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“Super Bowl–Bad Game–Bad TV Ratings”

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Super Bowl Sunday was a huge disappointment…Tampa Bay bombed Kansas City.

The much watched TV commercials left something to be desired.

And the TV ratings were historically low, really low.

The nationwide rating was the lowest since 1969.
The total viewership was the lowest since 2007.

Was it just a result of a bad game?  No, because the ratings the first hour were poor, when everyone should have been amped to see Tom Brady-vs-Patrick Mahomes.

Was it because it became a blowout game so early?  No, because the anemic numbers were consistent thru all four hours.

Was it because there was a tone down in the content of the creative commercials everyone always likes to watch?  Maybe.

Or was it America’s fatigue, with the Covid virus…Death rates…Trump’s war…Capitol Hill…Unemployment?  Add all those things together, maybe the reason was the numbers were horribly low…just like the Chiefs  performance was horribly bad.

Each of sports marquee TV events had major TV ratings drops; the NFL fell the least amount.

Baseball was down 29%…NBA-41%…NHL 61%…all those games played ‘out of season’.

The New York Times with an analysis of Sunday night television.

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Sunday’s Super Bowl was watched by just 91.6 million people on CBS, the lowest number of viewers for the game on traditional broadcast television since 2006. A total of 96.4 million people watched when other platforms — like the CBS All Access streaming service and mobile phone apps — were counted, the lowest number of total viewers since 2007.

Still, the Super Bowl will surely be the most watched television program of 2021, and the N.F.L. is expected to see a huge increase in television rights fees when it signs several new television distribution agreements over the next year.

After peaking at 114 million television viewers in 2015, television ratings for the Super Bowl have declined in five of the past six years. The 9 percent decline in television viewership from last year’s Super Bowl is roughly in line with season-long trends. N.F.L. games this season were watched by 7 percent fewer people than the season before.

Many of the necessary ingredients for a bonanza Super Bowl were present. The game featured an intriguing matchup between the two most popular quarterbacks in football, Tom Brady of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs. The weather Sunday was freezing across much of the country, which traditionally drives people inside to be entertained by their televisions.
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But the game itself failed to deliver, all but ending by the third quarter when the Buccaneers led, 31-9, with no fourth-quarter scoring or hint of a competitive game. Viewership is measured as the average of the audience watching at each minute of the game; the longer a game is competitive and viewers stay tuned in, the better.

The hype and marketing machine surrounding the game was also changed by the coronavirus pandemic. The N.F.L. credentialed about 4,000 fewer media members for the Super Bowl compared with last year, meaning fans saw less media live from the Super Bowl ahead of the game. Fans were discouraged from gathering for parties, and instead of staying home and watching alone, it seems many just did something else. Just 38 percent of all households with a television were tuned to the game, the lowest percentage since 1969, according to Nielsen.

The N.F.L. joins almost every other sport in seeing viewership declines over the past year. The pandemic shut down the sporting world for months in the spring, and when games resumed they frequently lacked energy with few or no fans in the stands. Games were often played on unusual days or at unusual times, disrupting the traditional sports viewership calendar.

Viewership for the N.B.A. finals was down 49 percent and for the Stanley Cup finals was down 61 percent. It is not just sports. Compared to this time last year, viewership of all broadcast television — CBS, NBC, ABC and Fox — is down 20 percent during prime time. In that context, a 7 percent season drop and a 9 percent Super Bowl drop is a comparatively decent showing for the N.F.L.

Importantly, it also won’t slow down the N.F.L.’s march toward lucrative new television contracts. All indications — including deals made by other leagues and the competitive demand among networks and streaming services — suggest that the league will sign new agreements over the next year with a significant increase in average annual value.

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“Memories of Marty Ball”

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The end came quickly..late Monday night at a hospice care center in Charlotte…sadly.  Alzheimers, the one opponent he could not game plan for.

The end came quickly too as a longtime head coach in NFL-cruelly.

Marty Schottenheimer, the 21-year veteran head coach, leaves a lasting legacy in the National Football League as we reflect after his passing.

Is there a way to describe the old-school AFL-linebacker, who played nearly a decade for the Buffalo Bills and then finished up with the Steelers?

