Hello friends.
Jim Nantz, who will call the big game Sunday, offered this MVP race insight:
“As the game gets broken down a million different ways, and every possible conceivable story angle has been written before the kickoff, I want to be the first to say that if Star Lotulelei ends up the MVP, then the Super Bowl will have officially come full circle in 50 years. From (Super Bowl I MVP) Bart Starr to Star Lotulelei.”
Wow. Mind blown. Maybe then the universe will commence eating itself.
On the same national media conference call, Nantz later did his usual CBS program shilling routine. A reporter asked him about Cam Newton’s MVP chances and Jim Nantz’s response included “you can find out on the NFL Honors show right here on CBS.”
His native advertising was almost Darrell Rovellian, like the time I asked some NFL Draft questions and he was like I’m not interested in the Draft, I’m interested in the Super Bowl. Well, of course you are! Your network has the Super Bowl, and doesn’t have the Draft! So now kidding you’re trying to plug your product.
Anyway, since Jim Nantz mentioned Bart Starr:
But enough with Jim Nantz doing sponsored content, Red Eye profiled six local players and estimated their odds of winning the Super Bowl MVP award
Panthers Defensive Lineman Kawann Short
Of the million different Super Bowl story angles Nantz spoke of, about 600,000 pertain to Cam Newton. Approximately 399,950 more cover Peyton Manning. Meaning elite players like Short get overlooked.
Said Travis Miller, who runs Hammer and Rails, SB Nation’s Purdue community:
“His freshman year at Purdue I remember seeing him intercept a pass because he stuck one hand up trying to bat it down and the ball kind of got stuck in his giant paw. I wouldn’t want any part of blocking him.”
In the video below you can see him dunking:
Broncos QB Trevor Siemian
Local Connections: Northwestern University
MVP Odds: 750-1
A third string QB winning individual hardware? It’s not exactly “a safe bet.” If you want a safe bet, take the over on how many times Jim Nantz mentions that this Super Bowl is the 50th edition during the broadcast.
Go here to read about the rest of the Super Bowl 50-Chicago connections.
It’s a big Super Bowl for Pat Fitzgerald. You’ve got one of his former players from Northwestern and an alum of his high school Carl Sandburg in the game.
Paul M. Banks owns, operates and sometimes writes The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. The website is also featured on News Now.
Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes to the Chicago Tribune RedEye. He also appears regularly on numerous television and radio talk shows all across the country. Catch him Tuesdays on KOZN 1620 The Zone.
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