Ancient Russian Buildings

I ran into this link some time ago, and thought it would be worth sharing.

It's about these ancient buildings in Russia, that are little known (at least outside of Russia). The claim is that they are 25,000 years old, although I am not entirely certain how accurate that is.

Still, this was something that I had never even heard of before coming across this article late last year, and I thought it would be good to share it here:


"25,000 Year Old Buildings Found In Russia" published on beforeitsnews.com,  Sunday, December 1, 2013

http://beforeitsnews.com/beyond-science/2013/12/25000-year-old-buildings-found-in-russia-2444558.html

Super Bowl XLVIII Media Day, Newark, NJ January 28, 2013

So, yes, I went to the Super Bowl Media Day event yesterday. I wanted to post this blog entry then, but the computer crapped out on me, and I could not even get on, let alone download the pictures and post this entry.

But now, I have managed it, and so here comes the review:

Truth be told, I was looking forward to this for some time. Now, we all know how expensive and ludicrously overpriced Super Bowl tickets are. And I kind of thought that this would be a cool, obviously much cheaper alternative. The tickets sell for maybe around $35 or so after all of the service charges and such, so you are not exactly breaking the bank to go there, as opposed to the actual Super Bowl game itself, where tickets are going for no less than $1,000 for face value! No way that I can get those, unless I win them in some contest of something. So, this offered me the chance to take my son, so that we both could see the hoopla of the media coverage, as well as all of the players and coaching staff from both teams, and perhaps some extras.

And indeed, see those things we did. Also, indeed, there were some surprises.

Now, some of it was good, and some of it was...well, not bad, exactly but...well, kind of long and a bit on the boring side.

It's just that the ticket said that the event started at 9:30am, and so we got there a bit earlier. But the Broncos, the first team slated to make an appearance, were going on not before 10:30am, and it was closer to 10:40 or so when they actually came out. I had arranged to get out of work a bit early (yes, I work overnights, in case you were wondering), and rushed to go pick up my son. But it was early yet, so I kind of just hung around and let him wake up a bit, before we went on our way. It was extremely cold, in the single digits, when we left. The day got warmer as it progressed, and it would be in the teens when the event was over. Now, that might seem cold, but it felt positively balmy compared to the single digit, deep freeze of the morning. But after rushing like that, waiting in very heavy traffic, it was disappointing to see that the event started at 10:30, one hour earlier than we had been led to believe.

Then came the next disappointment. I had told my son that both teams would be wearing their uniforms, so that it would make the thing feel more like a game, and more like an actual sports event. After all, to my knowledge, both teams participating in the Super Bowl had always had worn their uniforms for media day in the past as far back as I could remember, and that included last year. So, I was looking forward to seeing them in their uniforms.

Instead, both teams wore these kind of gray-silver jumpsuits. It it were not for the bright orange caps and the t-shirts that the Broncos wore underneath (and not all of them wore the caps, nor did all of them have those jumpsuits unzipped enough to see the orange Broncos t-shirts underneath), you would not even really be able to tell the difference between the two unless you went right up to them as could see it. So, that was  (which were really good, and my son really loved them!), all of which I think they were experimenting with, giving free samples to people to test a new line, or something. Also, we got cell phone protectors from the NFL, and little radios that allowed us to tune into six different stations, or podium lines. Each player was assigned to different podiums, and you could choose what line you wanted to hear. So long as it was one of the major players, or the head coach, you could pretty much listen to whoever you wanted to. For the most part, I listened to Peyton Manning, Head Coach John Fox, Eric Decker, and Knowshon Moreno for the Denver Broncos, and Russell Wilson, Richard Sherman, Head Coach Pete Carroll, and Earl Thomas for the Seahawks.

Predictably, the men with the most media around them were Peyton Manning and Richard Sherman.

I remember looking for Marshawn Lynch, but he was nowhere to be found. I listened in to the NFL Network (they were among our radio options), and there was a rumor going that Lynch had physically left the building. That ended up not being true, although he was not at any podium, and was kind of hiding away. The media circus just wasn't his thing, and he wanted to get away from it. It just wasn't his thing, and he was more interested in the actual game on Sunday, rather than the media blitz of Super Bowl Media Day. On some level, you can understand and respect that, right?

The other players were a bit harder to find, but once you got the gist of the podium orders, it became relatively easy - again, for the major players. As for the others like, say, the placekicker for the Denver Broncos who scored that NFL record 64-yard field goal earlier this season? Well, your guess is as good as mine. Just one more reason why, in my opinion wearing the uniforms (without the shoulder pads) would have been more considerate to the fans.

There were a few other appearances by notable football personalities. You can see the program hosts from the NFL Network (I cannot specifically remember their names at the moment. But some of these included Deion Sanders, Michael Irving, Terrell Davis, Kurt Warner, and Marshall Faulk. Also, John Elway was one of the special guests. Like with Peyton Manning, I had seen him in a game before (actually, in a season when the Broncos would win the Super Bowl, but the Broncos lost that day to the Giants, ending their bid for a perfect season after starting off 13-0), but from nosebleed seats. So, it was really cool to see him in a lot more detail.

Indeed, you did get a taste of all the hoopla surrounding the Super Bowl. The presence of the media was just incredible, and I've never seen so many media people in one place before. It was a bit like a circus. In fact, I heard that they did have a clown, literally. They also had cheerleaders (from the Jets), a drum line (from the Giants) and some players from other teams milling about. I also saw a couple of guys wearing superhero outfits. Why? I don't know. But they were there.

Quite a few people seemed to be hosting their own television shows down on the floor, which was very crowded. So crowded, that several news sources were relegated to the stands themselves, and were interviewing the fans. A couple of them were in our section, and the next section over, and there are pictures of them down below.

Again, I have been looking forward to this event for some time. Not that my Giants were here, but it was a pretty cool event nonetheless.

But, a little long, and I think that was the main thing that took me by surprise. Not sure what I was expecting, exactly. But the length of the thing was just...well, it kind of wears on you. The Broncos came on at 10:30, an hour after the ticket suggested the event started. That's a long wait. And they were on for one hour, plenty of time for the players to be asked (and unfortunately, often to answer) some ridiculous questions that had nothing to do with football. For instance, Eric Decker was asked about Bruno Mars, and he answered that while he was not all that familiar with his music, he did feel Bruno Mars had some good music, and that he was the right choice for this event. Another player (can't remember his name) who had a big, bushy beard, was asked something about it (I could not quite make out what it was, because you could not hear the reporters asking questions), and he was walking about not washing his beard ever again, and putting some maple syrup in it, or something like that, to make it even thicker.

After a while, you begin to feel like it is a circus, and the appreciation for just how huge this event has grown begins to get clearer. In fact, it is actually absurdly popular.