Intelligent.  Fiery.  Passionate. Compassionate.  Dignified. Firebrand.  So many words come flooding back.

So does his career record (200-126-1), all those accomplishments, but all those end of season disappointments.

I dealt with Schottenheimer, when he was the coach of the enemy (Chiefs) and when he was the coach of our team (Chargers.

I was aghast when struggling owner Alex Spanos hired the hated rival coach from the AFC-West team in Kansas City.  And it was Alex who hired Schottenheimer, not his son Dean, after Dean had allowed the franchise to sink in Mission Bay, by letting go of the other top coach he once employed Bobby Ross.

Martyball’s philosophy.  Simple.  Run the damn ball.  Play balls-out defense.

Schottenheimer took over a sagging Cleveland Browns team in the post-Brian Sipe era when age and injury wrecked the team.  Here came Bernie Kosar and there was a (44-27) record on the Lakefront.

He went to Kansas City with Carl Peterson, and rebuilt the Chiefs, who were drawing 28,000-fans, yes 28.000 at Arrowhead Stadium.  When they were done they were drawing 76,000-fans and you could not buy a ticket enroute to his (101-58) record.  That duo saved Chiefs football.

There was a stop in Washington, that made no sense.  Daniel Snyder kept interfering, Marty stopped listening, and went (8-3) at the end of his only season, then exited.

In San Diego he was gifted Drew Brees, then Philip Rivers arrived, then LaDainian Tomlinson, Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson and a bunch of street free agents who relished leadership they got from him, going (47-33).  Horribly terminated after a (14-2) season on a team that looked built for the Super Bowl.

The history book will show however a failure after failure in the playoffs, a hard to imagine (5-13) postseason record.  Upsets at Arrowhead when they were the top seed.  Beatings on the road including a (17-0)…7-sacks Sunday afternoon loss to the Bolts.

Schottenheimer was haunted by bad breaks.

The “Drive”..John Elway’s length of the field drive in the mud in a last second Broncos win in Cleveland.

The “Fumble”…Ernest Byner, tough guy running back, fumbling at the one going in for a game sealing victory TD that turned into another bitter defeat to Denver.

In San Diego, the “Mistake”… on their way to a win against Bill Belichick and New England, Marlon McCree picks off a pass that would lock up the win,but running up the field, fumbles the ball.  Tom Brady ties it, then wins it.  Nate Kaeding misses a chip shot field goal and a win over the Patriots becomes a loss to the Patriots.

History will also show Schottenheimer, stubborn to the core, kept getting out coached in the playoffs when it came to schemes.  What he ran in October-November-December, did not get it done in January in the playoffs.

And the record book also shows each of his relationships ended badly-sadly in struggles over player decisions with Art Modell in Cleveland, Carl Peterson in Kansas City, and then AJ Smith in San Diego.

How good was he?  He won with throwing QBs like Rivers and Kosar.  He won his heavy duty running backs like Kevin Mack-and-Byner, LT, and Christian Okoye.  He did it with dominant defenses anchored by Derrick Thomas and Neil Smith and Junior Seau.  He delivered playbooks and messages and won.

It’s odd, that Schottenheimer took part in one of the biggest games that helped the Chargers, one that killed his team.

On a cold November night in 1994, the Chargers went to Arrowhead, facing Martyball and 76,000 fans screaming the Tomahawk chant.  A game of big hits, cheapshots and lots of toughness.

Derrick Thomas and Neil Smith played like Warriors, pounding Bolts QB-Stan Humphries into the artificial turf.  Just before halftime, Thomas levelled Humphries with a blind side thunderous hit that was late.  No flag.  And as Humphries tried to get up, Smith kicked him.  No flag.  Humphries, still on the ground kicked back.  No flag.

Schottenheimer came storming off the bench onto the field, almost to the hash marks, demanding the ejection of the Bolts QB.  Stan Brock, the mountain of a man at right tackle came across the field and poked the coach in the chest Schottenheimer.  It ignited flags everywhere.
Offsetting penalties everywhere.

I will never forget seconds later, at halftime, as the Chargers went up the sidelines to the tunnel, with a ton of abuse being directed at them, coach Bobby Ross ran up the tunnel shaking his fist at Schottenheimer and the Chiefs fans.

