NFL-COVID-19 Super Bowl has look of a quarterbacking classic

[rooster59]

NFL-COVID-19 Super Bowl has look of a quarterbacking classic

By Steve Keating

 

FILE PHOTO: Jan 31, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; A general view of signage for Super Bowl LV at Raymond James Stadium Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports//File Photo

 

(Reuters) - America's biggest sporting spectacle will play out in a mostly empty stadium in Tampa, Florida, on Sunday with more cardboard-cutout fans than real ones taking in the Super Bowl between the Kansas City Chiefs and the hometown Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

 

With COVID-19 restrictions limiting attendance to 25,000 living, breathing spectators sprinkled among 30,000 happy-faced cutouts, the atmosphere inside Raymond James Stadium - which has a capacity of 70,000 - will be largely manufactured.

 

But not even a pandemic, which will force those with tickets into protective masks and socially distanced seating, will detract from a contest that has the look of a genuine classic featuring perhaps the greatest Super Bowl quarterbacking matchup of all time.

 

Quarterbacks have been at the center of every Super Bowl going back to the first in 1967 when Bart Starr led the Green Bay Packers to victory over Len Dawson and the Chiefs.

 

But never before has there been a generational showdown of such quality as the one NFL fans around the world will devour on Sunday when the quarterback many consider the greatest of all time - the Buccaneers' ageless wonder, Tom Brady - goes against his heir apparent and the best there is in the game today, Kansas City's Patrick Mahomes.

 

Underscoring that excellence, the game will mark just the second time that the winning quarterbacks of the two most recent Super Bowls will face each other in the championship game. It will be the first Super Bowl matchup between quarterbacks who have Most Valuable Player Awards for both the NFL and the Super Bowl in their trophy cases.

 

After 20 seasons, nine Super Bowl appearances and six rings with the New England Patriots, Brady decided not on retirement in Florida but a new challenge, signing with Tampa and taking a team that had not been to the playoffs in 13 years to the NFL championship game.

 

At 43 years old, Brady produced one of the greatest seasons of his Hall of Fame career, passing for 4,633 yards and 40 touchdowns. Among his other accomplishments, he will be the oldest player ever to take a snap in the Super Bowl.

 

If there is one player NFL fans and pundits are even more smitten with than Brady, it is the 25-year-old Mahomes, who possesses otherworldly athleticism and talent.

 

In just his third season as a starter, Mahomes has the Chiefs back in the Super Bowl for the second consecutive year, trying to become the first repeat champions since - guess who? - Brady and the Patriots in 2003 and 2004.

 

"If you’re a young athlete, and you’re playing any sport, and you don’t look up to guys like Tom Brady, you’re crazy,” said Mahomes. "He’s the type of greatness that you strive to be, to be like and to be towards as you grow up.

 

"As I continue in my career I'm still trying to do whatever I can to watch the tape on him because he's doing it the right way and you can tell by how many Super Bowl championships he has and the rings on his fingers."

 

They may be from two different eras and styles but both Mahomes and Brady mesmerize when at the controls of explosive offenses packed with weapons to showcase their abilities.

 

The Chiefs' arsenal includes a lightning-fast receiving corps led by speedsters Tyreek Hill and Mecole Hardman, who would not look out of place on a U.S. Olympic sprint relay team.

 

But Mahomes' favorite target is Travis Kelce, who hauled in 105 passes for a tight-end record 1,416 yards.

 

Brady also has no shortage of-game breakers in Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Antonio Brown along with his big tight-end Rob Gronkowski.

 

(Reporting by Steve Keating in Toronto; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-06

 

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[rumak]

Does anyone know if the game will be on  thai television ?? 

 

In the past it has been shown on Chan 3  or Chan 7  i think............

if anyone knows please do tell 

[mtls2005]

23 hours ago, rumak said:

Does anyone know if the game will be on  thai television ?? 

 

In the past it has been shown on Chan 3  or Chan 7  i think............

if anyone knows please do tell 

 

I don't think it's been on Thai TV for ages.

