A Week After The Super Bowl: Unanswered Questions and Conspiracy Theories Rule Conversation

 The Super Bowl is always one of America's biggest events, but is it becoming the biggest?

by Andrew Powell | Miami SPORTS & Lifestyle

Incredible. 

Classic.

HISTORY.

                Just a few words I could use to explain the Super Bowl that we witnessed last Sunday night.

                There were so many storylines before, during and after the game, so where do I start?

                First off, the media coverage for the Super Bowl was a little ridiculous. So many predictions and guesses to “keys” and outcomes, the interviews back to back to back, and the same questions being asked over and over and over again. I turn on ESPN on Friday and what do I see on the side bar?

“Patriots ready for battle”

“Marquee matchup” 

 “Brady vs. Legion of Boom"

“Seahawks game plan” 

“Wilson and Lynch key for Seattle”

                And all of that analysis wouldn’t be annoying to hear if it wasn’t the same thing every day for two weeks straight. There’s only so many ways you can cover a game, and best believe the media tried to use every way they could. I love the Super Bowl, it’s a beautiful time in sports, but the build up to this game is ridiculous. I even tweeted before the game kicked off, “I wish they’d hurry up and kick the ball off. The build up to this game is a little ridiculous…”

                I was drained, ready for some football, and ready to hear and see some actual news besides every “expert” giving me the key to the game. Ultimately, it ended with an interception at the 1, a play nobody saw coming. The talk is fun, but it can become a little redundant, which then becomes annoying, and nobody can become stimulated by that…right?

                Wrong. I’m actually in the minority here. People just have to get their football fix. NFL is KING. But I’ll get back to that a little bit later. I got some stuff to talk about.

The media always analyzes the Super Bowl from head to toe for two weeks straight

   I want to get to this Pete Carroll play call.

                Now last week, Pete was trying to explain his “logic” and how it was a rational play. His explanation hit me like I was a brick wall; it bounced right off of me. I didn’t care what the explanation was; you don’t pass the ball on the 1 on 2^nd down with the best running back in the league. I love Pete Carroll, I’ve been a fan of him since his days at USC, but it was a horrible play call. I’m not going to sit here and call him an “idiot” or a “moron” unnecessarily like some other members of the media, but that call was absolutely the DUMBEST in sports history. You don’t do that at all, let alone in the SUPER BOWL. It was without a doubt the most horrendous call I’ve ever seen.

                Now there’s a theory going around that Carroll changed the play call after offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell called a running play because he wanted Russell Wilson to get the Super Bowl MVP rather than Marshawn Lynch. The theory comes from one anonymous Seahawks player who told Mike Silver from the NFL Network this information.

                The story goes like this, and I took it from Dave Zirin from The Nation because he explained it so perfectly:

                “The theory goes something like this: Russell Wilson is your young clean-cut God-fearing media-perfect quarterback. If one was creating a superstar face to market for the twenty-first century, chances are they would look, sound and basically be Russell Wilson. He’s Derek Jeter with a Bible, someone who comes across like he has never spoken out of turn in his entire life. Marshawn Lynch is… Marshawn Lynch, and if you haven’t figured out what that means after the past two weeks, then you haven’t been paying attention.

                The theory goes that there were major financial, public relations and football reasons for Russell Wilson and not Lynch to be the one who ends the game in glory. If he throws that touchdown for the victory, Wilson is almost certainly the Super Bowl MVP. He gets the commercial. He gets to stand with the commissioner. And oh, by the way, he also gets his new contract, one that will fasten his prime, at only 26 years old, to the Seattle franchise. Marshawn Lynch is also due a new contract. Marshawn Lynch, had he punched that ball over the goal line, would probably get to be the one handed the MVP trophy. Marshawn Lynch also maybe gets on the mic to say Lord knows what.”

                Okay, let’s stop right there. I mentioned earlier that I would get back to the “NFL is KING” statement; it’ll be the same time that I get around to these conspiracy theories. It's a whole other topic in itself.

But first, I want to talk about Marshawn Lynch and this media storm that surrounds him.

 Marshawn Lynch won Super Bowl week with constant media coverage and even his own commercial

                A lot of media members dislike Marshawn Lynch for all of the simple statements being answered to every single question, yet the media goes back to get more. It’s like they beg for Marshawn to do this, and then turn around and criticize him. Technically, I’m considered a part of the media, and I love the guy! Why criticize him? It’s hilarious!

                NEWSFLASH: MARSHAWN LYNCH DOESN’T LIKE TO TALK TO THE MEDIA

It’s really not that hard to see. So why go back and get more simple answers just to rip him?

He’s already made it clear, and you’re doing nothing but putting more money in his pockets while you’re sitting on your couch watching him make Super Bowl commercials making fun of himself while you're drinking a beer while he wins his second Super Bowl ring if it wasn’t for that play call. I love Marshawn Lynch. I love the whole “BEAST MODE” phenomenon. “I’m ‘bout that action, BOSS!”, “I’m just here so I won’t get fined.”, “You know why I’m here”. How could you not love that?

