Super Bowls are about many things, one of which is money. Will smart money place a bet on Super Bowl LIII? Let’s take a look:
Any Super Bowl ostensibly pits the best team in the American Conference against its National Conference counterpart. This year one contestant, the Patriots, is beyond any doubt the best team in the AFC. Only other contender was the KC Chiefs, but the Patriots put any doubt of their superiority to rest on the Chiefs’ home field. The Patriots RULE in the AFC.
Things are not so self-evident across the way in the NFC. The best teams there were the Saints and the late-blooming Eagles, with Foles under center. The Eagles had their chance but were unable to defeat the best team in the NFC. The mighty Saints won that game, beyond any doubt, fair and square.
Thereafter, of course, the Saints were required to perform perfunctory duty and dispatch the LA Rams in order to claim their rightful place atop the heap in the NFC. But the worst non-call in NFL history resulted in a Rams “victory”.
Question is, would you risk money betting on a game whose fairness is so patently in question? Clearly the “powers that be” at NFL HQ in NYC wanted the Rams to prevail over the superior Saints. It’s about money. LA, big market franchise the league is wanting to grow. Poor New Orleans: small market and already maxed out. LA, mostly indifferent fan base, a place where half the fans at a home game oftentimes are rooting for the visiting team. New Orleans, fan base is already wildly and enthusiastically behind their team. Something needed to be done.
The answer: ensure LA goes to SuperBowl LIII. The question: would you bet money on this game, outcome of which could already be predetermined? You might do better in Vegas. At least in Vegas there is some chance the games are fair.
Word is the entire country, outside New England, is rooting for the Rams and against the Pats. I live outside New England and I’m rooting for Belichick, Brady, Gronk, and the Pats. Why? Because the Pats earned the right to be in this game fair and square. And with me that counts for a whole lot.