 

Pretty sure just True Sports HD (666), NFL Network (672)

 

 

Obviously there are other sources, like NFL GamePass Super Bowl Pass for $14.99.

 

Streaming sources will probably be overloaded by demand.

 

 

[rumak]

1 hour ago, mtls2005 said:

 

I don't think it's been on Thai TV for ages.

 

Pretty sure just True Sports HD (666), NFL Network (672)

 

 

Obviously there are other sources, like NFL GamePass Super Bowl Pass for $14.99.

 

Streaming sources will probably be overloaded by demand.

 

 

thanks............ just this morning i decided to give NFL  some money (14.99)  

 

i got other games free but more than a few feed problems.

[Pilotman]

10 minutes ago, rumak said:

thanks............ just this morning i decided to give NFL  some money (14.99)  

 

i got other games free but more than a few feed problems.

I have had Game Pass all this season.  It takes a few minutes to settle down with my feed, but generally no issues.  I like the extras you get with it, such as all seasons of Hard Knocks, A Football Life, Americans Game and a whole lot more.  Well worth the money for a whole season. 

 

Looking forward to TB12 winning his 7th Ring and the return on my $50 bet on a Buccs win. 

[mtls2005]

50 minutes ago, rumak said:

thanks............ just this morning i decided to give NFL  some money (14.99)  

 

i got other games free but more than a few feed problems.

 

That package does give 31 days, and you can watch all of the playoff games (full, 40, 5), NFL Network Live and all of the original programs.

 

IMO, a good deal considering we used to spend more than that to get into SB parties.

 

 

[rumak]

10 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

 

That package does give 31 days, and you can watch all of the playoff games (full, 40, 5), NFL Network Live and all of the original programs.

 

IMO, a good deal considering we used to spend more than that to get into SB parties.

 

 

i did see most of the playoff games free.... but  lots of stops and such.   Anyway,  i was rooting

for Buffalo so was not very happy with their boring performance , no need to see again   LOL

 

The reason i do not support the big organizations is they MAKE you to agree to an "automatic renewal" clause they have !  BS   took me a few tries to cancel with NBA  so screw all of them.

The Super Bowl offer is a one time shot without the  AR clause,  and price is fair

Edited February 7, 2021 by rumak

[mtls2005]

Auto-Renew Policy
For NFL Game Pass subscribers, your subscription will automatically renew on an annual basis giving subscribers the benefit of not having to worry about signing up for NFL Game Pass year after year. Your subscription will automatically renew in advance of the start of the next NFL season so that you can enjoy uninterrupted access to NFL Game Pass. You may opt out of auto-renewal billing at any time. 

 

How do I cancel auto-renewal for my subscription?
Users can cancel auto-renewal billing for their subscription at any time before it auto renews on or about August 1st by going to their account page on the NFL Game Pass site, opening the subscriptions portion of the page, unchecking the box indicating that the subscription will renew, and selecting 'Update'. Note that this feature may be unavailable outside the US until July.

If your purchase was made in-app through the NFL app on an Android device, you will not be able to manage your subscription on the Game Pass account page. You will need to manage the auto renewal function through the Google Play store linked to the account you purchased from.

 

https://digitalcare.nfl.com/hc/en-us/articles/223128207-Auto-Renew#:~:text=Auto-Renew Policy,Game Pass year after year.

[Pilotman]

On a related subject.  Aaron Rogers has just been proclaimed the league's Most Valuable Player for this season. How come, it makes no sense?  He lost in the Championship game and has come away with nothing this year, so why is he the most valuable player?  All the stats in the world are meaningless unless you win the top prize.  MVP has got to be either Patrick Mahomes or TB12. How can it be otherwise?  

[mtls2005]

19 hours ago, Pilotman said:

How come, it makes no sense?

 

D'oh. MVP is for the REGULAR SEASON.

 

Fifty voters determine the NFL’s national awards, including Most Valuable Player, before the postseason begins. 