It’s just amazing to me that you get criticized in 2015 for being yourself. Would you rather Marshawn give generic answers like everybody else? 

These Marshawn Lynch press conferences don’t do anything but make media coverage more fun. Are your eyes glued to the television screen when Marshawn comes on the screen?

Exactly.

If he wants to be left alone, just leave him alone. That man does things on Sunday that the average human being can’t do. Embrace that, don’t rip him for meaningless press conferences and the “crotch grabbing” on the field. Some of the craziest stuff is said and done on a weekly basis on that field from everybody on every team. Don’t single out Marshawn just because he happens to be at a level of greatness that is hard to attain.

Now before I get to the next topic at hand, I just want to have a moment of silence for the dropped ball right through the hands of Jermaine Kearse late in the third quarter. If he would have made that catch, Seattle most likely would have had a three possession lead and would have cruised to a Super Bowl repeat. That kid isn’t getting any sleep this offseason at all.

 

Jermaine Kearse dropped a ball in the third quarter that could have led to a easy victory by the Seahawks

But anyways, on to this next topic:

I was comparing stats and accolades between the greatest quarterbacks of all time: Tom Brady, Joe Montana, Dan Marino, etc. because the debate has been on about who is the greatest of all time. As you know, I cover Miami sports and I’m surrounded by Dolphins fans and boy, did they let me have it when I tweeted that I thought that Tom Brady was the GOAT. I mean, come on, I’m a Dolphins fan too, but I like to be realistic, especially when it comes to facts. I’ve never been a delusional fan, and I’m not going to start now no matter how much I love the Dolphins.

This is what you have to look at for Tom Brady:

• Four Super Bowl Rings
• Three Super Bowl MVP’s
• Two Regular Season MVP’s
• Six AFC Championships

When you look at those statistics right there, how can you sit there and tell me with a straight face that Tom Brady isn’t the greatest of all time?

I love Dan Marino, but he doesn’t even one have one ring on his resume. I’ve heard his name thrown around a lot along with Joe Montana and Tom Brady. Montana is the only legit debate I see when you compare the resume to Brady. Joe Montana also has four Super Bowls (4-0), three Super Bowl MVP’s and two regular season MVP’s on his resume, but the thing that separates Joe Montana and Tom Brady for me is the salary cap. 

Back when Montana played, there wasn’t a salary cap in the NFL. Edward DeBartolo, Jr. , the owner at the time of the San Francisco 49ers, is best known for his free-spending years with the franchise and for winning five Super Bowls, so Joe always had talent around him with DeBartolo’s checkbook. Tom Brady made six and won four with a cap, where every team in the NFL is equal. I’ve been debating this with people and even myself for the past few days on who is the greatest of all time. It’s close, but I do have Tom Brady with Joe Montana being second.

 

Tom Brady wins his fourth Super Bowl and third Super Bowl MVP

And I know Dolphins fans are really going to hate me for this one, but can we please give the Patriots some props? 

It’s just incredible what Tom Brady and the Patriots organization have done. Cheaters or not, making six Super Bowls and winning four of them is pretty impressive. They deal with all of the media hoopla and the criticism and still overcome it all to win championships. I don’t want to speak much on the Patriots, I’m not that big of a fan nor do I have much respect for them, but I do want to give them a little props. The New England Patriots have been one of sport’s greatest dynasties in the history of any game, if not the greatest.

Now let’s get to what I was talking about earlier, these conspiracy theories. I wanted to save this topic for last because this one intrigues me the most. There are so many conspiracy theories that surround the NFL, but let’s talk about the one that I mentioned earlier about Pete Carroll making that play call because he wanted Russell Wilson to win the Super Bowl MVP rather than Marshawn Lynch. 

I was listening to Colin Cowherd the other day and a member from the audience called in and was telling Colin how the NFL is rigged. Colin just laughed it off and called him “crazy”, but is it so crazy?

As far as the Pete Carroll theory, I could definitely see that being true. When you take into account that column from Dave Zirin and how dumb that play call was, how could you not consider that theory?

When you also throw into the pot the Vine of Marshawn Lynch laughing right after the interception in a cocky way, how could you not think about the possibility?

Is the explanation that Pete Carroll gave really true?

Or is the conspiracy that’s being thrown around the real truth?

We’ll never know the full 100% truth, but after all of the dark cloud news that I’ve heard surrounding the NFL and how they’re a corrupt corporation who cares about nothing but money, why would I put it past a NFL team to do that?

 

After a questionable Pete Carroll call, Malcolm Butler intercepts Russell Wilson to clinch the Super Bowl for the Patriots

You take Russell Wilson and you build a brand out of him. A brand that’s friendly with sports fans, kids and the mothers of the kids. You build a face of a franchise that is surrounded by so much talent already and still is capable of building a dynasty. You win big, and you cash in even bigger. I could definitely see Pete Carroll, owner Paul Allen and GM John Schneider having a meeting sometime in the middle of the season conspiring this genius plan, because it really is a genius plan. It would have been even more genius if it would’ve worked. If it was true that is.

