Super Bowl:
The season is over and it is only down to two teams, the San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens. It's two brothers coaching two teams no one would have predicted from the start of the season to be in the final game playing for everything. The 49ers were thought to be a fluke after last years almost visit to the big game and even after switching quarterbacks midway through the season to a younger gun with a hot hand it seemed more like a last ditch effort to remain relevant than to secure a championship slot, but it worked anyways. Then you have the Ravens, a constant powerhouse and playoff threat but who often find themselves on the losing end of a playoff game. Maybe its Ray Lewis' final season, maybe its frustration, or maybe its just their time but the Ravens paved their way through a tough field to make it to the championship game.
Under the lights in New Orleans neither team seems to really have an advantage over the other. The Ravens are the defensive powerhouse they have always been backed by quick and hard-hitting defensive backs. Their offense is led by running back Ray Rice and sometimes fantastic, sometimes mediocre quarterback Joe Flacco. The 49ers however aren't as easily definable. Their year started with Alex Smith behind center, Smith led the team one game of the Super Bowl last year and looked to build upon that momentum. Smith became slightly stale throughout the season and once an injury sat him on the sidelines the young Colin Kaepernick took his place showing fire and ambition. A controversial decision loomed and Kaepernick was chosen again and again over Smith through the remainder of the season and led them to the big game. Smith may not be happy still sitting on the bench but the rest of the team is ready to play. Along with running back Frank Gore and receiver Michael Crabtree look for the 49ers to focus on offense in hopes of overcoming the suffocating defense of the Ravens.
Whether you watch for the commercials or just for the excuse to start drinking at noon this Super Bowl looks to be a good one. Two brothers coaching, a retiring legend, and plenty of young names looking to set the stage for their career. Enjoy the final game of the season and the one that decides it all.
MMA:
With all the fantasy talk surrounding UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and fights welterweight champion George St. Pierre or light heavyweight champion Jon Jones an actual "superfight" has gone mostly unnoticed. Jose Aldo will defend his featherweight title on February 2nd at UFC 156 against former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar. This fight had been a hot topic when Edgar was still the lightweight champion and Aldo was constantly talking about moving up to 155lbs. Now Edgar finds himself without a title and is dropping to 145lbs, something many have wanted for years. At any weight this is going to be an interesting fight. How will Edgar react to fighting 10 pounds lighter. Current champion Benson Henderson used leg kicks to great effect in their first fight will Aldo follow that blue print? What dose this fight mean in the larger context of each fighters legacy A win for Edgar makes him the third man ever to win UFC belts in multiple divisions while a win for Aldo cements his claim as the featherweight G.O.A.T. and makes a move up to lightweight even more interesting. If you can't get excited for Jose Aldo vs Frankie Edgar at any weight, there is something wrong with you.
Supporting the Aldo Edgar title fight on pay per view is a quartet of fights. Alistair Overeem returns from suspension to take on Antonio Bigfoot Silva, a win for Overeem all but assures him a title shot. Rashad Evans returns for the first time after losing to Jon Jones back in April, facing Lil Nog Antônio Rogério Nogueira. Demian Maia looks to continue his streak of brutal finishes since moving to 170 pounds by being the first man to submit Fitch since Mike Pyle did in Fitch's first fight. Joseph Benavidez and Ian McCall were the two men Demetrius Johnson beat enroute to winning the title, now they fight it out for likely the next shot at the champion.
I can't wait for the Super Bowl on Sunday. I'm going to watch it so I can support my favorite team: The 49ers.