Another thing that was different, and a bit of a disappointment specific to this Media Day, was that since it was not held in the stadium itself, you did not get to see the field, with end zones painted up in the colors of both teams, and the painted logo of the Super Bowl, and all of that. I think that could have made for great picture taking, but obviously, that was not an option in a hockey arena, miles away from where the game will actually be played. Not a huge thing, but a bit of an annoyance, nonetheless, although that obviously has to do with this being a cold weather Super Bowl, and is not likely to be repeated in future Super Bowls, to my understanding.

So, would I recommend it?

I don't know, actually. Depends on how big of a fan you are, or how curious you are about it. It is definitely pretty cool to see the players fairly close, and without all of their gear on, particularly the helmets. Also, it was interesting to see just how much media there is there, and how they reacted and competed. It can't be easy in their situation. But it also gives you the sense of scale regarding the enormity of this thing, of just how huge (some might suggest that it has gotten preposterously big) it has gotten over the course of the years, and even decades. This is a taste of the media circus, and so it is interesting, nonetheless. And being able to hear the interviews for at least the biggest names from both teams (save Seattle's running back, Marshawn Lynch - and he was ultimately found and interviewed by the NFL Network's Deion Sanders), was pretty cool.

That said, I know this event will not be for everybody. Some will find it rather boring. I was tired from the lack of sleep (usually, I sleep right after returning from work in the morning), and some of the waiting certainly was not helping me to stay awake. My son, when told that players would be coming out in their uniforms (and again, I really wish they had come out in their uniforms), then being disappointed that they didn't, and that they weren't playing the Super Bowl right then and there, that is something to bear in mind, if you have children and are thinking of taking them. I thought it would be special, a once in a lifetime kind of thing, because who knows if this area will ever host the Super Bowl again? But there were times, especially during the waiting, when he certainly appeared bored. He did not get as much excitement from seeing some of the "old" players, like John Elway. That's understandable, since he is too young, and would have no memories of him, having been born more than six years after Elway retired from the game.

Overall, it's not that much of a financial commitment. And if you want to see your team, or just the whole media circus surrounding a Super Bowl, this can be intriguing, indeed. it pales to the actual Super Bowl, but then again, with prices as exorbitant as they are, the Super Bowl Media Day can be a cheap and rewarding alternative, if you are into it.

A panel from the NFL Network. Not sure who the two far guys, and the woman are. But Michael Irving and Terrell Davis are the two figures closest to the camera.

Broncos coach John Fox talking to the press.

 Peyton Manning answering some questions at his podium.

Demaryius Thomas of the Broncos trying on a wrestling style championship belt

The media day from event set back a bit, while it's going on. 

Legendary quarterback John Elway, who still works for the Denver Broncos, appears as a guest on the show for the NFL Network. 

The lady next to us, who was a Broncos fan, absolutely adored my son, and told us that she was glad that she sat next to us, because we were so nice. She was very nice, as well, and when she saw this (which I had not noticed), she took a picture, with her own camera, and send it to SBMEDIADAY site, so that our picture could go up on the screen, in the waiting time between the appearance of the two teams.

And here we are. Our picture is the middle picture on the top row. My son is wearing a red hoodie, while I am wearing a brownish gray hoodie. This was the clearest shot that I was able to take of our picture being posted here. 

Here is the other picture I managed to take of our photo being posted. Here, we are on the bottom row, second from right.

Of course, it seemed fitting to take a picture of my son when we arrived. Here, he is posing before the camera, with the Super Bowl Media Day festivities preparing to kick off shortly. When the players came out, the floor was far more packed than what you see here in the background.

The Seahawks are about to come out for their portion of Super Bowl Media Day.

Seattle coach Pete Carroll was all smiles today, talking to the media. 

The most popular guy for the media to focus in on was Richard Sherman, the Seahawks outspoken cornerback. 

It was relatively quiet when we got there, with our section pretty empty (we must have been one of the few people who did not know that the starting time had been pushed back to around 10:30am, annoyingly. There were still a lot of reporters and media around, but nowhere near as much as when the players came out.

A picture of the transparent bag that we were given, with the stuff inside. The bag was pretty cool, and it had "Super Bowl Media Day" printed on it, a cool little souvenir. Otherwise, there were a few snacks and a couple of drinks (Pepsi), a cell phone protector from the NFL, the portable radios with Super Bowl XLVIII logos on it, some football cards (don't believe they were Topps, but can't say for sure), and some other stuff. I think there was shaving gel, or aftershave, or something, in there (will have to check later). Maybe a few other items that I'm not thinking of or remembering. Nothing grandiose or anything, but a cool little makeshift souvenir of the event, which was appreciated.

The special shows being broadcast live from this event were still just setting up with makeup crew, and the women getting their hair done, all while preparing their notes and such. Also, in the above picture, you can see some people were interviewing special guests, although I could not always identify just who some of the people were. Some of those in attendance who gave interviews were Antrel Rolle of the New York Giants, and DeSean Jackson of the Philadelphia Eagles, who was roundly booed. This I did not agree with, despite being a Giants fan, because his son was there, and looked at the crowd and appeared surprised and a little stung at the reception his father got.

The outside entrance of the Prudential Center in Newark, adorned with a huge banner advertising the Super Bowl Media Day event.

On This Day in History - January 29 Deng Xiaoping and Jimmy Carter Sign Accords

Once again, it should be reiterated, that this does not pretend to be a very extensive history of what happened on this day (nor is it the most original - the links can be found down below). If you know something that I am missing, by all means, shoot me an email or leave a comment, and let me know!

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history


Jan 29, 1979: Deng Xiaoping and Jimmy Carter sign accords

On January 29, 1979, Deng Xiaoping, deputy premier of China, meets President Jimmy Carter, and together they sign historic new accords that reverse decades of U.S. opposition to the People's Republic of China.

Deng Xiaoping lived out a full and complete transformation of China. The son of a landowner, he joined the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in 1920 and participated in Mao Zedong's Long March in 1934. In 1945, he was appointed to the Party Central Committee and, with the 1949 victory of the communists in the Chinese Civil War, became the regional party leader of southwestern China. Called to Beijing as deputy premier in 1952, he rose rapidly, became general secretary of the CCP in 1954, and a member of the ruling Political Bureau in 1955.

A major policy maker, he advocated individualism and material incentives in China's attempt to modernize its economy, which often brought him into conflict with Mao and his orthodox communist beliefs. With the launch of the Cultural Revolution in 1966, Deng was attacked as a capitalist and removed from high party and government posts. He disappeared from public view and worked in a tractor factory, but in 1973 was reinstated by Premier Zhou Enlai, who again made him deputy premier. When Zhou fell ill in 1975, Deng became the effective leader of China.  In January 1976, Zhou died, and in the subsequent power struggle Deng was purged by the "Gang of Four"--strict Maoists who had come to power in the Cultural Revolution. In September, however, Mao Zedong died, and Deng was rehabilitated after the Gang of Four fell from power. He resumed his post as deputy premier, often overshadowing Premier Hua Guofeng.

