Super Chiefs

Ho.ly. Cow.

As Kates and I lay down with the girls tonight and put them to bed, the party is only beginning in Kansas City.

For the first time in 50 years, the Kansas City Chiefs are Super Bowl champions.

It’s been a glorious day. The kind that you want to cherish every sight and sound for decades to come. We went to church the morning — Kates, Phoebe and I wore various forms of red, but Faye abstained — and I was overcome with glee when I walked into the sanctuary and saw the sea of congregants dressed in red. I had never seen anything like it at church and thought, “Wow. This is really cool.”

Our adult Sunday School class, where Kates and I enjoy conversing each week with some of our closest friends, spent most of the time reflecting on our relationships with the Chiefs through the years. Our friends Tim and Jenni, who hail from St. Louis and are diehard Cardinals fans, wore their red Cardinals pullovers, pledging that the Redbirds’ 13 world championships might provide positive vibes for the Chiefs. After Sunday school, I was restless and wanted to get home to begin watching the pregame. I didn’t want to miss a moment. I left the girls, as Kates had driven separately for her pre-worship choir rehearsal, and drove home by myself. The sun was shining brightly. The temperature was up to 52 degrees. And I drove with my windows down as the ice that has tortured us the last couple weeks melted away from roads.

But truth be told, as we left our annual Super Bowl gathering with friends near the end of the third quarter — because it’s a school night and we wanted to get the girls to bed — with the Chiefs trailing 10-20, I thought the 49ers were putting the game away. The memories weren’t going to matter, I figured.

I didn’t think that three weeks ago when the Chiefs were down by 24 against the Texans in the second quarter. But the 49ers, I thought, were too good.

When we got home, I immediately headed downstairs to the game-watching room. The plan was for Kates to put Faye to bed, and we were going to allow Phoebe to stay up to watch the rest of the game. A few minutes later, Faye was the first one down to join me on the couch. “Mommy said I could stay up,” she said in her little voice.

Kates came down a couple minutes later and we hooped and hollered as we watched the Chiefs score to trim the 49ers lead to 17-20. Finally, Phoebe joined us, and there we were together, watching the Chiefs doing what I had dreamed of all week.

They scored again. And again. And won the Super Bowl, 31-20. ... The four of us erupting in pure elation — me leaping from my chair and jumping around the room — when Damien Williams scored the final touchdown to put the game away will be my favorite lasting memory from tonight.

Just like those unbelievable Royals of 2014 and 2015, this Kansas City team could turn things around and put up points in a hurry.

Just like the Royals, watching these Chiefs conjures warm memories of my youth and the heartbreak when things didn’t go the their way.

When it comes to NFL football, no team has my loyalty more than the Packers. Spending the first 12 years of my life in Wisconsin and virtually every fall Sunday afternoon in front of the TV — often at my grandparents’ house with a bowl of popcorn in my lap — cheering on the green and gold is one of my favorite childhood memories.

But I’ve lived a life of two halves. One in Wisconsin. The other half in the Kansas City area. The 1980s in Wisconsin. The 1990s in Kansas City. The 2000s back in Wisconsin. And then back to Kansas City for the 2010s. My split personality when it comes to rooting for my “hometown” teams is well-documented.

And the Packers were horrible in the 1980s. So imagine what it was like for me moving to Kansas City at a time when the Marty Schottenheimer-led Chiefs were on the rise, with guys like Derrick Thomas, Neil Smith, and Christian Okoye.

While a visit to Lambeau Field for a Packers game remains elusive for me, the one and only NFL game I’ve ever attended was a Chiefs game — I believe it was against the New Orleans Saints in 1991 — as part of a group outing with my dad’s employer. It was a warm fall day early in the season, and we sat near the top of Arrowhead Stadium. Steve DeBerg was the Chiefs quarterback then.

(I don’t count this, but I also attended a Chiefs game against the Buffalo Bills in 1997. It wasn’t as a fan because I went as a concession worker for a fundraiser with a student group at my college. I spent the first half of the game marching up and down the aisles of Arrowhead Stadium with a cart of water bottles strapped around my shoulders, serving any fan who flagged me down. I got to keep the $20 or so that I made in tips. As well as the Chiefs hat that went with my uniform. Our bus left after halftime. And the thing I remember more than anything about that day is how awful my back and shoulders felt afterward, and how I went to bed as soon as I returned to my dorm room later that afternoon. Back to 1991 ...)

Suddenly, my family was watching the Chiefs on Sunday afternoons. I remember the fun and excitement of watching them beat the Raiders in the first round of the playoffs in January of 1992 — with my mom in our house that was so new it had that new-carpet smell.

Things got really exciting in Kansas City, of course, in 1993 when the Chiefs somehow swung a deal and snagged the legendary Joe Montana after the 49ers had kicked him to the curb because of what they assumed was a career-ending injury, a la Peyton Manning to the Denver Broncos. To make things even more magical, the Chiefs added a legendary running back by getting Marcus Allen from the Raiders. It was unbelievable, and the Chiefs seemed destined for the Super Bowl that season. One of my favorite stories to tell from that time is of a Sunday morning when our pastor opened the church service by sharing with the congregation that a member told him he needed to keep the sermon short that day “because Pastor Joe preaches at noon.” I remember the thrill of the Chiefs beating the Steelers in overtime in the first round at Arrowhead and coming from behind to stun the Oilers in the second round in Houston, and the heartbreaking loss to the Bills — who went on to lose the last of their four straight Super Bowl losses — in the AFC Championship game. (Full disclosure, I loved those Buffalo Bills teams, too, but that’s another lengthy post.)

The Chiefs weren’t the same the next year when injuries finally did get the best of Montana. ... And the Packers gradually drew my family back to them with some kid named Brett Favre. The Chiefs were an afterthought when the Packers were going to Super Bowls in 1997 and 1998.

My memories of following the Chiefs during the late 90s and the remainder of my college years amount to the revolving door of quarterbacks, the shock of losing Derrick Thomas, and my roommate — a diehard fan — pounding the table or throwing things when the team erred.

Graduating from college, my first real job and my soon-to-be wife pulled me back to Wisconsin. I lost touch with the Chiefs as their fast starts to the regular seasons always seemed to fade when the playoffs came around. And the Packers still had Brett Favre.

Not much had changed for the Chiefs when we relocated to The ‘Ville in 2010. Except for the fact that the Packers had transitioned to Aaron Rodgers, and here we were in 2011 celebrating another Super Bowl championship for Green Bay.

