But first, about that coronavirus. I have tried to be the voice of anti-doom, but there must be a reason Google has shut down its offices and Apple has closed all their stores in China, many airlines have cancelled stops in that country, the Spring Festival holiday has been extended to February 13, where schools remain closed in Hubei Province, and the Association of Flight Attendants representing 50,000 members has demanded that U.S. airlines take a more responsible leadership strategy about flights to and from China.
The SARS version was traced to bats, and they can also be purchased in those markets. How long will this epidemic last, now two months old? In 2003 a slightly different coronavirus resulted in SARS, and this outbreak was a public concern for six months. Also keep in mind that the coronavirus is responsible for 15-30% of common colds. Click on that link to view a table comparing the Wuhan 2019-nCoV coronavirus with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and the Common Cold, all caused by various strains of the Coronavirus.
The BBC (And were you aware that as of yesterday, BREXIT actually happened!) showed the following visuals:
Yikes! Thailand has more Wuhan coronavirus cases outside of China. I leave for Bangkok in ten days.
So on to the 54th Super Bowl (SB). The San Francisco 49ers was the team most followed in Hawaii. Growing up I don't recall watching an actual live TV game, but there was radio. Thus, one of the joys of going to Stanford was that the game was always telecast in real time on some dormitory television set...in black and white. I should add that what makes this game particularly gratifying is that last year the 49ers only won four games.
- This will be the 11th Super Bowl played in the Miami area, a record. New Orleans has had ten. The temperature will be mild...which is why they play this game here a lot. But if it rains, Hard Rock Stadium has a roof for the spectators.
- I have special memories of Miami, an area I've visited half a dozen times. Here is where I got interested in hydrogen and drew my attention for where the boys went during spring vacation, Fort Lauderdale, now better known as a cruise port. I just looked, and I'm still an honorary member of the editorial board.
- Chiefs coach Andy Reid has more regular-season wins (207), playoff wins (14) and postseason appearances (15) than any other coach WHO HAS NOT WON THE SUPER BOWL. His Eagles lost to the Patriots 15 years ago. The last time Kansas City was in a Super Bowl was 50 years ago, and they beat Minnesota. The last 49er win was 25 years ago, in Miami.
- The 49ers had three players with 500 yards rushing or more. The Chiefs, none. San Francisco's Raheem Mostert has the most yards this year of the three, and has never started a game. Graduating from Purdue, he joined the NFL in 2015 and was not particularly impressive with Cleveland, Miami, Baltimore and San Francisco...until two weeks ago. Most importantly, he is on my fantasy team which on Sunday will be competing for a few bucks. I will be watching for #31 on Sunday.
- But more importantly, I have Deebo Samuel of the 49ers on my team, a rarity for those ahead of me in my league. He is #19 and a receiver who will also take end runs. If he is named the most valuable SB player (MVP), I will be in the money.
- SFO QB Jimmy Garoppolo already has two SB rings. But as a back-up to Patriots Tom Brady, did he ever even play? In Super Bowl LI he was the ONLY active Patriot player who DID NOT play.
- Chief's QB Patrick Mahomes was on my fantasy team all season. He was the league MVP. Chances are high he will be the SB MVP.
- Chiefs defensive end Terrell Suggs already has a SB ring, and is in his 17th year as a pro. That's his hand with ring. He, punter Dustin Colquitt and kicker Robbie Gould are all 37 years old.
- The odds are favorable that either George Kittle or Travis Kelce will beat the SB record of 116 yards received by a tight end (Rob Gronkowski of Patriots two years ago).
- The 49ers have five first-round picks on their defensive line.
CBS Sports has 54 SB things worthy of note:
- This is the first time the Chiefs and 49ers have met in a SB, plus never before have two teams met with red being their primary color.
- If the 49ers win, they will tie New England and Pittsburgh for the most SB victories, 6.
- By now you know that SB LIV will be played on Sunday, February 2, 2020 at 6:30 PM ET, or 1:30PM in Hawaii, on your FOX network channel. No TV set? No problem. Stream on FuboTV, Hulu, Sling TV or YouTubeTV. Of course, there could be the matter of subscription fees. However, Fox Sports will stream for free. How do you do this? Just click on THIS.
- It's not too late for you to go. Stub Hub has a bunch of tickets still available for $5000 and more. On Friday, the average seat price was $10,385, the highest ever. A seat in the '72 Club can still be had for only $49,000. The best is still going for $385,000!
- Demi Lovato will sing the national anthem, while Jennifer Lopez and Shakira will headline the halftime show.
- Did you know that this is the NFL's 100th season?
But, ah, who cares about them. Those propositions, or prop bets, are most worthy of mention.
- Will Jennifer Lopez show butt cleavage during the halftime show? Yes (+500), No (-1000)
- How many times will Alex Rodriguez (engaged to Lopez) be shown during that halftime show? At least once (+325), None (-550)
- Will Jennifer Lopez and Shakira twerk during the show? Yes (+160), No (-130)--and if you're so out of it that you don't know what twerking means, click on THIS.
- What color will be the Gatorade shower? Lime/Green/Yellow (+275), Purple (+1400), Orange ?
- How many times will Donald Trump tweet on Super Bowl Sunday? Over 13.5 (+130), Under 13.5 (-170)
- How many ads will include a dog? Over 3.5 (-120), Under 3.5 (+120)
The above was mentioned by the Miami New Times. There are countless others, a lot crazier, and even warped.
Incidentally, most don't know what these "American" odds represent. Suppose you bet $10. Here is what you'll win, including your $10:
- +500 = total of $60
- -1000 = total of $11...or the odds are extremely high that Jen will not show cleavage
- +325 = total of $42.50
- -550 = total of $11.80
Go to this site to make your own calculations. The Chiefs are at -120 ($18.30) and 49ers even ($20, but), if your team wins. The "but," refers to casinos. You almost surely will end up getting somewhat less than $20 back on an even money bet.25 million Americans will bet more than $6 billion. Can you bet on the Super Bowl online? Sure you can. Here are some supposedly safe sites:
If you're worried about the legality:
Because there are no federal restrictions to legal sports betting in the United States, betting on the Super Bowl is in fact legal. The spread of legalization is occurring quickly, as over a fifth of all states have established rules and regulations. As we progress forward in the post-PASPA years, we should expect to see betting options widespread throughout the country in more than half of the states. If your state is one of the anti-gambling ones, or has not yet made progress towards legalization, there are still viable options for you.
Consider using an offshore betting site to host your Super Bowl betting needs. These sites, as long as they are located outside of the country, are legal to use for US players. The majority of states permit online gambling but be sure to check on the site’s terms and conditions page for any restrictions. We recommend using BetOnline, SportsBetting, 5Dimes, and Bovada, as these operators have been in business for many years, proving their excellent customer service and reliable banking options.
Finally, those super bowl commercials. This is the only program where I watch the ads more than the game itself. Here is one list of some to be expected, including the Planters' Road Trip where Mr. Peanut plummets to his death.
It is with heavy hearts that we confirm that Mr. Peanut has died at 104. In the ultimate selfless act, he sacrificed himself to save his friends when they needed him most. Please pay your respects with #RIPeanut
In any case, Fox is charging as much as $5.6 million for a 30-second spot. Donald Trump and Michael Bloomberg will appear to plug themselves. Each will run for one full minute.
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