Deng sought to open China to foreign investment and create closer ties with the West. In January 1979, he signed accords with President Jimmy Carter, and later that year the United States granted full diplomatic recognition to the People's Republic of China.

In 1981, Deng strengthened his position by replacing Hua Guofeng with his protege, Hu Yaobang, and together the men instituted widespread economic reforms in China. The reforms were based on capitalist models, such as the decentralization of various industries, material incentives as the reward for economic success, and the creation of a skilled and well-educated financial elite. As chief adviser to a series of successors, he continued to be the main policy maker in China during the 1980s.

Under Deng, China's economy rapidly grew, and citizens enjoyed expanded personal, economic, and cultural freedoms. Political freedoms were still greatly restricted, however, and China continued as an authoritative one-party state. In 1989, Deng hesitantly supported the government crackdown on the democratic demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. Later that year, he resigned his last party post but continued to be an influential adviser to the Chinese government until his death in 1997.











Jan 29, 1891: Liliuokalani proclaimed queen of Hawaii

Following the death of her brother, King Kalakaua, Liliuokalani becomes the last monarch of the Hawaiian Islands.  

Hawaii, first settled by Polynesian voyagers sometime in the eighth century, saw a massive influx of American settlers during the 19th century, most coming to exploit Hawaii's burgeoning sugar industry. In 1887, under pressure from U.S. investors and American sugar planters, King Kalakaua agreed to a new constitution that stripped him of much of his power. However, in 1891, Liliuokalani ascended to the throne and refused to recognize the constitution of 1887, replacing it instead with a constitution that restored the monarchy's traditional authority.  

Two years later, a revolutionary "Committee of Safety," organized by Sanford B. Dole, a Hawaiian-born American, staged a coup against Queen Liliuokalani with the support of U.S. Minister John Stevens and a division of U.S. Marines. Stevens recognized Dole's new government on his own authority and proclaimed Hawaii a U.S. protectorate. Dole submitted a treaty of annexation to the U.S. Senate, but most Democrats opposed it, especially after it was revealed that most Hawaiians did not want annexation. President Grover Cleveland sent a new U.S. minister to Hawaii to restore Queen Liliuokalani to the throne under the 1887 constitution, but Dole refused to step aside and instead proclaimed the independent Republic of Hawaii, which was organized into a U.S. territory in 1900.  

Liliuokalani herself spent much of the remainder of her life in the United States, where she unsuccessfully petitioned the federal government for compensation for seized property and other losses. The territorial legislature of Hawaii finally voted her an annual pension of $4,000 and permitted her to receive the income from a small sugar plantation. In additional to her political fame, Liliuokalani is also known for composing many Hawaiian songs, including the popular "Aloha Oe," which translates to "Farewell to Thee."









Jan 29, 1979: School shooting in San Diego

Brenda Spencer kills two men and wounds nine children as they enter the Grover Cleveland Elementary School in San Diego. Spencer blazed away with rifle shots from her home directly across the street from the school. After 20 minutes of shooting, police surrounded Spencer's home for six hours before she surrendered. Asked for some explanation for the attack, Spencer allegedly said, "I just don't like Mondays. I did this because it's a way to cheer up the day. Nobody likes Mondays."

Spencer was only 16 years old at the time of her murderous attack. She was a problem child who was widely known as a drug abuser with a violent streak. She repeatedly broke the windows at the Cleveland school with her BB gun. Still, her father gave her a .22 semi-automatic rifle and ammunition as a Christmas gift at the end of 1978.

This seemed to inspire Spencer into more grandiose plans, and she started telling her classmates that she was going to do something "to get on TV." When Monday morning rolled around, Burton Wragg, the principal of Cleveland Elementary, was opening the gates of the school when Spencer started firing her rifle from across the street. Wragg and custodian Michael Suchar were killed. "I just started shooting. That's it. I just did it for the fun of it," explained Spencer.

Spencer's hatred for the first day of the school week was later memorialized by Bob Geldof, the leader of the rock group The Boomtown Rats, in the song, "I Don't Like Mondays."

Spencer, who pled guilty to two counts of murder and assault with a deadly weapon, is currently serving a term of 25 years to life at the California Institution for Women in Corona, California. She has been denied parole four times, most recently in 2005.







Jan 29, 1845: "The Raven" is published          

Edgar Allan Poe's famous poem "The Raven," beginning "Once upon a midnight dreary," is published on this day in the New York Evening Mirror.

Poe's dark and macabre work reflected his own tumultuous and difficult life. Born in Boston in 1809, Poe was orphaned at age three and went to live with the family of a Richmond, Virginia, businessman. Poe enrolled in a military academy but was expelled for gambling. He later studied briefly at the University of Virginia.

In 1827, Poe self-published a collection of poems. Six years later, his short story "MS Found in a Bottle" won $50 in a story contest. He edited a series of literary journals, including the Southern Literary Messenger in Richmond starting in 1835, and Burton's Gentleman's Magazine in Philadelphia, starting in 1839. Poe's excessive drinking got him fired from several positions. His macabre work, often portraying motiveless crimes and intolerable guilt that induces growing mania in his characters, was a significant influence on such European writers as Charles Baudelaire, Stephane Mallarme, and even Dostoyevsky.

Here's a more detailed look at events that transpired on this date throughout history:

904 - Sergius III comes out of retirement to take over the papacy from the deposed antipope Christopher.

1523 - Sermon of Constanz: Zwingli defends 67 Schlussreden

1574 - Sea battle of Reimerswaal - Admiral Boisot beats Spanish fleet

1587 - Deventer & Zutphen surrender to Spain

1595 - William Shakespeare's play Romeo and Juliet is probably first performed.

1613 - Galileo observes Neptune but fails to recognize what he sees

1676 - Feodor III succeeds his father and becomes Tsar of Russia.

1728 - John Gays' "Beggar's Opera," premieres in London [NS=Feb 9]

1732 - Paris churchyard Saint-Medard closed after Jansenistic ritual

1781 - Mozart's opera "Idomeneo" premieres, Munich

1802 - John Beckley of Virginia appointed 1st Librarian of Congress

1834 - President Jackson orders 1st use of US troops to suppress a labor dispute

1845 - Edgar Allen Poe's "Raven" 1st published (NYC)

1848 - Sicily accepts new Constitution (choose parliament/freedom of press)

1850 - Henry Clay introduces a comprise bill on slavery to US Senate

1856 - Victoria Cross established to acknowledge bravery

1860 - American College established in Rome by Pope Pius IX

1861 - Kansas becomes 34th state

1863 - Battle at Bear River, Washington: US army vs indians

Playwright William ShakespearePlaywright William Shakespeare 1872 - Francis L Cardoza elected State Treasurer of South Carolina

1879 - Custer Battlefield National Monument, Mont established

1886 - 1st successful gasoline-driven car patented, Karl Benz, Karlsruhe

1891 - Liliuokalani is proclaimed Queen of Hawaii, its last monarch.