But there was a sense that maybe, just maybe, Kansas City had something brewing with Andy Reid. Following the Packers still occupies my time during the regular season, but I’ve made a point in recent years to tune into the Chiefs’ playoff games, hoping that maybe one of these years they’d bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Kansas City, because now they have Patrick Mahomes. ...

Tonight they finally did.


Good reads ...

The sight of my news feed bursting with stories and my social media feeds flooded photos of with friends celebrating the big win has been priceless. Here is just a sampling of the stuff that caught my eyes ...

• The Forever Cycle of Chiefs Fandom Has Been Broken
• From Dawson to Mahomes—One Family’s 53-Year Chiefs Journey
• Kingdom Comeback: The Chiefs’ Seven-Year Journey to a Super Bowl Title
• Super Bowl celebration in Kansas City was so big it showed up on weather radar
• Sammy Watkins credits Packers receiver with assist on crucial Super Bowl catch: 'Shout out to Davante Adams'
• How the Chiefs Beat the 49ers to Win the Super Bowl
• The Onion had a few good zingers tonight. My favorite headlines: Victorious Patrick Mahomes Thanks Bears For Drafting Mitchell Trubisky and Chiefs Finally Overcome Curse Of Not Being Good For A Very Long Time
• Before Patrick Mahomes Was a Headliner, the Chiefs Could See He’d Be a Star

Dysfunction in Packerland

What is happening in Green Bay!?

Last month it was Bleacher Report's piece on the unraveling of Aaron Rodgers and Mike McCarthy ...

Now the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is out with a critical look at the Packers' front office ...

These aren't the Packers I've rooted so hard for over the years, and I'm afraid we've seen the beginning of the end of what has been a golden era.

Lost time

I got another reminder this weekend that life is a precious thing, never to be taken for granted.

It had been a nice weekend. After arriving home Friday from school and work, we ate supper, and the girls wanted to continue our “Cosby Show” marathon. We finally made it to the show’s eighth and final season. And we let the girls stay up later than normal, watching at least a half-dozen episodes past 10 o’clock – though Kates and I found ourselves dozing on our couches for most of them. … 

Then, after getting the girls to bed – and with some light-energy, thanks to our light napping – Kates and I retreated to the den to continue our “Outlander” marathon, which lasted until about 2 a.m. ... I have a love-hate relationship with the show because it's extremely gory and graphic – which is not at all my kind of entertainment – and I just want Claire to get off the island already. But the story-telling is compelling enough that it holds my interest, and it's something to do with Kates, who loves the novels.

Saturday morning, the girls had us up around 9. Eventually, I retreated to the den to work on projects and watch the Chiefs-Titans playoff game …

The Chiefs are known for rolling through the regular season only to fail spectacularly in the playoffs. That didn’t change Saturday when Kansas City dropped a 22-21 heartbreaker to the Titans. 

The Chiefs have won just one playoff game since the 1994 season, and they haven’t won a single playoff game at home in that span. Saturday was the team’s fifth home playoff loss in a row, dropping the Chiefs’ postseason record to 2-6 all-time in Arrowhead Stadium.

That was something. The Chiefs looked so efficient and unstoppable during the first half, taking a 21-3 lead, that the analysts were talking Super Bowl – and I believed them. But there was another part of me that knew the Chiefs’ playoff history all too well and thought, They’re totally going to blow this lead. … Sure enough, they did.

Kates and I watched more “Outlander” Saturday night and headed to bed shortly after midnight. Little did I know, I’d be awake again within a couple hours …

*     *     *

A little after 2 a.m., I awoke thinking I’d just heard my phone ding with a text message. It took me a few moments to compose myself in my stupor and I turned over my phone look at the screen. A student had been reported dead. Assuming no foul play or natural causes, I sighed and tried to get a little more sleep, figuring our team would gather for a briefing when daylight broke.

Several minutes later, my phone rang and I knew then that it was going to be more serious. But I never could have expected the news I got when I answered the call. A car had crashed into one of the downtown bars. A student who was inside the bar was killed by the impact.

Our emergency team gathered at at 4 a.m. to begin sorting out the facts and crafting the communication to our campus. It’s never easy when a student dies, but this case was out of the ordinary. The worst case we’ve had to deal with in a few years.

The more we learned about the girl, the harder it was to swallow. She was 19 and one of our education majors. She was active in her sorority. She was well-liked by her classmates, instructors and supervisors. By all accounts, she was a driven, confident person with a beautiful soul. She was going to be successful teacher and impact a lot of lives along the way.

The young man who was behind the wheel of the vehicle that crashed into the bar and killed her was driving drunk. His blood alcohol level was far over the legal limit.

Once our tasks were complete for the time-being, I drove home, trying to comprehend the last few hours. Now I was awake and wouldn’t be returning to bed – at least for a while. So I pulled into the garage and slipped down to my den to work until the rest of the house awoke.

I lasted for about an hour and a half before I found myself struggling to keep my eyes open. When I stepped into our bedroom, I spotted Faye snuggled next to Kates, and Kates had her armed wrapped around Faye. They looked so content and peaceful. And innocent. My heart melted and I slipped into bed with them, grateful. And praying that Kates and I may never experience the horror of losing either of our girls too early.

Holy Hail Mary!

Kates and I didn't get to watch last night's Packers game.

As we settled into bed, it didn't look good for Green Bay. No surprise, considering the way they've played the second half of this season.

When I checked in on Twitter just before going to sleep, Aaron Rodgers had just thrown a touchdown pass to bring the Packers within striking distance at 14-20. I learned this morning they were down by as much as 0-20 in the first half.

Then.

I'm sitting at the dining table with Phoebe and Faye this morning, eating breakfast and checking email. A tweet pops up on my TweetDeck suggesting the Packers won the game ...

Wait. What?

On a Hail Mary.

You have got to be kidding me.

I helped the girls finish getting ready, got them to school and then found the video of the play as soon as I could after I got to my office.

Incredible.



Later in the morning, I walked into a meeting with a fellow Wisconsin native and Packers fan who also headed to bed last night before the game was over, only to wake up to this morning's news. Talk of the outcome dominated the conversation as our colleagues joined us in the room.

I think this tweet pretty much sums up how Packers fans were feeling today.

I’ve watched the #Packers Hail Mary clip no less than 5,394 times today.

