Vegas Spared any Big Surprises in Super Bowl Madness
Rick Langenberg
Alright, we are not going to lie or hold back the pain.
Super Bowl 60 was a complete bust, with the only highlight consisting of the controversy over the halftime show. We are now stuck with the question of What If? What if Mother Nature would have cooperated more during the AFC championship duel, and the Broncos would have prevailed over the Patriots, like they should have. What if Bo Nix had not incurred a season-ending injury in the final seconds of the Division showdown against the Bills? The Big Game turned into another boring ordeal, and an all-out rout.
And yes, TMJ’s list of pseudo experts got this one way wrong, when it came to the final score during our annual pre-Super Bowl edition. In fact, our pigskin star predictors need to hold onto their day jobs, and refrain from any serious wagering.
But on the upside, a few local football experts came close, and meanwhile, some, including scribes from TMJ got it terribly wrong.
Top Arm-Chair Quarterbacks on Super Bowl Sunday
George Jones, Woodland Park City Council Member and 2026 Woodland Park Mayoral Candidate
“Seattle in a rout! While New England has a beefy D Line, it will be Seattle’s dynamic offense that wins the day. The Seattle D will stymie NE’s offense and Super Bowl fans will yawn as they search for an unwatched ‘Chopped’ episode.”
Seahawks 34, Patriots 10
(Not bad, George, and an outstanding analysis. In fact, if Seattle had not tried to coast at the end, this could have been the winning combination, right on the mark. Will see if George can predict what happens to Woodland Park, when he becomes mayor within the next few months, with the same level of accuracy.
Jason Nichols, Co-Owner of Jess’ Place Pool Hall
“The Seahawks will win unless it snows (or they have to play in any kind of inclement weather). The good weather team is the Seahawks.”
Seahawks 35, Patriots 14
(Another stellar prediction by Jason, who assumed a calm and collective mentality in overseeing the game at Jess’ Pool Hall on Super Bowl Sunday. Jason, however, is not that calm when the KC Chiefs are involved.)
Another good pick was made by Ralph Ostlund of Divide, a local contractor and ski expert (until a TMJ member tried to kill him on the slopes, in a fall that could have rivaled that of Lindsey Vonn.
Ralph Ostlund, Local Contractor, Former Olympic Skier (Until a fated trip with TMJ’s Editor)
“Seahawks in a rout. It won’t even be close, and they will load up the board with plenty of points.”
Seahawks 38, Patriots 10
(Ralph definitely captured the overall theme of Super Bowl 60, even if he may have exaggerated the extent of the Seahawk massacre.)
Losers of Super Bowl Sunday
We got plenty, with most arm-chair hurlers getting the correct winning team, but badly hedging their bets on a close game. Then there were some complete, embarrassing losers, especially staff members of TMJ. Here are a few samples of how not to bet, on Super Bowl Sunday.
Trevor Phipps, Sports Reporter/TMJ Bail Bondsman
“Just like everyone else, I think the easy pick here would be to choose the Seahawks. The hawks have battled hard all season, and I think it’s fair to say that they are the best all-around team in the league. But everyone seems to forget that the Patriots had the same record at the end of the season. You could argue that the Pats had an easier schedule than the Sea-Chickens, which led to their success. However, I feel the Patriots showed during the playoffs that they can hang against tough teams. I feel like the Patriots would have beaten the Broncos by a larger margin had the weather not dished out brutal blizzard conditions. Therefore, I think the Patriots will get the upset and pick up the win in the end. Plus, I have always liked the idea of rebelling against the crowd.”
Patriots 37, Seahawks 34
(Ouch. Yes, next time Trevor needs to go with the easy pick. Throughout the season, Trevor has provided great analysis, but has come way short on winning picks, with many spotting this trend and logically siding for the opposite team which Trevor favored to win. Smart move).
Rick Langenberg, TMJ Editor
“The better team is Seattle, but going with the Pats, as they are the more favorable Cinderella team, and always enjoy the underdogs. Sound familiar Bronco fans, as this is what we faced all year with so-called NFL Insiders and experts treating us with no respect and getting it wrong and never admitting they are idiots. Wait until next year, when mighty Bo returns. Plus, hate the Seahawks for what they did to the Broncos in the 2014 Super Bowl.”
Patriots 27, Seahawks 21
(Well, I guess the curse of the 2014 Super Bowl prevailed, a sight that still haunts former Colt and Bronco-great Peyton Manning. Terrible pick. Next time, need to use more logic.)
In conclusion, thanks for everyone that took a chance and let us know who they really favored in Super Bowl 60 and why. Hopefully, Super Bowl 61 will feature the Denver Broncos as the game unfolds in Inglewood, California. Looking forward to next year’s season.