1895 - King Koko's Kopermannen assault on Akassa Niger, 100's killed

1896 - Emile Grubbe is 1st dr to use radiation treatment for breast cancer

1900 - Boers under Joubert beat English at Spionkop Natal, 2,000 killed

1900 - American League organized in Buffalo, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, Milwaukee & Minneapolis

1903 - Dutch railroad workers strike

1904 - 1st athletic letters given (Univ of Chicago football team)

1906 - Coen de King skates world record time: 32,370 km

1908 - Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, at Cornell University, incorporates

1912 - Martial law declared in textile strike in Lawrence, MA

1913 - Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, at Howard University, incorporates

1916 - 1st bombings of Paris by German Zeppelins takes place

1917 - English submarine K13 leaves Gaire Loch

1919 - Secretary of state proclaims 18th amendment (prohibition)

Animator Walt DisneyAnimator Walt Disney 1920 - Walt Disney starts 1st job as an artist; $40 week with KC Slide Co

1921 - Hurricane hits Washington & Oregon

1922 - Union of Costa Rica, Guatemala, Honduras & El Salvador dissolved

1923 - 1st flight of autogiro (Juan de la Cierva, Madrid Spain)

1924 - Ice cream cone rolling machine patented by Carl Taylor, Cleveland

1925 - British Liberals choose David Lloyd George as party leader

1927 - 4th German government of Marx forms

1929 - Seeing Eye Guide Dog Organization forms

1932 - Test debut of Bill O'Reilly, vs South Africa at Adelaide

1933 - German president von Hindenburg appoints Hitler chancellor

1936 - 1st players elected to Baseball Hall of Fame-Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson & Walter Johnson

1942 - 1st broadcast of Roy Plomley's "Desert Island Discs" on BBC

1942 - German & Italian troops occupy Banghazi

1942 - Peru & Ecuador sign Protocol of Rio (boundary determiniation)

1943 - New Zealand's Kiwi cruiser collides with Jap sub I-1 at Guadalcanal

Baseball Great Babe RuthBaseball Great Babe Ruth 1943 - Sidney Kingsley's "Patriots," premieres in NYC

1944 - 285 German bombers attack London

1944 - USS Missouri the last battleship commissioned by the US Navy is launched.

1944 - World War II: The Battle of Cisterna takes place in central Italy.

1944 - World War II: About 38 men, women, and children die in the Koniuchy massacre in Poland.

1947 - Arthur Miller's "All My Sons," premieres in NYC

1948 - "Look Ma, I'm Dancin'" opens at Adelphi Theater NYC for 188 perfs

1948 - Commissioner Happy Chandler fines the Yankees, Cubs, & Phillies $500 each for signing high school players

1949 - Brit, Belgium, Lux, Neth, NZ & Switz recognize Israel

1951 - "Where's Charley?" opens at Broadway Theater NYC for 56 performances

1951 - Baseball signs 6 year All-Star pact for TV-radio rights for $6 million

1951 - Liz Taylor's 1st divorce (Conrad Hilton Jr)

1953 - 1st movie in Cinemascope (The Robe) premieres

1954 - Arnold Schoenberg's "De Profundis," premieres in Cologne

1955 - John Williams Cox buys Yankee Stadium, sells grounds to Knights of Columbus, later leaves structure to Rice University (1962)

Playwright Arthur MillerPlaywright Arthur Miller 1956 - F Durrenmatt's "Der Besuch der Alten Dame," premieres in Zurich

1957 - Graham Greene's "Potting Shed," premieres in NYC

1958 - Murderer, Charles Starkweather, captured by police in Wyoming

1958 - Paul Newman & Joanne Woodward wed

1959 - Walt Disney's "Sleeping Beauty" released

1961 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Laurence Owen

1961 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Bradley Lord

1963 - Jim Thorpe, Red Grange & George Halas elected to football Hall of Fame

1964 - 9th Winter Olympic games open in Innsbruck, Austria

1964 - Beatles record in German "Komm, Gib Mir Diene Hand" & "Sie Leibt Dich"

1964 - Most lopsided high-school basketball score 211-29 (Louisiana)

1964 - NBC purchases AFL 5 year (1965-69) TV rights for $36 million

1964 - Stanley Kubrick's "Dr Strangelove," premieres

1964 - Unmanned Apollo 1 Saturn launcher test attains Earth orbit

1966 - "Sweet Charity" opens at Palace Theater NYC for 608 performances

Film Director Stanley KubrickFilm Director Stanley Kubrick 1966 - Lawry & Simpson complete 244 opening stand v England, Adelaide

1966 - Snow storm in north east US kills 165

1966 - US female Figure Skating championship won by Peggy Fleming

1966 - US male Figure Skating championship won by Scott Allen

1967 - "Let's Sing Yiddish" closes at Brooks Atkinson NYC after 107 perfs

1967 - Branch Rickey & Lloyd Waner elected to Baseball Hall of Fame

1967 - Kees Verkerk becomes European skating champ

1967 - WDAZ TV channel 8 in Devils Lake, ND (ABC) begins broadcasting

1968 - Nauru adopts constitution

1969 - Jimi Hendrix & Peter Townshend wage a battle of guitars

1969 - Sheahan & Connolly hang on for exciting draw Aust v W Indies

1970 - USSR performs nuclear test at Eastern Kazakh/Semipalitinsk USSR

1971 - Test debut of Dennis Keith Lillee, v England at Adelaide

1972 - 5th ABA All-Star Game: East 142 beats West 115 at Louisville

1974 - 27th NHL All-Star Game: West beat East 6-4 at Chicago

Rock Guitarist Jimi HendrixRock Guitarist Jimi Hendrix 1975 - "Men on the Moon" opens at Little Theater NYC for 5 performances

1975 - 1st Annual Comedy Awards of the Year hosted by Alan King

1975 - W I win Fifth Test against India to take exciting series 3-2

1976 - Zeiss planetarium in Hague destroyed by fire

1978 - Joanne Carner wins Colgate Triple Crown Match-Play Golf Championship

1978 - Sweden outlaws aerosol sprays due to their harmful effect on the ozone layer, becoming the first nation to enact such a ban.

