Today is Super Bowl LIII – between the New England Patriots and the Los Angeles Rams. I’m pretty sure this the the first time both teams got to the Super Bowl via overtime wins in the Conference Championship games. This year’s game will be played in Atlanta.
Originally the “Super Bowl” participants were the champions of the NFL (National Football League) and the AFL (American Football League.) When the two leagues merged, they formed the NFC (National Football Conference) and the AFC (American Football Conference) and the game is played each year between the champions of these conferences.
The original Super Bowl was officially called The AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Even though “Super Bowl” has been used unofficially from the beginning, the term wasn’t officially recognized by the league until a few year later — the name first appeared on the cover of the program in 1969 and on the tickets in 1970. The first game was held in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on January 15, 1967 (the Green Bay Packers defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10.)
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Super Bowl Sunday is America’s “second-largest food consumption day.” Only Thanksgiving Day beats it.
The team that has lost the most Super Bowls would be…. Denver (lost five.)
The first Super Bowl halftime show consisted of two marching bands, trumpeter Al Hirt, two men in jet packs, and 300 pigeons.
The only player named the game’s MVP, that was on the losing team was Chuck Howley, a linebacker for the Cowboys. (1971 in Super Bowl V — Dallas lost to the Baltimore Colts.)
Roman numerals are used to number the Super Bowl because the football season falls in two calendar years.
The NFC team is designated the “home” team in odd-numbered Super Bowls, The AFC team is the “home” in even-numbered Super Bowls.
There has never been a shutout in the Super Bowl. (The fewest points scored was 3 — by Miami. They lost to Dallas 24-3 in 1972.)
Cleveland is the only current NFL city that has neither hosted a Super Bowl or seen its own team make an appearance in one.
The Miami Dolphins won the Super Bowl in 1973. Don Shula (Miami’s coach) was being carried off the field and a fan reached up to shake his hand — and stole his watch.
You my have noticed that the Redskins weren’t mentioned once in this blog — so — I don’t really have a favorite…. may the best team win!
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