For the Birds:
For two weeks in a row, every NFL playoff game with a "bird team" was won by a bird team. The only bird team to lose last week (the Atlanta Falcons) lost to another bird team (the Arizona Cardinals), and all three bird teams (the Cardinals, Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens) won this weekend as well. As an Eagles fan, I like this pattern, but it won't help next week when they play the Cardinals.
Care to spell that out for non-Pennsylvanians?
/badtaste
/ducks
In 2008 a newest tallest building, the Comcast Center was built, and a small statue of William Penn was placed at the top of the building. And the curse is lifted!
"The bird is the word: Surprise teams swarm NFL's final four"
:)
2. Since I didn't see the BCS thread on volokh this year, I have to make the following points:
a. The Gators in the last three years:
i. National Champions
ii. Heisman
iii. National Champions
b. SEC has won three in a row and 4/6.
c. Texas had to come from behind to beat an overrated OSU team. T. Tech was demolished by Ol' Miss. Oklahoma lost (and their offense wasn't all that). Okie St. lost. Since those were the "powerhouse" teams of the Big12- well, I think we all learned a lesson.
d. Final lesson learned, as always- The SEC and the Pac10 are where the real football is played.
As a die-hard Iggles fan, I like the odds of an Eagle v. a Cardinal fight to the death.
I would support giving the Big10's BCS spot to the Mountain West.
Oddly enough, even though most teams are named for animals, most super bowls have been won by teams with non-animal names (see, e.g., Steelers, 49ers, Cowboys, Redskins, Packers, Patriots, Giants). Despite the fact that past history being no indicator of future performance, this record strongly implies that we should expect to crown the Steelers on Super Bowl sunday.
I'm sure the Eagles could use a tie-breaker, if they read the rules, but the Cardinals already beat the Falcons on the field of battle.
Oddly enough, even though most teams are named for animals, most super bowls have been won by teams with non-animal names . . . .
This statement is half-true.
Unclear:
Bills (mascot is a Buffalo, but a Bill is not an animal)
Animals:
Dolphins, Ravens, Bengals, Colts, Jaguars, Broncos, Eagles, Bears, Lions, Falcons, Panthers, Cardinals, Rams, Seahawks
TOTAL: 14
Non-Animals:
Patriots, Jets, Browns, Steelers, Texans, Titans, Chiefs, Raiders, Chargers, Cowboys, Giants, Redskins, Packers, Vikings, Saints, Bucs, 49ers
TOTAL: 17 (18 counting the Bills)
Expected win % of non-animal teams: 56.25%
Number of wins (after mergers... starting with SB V):
29 Non-Animals
9 Animals
Actual win % of non-animal teams: 76.31%
So non-animal teams outnumber the animal teams, and, in fact, had I done a more comprehensive analysis, this might have been "more fair" (expansion teams more likely to have animal names):
Expansion '76: Bucs &Seahawks (1/2 animal)
Next Expansion: Jaguars &Panthers (2 animals)
Next Expansion: Texans &Ravens (1/2 animals)
So expansion has brought us 4/6 more animals, which is well more than the average, especially the Jax/Charlotte expansion.
Biologically: Mammal
Spiritually: Valar
Why not start with SB I?
That adds four non-animal winners. (Packers, Packers, Jets, Chiefs.)
No, but a bill is a part of an animal: "the parts of a bird's jaws that are covered with a horny or leathery sheath; beak."
Some might object that buffalo do not have bills, but I figure there can be buffalo wings, there can be buffalo bills.
I don't consider the first four "real" Super Bowls, that's why. The math isn't too hard-
Brings winning % up to 78.57%
What would make this more interesting is if you broke out the various nicknames for units of people:
Steelers, Cowboys, Raiders, Texans, Chiefs, Redskins, Vikings, Packers, Bucs, 49ers
This leaves out the mythological:
Titans, Giants, Saints
Named after individuals:
Bills (Buffalo Bill Cody), Browns (Paul Brown)
And "other":
Jets, Chargers
It would seem that if you were starting a franchise, your most successful name would be name yourself after a group of people.
Just a thought.
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