1979 - 9th AFC-NFC pro bowl, NFC wins 13-7

1979 - Brenda Spencer kills 2, inspires Boomtown Rats "I Don't Like Mondays"

1979 - Chinese vice-premier Deng Xiaoping visits Washington, DC

1979 - Emerson, Lake & Palmer disband after 10 years together

1979 - NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 13-7

1979 - Pres Carter commuted Patricia Hearst's 7 year sentence to 2 years

1980 - 6 Iranian held US hostages escape with help of Canadians

1980 - Cleveland Cavaliers beat LA Lakers 154-153 in quadruple OT

1981 - AL approves sale of White Sox to Jerry Reinsdorf & Eddie Einhorn for $20 million, & 80% of Mariners to George Argyros for $104 million

Chinese Communist Party Leader Deng XiaopingChinese Communist Party Leader Deng Xiaoping 1982 - Old Dominion ends La Tech's women's basketball rec 54-game win streak

1982 - Wayne Garland, baseball 1st millionaire free agent, waived by Indians

1983 - "Down Under" by Men At Work hit #1 on UK pop chart

1983 - 40th Golden Globes: Gandhi, ET & Tootsie win

1984 - 34th NBA All-Star Game: East beats West 154-145 (OT) at Denver

1984 - NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 45-3

1984 - President Reagan formally announces he will seek a 2nd term

1984 - Silvia Bertolaccini wins LPGA Mazda Golf Classic of Deer Creek

1984 - Space Shuttle 41-B (STS-11) Challenger launched

1985 - Jari Kurri of Edmonton Oilers scores 100th pt of season in game 39

1986 - 193.8 million shares traded in NY Stock Exchange

1986 - Yoweri Museveni sworn in as president of Uganda

1987 - Lisa files for separation from husband NY Met Darryl Strawberry

1987 - William J Casey, ends term as 13th director of CIA

1988 - Canadian Ben Johnson breaks own 50-yard dash world record at 5.15

CIA Director William CaseyCIA Director William Casey 1988 - Detroit's Kirk Gibson signs a 3-year contract with Dodgers

1988 - Largest NBA crowd-Boston Celtics at Detroit (61,938)

1988 - United Airlines Boeing 747SP, circles world in 36h54m15s

1989 - 77th Australian Men Tennis: Ivan Lendl beats Miloslav Mecir (62 62 62)

1989 - Cleveland's Chris Dudley misses 5 free throws during 1 foul attempt

1989 - Dottie Mochrie wins Oldsmobile LPGA Golf Classic

1989 - Dow jumps 38.06 recoups 508-pt loss since Oct 1987; index at 2,256.43

1989 - Episcopal church appoints 1st female bishop

1989 - L I preacher Gene Profeta pleads guilty to tax-evasion

1989 - NFL Pro Bowl: NFC beats AFC 34-3

1989 - Orlando Arena opens

1989 - USSR's Phobos II enters Martian orbit

1989 - Game-winning RBI, official statistic dropped after 9 years of use NY Mets Keith Hernandez is the all-time leader with 129

1990 - Exxon Valdez capt Joseph Hazelwood goes on trial due to oil spill

1991 - "Piano Lesson" closes at Walter Kerr Theater NYC after 320 perfs

1991 - Nelson Mandela & Mangosuthu Buthelezi meet after 28 years

1993 - Test debut of Vinod Kambli, prolific Indian batsman

1995 - Andre Agassi defeats Pete Sampras to win Australian Open

1995 - Greg Blewett scores century on Test debut vs England, Adelaide

1995 - Super Bowl XXIX: SF 49ers beat San Diego Chargers, 49-26 in Miami, MVP: Steve Young, San Francisco, QB

1996 - 23rd American Music Award: Garth Brooks wins

1996 - Last day of Test cricket for David Boon

1996 - 6,138th performance of "Cats" is held in London, surpassing record of Broadway's longest-running musical, "A Chorus Line"

1996 - La Fenice, Venice's opera house, is destroyed by fire.

1998 - "Capeman," opens at Marquis Theater NYC

1998 - Singers Bobby Brown found guiilty of DWI in Fort Lauderdale, Florida

1998 - Soyuz TM-27 launches to MIR

1998 - Thick Fog causes highway carnage in Belgium & Netherlands, 6 die

1998 - Woman's Clinic in Birmingham Ala bombed, 1 killed

2001 - Thousands of student protesters in Indonesia storm parliament and demand that President Abdurrahman Wahid resign due to alleged involvement in corruption scandals.

43rd US President George W. Bush43rd US President George W. Bush 2002 - In his State of the Union Address, United States President George W. Bush describes "regimes that sponsor terror" as an Axis of Evil, in which he includes Iraq, Iran and North Korea.

2005 - The first direct commercial flights from the mainland China (from Guangzhou) to Taiwan since 1949 arrived in Taipei. Shortly afterwards, a China Airlines carrier landed in Beijing.

2012 - NFL Pro Bowl: AFC beats NFC 59-41

1728 - John Gay's The Beggar's Opera was first performed at Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, London.   1802 - John Beckley became the first Librarian of Congress.   1820 - Britain's King George III died insane at Windsor Castle.   1845 - Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven" was published for the first time in the "New York Evening Mirror."   1848 - Greenwich Mean Time was adopted by Scotland.   1850 - Henry Clay introduced in the Senate a compromise bill on slavery that included the admission of California into the Union as a free state.   1856 - Britain's highest military decoration, the Victoria Cross, was founded by Queen Victoria.   1861 - In America, Kansas became the 34th state of the Union.   1886 - The first successful petrol-driven motorcar, built by Karl Benz, was patented.   1916 - In World War I, Paris was bombed by German zeppelins for the first time.   1924 - R. Taylor patented the ice cream cone rolling machine.   1936 - The first members of major league baseball's Hall of Fame were named in Cooperstown, NY.   1940 - The W. Atlee Burpee Seed Company displayed the first tetraploid flowers at the New York City Flower Show.   1949 - "The Newport News" was commissioned as the first air-conditioned naval ship in Virginia.   1956 - "Indictment" debuted on CBS radio and stayed on the air for three years.   1958 - Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were married.   1958 - Charles Starkweather was captured by police in Wyoming.   1963 - The first members to the NFL's Hall of Fame were named in Canton, OH.   1963 - Britain was refused entry into the EEC.   1966 - "Sweet Charity" opened at the Palace Theatre in New York City. It ran for 608 performances.   1979 - U.S. President Carter formally welcomed Chinese Vice Premier Deng Xiaoping to the White House. The visit followed the establishment of diplomatic relations.   1985 - The Dow Jones industrial average peaked at 1,292.62.   1987 - "Physician’s Weekly" announced that the smile on the face of Leonardo DeVinci's Mona Lisa was caused by a "...facial paralysis resulting from a swollen nerve behind the ear."   1990 - Joseph Hazelwood, the former skipper of the Exxon Valdez, went on trial in Anchorage, AK, on charges that stemmed from America's worst oil spill. Hazelwood was later acquitted of all the major charges and was convicted of a misdemeanor.   1995 - The San Francisco 49ers became the first team in National Football League (NFL) history to win five Super Bowl titles. The 49ers defeated the San Diego Chargers 49-26.   1996 - French President Jacques Chirac announced the "definitive end" to nuclear testing.   1996 - La Fenice, the 204 year old opera house in Venice, was destroyed by fire. Arson was suspected.   1997 - America Online agreed to give refunds to frustrated customers under threat of lawsuits across the country. Customers were unable to log on after AOL offered a flat $19.95-a-month rate.   1998 - A bomb exploded at an abortion clinic in Birmingham, AL, killing an off-duty policeman and severely wounding a nurse. Eric Rudolph was charged with this bombing and three other attacks in Atlanta.   1999 - Paris prosecutors announced the end of the investigation into the accident that killed Britain's Princess Diana.   1999 - The U.S. Senate delivered subpoenas for Monica Lewinsky and two presidential advisers for private, videotaped testimony in the impeachment trial.   2001 - In Indonesia, thousands of student protesters stormed the parliament property and demanded that President Abdurrahman Wahid quit due to his alleged involvement in two corruption scandals. Wahid announced that he would not resign.

