Lou Pickney's Online Commentary
Super Bowl Celebration
Monday
January 27, 2003
The Tampa Bay Bucs are the NFL Super Bowl Champions. There's a definite excitement and electricity in the air here in Tampa in this early AM on Monday morning, though no rioting or looting or pillaging. Meanwhile in Oakland they're setting fires in the street and what not.
In e-mails to friends I predicted a Bucs win, though I think at least some of that was just hopeful thinking. One prediction that did come true was the Over winning in the Over/Under (the line was a mere 44 points). I didn't wager anything on the Super Bowl, unfortunately. Unlike roulette, or craps, or slot machines, there's a much higher probability for skill level coming into play with sports betting. And I'm still waiting for a casino to combine gambling and sports video games... Think you're good at Madden? Put $100 on the line (for a $90 payoff) and take on someone in a casino-controlled setting. The house keeps $10, and you get to enjoy the most intense video game setting of your life. Harrah's, are you listening?
It was interesting watching much of the Super Bowl from the Irish Pub in Ybor City. Raiders fans need not apply. At halftime I called my friend Gary Graham, who's an Oakland fan. He was none too happy about the game. I barely said hello and he was saying "I know why you called...." Hahahaha. Actually I didn't call to talk smack -- I'm a firm believer in waiting until AFTER the final gun sounds to do that. Just ask my friend Bob Lonergan what happens when you "make the round" of congratulatory/celebratory calls too early (Giants collapse vs. the 49ers in this year's playoffs).
Let me tell you, it's 2:35 AM, and I'm just killing time waiting for the Jimmy Kimmel show to come on ABC. The local ABC affiliate covered the post-game until 1:40 AM. That of course made for some unintentional comedy, like John Thomas being goaded several times into showing off his Bucs' tattoo by the anchors as he reported live from the second floor of the Rare Olive in Ybor City. And like the final time when they threw to the WFTS crew out in San Diego, who clearly all wanted to get the hell out of there (with comments like "we're the last crew here" and "we've covered it until there's really nothing left to say"). This is the sort of thing you won't see in POP (Proof Of Performance) promos. It's a notch below telethons in landing those unintentional comedy moments -- in telethons, anchors and reporters are likely to say ANYTHING after spending hours on end on the air.
Okay, Jimmy Kimmel Live is finally on... More later.
Alright, I just watched the first segment... and I laughed my ass off. Kimmel is tremendous. You can see Bill Simmons' influence all over this show, from booking Snoop Dogg to making fun of celebrities (including Arnold Schwarzenegger with his nonsensical babbling before the Super Bowl). And the stuff with Penn & Teller with the pickle jar was tremendous. "We're about to go to war with two countries, and our Marines are guarding pickles." The show looks like a solid hit...
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