Fox Network gives Greatest Sports Gift in History
In a game that never should be political, America and the world were treated to several historic firsts.
Beyond the many highlighted in the following article, perhaps the least mentioned was the incredible gift Fox game the world when for the first time in history they live-streamed the Super Bowl for free, and you did not need to be a cable TV subscriber to watch it.
It was a bold move, the most popular show on network television is also streamed for free but it will certainly give Fox Sports the lead in reaching the millions of television viewers who have disconnected their cable service. These viewers had no way to watch a sports event of this magnitude without cable service in the past.
Tens of millions of Americans have cut the cord to cable service because there is no choice in channels, the news services have disintegrated into babbling idiots, and the service providers keep raising rates. Perhaps the Fox experiment will demonstrate to the networks that live streaming with no cable requirement is the key to future market penetration.
Unfortunately, the program directors seem to be brain dead as after the program Fox returned to streaming shows, not just hours, but days old. It seems a terrible waste of network assets.
As for the game, a few ads tried to get political, there was a nod to politics by Lady Ga Ga but not much, and the liberals tried to get the world to oppose the New England Patriots because the owner, the coach, and the star quarterback were all friends of Donald Trump.
In the end the far left proved wrong again as President Trump predicted an eight point New England victory and after the overtime the Patriot victory was six points. For the entire first half and throughout most of the third quarter it looked like a massacre by Atlanta over the Patriots as the Falcons built up a 28-3 lead.
Atlanta was dominating on offense, defense, and in all the statistics much to the delight of the liberal rabble rousers, but then the the Patriots, behind the bruised and battered star quarterback Tom Brady, began clawing their way back into the game.
As Brady commented, there were about 30 plays by the teams during the last quarter any one of which might have changed the outcome of the game. In the end, two astounding touchdowns followed by two point conversions, with the last with one minute left in the game, brought the world to a standstill, well at least fans of American style "football," as the game was tied and headed into the first overtime in fifty-one years of Super Bowls.
When New England won the coin toss and got the ball first in overtime, Brady meticulously drove them the length of the field for a touchdown and victory leaving the highest scoring offense in the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons, never getting a chance to play in overtime.
It was the greatest Super Bowl in history and perhaps one of the greatest sporting championships of all sports of all times. Three-quarters of all American TV households watched the game on network television, according to preliminary ratings, but that does not include the tens of millions who live-streamed the game and are not counted by Nielsen.
Here is what the Brits had to say about our American pastime.
Super Bowl 2017, New England Patriots 34 Atlanta Falcons 28: MVP Tom Brady leads comeback from 25 points down to stunning overtime win - and his fifth Ring
- First-ever Super Bowl to go to overtime (28-28)
- MVP Tom Brady adds to his legend with masterful
OT drive
- Patriots trailed 3-28 and eventually won 34-28
- Airbnb says #weaccept as Super Bowl LI ads get political
- Lady Gaga Super Bowl halftime show - as it happened
- Hillary Clinton hails Lady Gaga's 'message'
Tom Brady led one of
the greatest comebacks in sports history, lifting New
England from a 25-point hole to the Patriots' fifth NFL
championship in the first Super Bowl overtime.
The Patriots scored 19
points in the final quarter, including a pair of 2-point conversions, then
marched relentlessly to James White's 2-yard touchdown run in overtime to beat
the Atlanta Falcons 34-28 on Sunday night.
Before
the stunning rally - New England already held the biggest comeback in the final
period when it turned around a 10-point deficit to beat Seattle two years ago - the Falcons (13-6)
appeared poised to take their first NFL championship in 51 seasons. Having
never been in such a pressurised environment, their previously staunch pass
rush disappeared, and Brady tore them apart.
"Deflategate" far behind them, Brady
and coach Bill Belichick won their 25th postseason game, by far a record. It's
hard to imagine a tenser victory. Belichick became the first coach with five
Super Bowl crowns.
The Patriots won the
coin toss for overtime and it was no contest. Brady completed six passes. A
pass interference call took the ball to the 2, and White scooted to his right
and barely over the goal line.
His teammates streamed off the sideline to
engulf White as confetti streamed down from the NRG Stadium rafters.
It was almost an impossible dream for the
Patriots a bit earlier. But helped by Matt Ryan's fumble on a sack, a
spectacular catch by Julian Edelman , and Brady's passing, they never stopped
coming.
White had 14 receptions for
110 yards as the key weapon, but Brady hit seven different receivers.
Until the Patriots took
charge with their late surge, league MVP Ryan was outplaying Brady. It didn't
last.
Falcons head coach Dan Quinn admitted the
loss was hard to take. "No doubt that was a tough one for us,"
said Quinn. "That's a hard one in the locker room."
Quinn felt the Falcons were
worn out by the end by the pressure the Patriots applied. "I think for
sure we ran out of gas some," Quinn said.
Back in Boston
The mayor of Boston ordered the city
to "fire up the duck boats" for the New England Patriots victory
parade.
Democratic Mayor Marty
Walsh took to Twitter late Sunday night to offer his congratulations "to
the greatest team, the greatest coach and the greatest quarterback of all
time."
Mr Walsh said a parade
celebrating their championship would be held on Tuesday, adding the Pats
"have made Boston and New
England proud."
What an amazing comeback and
win by the Patriots. Tom Brady, Bob Kraft and Coach B are total winners. Wow!
— Donald J. Trump
(@realDonaldTrump) February 6,
2017
Donald Trump was also quick to offer his congratulations. The president, who has often boasted of his friendship with Brady, tweeted: "What an amazing comeback and win by the Patriots. Tom Brady, Bob Kraft and Coach B are total winners. Wow!"
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