Beyond the Byline: Preparing for Super Bowl LIX

WILKES-BARRE — This is an alert — Super Bowl picks of area prognosticators will be printed in next Sunday’s Times Leader, Feb. 9 edition.

But before I go any further, I must apologize to my dear friend, Mr. George Toma, who I erroneously reported as having his 96th birthday on Sunday, March 2 — however, Mr. Toma’s birthday was Sunday, Feb. 2.

I sincerely apologize to my friend and I wish him many more birthdays.

Mr. Toma, as we all know — or should know — served as the head groundskeeper for the first 57 NFL Super Bowls!

Mr. Toma is now retired and living in Kansas City and he eagerly awaits Super Bowl LIX, which will feature his beloved Kansas City Chiefs versus the Philadelphia Eagles, representing Mr. Toma’s home state of Pennsylvania. He grew up in Edwardsville and got his groundskeeping start at Artillery Park.

Super Bowl LIX

Well, the big day is almost here and we will soon know if Taylor Swift’s Chiefs will win their third straight Super Bowl.

Let’s be honest, until someone beats them, the Chiefs have got to be favored, right?

But let’s offer some less-than deep analysis of the game.

From where I sit — which is in my reclined in front of my big-screen TV, the Eagles appear to be the better team. They have a really good quarterback, great receivers, a dominant offensive line and, arguably, the best defense in the NFL.

And, let’s not forget they have Saquon Barkley of Penn State and, more recently, of my New York Pitiful Giants. Number 26 is by far the best running back in the NFL and can be a difference maker — well, because he already has been all season.

The Chiefs have, again arguably, the best head coach of all time and perhaps the best defensive coordinator of all time and — jury still out — but perhaps the best quarterback of all time. Yeah, I hear you, Tom Brady.

But Mahomes is special, uhhh different, if you will — he wins and he wins big games — Super Bowls, post-season games. Even when they appear to be lost, Mahomes leads the Chiefs to victory.

That’s difficult, at best, to defend.

You might hear this from the announcer:

“Mahomes drops back, he rolls to his left, can’t find a receiver, he rolls to his right, looks like he will be sacked — wait, he throws it behind his back, left-handed to Kelce — touchdown! Chiefs win!

It could happen. And nobody would be surprised.

And they also have Miss Swift, who has brought more new attention to the “big game” than ever before. While I am not a “Swiftie,” I do appreciate her and her career, so let the kid live and be happy.

As for the game, well fans of both teams, as always, expect to win. And my buddy, Mr. George Toma cares because he worked for the Hunt family as the Chiefs’ groundskeeper for decades and, as we all know, he was the head groundskeeper for the first 57 Super Bowls.

Mr. Toma did make a prediction on who will win: “The Chiefs,” he said. But he will be just fine if the Eagles win — it’s in his Pennsylvania blood. Valley With A Heart and all that.

So start making your snacks — kielbasa, deviled eggs, chicken wing dip, jumbo shrimp, chili, Nachos Grande and salami cones. And remember, the party don’t start until the baked beans come out.

Enjoy the game, especially the zillion dollar commercials, and may the best team win.

Party on!