WILKES-BARRE — It’s Super Bowl time!
Are you ready for some indigestion?
Many “fans” will gather in all sorts of places to party down for the “Big Game” — Super Bowl LIX.
And this year, Pennsylvania is represented by our Philadelphia Barkleys, err, Eagles. They will be up against the Kansas City Swifties, err, Chiefs, in New Orleans.
It should be a good game. My extremely superficial analysis shows that the Eagles have the better team position by position. However, the Chiefs have the best head coach, possibly of all time, in Andy Reid; the best defensive coordinator, perhaps of all time, in Steve Spagnuolo; and the best quarterback, perhaps of all time, in Patrick Mahomes.
And one more very tangible plus for the Chiefs — they rarely lose, especially in the post-season.
And oh yeah, the Chiefs have Taylor Swift and all those Swifities on their side. The Eagles, however, have very loyal and intimidating fans.
Let’s just hope for a great game. Get those snacks ready!
Are you ready for some chicken wings, pizza, deviled eggs, kielbasa, Nachos Grande, jalapeno poppers, sliders of all types, guacamole dip, cheese fries, spinach dip, bacon-wrapped hot dogs, Stromboli, mozzarella sticks, salsa, pepperoni, salami cones, quesadillas, chips, pretzels and, of course, the party don’t start until the baked beans come out.
As for the game, really, who cares? Well, my buddy 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.
Toma, who turned 96 on Feb. 2, won’t be in New Orleans for the game between his beloved Chiefs and his home-state Eagles.
Truthfully, this could be a good game to watch, but I would prefer to play cards and divert my attention to the TV commercials, rather than the game itself.
Mr. Toma did make a prediction on who will win: “The Chiefs,” he said. But he said he will root for both teams. It’s a win-win for Mr. Toma.
Here are the Super Bowl LIX predictions from our esteemed panel of fearless forecasters:
Super Bowl LIX Picks
Gov. Josh Shapiro, Eagles 31-27
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, Eagles 37-34
U.S. Rep. Rob Bresnahan, Eagles 37-35
U.S. Sen. Dave McCormick, Eagles 24-17
Judge Correale Stevens, Eagles 28-24
PA Treasurer Stacy Garrity, Eagles 31-28
PennDOT Secretary Mike Carroll, Eagles 25-22
Sen. Lisa Baker, Eagles 27-24
Sen. Marty Flynn, Eagles 54-3
Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, Eagles 31-27
Rep. Jim Haddock, Eagles 27-21
Rep. Alec Ryncavage, Eagles 31-27
Rep. Brenda Pugh, Eagles 23-14
Rep. Jamie Walsh, Eagles 24-20
Wilkes-Barre Mayor George Brown, Eagles 45-35
Rev. Thomas Looney, President King’s College, Eagles 31-24
Dr. Greg Cant, President Wilkes University, Eagles 38-28
John Yudichak, President LCCC, Eagles 38-31
Tom Pugh, John Heinz Institute (retired), Eagles 21-14
Hal Flack, businessman, Eagles 38-35
Bill Jones, Volunteers of America, Eagles 34-30
Bobby Baird, Hall of Fame Trumpeter, Eagles 35-33
Joe Nardone Sr., Gallery of Sound, Eagles 28-21
Will Beekman, VP ASM Global, Eagles 34-30