— Megan Costello (@meggo_costello) December 4, 2015

NFL player's Ferguson post on Facebook goes viral

I caught this on Facebook this morning. It says everything I've wanted to say about Ferguson but couldn't find the words to articulate.

I sat saddened, angered and embarrassed Monday night as more violence broke out after the announcement of a grand jury's decision not to indict a police officer involved in the shooting death of a young man last summer. 

Thank you, Benjamin Watson for your words.

Here are some excerpts from his post ...

I'M ANGRY because the stories of injustice that have been passed down for generations seem to be continuing before our very eyes.

I'M FRUSTRATED, because pop culture, music and movies glorify these types of police citizen altercations and promote an invincible attitude that continues to get young men killed in real life, away from safety movie sets and music studios.

I'M EMBARRASSED because the looting, violent protests, and law breaking only confirm, and in the minds of many, validate, the stereotypes and thus the inferior treatment.

I'M SYMPATHETIC, because I wasn't there so I don't know exactly what happened. Maybe Darren Wilson acted within his rights and duty as an officer of the law and killed Michael Brown in self defense like any of us would in the circumstance. Now he has to fear the backlash against himself and his loved ones when he was only doing his job. What a horrible thing to endure. OR maybe he provoked Michael and ignited the series of events that led to him eventually murdering the young man to prove a point.

I'M OFFENDED, because of the insulting comments I've seen that are not only insensitive but dismissive to the painful experiences of others.

I'M CONFUSED, because I don't know why it's so hard to obey a policeman. You will not win!!! And I don't know why some policeman abuse their power. Power is a responsibility, not a weapon to brandish and lord over the populace.

I'M INTROSPECTIVE, because sometimes I want to take "our" side without looking at the facts in situations like these. Sometimes I feel like it's us against them. Sometimes I'm just as prejudiced as people I point fingers at. And that's not right. How can I look at white skin and make assumptions but not want assumptions made about me? That's not right.

I'M HOPEFUL, because I know that while we still have race issues in America, we enjoy a much different normal than those of our parents and grandparents. I see it in my personal relationships with teammates, friends and mentors. And it's a beautiful thing.

 

Packers rule, Bears fans drool

So I finally had an opportunity to tune into my first Packers game of the season last night.

Just before halftime.

With the Packers beating the Bears.

42-0.

At halftime.

Rodgers showed the Bears for the second time this season that he is the epitome of an elite quarterback, worthy of every cent he earns. He directed one of the greatest statistical performances in NFL history. The easy degree of difficulty against the Bears' impotent pass rush and confused secondary won't be mentioned in the record book, but the results speak for themselves.

Before halftime, Rodgers completed 18 of 24 attempts for 315 yards and six — yes, six — touchdowns. His passer rating was 156.2.

The six first-half touchdown passes tied the NFL record, last achieved in 1969 by Daryle "Mad Bomber" Lamonica. The Bears' 42 first-half points allowed were the most in franchise history.

The Packers destroyed the Bears in one of Rodgers' most impressive games yet.

I’m so sorry I missed that first half.

The final was 55-14, and Mike McCarthy didn’t have “a whole lot to say” about it.

Meanwhile, in Chicago. Last night was pretty bad for the team that Chicago media were drooling over and punching playoff tickets for at the start of the season. Now the Bears have lost five of their last six games, and last night was the third time in their last 11 games that the Bears have given up 51 or more points. Their coach is oblivious.


Social media was a virtual riot during last night’s game.

Today, the Chicago media was having a field day.

While the national media are now predicting the Packers to land in the Super Bowl. That has a nice ring to it.

The polar vortex

I was so looking forward to one final day of productivity and winter break relaxation at home before returning to my office full-time tomorrow. At home, alone. In my own world of thought.

It's not happening.

The polar vortex -- I just learned that's what this phenomenon is being called -- has enveloped The 'Ville. 'Life-threatening' cold has settled over Midwest.

The weather app on my phone says it is -6 outside. Or -27 with the wind chill.

The local schools started announcing they wouldn't open today before the sun had even set yesterday afternoon. Thus, Kates and Phoebe are home with me today.

I did have the pleasure of going out this morning and taking Faye to daycare -- which made her very unhappy, having grown so used to spending her days with us the last couple weeks. In the meantime, Phoebe is navigating the house in her gymnastics outfit with a purple tutu and a pair of Kates' high heels.

I'm not sure there's anything I dislike more than cold weather. It makes me crabby the very moment it sets in and distracts me from everything I need to do in that moment.

Here's some Twitter reaction reaction to the thing everyone seems to be talking about today.

The cold weather sure didn't help the Packers yesterday, either. ... I'm choosing to remember the glory of the Pack's regular season finale instead. Here's a good read published in The New York Times prior to yesterday's game.

As for the Chiefs, I called it last weekend when I said I didn't expect them to advance in the playoffs. But I never expected they would blow a 28-point lead in losing. I figured the game was over after the first quarter and the Chiefs were well on their way to proving me wrong. Unbelievable.

The Super Bowl ... and those commercials

Congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens on winning the Super Bowl ... But, boy, was I breathless during the second half, hoping the 49ers would finish the comeback after that crazy power outage.

Good game, good game.

a It's John over Jim in HarBowl
a Reasons for defeat lost on 49ers’ Harbaugh
a Joe Flacco drops f-bomb during Super Bowl ... Yep. Totally heard it, along with the s-word during the same exchange.

We enjoyed watching the game, and the commercials, and Beyonce's big halftime show with friends.

Add to that, we enjoyed watching each other's kids -- 11 girls, three boys, all under age 10 -- romping around in a basement playroom as we sat in comfortable lawn chairs and watched the broadcast on a big screen projection system.

a Beyoncé Silences Doubters With Intensity at Halftime
a Beyonce puts a Super Bowl ring on it
a Beyonce Rocks Super Bowl Halftime Show With Destiny's Child

There were certainly moments of the game I missed, and commercials I didn't see. In fact, we had just boarded our car and were about to head home when the power went out in the Superdome, only to discover what had happened when we were back in our own house and turned on the game. (Funniest Super Bowl power outage tweets)

But after a little bit of catch-up and surfing the interwebs this morning to see what I might have missed, here are my favorites ... For the record, I think critics are being a little harsh and this year's batch of ads was pretty entertaining.

Here's a look at the best and worst.

