Mahomes, the Chiefs, Shakira and JLo win in Miami
Listen to this articleSuper Bowl LIV proved once again that old sports cliché: defense wins games. But it wasn’t the defense we expected. In Super Bowl LIV the Kansas City D dug deeper than they have in most games in the fourth quarter, shutting out the powerful San Francisco offense in those final 15 minutes.
On the flipside, SBLIV MVP Patrick Mahomes became the quarterback everyone expected in those final minutes, putting up 21 unanswered points. Granted, the last touchdown was due to the Niners talking incredible chances offensively that led to turnovers by downs, but still, 21 unanswered points.
On the other side of the ball, the best defense in the league fell apart in the fourth quarter. Defense is supposed to win games, not fold in the clutch. The Niners defense has a lot of video to review to see what happened.
But we shouldn’t slight the incredible performance by Mahomes. A couple other players could have been chosen for the MVP trophy, including some of those offensive lineman who kept Nick Bosa, Fred Warner and their teammates at bay long enough for Mahomes to make his plays.
Then there is Sammy Watkins, the wide receiver who made some big plays when Mahomes’ top two receivers, Travis Kelce and Tyreek Hill, were blanketed by the Niner defense. Five receptions for 98 yards, one for 38 that saved a Kansas City series. Only Hill had more receiving yards than Watkins.
On Monday before the game Claudia Gestro asked Mahomes about Watkins and his importance to winning this game. He said, “Sammy, he plays great football every single time he’s out there. He does so much for our team everywhere on the field. And with Tyreek [Hill] and [Travis] Kelce that [opponents] trying to take away, Sammy has been putting in a really good postseason and really helping us to get where we’re at.”
Gestro was working for another outlet, channel 22 in Los Angeles, for all game-related events.
The San Francisco 49ers played well, the game was tied at the half then the Niners pulled ahead by ten in the third. Quarterback Jimmy “G” Garoppolo reminded everyone he can still throw the ball and their rushing game still put 141 yards up in the box score.
The defense sacked Mahomes four times and they grabbed two interceptions, but they didn’t, or couldn’t, stop Mahomes in that final quarter.
For next season the rest of the NFL will be looking to see what these two defenses did and try to implement those schemes, but look to see the defenses of Kansas City and San Francisco to improve. The 49ers are in a tough division, with the Seattle Seahawks and Los Angeles Rams in particular. They will have a tougher road to Tampa, Florida, site of Super Bowl LV February 7, 2021. But the Chiefs will have to get past the Houston Texans and especially the Baltimore Ravens to make it back to the championship game. It won’t be an easy road to the next Super Bowl for any team, especially the two that made it to this one.
The New England Patriots made a habit of getting back to the Super Bowl and winning it — 11 AFC championships, nine with Tom Brady under center and six Vince Lombardi Trophies, all with Brady — but that is the exception, not the norm. And they will be in the playoffs next season, whether Brady stays with the team or not. He’s going to be a free agent and the soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders are reported to be looking to grab him away from Boston. Robert Kraft, owner of the Patriots, says he wants to keep Brady in the Patriots building.
We should mention the half time show, featuring Latina legends Jennifer Lopez (JLo) and Shakira. They sang in Spanish and English and then towards the end of their too short set, JLo wore a cape that was the U.S. Flag on one side and the Puerto Rican flag on the other. She displayed that flag prominently, reminding everyone — everyone — our neighbors in and from Puerto Rico are Americans too. It was a great half time show for Miami, for the Latin community and America in general. We are a diverse nation, even if there were angry white people yelling at their TVs, “Sing in English!”
Three cheers for Shakira and Jennifer Lopez. Oh, and the stripper pole, as Gestro said, “It’s Miami!”
How crazy is it going to get in Tampa?
Below we’ve included the exclusive video reports by Claudia Gestro from Miami.
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UPDATE: Former Niners QB Colin Kaepernick has been blackballed from the NFL for the past three seasons because he took a knee during the National Anthem before games. His ban was pushed largely by President Donald J. Trump who castigated Kaepernick mercilessly for protesting the institutional racism and profiling that has been a part of law enforcement since the beginning of this republic.
Now, a video has surfaced of President Trump at his Super Bowl watch party. He was standing during the Anthem, beautifully delivered by Demi Lovato, fidgeting, pointing at others — who were standing attentively with their hands over their hearts — and at one point pretending to direct the band. How disgraceful is this president?
End the oppression of Colin Kaepernick for the 2020 season. The Chargers will be looking for a new quarterback, as will other teams.
From the Miami Herald.
Photos by Claudia Gestro
Top photo: Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes, Super Bowl LIV MVP
Tim Forkes started as a writer on a small alternative newspaper in Milwaukee called the Crazy Shepherd. Writing about entertainment, he had the opportunity to speak with many people in show business, from the very famous to the people struggling to find an audience. In 1992 Tim moved to San Diego, CA and pursued other interests, but remained a freelance writer. Upon arrival in Southern California he was struck by how the elected government officials and business were so intertwined, far more so than he had witnessed in Wisconsin. His interest in entertainment began to wane and the business of politics took its place. He had always been interested in politics, his mother had been a Democratic Party official in Milwaukee, WI, so he sat down to dinner with many of Wisconsin’s greatest political names of the 20th Century: William Proxmire and Clem Zablocki chief among them. As a Marine Corps veteran, Tim has a great interest in veteran affairs, primarily as they relate to the men and women serving and their families. As far as Tim is concerned, the military-industrial complex has enough support. How the men and women who serve are treated is reprehensible, while in the military and especially once they become veterans. Tim would like to help change that.