Like many, when I first heard of the tragic death of Kobe Bryant I could not believe it. Kobe was one of the greatest athletes in American history. He was indestructible, or so it seemed. He was a high school All-American and Naismith Award winner who skipped college and went directly to the Lakers. An All-Star and MVP. An Olympic Gold Medal winner and Oscar-winning film producer. More than that, he was a loving husband and devoted father. He was a man of faith who truly practiced his religious beliefs and a true humanitarian He represented the best in American athletics.
The loss of his daughter Gigi and two of her Mamba teammates along with their parents and a talented coach and mother further compounds the crash into an almost unbearable tragedy.
Kobe is to be immediately inducted into the Professional Basketball Hall of Fame. He will also be remembered for his talent, hard work, sportsmanship, and human decency. He will be an inspiration to all young athletes.
Super Bowl LIV
Super Bowl Sunday will finally arrive this coming weekend and this week every minute aspect of the event will be put under the media microscope as reporters and talking heads try to find some obscure angle to hand their hats on. Miami will be the center of the sporting world and controversy will ensue as what color the 49er uniforms will be, and does Patrick Mahomes like Rocky Road Ice cream? Is Jennifer Lopez going to put on the most spectacular half-time show ever? What brand of beer do I serve at my Super Bowl party? All these questions and many others will be asked by anyone with a blog, mic, and column inches to fill.
The Super Bowl has become the first gigantic event of any new year. It livens up our lives as for what in the northern hemisphere is the dreariest time of year. It’s about having some indoor fun when the outdoors is freezing.
As to the game, lots of emphasis will be on the fact that this is the 100th season of the NFL. Also that the Kansas City Chiefs played and lost to the Vince Lombardi coached Green Bay Packers in January of 1967. They beat the Minnesota Vikings in their second appearance in January of 1970. So this is the first time in 60 years that the Chiefs are here. The 49ers have made 6 previous Super Bowl appearances and have won 5 of them so they know what’s at stake.
The 49ers have one of the great defenses in the league, led by super cornerback Richard Sherman. The Chiefs have Patrick Mahomes at quarterback and right now he is the best there is, at least in my humble opinion. That means I am going with the Chiefs and Mahomes as a very slight favorite, and you can take that to the bank. They will laugh in your face and call security, but you can take it. So have an enjoyable weekend and we’ll talk again next week.
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