 

https://mvpvoting.wordpress.com/ap-voters/

 

TB12 is the SB MVP.

 

 

Pretty bad game for Mahomes II and the Chiefs. Very sloppy, and undisciplined resulting in too many penalties. In addition to injuries, I think that Coach Reid's sons meth and drinks accident, nearly killing young children, must have had a very significant impact.

 

Not much argument now if Brady is the GOAT.

 

 

 

[Pilotman]

2 hours ago, mtls2005 said:

 

D'oh. MVP is for the REGULAR SEASON.

 

Fifty voters determine the NFL’s national awards, including Most Valuable Player, before the postseason begins. 

 

https://mvpvoting.wordpress.com/ap-voters/

 

TB12 is the SB MVP.

 

 

Pretty bad game for Mahomes II and the Chiefs. Very sloppy, and undisciplined resulting in too many penalties. In addition to injuries, I think that Coach Reid's sons meth and drinks accident, nearly killing young children, must have had a very significant impact.

 

Not much argument now if Brady is the GOAT.

 

 

 

I know what League MVP means mate, but it still makes no sense.  TB is clearly this year's over all MVP and Rogers must know it and feel diminished by it, as indeed he is. 

[mtls2005]

48 touchdowns. 5 Ints

13W-3L

QB Rating: A staggering 121.5

 

'Nuff said.

 

 

There is no "over all MVP".

 

1 hour ago, Pilotman said:

I know what League MVP means mate

 

OK, if you say so. I'm sure you're much more savvy than the 50 professionals who cover the NFL and cast votes for the regular season MVP. ????

 

With just one Super Bowl win, and a 1-4 record in NFC Championships, Rogers is obviously not anywhere near the top QB of all time, but surely a first-round HoFer.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by mtls2005

[Pilotman]

21 minutes ago, mtls2005 said:

48 touchdowns. 5 Ints

13W-3L

QB Rating: A staggering 121.5

 

'Nuff said.

 

 

There is no "over all MVP".

 

 

OK, if you say so. I'm sure you're much more savvy than the 50 professionals who cover the NFL and cast votes for the regular season MVP. ????

 

With just one Super Bowl win, and a 1-4 record in NFC Championships, Rogers is obviously not anywhere near the top QB of all time, but surely a first-round HoFer.

 

 

 

 

 

My last post on this. 

That's the problem with the NFL's assessment of almost anything and almost  anybody.   Stats mean nothing if you walk away from a season with nothing, as Rogers has.   Stats at the Combine, or during a College career mean nothing, if subsequently you aren't good enough to play at NFL level, or you can play and the stats don't support that, example Brady and Wilson, to name two who's numbers were not good, but look at them now.   MVP should mean, that of all players in the NFL that season, you are the top dog, the one who delivered to the end, the one  that everyone will want above all others.  Rogers isn't that.   The NFL and their pundits, including the 50 you quote , are obsessed with statistics and miss the obvious many many times.  They have called the end of Brady for the last 10 years to my knowledge, all wrong.  They called the end of the Buccs, all wrong.  The scouts are often wrong, Head Coaches and GMs are often wrong about lots of players.  Yes, I did call the Buccs to win the SB, right at the start of the season.  I have watched Brady since he came to the NFL.  I was never convinced that that miserable, grumpy, bitter old man Belichick was the prime mover in the 6 SB they won together.  He never touched a ball, or tackled a player, or ran a TD. Its been all Brady, right from the beginning. He is clearly the most valuable player in the NFL today, any other assessment or reward to another is mere statistics.  Try putting Rogers statistics in a Trophy cabinet and see how impressive that looks. I imagine that he will use the trophy to keep his garage door open on a windy day, its not worth anything else to him and he will know it.   

[farmerjo]

NFL is not my game but watched the super bowl this morning.

I had a good chuckle when a guy got a penalty against for taunting.

Whats that all about,all he did was show the guy two fingers.

[Jingthing]

It's all about the halftime show and commercials.