Sunday, February 1, 2015

Immediate Super Post Game Trivia

Now that we've had a whole ten minutes to digest this classic Super Bowl, here is some cranium stretching trivia to dazzle your friends and family:


You actually had a decent shot at guessing Tigers, so if you did guess Tigers, good for you.

Malcolm Butler, the undrafted rookie out of West Alabama, just made his alma mater, his football team, and all of New England very proud.  In a lot of ways, I'm very proud of him, as well.  The small schools and underdog stories are what we less-talented folks yearn to achieve.  

Quick, how many yards per carry did Marshawn Lynch average in tonight's Super Bowl?

That would be 4.2 yards per carry.  Replicated 100 times and given two opportunities per replication, Marshawn Lynch carries the ball into the end zone something like 98.5 times from the opponent's 1-yard line.  It's very easy to second guess, but that's not even second guessing.  That's more arrogance on Pete Carroll's part.  

Quick, can you guess the number of times Russell Wilson threw to Chris Matthews this season before the Super Bowl?

That would be zero.  The undrafted rookie had no catches for no yards on no targets.  He was possibly 36 inches away from being the game's MVP.

In control when it's needed most
With that in mind, Quick, how many of Seattle's active receivers were drafted in the NFL at ANY POINT EVER?

Again, that would be ZERO.  Do you understand what that means?  Doug Baldwin, Jermaine Kearse, Bryan Walters, Ricardo Lockette and Matthews were all UNDRAFTED.

Quick, how many different receivers caught touchdown passes?

Three ... Four ... Five?  Nope.  Six different receivers caught six touchdown passes from the Tom Terrific and Mr. Wilson (Brandon LaFell, The Gronk, Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman for the Pats and Matthews and Doug Baldwin for the Hawks.)

Quick, how many Super Bowl touchdown passes does Tom Brady have in his career?

With his two fourth quarter touchdown passes, the 37-year old has amassed 13 touchdown passes for his career.  His play in the fourth quarter was nothing short of flawless.  He certainly earned his third Super Bowl MVP to tie fellow Northern California resident, Joe Montana.  His touchdown pass to Edelman with 2:02 remaining in the contest was his 53rd of his postseason career.  Just remarkable.

Quick, how many Super Bowls have been played in Arizona?

Three ... tonight, Super Bowl XLII (Giants over Patriots) and Super Bowl XXX (Cowboys over Steelers.)
Way to go, Vic!

Finally, can you guess the number of Super Bowls the Patriots have won since I've joyfully associated with my in-laws?

That would be one.

I think it feels like the Patriots have won 10 Super Bowls since 2000, but the punishment they dealt the Steelers and the city of Pittsburgh was only during the championship runs against the Rams and Eagles (with a Panthers victory sewn in-between.)  I am happy for my father-in-law, Victor and his best bud, Mark.  There aren't two more loyal, dedicated, and devoted people in the world than Vic and Mark, not only to their families, but to their allegiances.  It's been a pleasure having them to our house to watch the Patriots on the Sunday Ticket and I know they've been sweating through this instant classic since the Colts were sent home two weeks earlier.  They are the first people on my mind with this championship organization and I hope they savor this title for as long as possible. 

My mom texted me, "all congrats to victor."  My sister texted, "I'm completely okay with that ending."  If my dad could text, he'd probably say something nice, too.  

I'm happy for Patty, who now holds one Stanley Cup (Bruins,) one World Series (Red Sox) and one Super Bowl (Pats) since the day of our glorious and unbinding marriage.  Patty's stone-cold placidity in the face of tense, edgy and sometimes neurotic impulses is the stuff of legends.  As soon as the game was over ... right to bed.  How does she do it, ladies and gentlemen?  And will she allow the good folks of Pittsburgh to ever enjoy a hometown championship ever again?

Good job, New England.  Feel free to send your own trivia to this posting.  We all want to be just a little bit smarter than our friends, just like Malcolm Butler.

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