1802 John Beckley became the first Librarian of Congress. He was paid $2 a day. 1845 Edgar Allan Poe's The Raven was published. 1850 Henry Clay introduced the Compromise of 1850 to the Senate. 1861 Kansas became the 34th state in the United States. 1886 Karl Benz received a patent for the first successful gasoline-driven car. 1936 Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Mathewson, and Walter Johnson were the first players elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. 1963 Poet Robert Frost died in Boston. 2002 In his State of the Union address, President Bush labels Iraq, Iran, and North Korea an "axis of evil."


The following links are to web sites that were used to complete this blog entry:

http://www.historyorb.com/today/events.php

http://on-this-day.com/onthisday/thedays/alldays/jan29.htm

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

http://www.infoplease.com/dayinhistory

RIP, Pete Seeger

Legendary folk singer and songwriter Pete Seeger has died of natural causes. He was 94 years old.

Seeger was a highly influential and popular musician, and was very well known for his activism, and the spirit of protest that he embodied. Always seemingly at the center of controversy, Seeger was active in different eras, with all different liberal struggles. He pushed for civil rights in the forties, fifties, and sixties. He sang against and was active in the anti-Vietnam movement. Then, he was active in the anti-war movement and environmental activism in the seventies and beyond.

Seeger performed in the inaugural concert for President Obama, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

"Pete Seeger, Songwriter and Champion of Folk Music, Dies at 94"   By JON PARELESJAN. 28, 2014:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/29/arts/music/pete-seeger-songwriter-and-champion-of-folk-music-dies-at-94.html?_r=0



"Daily KOS, RIP, Pete", MON JAN 27, 2014:

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/01/28/1273022/-RIP-Pete

Is Privacy Already a Quaint Thing of the Past?

A few days ago, I posted a blog entry with a link to an article that gives you tips on how you can prevent corporations from essentially spying on you.

But the problem of the lack of privacy on the internet really is starting to be out of control. In this article (see the link below), we find out that texts never really do fully go away, and could potentially come back to haunt you down the road.

Scary thought. But we need to be aware, so that we are aware, and can prepare accordingly.

Here is the link:


"All My Exes Live in Texts: Why the Social Media Generation Never Really Breaks Up" by Maureen O'Connor,  July 21, 2013:

http://nymag.com/thecut/2013/07/texting-exes-social-media-generation.html

The Happiest Country in the World?

Denmark has been rated the "happiest country in the world".

You may wonder why (especially if you are an American, and feel a sense of entitlement with an "America first" mindset that is rather commonplace within the nation). After all, Denmark is a tiny country, and you don't exactly hear tons about it, unless you live, are from there and living abroad, or specifically make a point of learning more about it. Also, it's damn cold there, isn't it?

All true. But, the fact of the matter is that the Scandinavian nations have generally reached a higher standard of living than Americans, and other people around the world, generally. And Denmark is no exception.

Many Americans are skeptical about what government can do to improve people's lives.

Well, some of the reasons why the Danish are generally happier than the rest of us touch upon this argument. Parents receive more support, healthcare is considered a human right (and not just in Denmark, but pretty much in every industrialized nation outside of these United States), and gender equality is prioritized more than in many other places.

Those are not the only reasons, of course. There are others, and I think we can learn from these, too.

Unfortunately, the climate in many other countries, and especially in the Americentrist mindset of the world's biggest superpower, where the general feeling is that we are so rich and powerful, that everyone should follow our example, and we have thus become too stubborn and arrogant to learn from the examples of anyone else, that is not likely to happen.

Still, it does not hurt to talk about it. So, here is a link to this article, to examine why it is, specifically, that Danes are so happy about:



"Denmark Is Considered The Happiest Country. You'll Never Guess Why." Originally posted: 10/22/2013, Updated: 11/06/2013

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/10/22/denmark-happiest-country_n_4070761.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

Top Ten Super Bowls Ever

Super Bowl XLVIII

Seattle Seahawks 43,. Denver Broncos 8

East Rutherford, New Jersey

February 2, 2014

It's Super Bowl weekend, and so, I will dedicate several posts throughout the week to the big game that comes every winter.

As a New Jersey boy, growing up as a Giants fan, I was thrilled when Big Blue won not one, but two Super Bowls. As a fan, that second title was especially sweet, because it came not only against a pretty big favorite, the Buffalo Bills (remember, that was their first Super Bowl, before they had established themselves as the team that can't win the big one, and the Bills entered that Super Bowl looking like the dominant team in the league), but the Giants scraped by and hung on in a game that was, by any measure, one of the most well played games, with a very exciting finish.

When I got the video yearbook some weeks later, having seen the Sports Illustrated commercials with highlights from that video, and urging viewers to subscribe now so you could get the video for free, it boldly suggested that Super Bowl XXV was "the greatest Super Bowl ever".

As much as I wanted to believe this, it seemed a bit premature. Yes, even to a sixteen year old boy.

Since then, of course, a lot of people have largely forgotten it, because their have been some other very exciting Super Bowls since, and a couple that included the Giants. But I still think very highly of it, and not just as a Giants fan, either. That said, I would not rank it as "the greatest", although it would rank very near the top.

Recently, I found out that I actually have some kind of NFL channel, although I am not entirely sure it is the famous NFL network itself. They had a program on that ranked, from their viewpoint, the greatest ever Super Bowls. The top two Super Bowls ever, according to them, were predictable: Super Bowl XLII (Giants vs. Patriots), and Super Bowl XLIII (Steelers vs. Cardinals), which rated number one. I did not agree with this specific order, although I also would place these two as the top two (ironically, they came back-to-back).