I could just imagine how Pete Carroll was feeling before that play, knowing that he was about to repeat and Russell Wilson was going to get the Super Bowl MVP. The plan that he had conspired with Allen and Schneider was about to come true with a dream ending, and those two in the suites just watching their dream becoming a reality. The visual has become their reality.

And then the New England Patriots intercept the ball, ending it all, and Tom Brady is the one holding up the Super Bowl trophy, for a fourth time. Tom Brady is the one winning the Super Bowl MVP, his third. Karma is a bleep.

To go from the feeling of “we’re building a giant brand and are about to repeat as champions” to “oh no… It was intercepted………..it’s over” had to be the worst feeling they’ve ever felt. Me, myself, was sitting there watching the game rooting on the Seahawks. When that ball was intercepted, I hated how I felt after I got over the initial shock of what happened, so there’s no telling really how they felt. I still can’t get Pete Carroll’s look on his face out of my mind.

Once again, the whole theory is just that: A theory. But I could see it being true, and if it were true, that play call makes perfect sense with genius intentions even though it’s pretty cold to Marshawn Lynch. But hey, the NFL has made it very clear that this is a business

 

Miko Grimes, wife of Brent Grimes (CB - Miami Dolphins), goes on a Twitter rant about the NFL's ways of business

And that brings me to a similar topic, but an even bigger one that I’ve heard from so many people. I mean, the amount of people is staggering that say:

“The NFL is rigged.”

Now I’m not sure if the NFL is rigged, I’ve thought about it myself, but what I do know is that the NFL is a $10 billion a year business, and when something is that big and making that much money, how could you not think about the possibility of it being manipulated somehow?

I can understand the conspiracy theories, but I personally don’t believe that the NFL is “rigged”. I’ve had these debates for awhile now, and my response always is this: If the NFL is rigged, why would the players constantly complain about how the league does business and consistently grumble about the non-guaranteed money and the Thursday night football games?

“Well, it’s all for the media.”      

    

“It’s all about the money and players are getting paid under the table.”

“The Illuminati runs it for public control and Roger Goodell is a ‘reptilian’.”

…

Those are just a few of the responses that I’ve received, and look, I can understand the government conspiracies and the whole Illuminati thing. I have a few theories myself when it comes to how things are run in Washington and across the world, but to go as far to say the NFL is rigged? 

It’s understandable why somebody would feel that way, considering the numbers and how popular the NFL is, but there’s just so much that goes into it, and so many complaints from so many different people besides players about how the NFL is run. You have a great number of players that dedicate their lives from a young age through high school and college to the NFL, and I’m pretty sure not every single player is going to sign their lives away for money. Players want to WIN. I’m not going to sit here like Colin did and call people crazy for their theories, I can understand the questioning, but you have to look at both sides before you make such a big statement like that. 

To say something is rigged?

 

 That’s a lot.

 

 With MLB's popularity decreasing and the NCAA going through scrutiny, the NFL appears to be a king with no competition

What I know for sure is this: The NFL is KING, and will remain king for a very long time, if not forever. By 2027, the NFL has a goal of making $25 billion a year. The power and force that comes along with a multi-billion dollar business is unprecedented, rarely seen by even some of the most elite companies out there. The NFL has it. The popularity is staggering, and only keeps increasing. Every game is on national television affiliates, everybody is constantly looking for their next football fix.

That’s why we have the constant theories and questions that surround the NFL. When something is this big and powerful, it will always be questioned.

It’s been a week now since the Super Bowl has happened, and people are still talking about all of the headlines. There’s a thousand different topics each week that get analyzed at every single pixel in the NFL. Personally, everything that I’ve covered in this column, is absolutely stimulating to me. This league is so entertaining, and the headlines make for the greatest entertainment.

Nobody has headlines like the NFL, and nobody makes money like the NFL. Rigged or not, people are going to constantly be interested in what’s going on in this league, always looking for that fix. The NFL has a season of games, but it’s an all year around sport to many people.

It rules America, and is spreading across the world, popularity increasing at dramatic levels. The NFL is king. Why else would I be asked to do an article about the NFL a week after the Super Bowl?

The NFL, man. Everybody and their mama cares from every different kind of family. It’s crazy.

See you guys next season.

And hang in there, Miami fans.

The future is nothing but pure stimulation when it comes to the NFL, no matter what team you’re a fan of, and I didn’t even get to talk about everything that I wanted. This column is LONG…as I’m sure you agree. But that’s the NFL.

So much stimulation.

Like I said earlier, see you guys next season.

I know I will. 

No matter how much your team loses, no matter how much you think it’s rigged.

I know I will.

And by the way, this Super Bowl had the highest ratings in the history of any U.S. broadcast.

Do I need to say it again?

The NFL is KING. 

It’s one of the most powerful empires we’ve seen since Caesar, but this one has no end in sight.

None at all.

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Andrew Powell is the owner/founder of Miami SPORTS & Lifestyle. He is also the editor, a sports writer and opinionated columnist. He is featured on Miami SPORTS & Lifestyle Radio. You can follow him on Twitter @andrewrpowell.