Jimmy Harnen, Nashville, Chiefs 35-31
Romilda Crocamo, Luzerne County Manager, Chiefs 28-24
Luzerne County District Attorney Sam Sanguedolce, Eagles 35-27
Lindsay Griffin-Boylan, WV Chamber CEO, Eagles 31-27
Larry Newman, Diamond City Partnership, Chiefs 27-24
Alan K. Stout, Visit Luzerne County, Chiefs 38-35
Ted Wampole, Outer Banks, Chiefs 27-24
Tony Brooks, Wilkes-Barre Council/Historian, Eagles 24-14
Brenda Sokolowski, Circles on the Square, Eagles 23-21
Pete Danchak, PNC Bank, Eagles 24-21
Bobby Day, WARMland, Eagles 27-17
Tom Leary, former LCCC President, Chiefs 27-24
Ben Bradlee Jr., Author/Journalist, Chiefs 34-30
Joe Barna, Author/Veterans Advocate, Eagles, 24-17
Frank Balon, Veterans Advocate, Eagles 31-21 /
Jody Busch, Musician, Chiefs 42-38
Former Rep. Kevin Blaum, Eagles 31-17
Kamden “The Kammander” Cunningham, Eagles 30-20
C. David Pedri, Luzerne Foundation CEO, Eagles 427-3
Tracey Selingo, Fork Over Love, Eagles 28-21
Joell Yarmel, FM Kirby Center, Eagles 24-21
Gina Malski, Downtown Arts, Eagles 45-42
Alana Roberts, PPL, Eagles 23-21
Ellen Ferretti, North Branch Land Trust, Eagles 35-27
Robert Tamburro, TFP Limited, Eagles 35-32
John Augustine, Penn’s Northeast CEO, Eagles 41-35
David Payne, Banker, Eagles 24-21
Michelle Mikitish, Pittston Chamber, Eagles 37-32
David Yonki, W-B City, Chiefs, 41-38
Don Brominski, UGI, Eagles 28-24
Jay Delaney, W-B City Fire Chief, Eagles 27-24
Nicholas Dye, Developer, Eagles 33-31
Steve Poremba, Mohegan Arena, Chiefs, 27-24
Fran Moriarty, Quilts of Honor, Eagles 29-27
Attorney Robert Davison, Eagles 38-28
Diane Dutko, THINK Big, Chiefs 24-17
Marc Holtzman, Jewelcor, Eagles 23-20
Joan Heslin, Jewelcor, Eagles 35-28
Joe Fasula, Gerrity’s, Eagles 31-29
Former Congressman Lou Barletta, Eagles 27-24
Scott Henry Jr., Martz Group, Eagles 27-17
Clancy Harrison, Food Dignity, Eagles 21-6
Jessica Ruddy, PennDOT, Eagles 27-24
Kathy Bozinski, DCED, Chiefs 27-23
Tyler Ryan, Wilkes-Barre City, Eagles 27-23
Tom Williams, WBRE-TV, Eagles 38-33
Carl Witkowski, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD, Eagles 38-28
Mike Prociak, ProRehab, Eagles 28-20
Jim Della Croce, Music Promoter, Eagles 35-17
Thom Greco, Promoter/Businessman, Eagles 28-25
Donna Cupinski, Arena Authority, Eagles 31-28
Rusty Fender, Radio Personality, Chiefs 23-20
Attorney Drew McLaughlin, Eagles 31-27
Rob Beer, Geisinger, Chiefs 31-28
Barbara Sugarman, JCC, Eagles 24-21
Renita Zezza, Martz Group, Eagles 35-28
Ralph Zezza, Eagles 28-27
Ruth Corcoran, Public Relations, Eagles 44-20
Jim Torbik, Sunday Independent, Chiefs 23-20
Justin Topa, ASM Global, Eagles 27-17
Joe Pacuska, Abilene, Eagles 27-21
Jill Avery-Stoss, The Institute, Chiefs 30-21
Plymouth Mayor Frank Coughlin, Eagles 27-24
Alexis Eroh, Plymouth Alive, Eagles 28-21
John Thomas, Plymouth Alive, Eagles 35-28
Adam Morehart, Plymouth Alive, Chiefs 34-28
Scott Cannon, Plymouth Alive, Eagles 20-14
Chelsey Coslett Traver, NEPIRC, Eagles 31-28
Attorney Bill Anzalone, Eagles 27-20
Eric McKitish, WB/Scranton Airport, Eagles 36-27