I don’t know what Ross told his players at halftime, but the Bolts came out in the second half, ran the ball down KC’s throat and won (14-13).  That incident galvanized the team, electrified the city, and drove San Diego to the Super Bowl that year.

Schottenheimer fueled somebody else’s fire that night.  A story never to forget…wrecking the KC playoff hopes, lighting the fire in San Diego.

And the Chiefs coach would never forget something I said on sports-talk radio…me saying the Chiefs colors were ‘Bloody Nose Red-and-Chicken Bleep Yellow’.  He reminded me of that in a joking fashion after his introductory press conference.  He knew who I was and picked me out.

Of course I reminded him, that was when he was the enemy and now he was on our side.

His press conferences were fun, full of philosophies.  His experiences were exceptional.  He always had time for stories.

There was always a gleam in his eye, passion in his voice speaking to his players, and an honesty-sincerity you don’t find from everybody you cross paths with.  His phrases were catch words to live by and to play by.

“1-Day at a Time”…”1-Play at a Time”….”We-and-Us are very powerful”….”Play today so you have this memory to live with tomorow”.

You judge an NFL coach by wins and losses and accomplishments.  You judge him too by the coaches that come off his tree.  Think about who worked for him and what they became, Bill Cowher, Mike McCarthy, Tony Dungy, Bruce Arians.

Tears in his eyes..conviction in his voice…blunt honesty in his heart.

I think back to San Diego Chargers football.  We were so lucky to have access like ‘Boss Ross’ and ‘Marty Ball’ on the Lightning Bolt sidelines.

The Chargers have never come close to what they once upon time had as  Head Coaches, as people and as Leaders.

Marty Schottenheimer…gone..but never to be forgotten here.

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“Andy Reid-A Terrible Loss–An Even Worse Tragedy”

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The Kansas City Chiefs have returned home.

The pain, the sadness, the loss suffered on Super Bowl Weekend will linger for awhile.

The tragedy of the Super Bowl weekend may last their lifetime.

Andy Reid’s professional career as a coach are in neon lights for everyone to see.  All those successes.

Andy Reid’s personal life problems are there in red-white-blue police flashing lights, and no one can forget that either.

His youngest son involved in a likely drunk driving accident leaving Arrowhead Stadium, an accident that has left a 5-year old comatose and a 4-year old with serious injuries.

The youngest son has a history of substance abuse.

And the family history is haunting too.  Reid’s oldest son died in a Philadelphia Eagles training camp dormitory of a drug overdose while on Reid’s coaching staff.

The greatest moment of Reid’s life has been offset by the tragic moments he has to live with this day going forward.

A closer look at the word ‘responsibility’, and where Reid and the Kansas City Chiefs fit into all this.

The facts are the facts.

Britt Reid’s history.  Bloodshot eyes.  Slurred speech.  Failed sobriety tests.  Admittance he had at least 3-drinks that evening while at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chiefs have said their ‘heart is bleeding’ over the incident.  They have yet to reach out to the victims.

Words like culpability, tolerance, blame will now be part of the conversation around the Chiefs, replacing words like pass rush, penalties and big plays.  Add to it, the key word, responsibility.  The franchise, the owner, the coach, the father, and his troubled son.

Losing the Super Bowl seems to un-important this day considering the potential loss of life back in Kansas City.

Andy Reid’s life may be forever changed.  Not haunted by what Tom Brady did, but what both of his sons have now done.

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“Bucs bury Chiefs”

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The Super Bowl Showdown became the Super Bowl Meltdown, then the Super Bowl Beatdown.

Tampa Bay crushed the Chiefs (31-9) with dominant play everywhere on the field.

Tom Brady won his 7th Super Bowl ring, but Tampa Bay’s defense won them the Super Bowl game.

Kansas City’s glitter on offense played like garbage, and when they were done Tampa Bay put the Chiefs offense out on the curb for sanitary pickup first thing Monday morning.

Brady picked apart the KC defense, at one point leading his team to 4-TD drives in the first five possessions, the other drive stopping on downs at the KC one yard line.

The two Bucs running backs, Leonard Fournette and Ronald Jones pounded for (150Y) combined rushing.