My favorite commercial, hands-down, was the Hyundai Sonata turbo ad.




Another big winner, for me, was Dodge Ram's "So God Made a Farmer."

Super Sunday

I'm not super psyched for the Super Bowl today. All of the teams I would have been excited to watch and cheered for were knocked out -- the Packers, Peyton Manning's Broncos, the Patriots. ...

Nontheless, I'll be rooting tonight for the 49ers. I like their storyline, and I have a soft spot for them, having grown up watching the great 49ers teams of the 1980s.

So there's that. And seeing what kind of show Beyonce puts on after Inaugura-gate. ... I'm looking forward to a rousing performance of "Single Ladies."

Here's some good reads that caught my interest during the Super Bowl run-up ...
a Brett Favre says during his NFL Network visit 'there is no ill feelings' regarding Aaron Rodgers
a Donald Driver, retiring after 14 seasons, didn't want to play for anyone but Packers
a A 49ers Lineman Really Does Feel All the Weight of His Position
a Whatever the route, 49ers coach charts course for victory, just as he did as a quarterback
a Joe Flacco doesn’t provide flash, just wins
a 49ers’ Randy Moss calls himself best receiver ever
a The Harbaugh Who Did Not Last in Baltimore
a Harbaughs Set to Meet Biggest Fan: Each Other
a Pressure? Niners Were 5-0 in Super Bowls With Montana and Young

Some weekend

It was the best of weekends, it was the worst of weekends …

Let’s start with Friday. Our washing machine broke down Christmas Day, and Friday was the soonest we could get a repairman to check it out.

He pulled it out, inspected it and determined it needed a new pump and belt, which I was prepared to hear. Then, after further inspection, he also determined the washer needed a new motor, which had burned out – literally. It melted its plastic parts and even burned a strip in the carpet on the floor of our laundry room. I guess that explains the burning smell I found when I discovered the washer’s demise Christmas Day.

The repairman’s visit ended with me giving him the go-ahead to order the replacement parts, and we expect to see him again later this week when he installs them and finishes the job. Which in the end, despite the inconvenience, will be several hundred dollars cheaper than buying a new machine.

So we’re good.

* * *

Friday night we went bowling with my work colleagues and our families. A belated holiday party. We had loads of fun. We reserved two lanes for the adults and two lanes with bumpers for the kids.

Phoebe had never been bowling, and I’m not sure she even knew what that meant, but we played it up for her all week long. And when she went to school Friday, apparently it was quite the topic of conversation among her and Lucas, one of her classmates whose mother works in my office. So much so that she told her teachers she was going to sleep during her nap so she could be ready for the bowling.

As we pulled out of our driveway to head toward the bowling alley, Phoebe announced from the back seat, “Guess what?” – because that’s how she starts every sentence these days – “Me and Lucas both took naps today, so we’re all ready for bowling!”

Phoebe took right to it, with an orange bowling ball. And every one of her turns was adorable in its Phoebe way. She’d step to the bowling lane. Set the ball down and push it just enough to get it going. Then she would immediately turn around and stroll back to her chair to resume eating her snacks, completely ignoring the big orange ball that was bobbing its way off the bumpers and traveling ever-so-slowly toward the pins. Five, 10, maybe 15 seconds later, the ball would reach its destination, knock over some pins and attract hardly a shrug from Phoebe. … But when her new point total appeared on the board, she’d break into a jumping fit and shout the latest total, “Daddy! I got 13 points!”

Toward the end of the night someone taught her how to push the ball while turned backward …

For the record, I’ve never been a great bowler. But I enjoy it, and my game seems to improve the older I get. I bowled a 127 in my first game.

And I bowled a 147 in my second game, topped with a strike to start off the last frame. I believe it’s my all-time best score. And I even bowled a goose egg in the first frame.

* * *

Saturday, Kates and I sorted the laundry, and I agreed to take it to the laundromat.

Aside from the cheesy infomercial about some brain enhancer product on the TV, it wasn’t so bad. The college students are moving back to town this weekend, fresh off of four weeks of doing their laundry at their homes, so the mat was relatively open and quiet.

I filled four washing machines and spent the cycles sitting at a booth, transcribing some of my interviews during the week.

Twenty or so minutes later, I was moving the loads to the drying machines. When they were finished, I folded our laundry, and I was out of there in 2 ½ hours.

Aside from the fact that I spent about 10 bucks in quarters, the time it took, using four machines at the same time, sure beat the time it usually takes us to finish the process with our single washer and dryer at home.

* * *

Shortly after I returned home, things really got interesting.

Phoebe, who we discovered had a fever as were putting her to bed Friday night, started complaining her stomach hurt. … A few minutes later, she was bent over the toilet and vomiting.

Cut to a couple hours later in the afternoon. Kates and Faye had just woken from a nap on the couch, and Kates, while lying on the couch, had Faye sitting on her belly. Suddenly, white formula vomit began erupting from Faye’s mouth and poured down onto Kates like a waterfall. It seemed to go for several minutes …

(Is this good reading, or what?)

After bumbling around the kitchen trying to find something to clean up the mess, I finally just grabbed Faye away from Kates and carried her to the bathtub, where I stripped her down. And Faye began giggling and slapping her hands to her legs like I was her stuffed giraffe.

A couple minutes later, after she had cleaned the mess from herself and changed clothes, Kates came into the bathroom and tossed her dirty clothes into the bathtub on top of Faye’s.

At that point, I burst out laughing. “Both of our girls are sick and throwing up, and our washing machine is broken! Could this get any better?!”

Today, Phoebe had a low fever. And Faye vomited again. Neither will be going to school tomorrow.

* * *

We can't be sure it's a flu bug we're dealing with at our house -- all of us have had our flu shots except Phoebe -- but ..

Is it just me, or does it seem like the media behaves every winter like it's the worst flu season we've ever seen? To Gail Collins' smart-and-witty-as-usual column Friday, I say: Exactly.

* * *

It sure has been an excellent weekend to watch the NFL playoffs. Even though three of the four teams I was rooting for lost.

Only the Patriots' win left me pleased. And that was the only game that never was in doubt.

And I worked through most of the Falcons-Seahawks game, while following the updates on Twitter. It was only when I saw the tweets anouncing the Seahawks had gone ahead with 31 seconds left in regulation that I turned to the game on TV. Only to see the Falcons move down the field and win it with a last-second field goal.

