Starting Five

Too much to talk about with XLIX and some of us are a little devastated from the weekend –and we swear, we did not even party– so today’s offering will be brief. We’ll credit your account going forward.

 

1. The Play’s The Thing

Russell Wilson’s throw could have been better.

Malcolm Butler (“The Butler Did It!”) made a phenomenal and preternaturally instinctive play.

But here’s the thing: When you line up Marshawn Lynch outside the tackles, as Seattle did, you advertise that this will be a pass. Which allows Butler to cheat up on what he thinks the play will be, which he had seen before from that formation in practice.

And here’s the other thing: In big moments, and what could be bigger, do the sure thing. I’m reminded of Coach Norman Dale, with his Hickory High squad needing a basket to win the state title, drawing up a play in which the star, Jimmy Chitwood, is the decoy. And the five players in the huddle exchange WTF looks (although we didn’t refer to it as that back then). And finally Dale notices and asks what’s wrong and Chitwood just says, “Coach, I’ll make it.”

Maybe if Seattle had taken a timeout, the 11 Seahawks in the huddle would have persuaded  coach Pete Carroll and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to give Beast Mode the ball. Or even better, imagine if Russell had simply ignored the call from the sideline and called Beast Mode’s number.

He probably wishes he had.

2. Dadvertising

That was theme of this year’s Super Bowl ads, as Nissan demonstrated that it’s okay to be an absentee father if you pick up your son in a rad set of wheels. Oh, yeah? Tell that to Cameron.

My top three ads? 1) “Worst Draft Ever,” by the Avocado people 2) “Advice from 100 Year Olds” by Dodge and 3) “Skittles,” because they didn’t pay a thing (or did they?) to have NBC show Marshawn Lynch dipping into a cup of the candies as Al Michaels mentioned it.

3. Around the Whorin’*

If the most scandalous report out of Phoenix this weekend is that Warren Sapp committed aggravated Greg Anthony, you might say that it was an extremely tame Super Bowl weekend. Or, perhaps you could just say that NFL data shows that concussions are down 25% this season, if you know what I mean.

TMZ reporting that Sapp has been released by NFL Network.

*Thanks, GA

4. Sundance Awards

Movies that will soon be playing at an independently owned theater near you that sells cappuccino a the concession stand….The winner of both the Audience Award and the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize (just how dramatic are they?) was a film titled Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, which will never fit on a marquee at the octoplex.

5. Legion of Boone

So now I know why they call it a “trail run”: because I was trailing everyone.

Somewhat too ambitiously, I registered for the 15-mile XTERRA Trail Run that took place in the McDowell Mountains Regional Park northeast of Phoenix on the morning of Super Bowl Sunday. Then I told obstacle racer extraordinaire and devoted Seahawk fan Amelia Boone about it because I assumed she’d be heading to the game.

That worm needed very little dangling. Amelia promptly signed up and kicked the trail’s ass, finishing first overall among female entrants. I finished just in time to witness Katy Perry’s menage a shark. When it comes to arduous races, no one does Beast Mode quite like Boone.

Remote Patrol

College Hoops Doubleheader

ESPN 7 & 9 p.m.

No. 3 Virginia, who you just KNEW would lose their first game of the season at home to Duke on Saturday, now must travel to Chapel Hill. The No. 12 Tar Heels blew an 18-point lead to Colonel Pitino and Louisville on Saturday. In the night cap, No. 8 Kansas hosts No. 11 Iowa State, which beat the Jayhawks in Ames nine days ago. (I did all of that without looking up a single fact; does it show?)