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Sunday, February 5. 2012
It’s Super Bowl Sunday!
Once in a while I’ll wonder why I haven’t received any phone calls all day and then notice the ringer on my phone is turned off. I’ve been doing that a lot lately. It’s a great way to escape from everyone and everything. Today (Saturday) I missed out on a party.Called my friend who left two messages and he had made other plans. It was evident in his voice in those messages he was disappointed. Hell, I would be too.
It’s not like I consciously decide to leave the ringer off, but life just doesn’t seem important enough to check to see that it’s on. It’s on now, but at a very quiet setting.
This is interesting: Adam Lambert, the guy who should have won the ninth season of American Idol, has joined Queen as the singer of course. Could anyone really replace Freddie Mercury? Not really, but Lambert has a great voice and ought to do Freddie proud. Hell, he could even pull off doing the make-up thing ala Sheer Heart Attack. Just saying.
This is what really made me stop and stutter: Brian May, the astounding guitarist for Queen, is 64. Damn. Reminds me that Sheer Heart Attack was released when I was in high school about 40 years ago. Today is Super Bowl Sunday, the biggest single day sports event in the world. The World Cup is bigger, but only because it goes on for months and teams from around the world compete.
More money will be bet on the Super Bowl than at any other time. The game looks to be one of the most competitive and high scoring games in history. The New England Patriots are the favorites, their odds being -3.5. In other words, to win a dollar (if the Pats win) you have to wager $3.50. So you’d get $4.50 were the Pats to win. No one bets a dollar.
Odds on the Giants are +3.5. You bet a dollar and if the Giants win you get back your dollar plus $3.50. Simple. If you’re making a straight bet and don’t have a dog in this fight, bet on the Giants. You might lose, but if you win you’ll more that triple your money.
The “smarter” bet is to predict beating the point spread or “taking the points” if you expect the Giants to beat the spread. The Pats are predicted to win by three points. So, if you expect the Pats to win bigger, you’ll get close to an even money return. The sports books take a commission, the vig, which cuts into your winnings.
Conversely, you can bet the Giants to beat the spread. They can still lose, but if the final score is less than three points difference, you win. Of course if the Giants win you’ll wish you had bet them to win. So, do both if you’re betting on the Giants.
Really, betting the Giants to win is the best bet. If they win you get more money on your return. It’s not like horse or dog racing where you have multiple competitors in a race with different odds. It’s a very straight and formal action and result.
On the other hand you can bet the over and under of the final score which is over 50 points total. I would bet the under … or not. Both teams have gunslinger quarterbacks and excellent offenses and both teams have below average defenses. It actually could be a high scoring game.Were I to make the trip to Caliente in Tijuana, Mexico, my bets would be: Giants to win, take the points and bet the under. All those other bets: total score quarter-by-quarter, who score first, longest play for a score, number of penalties called, I would pass on them. On the other hand I might bet on the number of turnovers. Both quarterbacks, Eli Manning and Tom Brady, have had their share of picks and fumbles.
The experts say this may be the most thrilling Super Bowl since the San Francisco 49ers beat the Cincinnati Bengals in Super Bowl XVI. Eh, who knows? Who even remembers? Shit, I was no doubt wasted and probably passed out before the game ended. Quarterback Joe Montana became known throughout the land and remembered forever and his opposing QB Ken Anderson faded into obscurity.
Today’s two QB’s are both well known, both are considered “elite,” and we may see both pass for 300-plus yards. Neither one will be forgotten regardless of the outcome. Eli Manning of the Giants has a chance to do what his brother hasn’t done: win a second Super Bowl. Tom Brady has a chance to join a very elite group of quarterbacks who have won four rings: Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana.
Ironically, the last time Brady had that opportunity, his Patriots were unbeaten in the 2007 season. Alas the New York Giants dashed his chance for a fourth ring and the Patriots’ perfect season on the doorstep of despair in Super Bowl XLII. As I recall, that was a pretty low scoring game.
For me to win my bets, the Giants will have to do it again. Go Giants.
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