Broncos-Ravens. A great game that looked like it was in the Broncos' hands every time Trindon Holliday fielded a punt or kick. ... Then Peyton Manning through an interception in overtime, and the game turned into a Ravens win.

Of course, the most upsetting loss was the 49ers' defeat of the Packers.

Meanwhile, our hometown hero, Miss America was giving up her crown. ... Has it really been a year since we watched her crowning moment?

Monday night fiasco

I’m not sure where to start with this one.

By now, unless you’re living on the moon – and if you’re living on the moon, I doubt you’d be reading this – you know last night’s Monday Night Football game, featuring my beloved Green Bay Packers, featured a wild ending. And by now, the replay of that finished has been, well, replayed a quarter of a million times.

Twenty-four hours later, I still can’t believe it happened.

I was rendered speechless after it happened last night. I was working on graduate homework for most of the night, with the game playing softly on the TV in the background. It was only during the later part of the fourth quarter that I began playing close attention in hopes of watching the Packers squeak out of the game with a win.

Then, it happened. And for minutes after that play I sat on the couch. Mouth open. Stunned at the train wreck of it all.

I mean, c’mon. Two referees ran toward the play from either side. Looked at each other. And lifted their arms to give contradicting signals.

Unbelievable. … Laughable.

I mean, what more evidence do you need? It seems pretty clear to me who had possession of the ball.

Typically, during the football season I can barely stand to watch Sportscenter. Last night and this morning, I couldn’t get enough of it. This morning, I flipped it on almost as soon as I was out of bed, and then the anger and frustration arose all over again as I explained the travesty to Kates.

Mike Tirico’s call – “This is the most bizarre finish you'll ever see!” – will live in broadcasting infamy.

Stuart Scott and the guys on Sportscenter were on fire. They weren’t talking about anything but the final play of the game. Nothing else that happened yesterday in sports mattered. And they pointed that out several times.

Trent Dilfer looked like he was ready to break into tears while he ranted about his shame for the NFL and the havoc replacement referees are causing.

As bad as I wanted to turn off the TV, I just couldn’t stop watching last night. I actually did turn it off for a few minutes after the game. I had graduate homework, after all. But I turned the TV back on a few minutes later, looking for any new angles or developments to the story.

(Updated 9.26.2012) Good reads ...
a Bears fans actually feel kind of bad
a The Biggest Controversy, but Far From the First
a In N.F.L., the Show Goes On and On
a Comedians ridicule NFL over botched call
a 'Call It Maybe' mocks replacement refs
a N.F.L. Reaches Labor Deal With Referees

'There's nothing more boring'

Congratulations to Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III who apparently were selected as the first two picks in this weekend's N.F.L. Draft.

It's not that I was watching.

My thoughts on the draft are well-documented.

So I was thrilled this week to hear Tony Romo's statement about the draft ...

"There's nothing more boring than watching people analyze the future."

Right on.

Super Sunday

There's not a lot of new news to report from our house.

Last week was a busy one. My regular work required me to go hard during the day, and then my graduate work had me pretty tied up at night. On Friday night and Saturday morning I attended my graduate classes, and I spent the remainder of Saturday afternoon in my office trying to get some extra work done. Last night we watched the big KU-Missouri game ... which the Jayhawks should have won, but I'm not going to waste my time griping about it.

Yesterday, we did our usual church and Sunday School routine and then came home for a couple hours and grabbed some lunch before heading back to the church for the afternoon. Our church is offering Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University course; Kates and I registered and think it will be good for us to pick up some financial pointers in these tough economic times. We'll be in that course for the next 13 weeks.

And then -- cue NBC Sunday Night Football music -- the Super Bowl ...

* * *

Let's start with the musical performances ...

Kelly Clarkson’s national anthem gave me chills and made me smile. It was perfectly simple, and I loved the sound of children accompanying her.

Madonna's halftime show? I didn't like it so much.

The dancing was awkward and bordered on awful. I would have been content to watch Madonna pace the stage and sing instead of seeing her perform some of those lame kick moves and prance around with toga-clad men. The cameos by LMFAO and Cee-Lo (Spinner tweeted: We've decided we all want Cee Lo's sequined snuggie) were nice, but ...

What was M.I.A. trying to pull when she flipped the bird to her nationally televised audience? ... For the record, I was looking away from the TV when the gesture occurred. A few minutes later I saw a tweet from someone wondering if anyone else saw what he thought he'd seen. And by the end of the game it was all over the internet -- with pictures.

The one upside of Madonna's show were the special effects, particularly during “Like a Prayer.”



Here's a blog from The Washington Post that closes reflects my observations of the performance.

* * *

I've said in recent years that I've thought the quality of the Super Bowl commercials has waned over the years, as if we've been primed to expect commercials that are more comical, more explosive, more dazzling than the year before. Thus, I watched with considerably lower expectations this year.

On top of that, we got a whole week worth of previews this year as some companies leaked their Super Bowl commercials early. Sure, I get that the internet is changing the media landscape, but the leaks make companies' decisions to throw millions of dollars at a 30-second spot during the big game even more questionable.

One of the most-talked about commercials during the week leading up to the Super Bowl, of course, was the Honda spot with Matthew Broderick reprising his Ferris Bueller. Apparently, I'm not the only one who thought it was overrated.

My favorite commercials -- hands-down -- were those from Chevy ...





As well as Volkswagen's doggy/Star Wars commercials -- great follow-ups to last year's classic Darth Vadar kid. The latter commercial from this year was one of those released early ...





I give honorable mentions to Hyundai's spot just before kickoff that featured employees singing the Rocky theme.



Best Buy ...



NFL.com's "Timeline" ...



And Samsung's commercial because of its ridiculous incorporation of that one-hit wonder, The Darkness's "I Believe In A Thing Called Love."




You can watch more of the best and worst commercials here.

* * *

Like most years -- last year being the exception, of course, when the Packers were playing -- the game was mostly background noise.

After we returned from church the second time, Kates and Phoebe made a grocery store run while I took in the pregame. They returned with plenty of goods and fixings to build some homemade sub sandwiches; I made a toasted seafood sandwich. And it was good.

At 3 years old, Phoebe is at an age now where she's starting to understand when something exciting is happening and can join in the fun. Rather than just being present in the room and being content with some blocks.

"Welcome to the Super Bowl, Phoebe!" I said in the midst of a high point in the game.
"I'm not there," she said, shaking her head and licking her ice cream cone.

