Posts tagged 42StopstoSuperBowlXLII at FanHouse

I topped my 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII series with the fact that only 10 NFL MVPs have ever won the Super Bowl in the same season. Sure, not all of them got to the Super Bowl ... but 21 did. Now 22.

Amazing that the MVP is just 10-12 in Super Bowl history.

Tom Brady extends the MVP losing streak to three. Oakland's Rich Gannon won the MVP in 2002 but lost that year's Super Bowl. The Rams' Kurt Warner lost the previous year's Super Bowl during his MVP season.

Kurt Warner was the last player to win the MVP and the Super Bowl in the same season ... back in 1999.

More interesting tidbits after the jump:

The 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII is a series that will feature stories, stats and interesting trivia that you can use to act smart as you prepare for Super Bowl XLII.

I've been married for nine years now and it just recently occured to me that my wife doesn't watch the Super Bowl. I'm so engulfed by the game in my Sportz Room that it just doesn't click to me that people don't give a crap about the game. Shame on them.

So, for you guys out there who's wives, girlfriends or loved ones will be doing something other than watching the game ... here is a quick TV listing of alternate programming:

NBC: The Biggest Loser. From the fit to the fat.
ABC: Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. For guys that like to cry.
CBS: CBS Reports. They spent two weeks with the Iowa National Guard.
ESPN: They know. It's figure skating all night long, baby!
NFL Network: Red Zone. As usual, they have nothing by the stats up for viewing. It is a nice companion piece to the actual game, provided you have a 2nd TV nearby.
Animal Planet: Puppy Bowl IV. I must admit, I've caught a few minutes of this on one of my non-Super Bowl TVs.
National Geographic Channel: In The Womb. Riveting imaging of a baby in the oven.

The 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII is a series that will feature stories, stats and interesting trivia that you can use to act smart as you prepare for Super Bowl XLII.

This will be sixth time the Super Bowl has been played in February. The AFC has won the previous five games:

• Super Bowl XXXVI: Patriots beat Rams on February 3, 2002
• Super Bowl XXXVIII: Patriots beat Panthers on February 1, 2004
• Super Bowl XXXIX: Patriots beat Eagles on February 6, 2005
• Super Bowl XL: Steelers beat Seahawks on February 5, 2006
• Super Bowl XLI: Colts beat Bears on February 4, 2007

The 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII is a series that will feature stories, stats and interesting trivia that you can use to act smart as you prepare for Super Bowl XLII.

There is nothing like the mayors of cities betting "placing a friendly wager" on a big sports contest like the Super Bowl.

For Super Bowl XLII, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Boston Mayor Thomas Menino have set their wager:

In the bet placed Tuesday, the loser will donate local foods to charity in the other mayor's city.

If the Patriots win, that means Bloomberg will send a delivery to Boston that includes Manhattan clam chowder, pastrami sandwiches, New York pizzas, black and white cookies, New York steaks and a few gallons of lemon ice.

And if the Giants claim victory, Menino will send a package with New England clam chowder, Dunkin' Donuts coffee, Boston cream pies, chicken sausages and Brigham's ice cream.

The 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII is a series that will feature stories, stats and interesting trivia that you can use to act smart as you prepare for Super Bowl XLII.

Eli Manning will be the fourth different quarterback to start a Super Bowl for the New York Giants ... tying a record.

• Super Bowl XXI: Phil Simms started against Denver
• Super Bowl XXV: Jeff Hostetler started against Buffalo
• Super Bowl XXXV: Kerry Collins starter against Baltimore
• Super Bowl XLII: Eli Manning will start against New England.

The 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII is a series that will feature stories, stats and interesting trivia that you can use to act smart as you prepare for Super Bowl XLII.

Below are guys that made their names in the Super Bowl. Some of these guys were pretty good NFLers before their breakout games ... some we haven't heard of before or since ... but performing well on the biggest of stages makes them legends.

Doug Williams (Redskins): It wasn't that Williams was a no-name as much as things really didn't pan out for him. Dude really came off the scrap heap. Williams did nothing much of note in his first years at Tampa Bay or in his USFL stint. Redskins coach Joe Gibbs (who coached Doug in Tampa) gave him a shot in 1986 to back up Jay Schroeder. In '87, Schroeder had some shoulder issues late in the season and Williams did a good job taking over. So much so that there was a QB controversy. Williams got the nod and the rest is history.

What Williams did in the 2nd quarter of Super Bowl XXII is nothing short of remarkable. He was 9-of-11 for 228 yards and 4 TDs. Again, that was just in the 2nd quarter! Williams would win the game's MVP and become the first (and only, so far) black quarterback to win a Super Bowl.

Timmy Smith (Redskins): If Doug Williams didn't win the MVP, Smith would have. Smith rushed for 204 yards (still a Super Bowl record) and two TDs. Coming into the game, Smith had rushed for just 129 yards that season. His career lasted just 15 games after the Super Bowl.

The 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII is a series that will feature stories, stats and interesting trivia that you can use to act smart as you prepare for Super Bowl XLII.

You know, Super Bowl XLII isn't the first time that a team comes into the game undefeated and there are whispers of spying and cheating floating about. Same thing happened in Super Bowl VII when the undefeated Miami Dolphins took on the Washington Redskins.

Paranoia was rampant before Super Bowl VII. Watergate was the nation's headlining act. But in Washington, it was Redskins head coach George Allen that was famously worried someone was watching and/or filming his team's practices. He tried to keep his practices as secure as possible. He just knew some team wanted in on his game plan. He knew this because he would try to do it to opponents.

The 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII is a series that will feature stories, stats and interesting trivia that you can use to act smart as you prepare for Super Bowl XLII.

They all can't be winners! Some of these were just bad games. Others were just ugly blowouts with no real redeeming value. This isn't to slight the winners of these game ... but the fact that if I had to watch them over again, I wouldn't.

1-Super Bowl V: This one was nicknamed the "Blunder Bowl" for good reason. There were 11 turnovers in the game with the Colts ... who won ... committing seven of them. The Dallas Cowboys were called for 10 penalties. This game sucked so bad that the MVP award was given to Chuck Howley ... of the losing Cowboys (the only time the Super Bowl MVP played for the losing team). Sure, Jim O'Brien kicked the game winning field goal at the end of the game ... but even that was set up by a turnover.

The 42 Stops to Super Bowl XLII is a series that will feature stories, stats and interesting trivia that you can use to act smart as you prepare for Super Bowl XLII.

Here are what I believe are the five best Super Bowls, ever. You can debate this all you want (which is fine), but these five were all great games with exciting finishes and are memorable in one way or another.

1-Super Bowl XXV: This was a great matchup in every way. With a backdrop of war, this game had all kinds of emotion as the game began (thanks, Whitney). That vaunted Bills offense against the stuffy Giants defense. The lead changed times on four occassions. In the end, an old guy like Ottis Anderson ate up the clock and Scott Norwood missed the only time the winner of the Super Bowl came down to the final play (even if Vinatieri missed those Pats FGs, the games would've went into overtime). Giants defensive coordinator Bill Belichick's defensive gameplan for this game in enshrined at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.