Now, they had some choices that I really disagreed with. I mean Super Bowl XXXIV (Rams vs. Titans) did not even make the list, yet Super Bowl XLIV (Saints vs. Colts) did. A Super Bowl that was well-played by both teams and had one of the most exciting ending sever was beaten out by one that, ultimately, was decided by a mistake from one of the greatest quarterbacks to have played the game, Peyton Manning, as he threw to a wide open Saints defender, Tracy Porter, who ran it 74 yards, all the way back for a pick six that iced it for New Orleans. It was not a bad game, but sorry, it should not rank as one of the top ten Super Bowls of all time.

So, here is my list of the best ever Super Bowls, as well as why. For extra added measure, I made a shorter list of the five worst ever Super Bowl, also with descriptions as to why I rank them that ways.

Without further ado, here is the list.

 Top Ten Greatest Super Bowls Ever:

1. Super Bowl XLII - The Giants were the biggest underdog winner in the Super Bowl winner since the Jets in Super Bowl III. New England entered the game undefeated, and many already were hailing them as the greatest team of all time. Indeed, not only had they won every single one of their games to that point, but they had done so with a wider average margin of victory than any other team, scoring more points than any team in NFL history, as well. They were an offensive machine, and Tom Brady had perhaps the best season of any NFL quarterback in history, throwing a record 50 touchdown passes, to only eight interceptions on the year. But the Giants defense gave him a tough time in the regular season finale, a thriller won by the Patriots, 38-35, to clinch the perfect 16-0 season. In the rematch in the Super Bowl, the enormity of the game was clear right from the get go. Either the Patriots would make history by completing their perfect season at 19-0, and effectively clinching that vaunted title as the NFL's "greatest team ever", or the Giants would pull off one of the greatest upsets in history. New York's defense really roughed up Brady and the Pats, and held them to the lowest total points of the season. Yet, New England's defense played extremely well also, and this was a closely fought Super Bowl from beginning to end. The very high stakes made it all the more thrilling, and the fourth quarter was one of the most exciting, if not the most exciting, in Super Bowl history. The miracle play that seemed to clinch it for the Giants was perhaps the greatest and most memorable play in Super Bowl history, and perhaps even NFL history: Eli Manning breaking away from numerous New England defenders, somehow escaping a sure sack, and completing to Dave Tyree, who caught one-handed the most memorable pass he would ever get. The Giants get the victory, 17-14, in a game that will surely be remembered for a very long time. one of the few Super Bowls that actually exceeded expectations and the very lofty billing! It was the very enormity of this game, as well as how thrilling it was, that ranks this as the greatest ever Super Bowl (for me, at least).

2. Super Bowl XLIII - The Cardinals were one of the worst franchises in sports history going into this game, and despite winning the NFC West in a weak year, they were not actually expected to do anything in the playoffs. Yet, they beat Atlanta in the Wildcard, then shocked Carolina in the divisional round, before eking out a win against the Philadelphia Eagles. But the Steelers were expected to make short work of them, having won the Super Bowl three seasons earlier, and seeming to be far better, and with superior experience to boot. Most of the game, this is exactly what seemed to be happening, to boot. Then, in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals mounted a furious comeback rally, taking the lead late in the fourth, and were on the verge of their first ever Super Bowl title, which would have been a huge upset. But Pittsburgh, which had been thorough (but not spectacular) to that point, drove down the field, and Roethlisberger took a shot at the end zone, rather than settling for a field goal that would have tied it. It was a brilliant touchdown catch by Santonio Holmes, and gave the Steelers their record sixth Super Bowl championship in thrilling, come from behind fashion, 27-23!

3. Super Bowl XXV - This was the first ever postseason game without a turnover. Both teams played extremely well, and underscored why exactly they were in the Super Bowl to begin with. Parcells, the Giants head coach, came up with an effective strategy to slow the very potent, and peaking, Bills offense, by essentially icing them keeping them off the field, as the Giants offense controlled the ball, and the clock, for a record amount of time and an obviously lopsided time of possession advantage of over 2 to 1. Still, so good were the Bills, that they very well came close to winning, anyway. No major mistakes by either team, and both teams showed some of their best football, in a game filled with highlight reels by both teams. An extremely well-played, championship level game by both teams, and it came down to the final seconds of the fourth quarter. Scott Norwood's 47-yard attempt sailed wide right (barely), securing the victory for the Giants, and handed the Bills the toughest Super Bowl loss to that point in history (topped since by the Patriots loss in Super Bowl XLII, I think). Hard to top Super Bowl XXV, although perhaps the Giants themselves did (as did the Steelers), in future Super Bowls.

4. Super Bowl XXXVIII - Perhaps the best played game by both teams in Super Bowl history. This one had a little bit of everything. It was a scoreless, defensive struggle through most of the first half, and then both teams exploded for points just before the half, in a thrilling way. Then, the tough, defensive battle resumed, before one of the most exciting fourth quarters ever, in any game that I have watched. Very well played by both teams, and this one came down to the final seconds, with New England securing it on a field goal by Adam Vinatieri, for the second time in three seasons. Truly, a great and memorable Super Bowl!

5. Super Bowl XXIII - This was the first ever Super Bowl to offer a truly thrilling finish to a well-played game by both teams. The upstart Cincinnati Bengals seemed to be outplaying San Francisco for most of the game, up until the late fourth quarter, as they hoped to cling to their narrow 16-13 lead. But then came cool Joe Montana, leading his team down the field to victory. Jerry Rice had continually burned the Bengals, but their focus on him probably left John Taylor alone too much, and he caught the winning touchdown pass by Montana in the end zone to clinch the 20-16, come from behind win for the 49ers, who also clinched "Team of the Decade" honors with this thrilling victory!

6. Super Bowl XXXIV - The Rams and Titans played a game that was mostly interesting in the fourth quarter. But what a fourth quarter it was! Up to that point, it was not that exciting. The Rams had moved the ball up and down the field, yet this did not translate to many points, as they kept having to settle for field goals. The Titans defense really played well, and kept Tennessee in the game. When the Titans finally came alive on offense deep in the second half, they mounted a furious comeback, managing to overcome a 16-0 deficit to tie it late in the fourth. But the potent Rams offense managed to get a quick strike touchdown, as Kurt Warner, NFL and Super Bowl MVP that season, found Isaac Bruce in a deep pass that gave the Rams a 23-16 lead with very little time remaining. Still, the Titans, behind quarterback Steve McNair and running back Eddie George, moved the ball back down the field, and were in scoring position. They fell short, famously, by one yard, on the game's final play, which had everybody on their feet and gasping. A very exciting play, and a Super Bowl where both teams showcased their talents. This one is underrated!