She sat next to Kates on the couch, eating her supper and dessert, watching the game and taking it all in. Later, she intently watched as Kates and I judged the halftime performance and debated whether Madonna was lip-syncing. "I think she's really singing," Phoebe proclaimed.

If I had to tell you which team I was rooting for, I picked the Giants. But I wouldn't have minded a Patriots win, either.

I like the Giants for their scrappy play, Eli Manning as the ever-underdog, and because there's a Bearcat on the roster.

I like the Patriots because I think of them as a classy organization that has been built more on steady leadership than buying the best talent. And when a franchise has that going for them I don't mind watching them pile up the trophies as a true dynasty -- even though most fans now loathe the Patriots because of their success.

As it turned out, the Giants got the best of the Pats again, in another classic championship game that closely resembled the classic championship game they played a few years ago -- with Mario Manningham playing the role of David Tyree. (... And Letterman's rant after the Giants won that Super Bowl remains a classic.)

Something told me all week that the Giants had the edge again. And the moment Tom Brady was called for a safety  to end New England's first possession set the tone for the rest of the game. ... The Giants played with the Pats and then put the game away when they needed -- with an unusual touchdown run.

Here's some good reads I've collected leading up to the Super Bowl and afterward ...

Pregame ...
a Blocking for the Patriots Coach So He Can Do His Job
a Family Ties a Plus for Mannings
a Peyton Manning a Cheerleader for His Brother
a For Belichick, Fond Memories of New York (Giants, Not Jets)
a Early Patriots Were a Comical Traveling Sideshow
a Brady’s emergence and a super season started Patriots’ decade of dominance
a For Giants, Quarterback and Coach Together in Excellence
a Catching On After a Last Chance: Giants’ Cruz Defied Odds at UMass
a With Coach After Coach, the Same Vigilant Face

(Updated 02.07.2012) Post game ...
a Super Bowl XLVI Line by Line ... A light slideshow of drawings worth watching.
a Talent won out, as Patriots lost out in Super Bowl XLVI
a Sequel has same ending
a History repeats
a As losses go, we’ve seen worse
a In save situation, an opportunity lost
a Settling In at the Top of Their Game
a Bradshaw's Reluctant Touchdown puts to rest an unusual Super Bowl
a Situation hard to grasp for Welker
a Manning, Coughlin are content
a In the end, Giant difference in talent

Football double-checks

So the Patriots and Giants are heading to the Super Bowl. Joy.

I would have much preferred the Packers and the Patriots, but I'll take it. ... In a grocery-store conversation with a friend before the games this afternoon I predicted a Patriots-49ers Super Bowl matchup, forgetting for a moment that the Giants were the other team left in the mix.

Thinking about it later, I do have a lot of respect and admiration for the Giants. Plus, one of our former 'Cats has become a key player for the Giants defense, and our fans are pleased to have him representing us in the Super Bowl, which he did in 2008, too. Furthermore, I like the Giants resiliency, and I think I'll be rooting for them to take it to the Patriots again in the Super Bowl.

Either way, both the Patriots-Ravens and the Giants-49ers proved to be fine games.

To fill the void of the Packers not playing today, I thought I'd post a pair of Aaron Rodgers commercials making waves.

The first is one of the latest entries in the State Farm series featuring Rodgers, which you've seen if you've been anywhere near a TV projecting an NFL football game the last couple weeks. Raji's dance makes me laugh every time ...



The second is a regional commercial for a Wisconsin bank that my sister-in-law -- who works for the advertising agency that produced this commercial -- described to us during our Christmas visit. Among other behind-the-scenes stories and fun facts she told us: Aaron's line near the end -- "Is this part of the deal?" -- wasn't scripted. (As a side note, Sister-in-Law also was involved in December's amusing Mittengate. See for yourself.)



In other news, Joe Paterno died today. Truly a surprising and sad turn of events the last few months at Penn State ...

Some good reads ...
a Too soon to determine Paterno's legacy
a Joe Paterno dies, leaving a record for others to debate

Our big weekend

Neither of us had to go to school today, thanks to the Martin Luther King holiday, although Phoebe and I did walk up to the campus this afternoon to join a welcoming party for our cheerleading squad, which returned to The ’Ville from winning the national championship in Florida this weekend. Woo hoo!

We spent the day playing games, and enjoying the 50-degree weather outside. Tonight, Kates and I watched Betty White’s 90th birthday celebration -- which was a hoot! -- and now we’re watching my beloved Jayhawks hand Baylor its first loss of the basketball season.

But those were hardly the highlights of this weekend.

* * *

Saturday we woke up with one goal in mind: Purchase a new TV.

In case you haven’t been following along, let me catch you up. Our previous big screen TV -- a dated Samsung model that we bought shortly after we purchased our first home and was probably one of the last “big box” TVs to move from an electronic retailer’s shelf -- blew up in the midst of Roy Halladay’s no-hitter during the 2010 baseball playoffs. At the time, we were in transition and in the midst of our maddening home search, so replacing the TV wasn’t a high priority. We made do with a small TV left over from my college days, and got by, for the most part. … Last spring, we finally found our perfect home, which features a large living room wall that was begging to be outfitted with a new, large flat screen TV. Since then, we’ve been saving our pennies and waiting for the right time to act.

So Saturday we headed to the nearest Best Buy. We were on the lookout for a smart TV with a crisp picture, pure and simple. A picture that wasn’t so bright it ruined the magic of film and television. Something around the 40-inch range.

Samsung and Vizio were the brands that had caught our eyes in our months of research. But as we wound our way through the aisles and reviewed the store’s selection, we kept coming back to a 42-inch Panasonic plasma model with internet capabilities and various web apps. … We liked the picture quality on the LCD models better, but those, we learned, don’t come with internet hookups. Kates and I went back and forth, paced the store aisles some more, and nearly decided to put off our purchase for another time.

In the end, a store rep convinced me the plasma was the right television for what we wanted. We bought it, and didn’t look back.

Back at home, I unhooked the old TV and moved it downstairs to Phoebe’s playroom. I got the TV, now known as Phoebe’s new TV, rewired and she was in front of it, watching Dora in no time.

We unwrapped the new TV, set up its stand and hoisted it onto our entertainment cabinet. Setting it up was a cinch. I had it turned on and running just in time to catch the start of that crazy 49ers-Saints game (Talk about an unbelievable ending … ).

