FRI 30 JAN 2004
Super Bowl predictions: Sports staff offers staggering insight
By Argonaut Staff
Brennan Gause
Carolina 21
New England 18
The Pats seem to be everybody’s pick to win, but when picking games sometimes you need to be like a Goth kid in high school: purposefully different and a little off your rocker.
In all this fuss about how great the Patriots are, people seem to be forgetting that Carolina didn’t make it here by being lucky.
During the regular season Carolina was 9-3 in games decided by six points or less, and this Super Bowl is going to be the Panthers’ type of game. Since neither offense typically breaks big plays (New England likes the short pass, Carolina the run), this game should come down to the fourth quarter, a time when Carolina, plays big.
Carolina in an upset.
Betsy Dalessio
New England 20
Carolina 13
I have no idea whatsoever of who to pick to win this game. And in all honesty, I didn’t even know who was playing.
So in order to fill my allotted space I called my dad in Sandpoint, who came to Idaho from New England, and asked him to help me out with my predictions.
He said the Patriots will win with two touchdowns and two field goals. The Patriot’s kicker, Adam Vinatieri will come through for New England and the defense will not allow Carolina to score more than two touchdowns.
So there, I came up with what I could, but I really could care less about who wins, the commercials or the “holiday” in general.
Mark Williams
New England 21
Carolina 13
Forgive me for committing the cardinal sin when it comes to predicting NFL games: the use of logic.
In my way of thinking, two powerful defenses matching up with two slow-paced offenses equals a low-scoring defensive struggle. Given the Patriots’ previous Super Bowl experience and Bill Belichick’s knack for coming up with the right defensive strategy on game day, I’m predicting a New England win. That being said, this is the NFL, where consistency is about as common as a Super Bowl beer commercial that doesn’t have outrageously attractive women in it, meaning the game could just as easily turn into an offensive shootout for either team and make me look really stupid. Oh well, at least I’ll still have the beer commercials.
Nathan Jerke
Carolina 24
New England 21
In the 2004 Super Bowl, it’s easy to decide who should win the game; the Patriots should have little trouble taking this game over. But predicting is not so much about the challenge of picking a favorite. I think you have to think about what the football gods want.
Two years ago I looked like a fool when I chose the Rams to annihilate the Patriots, then look what happened: a game-winning field goal from the same guy who won the game over the Raiders in the snow of Boston. The gods obviously wanted New England to win.
Well, the Panthers have no right being in this game. Carolina was the no-name team all year and now it is time to prove who the gods want to win.
Jake Roblee
New England 35
Carolina 14
Simply put, the Patriots have the total package: passing, rushing, kicking and an almost unstoppable defense. Bill Belichick is a defensive mastermind and will bring a game plan that targets exactly what the strengths and weaknesses of the Panthers are. The only hope for the Panthers is if their come-out-of-nowhere quarterback Jake Delhomme can keep his poise under a Patriots onslaught, and if their defensive line can put Patriots quarterback Tom Brady on the ground.
Regardless of what the Panthers bring, the Pats have a better overall game.
Saturday
UI men’s basketball vs. UC Irvine, Cowan Spectrum, 7 p.m.; UI women’s tennis vs. University of Utah, Boise, 1 p.m.; UI track at Cougar Indoor, Pullman; Intramurals: men’s and women’s 3-point shootout entry deadline; Outdoor Program: Silver Mountain day trip, departs 6:30 a.m.; telemark instructional clinic at Silver Mountain.
Tuesday
UI men’s basketball vs. Idaho State, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m.
Wednesday
Intramurals: wallyball entry due.
Thursday
UI men’s basketball vs. UC Santa Barbara, Cowan Spectrum, 7:05 p.m.; Intramurals: singles table tennis entry due; Outdoor Program: snowboard instructional clinics class session, 7 p.m.
Note: Intramurals — Entries for team sports will open one week before entry deadline. For more information call Campus Recreation Office at 885-6381. Outdoor Program — For more information call office at 885-6810.
Sports calendar items must be submitted in writing or e-mailed to arg_sports@sub.uidaho.edu by Sunday or Wednesday before publication. Items must include a date, deadline or some other kind of time element.
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