While I have been sicker than a dog, I still have been watching sports. It’s just hard to cheer when you’re coughing every 10 seconds. But sports is something one can watch while battling the flu. I never get my flu shot and now I guess I will. Anyway — go Alabama! Did you see that play? What a game. A game that went down to the wire and it was one national title game that was really exciting for both teams — for once. Normally these title games are a bore, but not this one.
Maybe since the playoff format has changed this will mean less boring national title games like the 2012 LSU vs. Alabama game, where Alabama walked away with it 21-0.
I think it was great that underdog Alabama beat Clemson. I love to root for a good underdog. It was a fitting end to the college season.
Of course the big play of the game was watching Alabama in the fourth quarter kick an onside kick, which seemed more like a pass. I mean really, who does that? Alabama had just tied the game 24-24 on a field goal. The Alabama kicker was able to loft the ball into the air, which then allowed an Alabama freshman, Marlon Humphrey to get underneath the ball and make a beautiful recovery. It was so smoothly done — like he was passing the ball to him. This took the air out of the Clemson team and more importantly, the Clemson fans. You could hear a pin drop after that play.
Then two plays later, Alabama’s Jake Coker connected with O.J. Howard for a 50-yard pass play. This put the Crimson Tide up 31-24.
Saban will definitely go down in history as a true great. This was his fourth national title for Alabama and his fifth overall.
Don’t count out Pete Carroll of the Seattle Seahawks who has been there before.
On to the Super Bowl, which will be on Feb. 7. As you know, my team, the 49ers were nowhere near the playoffs, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t catch a game or two. The Vikings vs. the Seahawks was a good game and I am telling you now, despite the Seahawks’ six losses, they are the hottest team in the NFL. As far as NFC teams, I think they are the team to watch and I think the Panthers need to watch out. The two teams just met before the playoffs and the Seahawks were dealt a loss, but I think the game was close enough that one can say don’t count the Seahawks out. I know Pete Carroll will be ready for the Panthers this time around. This team is my underdog team to make the Super Bowl. The Seahawks will be three-point underdogs going into Sunday’s game. A good thing for them is they probably won’t be facing any freezing temperatures.
Let’s say they make it by the Panthers and have to play the Cardinals again. They have split with Arizona this year so I think that’s not a big leap to say they can beat them again.
If they do make it to the big show I think they can give any of the AFC teams a run for their money. Something to watch is if Seattle gets Marshawn Lynch back. They get him back and he will be a game-changer.
Best bet for the weekend will be to go down to Las Vegas and support Pahrump’s amateur MMA fighter, Brandon Schneider, who will defend his light heavyweight title at the Cox Pavilion. Action starts at 7 p.m. Look for an interview with Schneider in this Friday’s paper.
-Contact sports editor Vern Hee at vhee@pvtimes.com