Seeing the TV in our house, Kates and I could hardly swallow what we’d done. It didn’t seem possible.

We bought a wall mounting system, but we dashed those plans and will return the mounting after seeing the amount of space the TV takes up sitting on our entertainment cabinet. The TV seems so large against our living room in comparison to the way it appeared in the store that I swear the store model was a smaller version designed to manipulate us.

Mission accomplished.

* * *

As we settled in for a night of testing our new TV, I turned on the Patriots-Broncos game, but that quickly turned into a one-sided affair. … Not that anyone was surprised. Tim Tebow has a long way to go before he can hang with the best teams in the NFL.

Just before halftime of the football game, a newspaper friend of mine in K-Town tweeted that Miss Wisconsin, Laura Kaeppeler, had entered the top 12 of the Miss America pageant. … Now, normally I couldn’t care less about the Miss America Pageant, but this year’s representative of our home state was from one of our hometowns!

As I’ve continued to keep tabs on the news of our old stomping grounds, I’d read stories about her rise through the pageant levels. I knew she graduated from Carthage. And that her platform was supporting and mentoring the children of incarcerated parents.

I changed the channel, and Kates and I were sucked into the excitement. We watched as she advanced to the top 10 and broke into the talent competition. Then, she advanced to the top 5 and was part of the question-answer portion.

Meanwhile, the buzz among our K-Town friends was building on social media.

Finally, it was time to announce the final results.

Fourth runner-up: Miss California.

Third runner-up: Miss Arizona.

Second runner-up: Miss New York.

Unbelievable. This girl from K-Town could actually be the next Miss America …

First runner up: Miss Oklahoma.

Oh. My. Goodness …

Winner: Miss Wisconsin.

We could hear the cheers that poured from K-Town bars and living rooms all the way down in The ‘Ville. Status updates and tweets related to Miss Wisconsin lit up our social media circles.

My friend Joe may have had the best quip with his Facebook status: “This is the greatest thing to happen to Kenosha since Al Molinaro.”

Hey, Joe. Let’s also not forget Alan Ameche, Orson Welles, Mark Ruffalo. The handful of kids who have appeared on "American Idol." And dozens of others who have gone on to great things. God bless, K-Town.

Here's a good post on how Miss Wisconsin became Miss America.

* * *

About a week ago I saw in the local newspaper that a few Royals players were making a stop in town yesterday afternoon to meet fans, sign autographs and rally support for the upcoming baseball season. Even better, the Royals mascot, Sluggerrr, was scheduled to be a part of the visit.

I decided to pitch it to Phoebe, a big fan of Sluggerrr’s, as a father-daughter outing. When I told her, she jumped up and down and clapped her hands like, well, a little girl.

When it was time to go, we headed to the sporting goods store to get a baseball. Then to the senior citizens center, where the even was being held. Jamming to the radio all the way, of course. “Daddy, stop singing because I can’t hear the music!” she said. It was a perfect.

At the center, we met a fair crowd of people waiting and sitting at rows of tables set up as if there was a potluck dinner. A work colleague and his son joined our table a few minutes later, as did a trio of college girls dressed in Royals jerseys. They kept Phoebe entertained, rolling her baseball back and forth across the table, until the players arrived.

Eventually, Billy Butler, Danny Duffy, Greg Holland and Royals great John Mayberry entered the building, and the crowd applauded as they took their seats at a table at the front of the room. The Royals’ radio announcer introduced each of the players and gave a quick outlook for the 2012 season. Then he invited the crowd to come forward to meet the players.

As Phoebe and I took her place in the line, she, of course, asked about Sluggerrr’s whereabouts. But there was no sign of him and I said he must’ve decided to stay home. … Barely a second later, Sluggerrr stepped through the door and Phoebe erupted. Phoebe, who’s never been one to pose for pictures, insisted that all she wanted was to give him a hug and a high five. No pictures.

We waited patiently as the line moved past the players. When it was our turn, Phoebe shyly rolled her baseball across the table to each player.

After collecting each player’s signatures on the ball, we turned toward Sluggerr. Again Phoebe waited her turn … And then she smothered him with a hug and gave him a high five, just like she wanted. In this picture, Phoebe is actually hugging Sluggerrr, but she’s buried by his crown.

* * *

Then, there was the Packers game, which hardly measured up to the highs of our weekend.

When the season started -- with that memorable win against the Saints -- I didn’t predict a trip to the Super Bowl for the Packers, as I did last year, thank you very much. There are a lot of variables that have to fall into place for it to happen again, I said. … Then they went and had one of the best regular seasons by a team in NFL history, going nearly perfect -- until that ugly loss against the Chiefs (which I did predict, by the way) -- and flying under the radar for most of the season.

But the playoffs mark the beginning of a whole new season, and the thought of the Packers having to face the Giants, Saints or 49ers to get the Super Bowl made me nervous. Few people denied it wouldn’t be easy. … I was glad the 49ers knocked off the Saints because I figured the Saints would be the toughest opponent of all. Then again, the way the Giants marched into Lambeau and beat the Packers a few years ago, I knew it was going to take a near-perfect game by the Packers for them to advance to the next round. And look

The Packers were hardly perfect yesterday. Today, everybody’s talking about the fumbles and drops. Fans are calling for the team to cut Finley and Grant. … But I don’t think the blame can be put on any one player. The Packers team that lost yesterday was hardly the team that rolled to a 15-1 record during the regular season. The defense, already one of the worst in the league, was plain awful against the Giants. Even Aaron Rodgers -- usually cool and calm -- appeared out of sync. His passes were off and he was letting his frustration show during that second half. 

Ah, but we could all take solace in our new Miss America. Wrote my friend Liz on Facebook …

OK, Giants, you had your fun, but we kicked your ass
in the Miss America pageant!

Bam.

Mr. Rodgers also has this going for him. Miss Wisconsin to Aaron: "Call me."

I had hoped it wouldn't end this soon.
So here are some good reads from the game, and the Packers season ...
a Packers, Giants get boost from history
a History not on the side of Patriots and Packers
a Giants Knock Out the Champs
a Giants' stubbornness paid off in '04 megadeal that almost wasn't
a CBS' Simms: Packers-Giants a lot closer than 37-20
a Manning, Giants pull off unthinkable yet again; more Snaps
a Somber Week for Packers, and the Defense Does Nothing to Lift Spirits
a The Education of a Quarterback
a After dismantling Bears, MVP is officially Rodgers' to lose
a Are Green Bay Fans the N.F.L.’s Classiest?
a Survey says: Packers are America's Team
a Why They Call Green Bay 'Titletown'

The Super Bore

It's NFL draft time again.

