By Ryan “The Goose”
Super Bowl Sunday is upon us, and it certainly cracks the Top 5 most bittersweet days of the year. It is the greatest spectacle any sport puts on but symbolizes the end of football until August. It regularly attracts well over 100 million viewers year-in-year-out. It will far exceed that number especially with the addition of the Swifties to the viewership audience. The Super Bowl has something for everyone. Between the player stories, food, your party orders, commercials, halftime show, and of course, the game. This year is not expected to disappoint. Many viewed the San Francisco 49ers as the best team all season long and position-by-position, they are likely the most talented. Coach Kyle Shanahan is coaching his 3rd SB, 2nd as a head coach, and 1 as an offensive coordinator in the famous 28-3 game in 2016. When Shanahan took this 49ers team to the SB in 2019 against the Kansas City Chiefs, they held a 10-point lead in the 4th quarter and looked poised to win their 1st title since 1994. However, Patrick Mahomes played a perfect 4th quarter and SF QB Jimmy Garoppolo overthrew WR Emmanuel Sanders with just under 2 minutes left that would have set up the game-winning touchdown. On the other side, the Kansas City Chiefs roll into their 4th SB appearance in 5 seasons and are seeking their 3rd title. They have the advantage in this game because they have Patrick Mahomes and San Francisco does not. He and Travis Kelce have created arguably the greatest connection in NFL history. What is different about this iteration of the Chiefs is their defense as it has been slept on all season long. They are ranked as the 2nd best defense in football in total defense and scoring. Steve Spagnuolo, their defensive coordinator, is the mastermind behind it all. He is already a 3-time Super Bowl-winning coach. He is the only coordinator to win the SB with two different franchises (KC and NY Giants). The Chiefs have played their best football lately while San Francisco has fought off massive scares in each playoff game. The superstars and talent in this game are insane. Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Isiah Pacheco, Chris Jones, L’Jarius Sneed, Christian McCaffery, Deebo Samuel, Nick Bosa, Trent Williams, Fred Warner, Dre Greenlaw. The list goes on and on. If Kansas City wins, it solidifies a dynasty that has had arguably the best 5-year stretch in NFL history. If San Francisco wins, it validates Kyle Shanahan and his brilliant coaching. The only thing he is missing from his resume is that elusive Super Bowl. It is bound to be an amazing game, so grab your snacks, forget your diet, sit back, and enjoy the best show in sports. Check out my sports show: “Game Time with The Goose” every Saturday from 8:00 to 9:00 AM on WTBQ AM 1110 FM 93.5 and on WGHT Radio with co-host Zach Kruk, Sports Director of WTBQ and WGHT!
