics censored. (Too bad this whole censoring idea came into play after the reason for the censoring occurred in the first place.)

The setlist included their popular hits “Start Me Up”, “Rough Justice”, and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction”.

 

3. Super Bowl XLI (2007): Prince

The first three in this list are all in chronological order, and all come after the show that MTV sponsored in 2005. Prince was another classic act invited to play the halftime show, and he did not disappoint.

He braved the bad weather in Miami and put on a great show. Prince came out to “We Will Rock You” before he began playing “Let’s Go Crazy”. He finished with the song everyone was waiting to hear, “Purple Rain.”

“Purple Rain” being played in the rain provided one of the greatest songs ever played in a Super Bowl halftime show.

 

2. Super Bowl XLIII (2009): Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band

“The Boss” decided to show up at halftime for Super Bowl XLIII, and it was a great performance. He never disappoints when called upon to perform, and the E Street Band was there to play a great show as well.

The setlist included “Born to Run” and “Glory Days”, and featured the late Clarence Clemons, who played great, as always, on the saxophone.

 

1. Super Bowl XXXVI (2002): U2

Only a truly great band could upstage Bruce Springsteen, and U2 is that band. They had the honor of playing the halftime during the NFL season that continued on following the 9/11 attacks.

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It is tough not to get goosebumps when Bono walks through the crowd to the stage singing “Beautiful Day”. The goosebumps become much more noticeable during the performance of “Where The Streets Have No Name“, as the names of the victims of 9/11 are displayed on a screen above the stage.

For such a honorable event, U2 was the perfect band to perform. (Greatest band of all-time?…)

 

Bottom 5 Super Bowl Halftime Shows

5. Super Bowl XXXVII (2003): Shania Twain, No Doubt, Sting

Following up U2′s performance the year before was not an easy task for Shania Twain, No Doubt, and Sting. It was not that they played a bad show, it was that the song “Man! I Feel Like a Woman” by Shania Twain just does not fit the context of the performance. The NFL viewing crowd is predominantly male, and cannot relate to feeling like a woman.

Sting was brought in to balance out the musical interests of the viewing audience, and his rendition of “Message in a Bottle” ended the performance.

 

4. Super Bowl XLII (2008): Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers

Tom Petty and his Heartbreakers are one of the bands that have stood the test of time. It is not that they had a poor performance, it’s just that they did nothing to overshadow the performances above. It is tough to put “Free Fallin’” above “Hey Jude” or “Purple Rain”.

 

3. Super Bowl XLIV (2010): The Who

The only reason ”The Who” did not finish last is because the last two performances were just that bad.

The Who played some of their classics in “Baba O’Riley”, ”Who Are You”, and ”Pinball Wizard”, but they are far past their prime as a band. I will even go as far to say that they are past their second prime, or even third if it exists.

“The Who” was another safe choice to perform, but they are just not even close to the same band they were during their heyday.

 

2. Super Bowl XLV (2011): Black Eyed Peas feat. Slash and Usher

If there was any disagreement about my choices above, everyone should be in agreement about the next two on the list. The second worst of the past decade, and maybe of all-time, came just a year ago. The Black Eyed Peas were invited to perform, perhaps as a way to attract a younger audience, but their show was not impressive at all.

They came out to “I Gotta Feeling” and then had their first guest come out in…Slash! This sounds exciting, but Fergie sang “Sweet Child O’ Mine, which ruined the song and the moment. Usher then came out and sang “OMG” with will.i.am, but it was just another mediocre performance.

 

1. Super Bowl XXXVIII (2004): Janet Jackson, P. Diddy, Nelly, Kid Rock, and Justin Timberlake

This was the obvious choice for the worst performance of the last decade, and of all-time. MTV was allowed to produce the halftime show for some reason, and now they are banned from producing the halftime show. Wonder why?

The show featured Diddy performing “Diddy” (a self-titled song) to the tune of “Mickey” by Toni Basil. Nelly followed that up with a family-friendly rendition of “Hot in Herre”. Kid Rock then came out and “sang” his hit “Bawitdaba”. This already sounds like a train wreck of a show, but, as we all know, it only got worse.

Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson were performing his song “Rock Your Body”, and it came to the lyric where he says “he will have her naked by the end of the song.” He was only partially lying, as he ripped off a piece of her “shirt” that resulted in it being referred to as “Nipplegate.” The most popular response was to call it a “wardrobe malfunction,” and the cameras quickly zoomed out from the stage.

MTV is no longer allowed to produce a halftime show, and there is now a five-second delay during the performance and when it airs. The best result was that every guy who watched claimed that they caught a glimpse of a half-topless Janet Jackson before the cameras zoomed out.

*The end of this video features the “wardrobe malfunction”, so viewers beware.

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Video of Bill Belichick making PBJ disproves theory that nothing good game out of his tenure in Cleveland http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/video-of-bill-belichick-making-pbj-disproves-theory-that-nothing-good-game-out-of-his-tenure-in-cleveland/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/video-of-bill-belichick-making-pbj-disproves-theory-that-nothing-good-game-out-of-his-tenure-in-cleveland/#comments Tue, 24 Jan 2012 21:58:40 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=45278 The New England Patriots are in the Super Bowl. It will be the fifth time they have participated in the Big Game with Bill Belichick as their coach, yet another bullet point on his Hall of Fame-ready resume.

Belichick is known for being a defensive wizard. He earned such a reputation as Bill Parcells’ defensive coordinator, cemented it by stopping the “Greatest Show on Turf” for his first Super Bowl win, and has maintained it despite the Patriots becoming much more offensively oriented over the last several seasons.

The only true black mark on Belichick’s resume is his tenure in Cleveland. Belichick went 36-44 and made just one playoff appearance. However, to anyone who says his tenure in Cleveland was a waste of time, I present the following video as evidence to the contrary.

Ladies and gents, here is the secret to making a BBPBJ, the Bill Belichick’s Peanut Butter & Jelly sandwich. (How divine!)

Hat tip: The Fifth Down

So what is the secret to the BBPBJ? is it the raisin bread? The chunky peanut butter? Nope. It is, of course, Belichick’s outside the box strategy of putting peanut butter on both sides of the bread. This prevents the jelly from seeping through the bread. Brilliant. Bloody brilliant.

And in case you wondering what Bill Belichick does once the BBPBJ is made, well what do you think?

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Video: Meet the best impressionist you’ve never seen http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/video-meet-the-best-impressionist-youve-never-seen/ http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/2012/01/video-meet-the-best-impressionist-youve-never-seen/#comments Wed, 11 Jan 2012 03:17:50 +0000 Jerod Morris http://www.midwestsportsfans.com/?p=44517 Your first thought after listening this video will be, “Wait, this only has 3,693 views?” (Unless, of course, the number has grown significantly by then, as making the front page of Reddit can do.)

The video is 7:15 long. Not every impression is perfect, but 95% of them are worth listening to, so watch the whole thing. It’s remarkably impressive.

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