Ugh.

All foolish hype and speculation ...

Spare me. I hate it, actually.
When some guy that some team drafts with whatever pick in the first round is proving his ability in the NFL by tearing up the league and helping whatever team on a championship run, then the talking heads can preach to me about his draft value. 

For now, I couldn't care less and I refuse to put any stock in the draft.

Say cheese? Say champs!

I just returned home from dropping off Phoebe at her preschool. Kates is back to teaching -- for the first time in more than a week. And her parents, who were in The ‘Ville for a long weekend, are on the road back to Wisconsin.

And I am basking in the glory of watching the Green Bay Packers win the Super Bowl last night. Along with a day to myself at home.

Glorious.

Indeed, last night’s Super Bowl was a great one. I’ve remained confident in the Packers’ play all season long, but admittedly, I wasn’t as confident going into last night’s championship against the mighty Steelers.

But the Packers started fast, thanks to a couple key turnovers by Ben Roethlisberger. ... Bam! Suddenly it was 14-0. Then 21-3. For most of the first half, the game looked like a shade of the Packers stomping of the Falcons. ...

When the Packers scored the first touchdown, we screamed so loud that we scared Phoebe and sent her running to Kates for cover. She learned to deal with it, and eventually joined in, as the game moved along.

Then Donald Driver and Sam Shields went down.

And when Charles Woodson went down … Gulp.

In the third quarter, the Steelers looked as though they would roll right over the Packers. The breaks were suddenly going Pittsburgh’s way; I thought that contested call early in the fourth quarter was a fair catch. The Packers receivers also seemed to forget how to catch the ball; a couple, if caught, could have been touchdowns.

Jordy Nelson dropped passes that could have been big plays, but he made up for it by making some big plays, too. Rick Reilly had a good video piece on ESPN about Rodgers' passes to Nelson.

Then the fourth quarter arrived. Pittsburgh's Rashard Mendenhall fumbled the ball and the Packers recovered. New life. ... The Packers capitalized with another touchdown. And added a field goal that helped but didn't exactly put the game away.

When the Steelers offense took the field, we could only hold our breath. ... It came down to a 4th and 5. Mike Wallace couldn't hold on Roethlisberger's pass, and with about 30 second left, it was over.

Our living room erupted. I embraced Kates and we sat on our couch grinning from ear to ear as the celebration began on the field. ... We watched the post game coverage, the trophy presentations, all of the interviews, and eventually switched over to ESPN to watch the continuing coverage -- with some cake and ice cream in between to celebrate Kates' father's 60th birthday.

Glorious.

Good reads ...
a They made it to top with stability
a Packers' backup Nelson steps up in Super Bowl
a When Injuries Flared, Packers Had Able Spares
aRodgers repays debt to Packer organization
a Lombardi Trophy goes long way to ease the pain for Packers' Woodson
a Not to be denied, hardened Packers persevere to Super Bowl victory
a Super Bowl Morning After: Mike McCarthy in His Words
a And Bob Ryan: Recovery mission a success

The numbers for Rodgers, which were impressive enough (24 of 39, 304 yards, three touchdowns), truly do not convey the magnificence of his performance. There really were either five or six terrible drops (depending on how strict a pass receiver marker someone is). And a few of his completed passes were either laser-like missiles that squeezed through microscopic openings or perfectly arched floaters that settled into the hands of his receivers. Very little about this performance was ordinary. The Packers came out of this game with a universal declaration that Rodgers has risen to the top of the current NFL quarterback class, and nothing will dislodge them from that belief.

* * *

The social media. I was all over it last night. Planting my laptop in front of us the coffee table. Tweet deck front and center, with a couple running media and advertising blogs running in the background.

Who says the party only includes the people in your living room? ... I was trading thoughts on the game and commercials with friends across town, friends and family across the country and colleagues across the media landscape.

Some of my favorites from last night. Pregame ...

russfeingold: Two of the greatest franchises in football history meet in the Super Bowl, but sorry Pittsburgh, Green Bay has got this one! #GoPackGo

After the Packers were penalized for excessive celebration after their first touchdown ...

SI_JonHeyman: nfl shrugs at 300-plus arrests in a decade, then punishes player for celebrating the moment of his life. #nofunleague

After Ben Roethlisberger started limping from a knee injury ...

EricStangel: After just watching Ben Roethlisberger tweak his knee, Jay Cutler had to be carted out of his living room #LateShowWriters

In the fourth quarter when the Steelers seemed poised to pull it out ...

ThisIsRobThomas: shit! i'm actually watching the game. and i care.

And when the game finished ...

sadjournalist: I'm sad because some poor designer in Dallas had to create a special edition Steelers Super Bowl cover, just in case.

RepPaulRyan: Go Pack Go! A special night for Wisconsinites/Cheeseheads!

And after the game, from my friend Noah: Excessive postgame celebration. 15 yd penalty.

National Post had a good running blog of the game that included some tweets from a variety of people.

* * *

The commercials and other delights ...

I thought the commercials were mostly forgettable, which doesn't surprise me. Our society has hyped Super Bowl commercials so much over the years; the expectations are so loaded that companies can hardly compete.

... The NFL's homage to great sitcoms.
... Chevy Silverado's "Tommy."
... Hyundai's: "Anachronistic City."
... Doritos "House sitting."
... And Bridgestone's "Beaver Intervention"  are going down as my faves.

VW's "Star Wars" kid was my favorite of all the bowl (the boy was unmasked on Today this morning).

And let’s not forget the frenzy over the news that Christina Aguilera flubbed the national anthem (Kates caught it, the rest of us didn't), which was all over the interwebs within minutes of her last note. Or the laughable scene of Cameron Diaz feeding Alex Rodriguez in the suites (We all saw it on our TV and shared a good chuckle).

The Black Eyed Peas halftime show. They’re made for the studio, not the live stage. So I wasn't expecting a stellar, smooth sounding show. ... But I thought it was pretty darn good considering. The lights, Slash in for a cover of “Sweet Child O’ Mine.” I was pleased.

Hank Stuever has a good review of all of it.

For me, the game, of course, was the best part.