Happy Tuesday everyone, here's my Top 5 for February 8, 2011 from Len Berman at ThatsSports.com.
1. Quick Hits
* The champion Packers are back home in Green Bay. Kids were let out of school early so they could line the streets as the Packers headed to Lambeau Field. There will be a rally at Lambeau today.
* Lotsa eyeballs. 111-million people tuned-in to Super Bowl XLV, making it the most watched program in American TV history.
* Trying to look good after screwing 400 fans who had Super Bowl tickets, but no seats, the NFL announces free tickets for those fans for Super Bowl XLVI next year.
* As a motivational tool, Packers coach Mike McCarthy had his players fitted for their Super Bowl rings the night before the game. Wonder what Jets coach Rex Ryan would have done? Super Bowl shoes and socks? Nah... too easy.
2. Ratings Game
Nothing brings Americans to their TV screens like the Super Bowl. The overnight rating of 47.9 tied an all time record. In Pittsburgh and Milwaukee, the rating was even higher, 59.7. The flip side, in those Super Bowl cities, is that 40.3 per cent of the people weren't interested and found something else to do. What exactly?
3. You Betcha
According to CNBC there was controversy in the betting world. The over/under on Christina Aguilera's botched National Anthem was 1 minute 54 seconds. One sports book timed her at 1:53:7. Another book decided it was too close to call, they'd pay on both sides of the bet. Smart thinking. If some idiot is going to win a bet over the length of the anthem, you've got a sucker for life. By the way, since you didn't ask, one betting site has Green Bay as the favorite to win next year's Super Bowl, the Patriots are the second choice. At the opposite end of the betting spectrum, Buffalo and Carolina are 100-1. Anthem odds aren't posted yet.
4. Has a Nice Beat
Not to sound old or anything, but as I watched the Super Bowl halftime show, I thought to myself, I wonder where I can get the lyrics? And why didn't they have subtitles on the screen? I confess. I had no idea what most of the performers were singing. I couldn't make out the words. And now it turns out that will.i.am in "Where Is the Love?" changed some of the lyrics as a message to the President. He sang, "In America we need to get things straight / Obama, let's get these kids educated / Create jobs so the country stays stimulated." Could have fooled me. He could have been singing, "I do not like green eggs and ham, and I do not like them Will I am," for all I could tell.
5. Winners Take All
There were two winners in my Top 5 Super Bowl contest. Michael P. from Staten Island, NY and a Florida subscriber who hasn't identified himself yet. (He must be shy, like those multi-million dollar lottery winners.) Both guessed Packers 31, Steelers 24. The final score was 31-25. That damn two point play by Pittsburgh prevented their perfection. Both will win a Len Berman "That's Sports Hat."
Our next contest will be the end of the month. It'll involve the NCAA Basketball Tournament and thanks to our friends at Steiner Sports, we'll have a great prize. (Maybe even as great as my baseball/golf cap.) So stay tuned!
Happy Birthday: Former Georgetown and Miami Heat center, among other teams, Alonzo Mourning. 41.
Bonus Birthday: Good guy and sports fan, comedian Robert Klein. 69.
Today in Sports: The first NFL draft was held. ESPN dropped the ball and failed to televise it. 1936.
Bonus Event: Stars and Stripes, the military publication, appears for the first time. My dad would write for it during World War II. 1918.
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