Susan Turcmanovich, PA American Water, Eagles 31-24
April Vinciarelli, Jacobi Capital, Eagles 30-27
Jim Cummings, Mericle Development, Eagles 31-27
Jessica Cronauer, Leadership Northeast, Eagles 18-16
Larry Cook, Presidential Historian, Eagles 33-21
Charles Luce, Veteran Advocate, Eagles 28-24
Chief Will Clark, WB Township, Eagles 31-28
Pittston Mayor Mike Lombardo, Eagles 27-24
William Lewis, Historian, Eagles 32-28
Mike Hopkins, Children’s Service Center CEO, Eagles 31-28
Liz Graham, Riggs Advisors, Eagles 27-24
Trooper William Evans, Chiefs 25-18
Frank Paczewski, Trolley Expert, Eagles 31-24
Gerald O’Donnell, Community Advocate, Eagles 24-20
Thomas Shubilla, Luzerne County Democratic Chair, Eagles 34-30
Amy Feldman, Northeast Sight, Chiefs 35-31
Jennifer Warabak, Commission On Economic Opportunity, Chiefs 20-17
Beth Gilbert, Action Together NEPA, Eagles 38-31
Barbara Shevock DiGiovanni, Eagles 21-14
Dr. Vince DiGiovanni, Eagles 28-24
Jack Sharp, Eagles 27-23
Maria Sharp, Chiefs 38-35
Vinny Sharp, Eagles 31-24
Stanley Shevock, Eagles 31-27
Al Jones, California, Eagles 30-24
Bob Barney, Florida, Eagles 38-31
Richie Pries, Eagles 31-28
Diane Pries, Eagles 38-31
Felicia Morris, Chiefs 17-10
Wayne Bevan, Chiefs 17-10
Jay Naparlo, Eagles 24-14
George Miklosi, Drummer, Eagles 31-28
Dr. Carol Brown, Chiefs, 30-28
Lynn Banta, Eagles 24-14
Frank Picchi, Eagles 27-24
Barbara Coburn Davis, Eagles 27-21
Nita Sarnak, Eagles 35-6
Dave Roberts, Florida, Eagles 27-17
Pierce Hooper, Eagles 35-30
Clyde Peters, Chiefs 33-21
Mike Harper, Eagles 32-21
Amanda Larson, Grotto Pizza, Eagles 31-28
Lindsay Nasser, III Guys, Eagles 28-25
Barry Rogers, Musician, Eagles 30-23
Billy Ellsworth, Musician, Chiefs 30-28
John Rosick, Eagles 31-27
Sean Tracy, Chiefs 32-26
Chuck Peterman, Chiefs 26-19
Tom Swartwood, Eagles 30-29
Jim Grinavich, Eagles 27-21
Dave Lowery, Chiefs 27-24
Bob Zagorsky, Eagles 30-24 (OT)
Holi Heffron, Hodi Lymphatic Center, Eagles 31-24
Katelyn Kennedy, Hodi Lymphatic Center, Chiefs 27-24
Kevin Kennedy, Chiefs 33-24
Ed Karavis, Eagles, 31-28
Helen Karavis, Chiefs 36-32
Shelly Karavis, Eagles 35-28
Lorree Levulis, Eagles 33-27
JK Karavis, Chiefs 24-20
Times Leader staff picks
Scott Champion, Co-Owner, Chiefs 31-28
Andrew Mok, Co-Owner, Eagles 38-31
Kerry Miscavage, Publisher, Eagles 38-35
Marc Couchot, Director of Operations, Eagles 42-33
Joe Soprano, Executive Editor, Eagles 27-23
Liz Baumeister, News Editor, Eagles 24-16
Diane McGee, Advertising Director, Eagles 27-24
Val Andres, Customer Service Manager, Chiefs 30-27
Mary Therese Biebel, Lifetsyles Editor, Eagles 28-25
John Erzar, Sports, Eagles 28-23
Derek Levarse, Sports, Eagles 27-23
Kevin Carroll, Chiefs 30-27
Sam Zavada, Reporter, Chiefs 38-35
Ashley Bringmann, Page Designer, Eagles 31-24
Gabby Lang, The Weekender, Eagles 27-24
Tony Callaio, Sunday Dispatch, Eagles 35-33
Mitchell Hall, Page Designer, Chiefs 24-17
Ed Lewis, Reporter, Eagles 34-27
Bill O’Boyle, Reporter/Columnist, Eagles 26-21.