Rob Gronkowski had 6-catches for 67-yards and crushing blocks that opened up the run game.

But it was Todd Bowles defense that choked off a Chiefs offense that had completed the season averaging (415YPG).

The Bucs defensive metrics were staggering. 2-interceptions…2-fourth down stops…3-sacks..8-hits on the KC-QB and an unheard of 23-pressures forcing Mahomes out of the pocket

And Kansas City self destructed in the 2nd quarter.  A defensive hold on 3rd down; an offsides on a 4th down punt; 2-pass interference calls; a trash-talking penalty.

The Chiefs showed things they have not shown over the last two years when they were in the midst of 25-wins in a 27-game span.

Patrick Mahomes finished with (270Y) passing, most of it when the game was over.  It’s the worst loss he has had in his short storied career.  It’s the first time since his days at Texas Tech he never got his team into the end zone. And the next coming superstar was (1-9) on third down passes till late in the game.

Travis Kelce had 10-catches for 133-yards, most of that late in the game.  Tyreek Hill had only 3-catches till late in the 3rd quarter.

Stagefright wrecked their punter Johnny Townsend who shanked punts 27-and-29 yards and dropped a long snap on another 4th down kick.

And the Chiefs wound up with 11-penalties for 125-yards.

The Chiefs had no answers for anything Tampa did.  The two backup offensive tackles were like revolving doors at a Macy’s store.  Beaten and twisted and turned around time and again by the fierce pass rush.  Remember that stat-23 pressures of their superstar QB.  Brady was sacked once, hit just twice.

Mahomes watched Hill get double teamed virtually all night.  Kelce was blanketed by Bucs linebackers till the game stumbled into the 4th quarter.

Brady is the Greatest of all time.  But how about the Bucs defense, running over 3-great quarterbacks in a row in the postseason, Drew Brees, Aaron Rodgers and now Mahomes.

And a resurrection game for the aging Gronkowski, and the refugee running back Leonard Fournette, dumped by Jacksonville, but running over people and catching passes in the Super Bowl.

The blueprint expected a shootout game on Sunday.  Instead it became a shootdown massacre on Sunday.

The way you play the day you play.  Tampa Bay beat Kansas City every-which-way.

A Super Bowl win on the Suncoast for the Bucs.

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“Super Bowl–State of NFL Address”

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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell is thankful…thankful his league got thru the entire schedule without having to cancel any games.

The scoreboard reads “NFL 1-Covid Virus 0”..as the Chiefs meet Tampa Bay on Sunday in the Super Bowl.

Goodell was open-honest-humbled and thankful answering questions.
Goodell’s quotes:

..The NFL brand is strong..we got stronger thru adversity we had
..This was an extraordinary-collective effort to play (256) games.
..We wanted to ‘Avoid the Asterisk’ and finish the season
..This season took a toll on all of us
..So much uncertainty made our decisions tough
..The safest place to be was in an NFL facility
..We learned from each crisis..Tennessee-Baltimore-Cleveland
..We were testing 7500 people-players-coaches-staff daily
..We viewed safety first over competition
..I hope the vaccine will be part of our 2021-season
..Don’t know what normal life will be like again or when it will be normal
..Relationship with the union has never been stronger
..Safety-Science drives everything we do
..Virtual learning will be part of everything in NFL in the future
..We played at an extraordinary level this year
..Best days of NFL are ahead of us
..This is best example of business leaders working together

..Coaching hires-not where we want it to be  after this cycle
..We will talk about delaying hires-interviews till after the Super Bowl
..Diversity is more than head coaches
..We had 3-minority coaches hired..3-GM minorities hire…12-coordinators
..We will spend offseason looking at OTAs-Minicamps-Training camps
..We have agreed to go to 17-game schedule
..A federal court oversees the Concussion settlement-not NFL
..We want to play International games in UK-Mexico this summer
..We must work out foreign stadium protocols for safety

..Tom Brady is the greatest player of all time..player rise when he plays
..Rams Stadium in Los Angeles is remarkable

The NFL did what no one else could, play an entire season.
They play Super Bowl Sunday in what will be a spectacular matchup.
Maybe not as spectacular as what Goodell..the doctors..the owners accomplished.

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