7. Super Bowl XXXII - One of the best matchups of great quarterbacks ever, as Brett Favre and John Elway led their respective teams on the sunny field in San Diego, in what ended up as a classic! What made this more thrilling was that it did not follow the script. The NFC had a thirteen game winning steak in Super Bowls, but the AFC champs, who were best known for always losing their Super Bowls, managed to pull off a win and snap the dreadful AFC losing streak against the defending champion Packers. Despite this being Elway's first Super Bowl win, the Broncos actually did not really need him so much, as MVP Terrell Davis and the Denver offensive line controlled the seemingly powerful Packer defense, which was overmatched on this day. A thrilling Super Bowl from beginning to end, that went down to the final minutes of the final quarter. It is often overlooked now, but right after this one ended, everyone was claiming this to be the best Super Bowl ever. Denver wins, 31-24.

8. Super Bowl III - Not a close game, I know. But let us not forget that this was the one that made the Super Bowl what it is. A huge upset by the upstart Jets, the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, established the AFL (soon to be the AFC following the 1970 merger) as legitimate. In truth, the Chiefs would win the following Super Bowl in much more convincing, dominating fashion, and it felt like less of a fluke than the Jets Super Bowl III win. Still, the Jets were the first team to do it, and it proved such a huge upset, that it is remembered even to the present day. Not the most thrilling game in terms of competitiveness or last minute thrills, but it was huge for every other reason, and really made the Super Bowl something that everyone wanted to watch.

9. Super Bowl XIII - The first truly exciting Super Bowl featured the first ever rematch in Super Bowl history, and established the Steelers-Cowboys rivalry as one of the greatest in NFL history! It went back and forth throughout the first half, but a missed catch in the end zone by Jackie Smith of the Dallas Cowboys proved very costly. The Steelers took full advantage, and asserted themselves, seemingly clinching it, as they took a 35-17 lead. Most of the press assumed Pittsburgh had already won it. Yet, the Cowboys mounted a surprising comeback, and seemed to make this a more exciting game than most expected. The Steelers ultimately won, 35-31, and clinched "Team of the Decade" honors. Still, the dropped touchdown pass by Jackie Smith would have given the Cowboys those four points, and this might have been a different game entirely, leaving Dallas fans to wonder what might have been.

10. Super Bowl XXXVI - The Patriots and Rams actually played a couple of months before, in a game that I attended, up in Foxboro. The Patriots were expected to lose, and did. The St. Louis Rams were the "greatest show on turf", after all. So, it was not surprising that they were heavy favorites when these two teams hooked up for the Super Bowl. Their offense was a well-oiled machine, and they were expected to make short work of the upstart Patriots. Yet, New England's defense frustrated the Rams all day, and entering the final period, the potent St. Louis offense, already hailed as possibly the greatest ever to that point, had a whopping three points total. But the Rams came alive, and mounted a huge comeback, scoring two quick touchdowns to tie it at 17-17. Belichick and Brady went for the win with very little time left, rather than running out the clock and heading for overtime. Good thing for them that they did not play it safe, as they got into field goal range. Vinatieri's kick sailed through the uprights on the final play of the game, and New England got their first ever Super Bowl victory, 20-17, the first title of the three that they would get in a four season span. It was the biggest upset up to that point since the Jets win in Super Bowl III!

Worst Super Bowls Ever:

1. Super Bowl XL - The Pittsburgh Steelers had an incredible run to the championship in the 2005-06 playoffs. Too bad they played so uninspired in the Super Bowl. Yet, they still won, because Seattle played even worse. This Super Bowl was dull, devoid of any real feeling of intensity or excitement, from a fan's perspective. Mistakes, such as dropped passes and missed opportunities, filled this game up, and made it a snoozer by both teams. Poorly played and without much drama means this was the worst Super Bowl ever, in my opinion.

2. Super Bowl XXIV - Seriously, this one followed the script a little too closely. The 49ers were at the height of their powers, defending champs, and 3-0 overall in Super Bowls entering the game. The Denver Broncos were AFC Champs for the third time in four years, playing well enough to win to that point, but not convincing anyone that they were ready for the 49ers. The big game confirmed all of the worst suspicions, and was over early. Any last remaining bit of drama was over late in the second quarter, when Denver, trailing 20-3, allowed yet another touchdown, and retreated to the locker room down 27-3. Final score, 55-10. Boring.

3. Super Bowl XX - Much like the 1989 49ers, the 1985 Bears, usually considered the greatest team ever by experts, were expected to make short work of the upstart Patriots. Much like the 1989 49ers, they followed through on those expectations, and then some, in a game that was over well before halftime. New England was completely overmatched and dominated, generating very little excitement, as the Bears took care of business in every facet of the game. The only time the game was really ever in doubt (and it was brief) came in the opening minutes, when Chicago turned the ball over deep in their own territory. The Patriots could not move the bal, but were so close, they got the field goal for an early lead - the only lead they would see all day. And they were extremely lucky to have gotten that much! The 1985 Bears were indeed the greatest team ever, by my estimation, but it certainly did not make for a riveting Super Bowl. They won, 46-10, but had clinched the win well before halftime, for all intents and purposes.

4. Super Bowl XXXV - The 2000 Baltimore Ravens probably had the greatest defense in history, and that during an age when the league (and their rules) favored offenses. Baltimore's defense, I think, overtook the '85 Bears as the greatest ever, although their offense was not nearly as good as those Bears. Baltimore completely shut down opponents that season, and that included the New York Giants, who became only the second team in Super Bowl history to have been shut out offensively (their lone touchdown came on special teams). Baltimore's offense was not spectacular, yet they won the battle sufficiently against the New York defense, and this game was never really in doubt. I am a Giants fan, but they did not belong on the same team as the Ravens on that day. Baltimore wins, 34-7.

5. Super Bowl XXVII - The Buffalo Bills had lost the previous two Super Bowls, while the Cowboys were a young tam clearly on the rise. The question was whether Buffalo could utilize their superior experience, and perhaps capitalize on the possible nervousness some expected on the part of the Dallas Cowboys. The answer was no. Buffalo did take an early lead off of a huge Dallas mistake, to go up early, 7-0. But the Cowboys came back, scoring two touchdowns in mere seconds, to take a 14-7 lead. Later in the half, with Dallas leading 14-10, they scored two touchdowns within seconds of each other again, to expand the lead to 28-10 entering the half. The second half was more of the same, as the Cowboys capitalized on a record nine turnover by the Bills, for an easy 52-17 win, and handing Buffalo their third straight defeat. The following year, they would make it four in a row, as the two teams had a rematch (surprisingly, the only time in Super Bowl history that the same two teams made it in back-to-back seasons) that nobody wanted to see.