# 2016 Super Bowl

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [January 27, 2016, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364 "2016-01-27T14:08:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 15

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**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/281 "2016-02-08T16:47:08Z")

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The fact that Manning is not a paid spokesperson for Budweiser, and that the company was as surprised as anyone, is apparently irrelevant…?

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**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/282 "2016-02-08T16:52:00Z")

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> [@JohnT](#):
>
> The fact that Manning is not a paid spokesperson for Budweiser, and that the company was as surprised as anyone, is apparently irrelevant…?

This is a tangential but related issue. To be honest, i tend to think that this just demonstrates how heavily Manning has internalized the NFL’s corporate money-making ideology. Budweiser’s the big sponsor for the game, so Manning shows his corporate loyalty to the NFL brand by shilling the big sponsor.

The only other alternative, as \*\*Hamlet \*\*has already pointed out, is too terrible to even contemplate: it could be that Peyton Manning actually likes and drinks Budweiser. That would probably reduce my respect for him more than a whole career’s worth of corporate whoring.

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**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/283 "2016-02-08T16:55:42Z")

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Yeah Broncos!!! So happy that the underdog team won, and Peyton rides into the sunset on the shoulders of the defense and special teams.

But, this one really was a Blunder Bowl. With over 180 million viewers tuned in to watch America’s greatest sport on the biggest game’s golden anniversary, they get this? :shakes head:

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**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/284 "2016-02-08T16:57:53Z")

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> [@mhendo](#):
>
> The only other alternative, as \*\*Hamlet \*\*has already pointed out, is too terrible to even contemplate: it could be that Peyton Manning actually likes and drinks Budweiser. That would probably reduce my respect for him more than a whole career’s worth of corporate whoring.

Truly this, it could be. But he’s chasing the horse piss money.

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**Author:** ![edwards\_beard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7bcc69/32.png) [@edwards\_beard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwards_beard)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/285 "2016-02-08T16:58:39Z")

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> [@JohnT](#):
>
> The fact that Manning is not a paid spokesperson for Budweiser, and that the company was as surprised as anyone, is apparently irrelevant…?

He may not be a paid spokesperson, but I’ve seen a bunch of places reporting that he owns part of two Anheuser-Busch distributors.

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**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/286 "2016-02-08T16:59:53Z")

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> [@edwards\_beard](#):
>
> He may not be a paid spokesperson, but I’ve seen a bunch of places reporting that he owns part of two Anheuser-Busch distributors.

Yes I’ve seen that too.

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**Author:** ![MOIDALIZE](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e274bd/32.png) [@MOIDALIZE](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MOIDALIZE)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/287 "2016-02-08T17:22:40Z")

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Al Jazeera reporting that Peyton Manning was spotted crushing some Beast Ice tallboys in the parking lot after the game.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/288 "2016-02-08T17:26:16Z")

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Who gives a fuck if he’s a corporate whore? It’s not like the alternative was using the time to plead for Congress to reduce the influence of corporations in elections, or saving the rainforest, or whatever. It was that or some cliched bull about taking his retirement decision one day at a time.

Interestingly (at least to me), he gave almost the same answer verbatim on the winner’s podium that he did to the sideline reporter, except that on the podium he identified Tony Dungy by name and didn’t mention Budweiser.

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**Author:** ![zoog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7ea924/32.png) [@zoog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoog)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/289 "2016-02-08T17:33:27Z")

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I heard Jim Nantz say something a couple of times last night to the effect that Gary Kubiak is the first head coach to win the Super Bowl with a team he used to play for.

Mike Ditka says “hi”.

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**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/290 "2016-02-08T17:34:23Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Who gives a fuck if he’s a corporate whore?

I thought i made the answer to that question quite clear in my previous post: i do.

If you don’t, that’s your prerogative. I never said anyone else was obliged to agree with me. Thanks for playing, though.

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**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/291 "2016-02-08T17:37:16Z")

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> [@zoog](#):
>
> I heard Jim Nantz say something a couple of times last night to the effect that Gary Kubiak is the first head coach to win the Super Bowl with a team he used to play for.
> 
> Mike Ditka says “hi”.

And Ditka’s not the only one.

Apparently some guy named Tom Flores did the same thing with the Raiders.

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**Author:** ![Fotheringay-Phipps](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/d9b06d/32.png) [@Fotheringay-Phipps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fotheringay-Phipps)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/292 "2016-02-08T17:55:13Z")

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Here’s one thing I couldn’t understand. Why did Carolina punt the ball with about 2 minutes remaining and down by 14?

