Best bets

Last week: 1-1

Year-to-date: 28-25-2

I've watched every Super Bowl since the one where the Steelers beat the Cowboys, 35-31. That was 1979 – or XXVIII Super Bowls ago – and what I remember the most from that game was Terry Bradshaw played well, and John Stallworth and Franco Harris had long touchdown plays.

Other than that the most important thing about that first Super Bowl was the hors d'oeuvres served at the party at our neighbors' house in Washington. If I recall correctly they were from western Pennsylvania somewhere.

Since then, my favorite Super Bowl memories are, in chronological order: John Riggins running it down the Dolphins' throats in Super Bowl XVII, which was followed by the debut of The A-Team; all those touchdowns by all the Bears except for Walter Payton in Super Bowl XX; hanging out with my McCaskey basketball teammates for Super Bowl XXI; Doug Williams' big day playing hoops in the May's driveway in Super Bowl XXII; Montana to Taylor, the Bud Bowl and hanging out at Ben Miller's house with the gang for Super Bowl XXIII; watching Scott Norwood miss wide right on Howie Bryant's tiny, crappy TV during Super Bowl XXV; making my chili for Andy Cross's parties for Super Bowls XXIX and XXX; sitting in the control room at WGAL to watch Super Bowls XXXII and XXXIII; the big snowstorm, lots of shoveling, the impromptu halftime show and the great finish for Super Bowl XXXIV; betting on the outcome of every single play of Super Bowls XXXV and XXXVI at Roger Place's house; sitting in the newsroom at Comcast SportsNet for Super Bowl XXXIX; my son devouring the veggie dip at my sister's house for Super Bowl XL.

Needless to say, the Super Bowl experience has very little to do with football for most folks. It is, in a sense, a holiday, which is why I enjoy those now-cliché and requisite stories on the local news (wait… cliché and local news?) where some people choose to "boycott" the game by hanging out at a coffee shop, the Barnes & Noble or the local college lecture hall, or something like that. I definitely understand what they're protesting (no, it's not football per se), and agree with them that American culture needs a swift kick in the rear. However, hanging out at a corporate bookstore or Starbucks instead of with friends and family isn't exactly a political statement.

Sometimes there is a pretty good game. Such as (in order):

* XXXIV St. Louis 23, Tennessee 16

* XXIII San Francisco 20, Cincinnati 16

* XXV New York 20, Buffalo 19

* XXXVIII New England 32, Carolina 29

* XXXII Denver 31, Green Bay 24

So, will Super Bowl XLI be any good? Probably more like Super Bowl XXXVII when Tampa Bay beat up on the Raiders than any of the games listed above. In the ever so brief conversations with people who actually know something about football, I've heard the Bears "have a good defense," they "aren't very good," and they know "how to tackle," but no one says they can win the game.

That's why the Colts minus 7 is the way to go. Actually, if the line was 14 I'd still go with the Colts.

Peyton Manning will get his ring, as they say, but for most folks this will be one to forget… let's just hope the food is decent.