Understood that they had a 4th & 24 at their own 6. But they had only two timeouts so they were virtually guarenteeing themselves that they would receive the ball back with about a minute to go, no timeouts and needing 2 TDs to tie (which is what happened). That gives them virtually zero chance to win. If they went for it they needed to convert one 25 yd pass and they still had a shot. One 25 yd pass is easier said then done, especially against the Denver D and the way the game had been going, but ISTM that it was well worth the minute and two timeouts.

[I suppose they may have been hoping for a turnover. But they had to know Denver would realize all they needed to do was hold on to the ball. I was frankly surprised that Denver didn’t take a knee on all 3 plays of the next possession.]

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**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/293 "2016-02-08T17:56:58Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> No, because the penalty occurs before the pass is even thrown. Once the ball is in the air the penalty cannot be holding, but must be pass inteference (if there _is_ a penalty).

OK, if that’s the way the rule was written. I rescind my objection to that call.

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**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/294 "2016-02-08T17:56:58Z")

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> [@JSexton](#):
>
> It was probably a catch, but to overturn a call on the field, you need clear, undisputed evidence. Cotchery was rolling over the ball, and you saw it moving both before and after the roll, so there’s no way to say 100% that the ground didn’t help him control it during the roll. As the rules are written, you can’t overturn that, despite it being a catch.

That call was an absolute travesty. It was beyond clear that the ball simply never touched the ground. By the time the officials decided to rule Manning was not down by contact on the sack that the Panthers used their last challenge on, I thought this was going to be a repeat of the officiating disaster the league presided over in Super Bowl XL. Fortunately, that got overturned and turned out to be the last really bad call of the game.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/295 "2016-02-08T17:57:59Z")

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> [@mhendo](#):
>
> I thought i made the answer to that question quite clear in my previous post: i do.

Yes. But you also admitted that your position on this is a bit irrational.

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**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/296 "2016-02-08T18:00:21Z")

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> [@BobLibDem](#):
>
> OK, if that’s the way the rule was written. I rescind my objection to that call.

Yeah, defensive holding doesn’t even require a pass. I would not be surprised if Manning intentionally overthrew that ball once it became clear that his receiver wouldn’t make it to his spot (because he was held.) That said, I think if he did intentionally overthrow the ball, that was a mistake. This was a classic take-the-sack-instead situation: in the absence of the defensive penalty, the field goal probability would have been almost the same, and you’d force the Panthers to either take a timeout, or take a lot of time off the clock.

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**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/297 "2016-02-08T18:01:57Z")

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Well, maybe. He’d fumbled twice in the third quarter (losing the second one) so maybe he was having trouble gripping the ball and didn’t want to risk a hit.

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**Author:** ![Bullitt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bullitt/32/5725_2.png) [@Bullitt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bullitt)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/298 "2016-02-08T18:04:58Z")

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> [@zoog](#):
>
> I heard Jim Nantz say something a couple of times last night to the effect that Gary Kubiak is the first head coach to win the Super Bowl with a team he used to play for.
> 
> Mike Ditka says “hi”.

(ETA: It’s not just having played for, it’s having won a Super Bowl with, as both player and coach.)

Ditka won his ring with the Cowboys in VI. He coached Da Bears in XX. Kubiak won as a player and coach with the Broncos, XXXII & XXXIII, and 50.

Kubiak is same team, Ditka is not.

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**Author:** ![Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/do_not_taunt/32/2968_2.png) [@Do\_Not\_Taunt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Do_Not_Taunt)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/299 "2016-02-08T18:08:24Z")

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> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#):
>
> Well, maybe. He’d fumbled twice in the third quarter (losing the second one) so maybe he was having trouble gripping the ball and didn’t want to risk a hit.

He could “give himself up” with virtually no risk of fumbling. His risk of fumbling while throwing or having the ball slip and be intercepted would certainly have been higher.

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**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/2016-super-bowl/744364/300 "2016-02-08T18:14:37Z")

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> [@mhendo](#):
>
> Quite a lot actually, because there are thousands of post-event interviews conducted across pro sports every year, and in the vast, vast, VAST majority of them, you don’t see the athlete going out of their way to verbally pimp products in the actual interview.

Ah, before you said it was “unusual” now you want to argue that it’s not the majority. :rolleyes:

The point, **mhendo** , is that it is NOT unusual for an athlete to pitch a product in a post-event interview. It happens in every single NASCAR post-race interview. The Disney World endorsement by football players became such a regular thing that it was part of pop culture jokes for years. It happens with regularity; it isn’t “unusual” by any stretch of the word.

Now, if you wanna argue that it seems petty and unbecoming and even vulgar that a guy who makes far more in a month than most people do in a year is further adding to his fortune in such an opportunistic and shameless way, I could prolly get on board with a lot of that. 😃

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