Super Bowl First's and Records: Events that Sparked My Interest, Super Bowl Week

I’ve been super busy with school work recently, and haven’t had the chance to blog in 6 weeks. But, now that is all done and I’m back to blogging, just in time for Super Bowl LII's edition of Events that Sparked My Interest. For this season's final edition, I decided that I wanted to focus on the various records set. With that, let’s get into it!

Tom Brady

Probably the most interesting stat or record for me is that Brady is now the first quarterback in NFL history to lose a game when throwing for over 500 yards and at least 3 touchdowns. The 500 yard mark has only been eclipsed 22 times (including the Super Bowl). 17 of those times the QB threw for 3 or more touchdowns. 6 of those 17 threw no interceptions. 500 yards in a game just does not happen, and to rack up that many yards without an interception is crazy. Of those 17 players, 14 required 40 more passes, 7 needing at least 50. I found this to be one of the more interesting records set in Super Bowl LII.

Patriots lose Record 5^th Super Bowl

It hadn’t occurred to me, maybe because I thought the Patriots were going to win, but heading into the 52^nd Super Bowl, they had appeared in 9, winning 5 and losing 4. With their most recent loss, they are now 0.500 in Super Bowls and are tied with the Denver Broncos for the most Super Bowl losses out of any team with 5, in addition to hold the record for most appearances (10), and having the quarterback with the most wins (5) and appearances (8).

Nick Foles Becomes only QB to Throw and Catch a TD

In perhaps the game’s most icon play, QB Nick Foles caught a touchdown from Tight End Trey Burton. This made Foles the first player in Super Bowl history to both throw and catch a touchdown. While there isn’t some crazy elaborate tangent I can go on for this, I just have to say that I found the call gutsy, but it paid off. I think it is the game’s most iconic play and will be remembered forever by Eagles, Patriots, and NFL fans alike.

I hope you've enjoyed Events that Sparked My Interest this season. This was the first time I really sat down and tried to produce a product regularly, and while I didn't get something out every week, I think it turned out well, but I want your feedback. Please let me know as it is much appreciated.

Season Ending Injury and Stunning Loss Reset the Playoff Picture in the NFC, AFC: Events that Sparked my Interest, Week 14

Week 14 had a lot of interesting moments that caught my eye. Between the blizzard in Buffalo to the AFC South race, there were a lot of things I could write about this week and it wasn’t an easy choice. But as Gameday went on, the injuries and results from must win games piled up, the Events that Sparked my Interest fell became obvious.

Eagles get an Important NFC win, but at a Huge Cost

Last week I wrote about how I thought the Philadelphia Eagles would make the playoffs, but that they were due for a loss at some point and that happened against the Seattle Seahawks. Quarterback Carson Wentz’s favorite target, tight end Zach Ertz left that game with a concussion and didn’t play on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams. The Eagles beat the Rams in a shootout, clinching the NFC East, but it wasn’t pretty.

With 4 minutes to go in the third quart, Wentz ran for a touchdown which would be called back, but while diving into the end zone, his legs/knees got folded and while he managed to complete the drive, he headed straight for the locker room.

Yesterday it was confirmed that Wentz tore his ACL and is out for the year, adding onto the list of star players who are out for the year. So, while the Eagles have the head to head advantage against the Rams, they don’t have their quarterback. Yes, Nick Foles has proved that he can play and win in the NFL, but he is no Carson Wentz.

Foles’ play is something I’m interested in seeing the next three weeks, as the Eagles try to lock up the number one seed in what has become a mess of an NFC.

Patriots Loss Sets Stage for huge game against the Steelers in Week 15

The New England Patriots were stunningly upset by the Miami Dolphins on Monday night – putting quarterback Tom Brady’s road record against the Dolphins at 7-9 – and that created some major issues for the team when it comes to the number one seed in the AFC.

While there is virtually no way the team does not make the playoffs, the fight for the top seed in the AFC, or even a first round bye has just gotten a lot harder. Prior to the Dolphins game, they had the number two seed by virtue of the Pittsburgh Steelers owning the tie breaker. The Steelers beat the Ravens on Sunday Night, winning their division. A win against the Dolphins would have locked up the AFC East and kept pace with the Steelers, setting the stage for when the Patriots and Steelers meet in Week 15, since the winner would own the head-to-head tiebreaker, and very likely the number one seed.

But the Pats loss to the Dolphins complicates things. If they win next week, they would have the number one seed, but there would still be two games left to play. Both teams should win in Weeks 16 and 17, with the Pats playing the Buffalo Bills and New York Jets, and the Steelers taking on the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns.

But, if the Steelers win next weekend, the Patriots would be in trouble. First off, they would be lock up the number one seed, because even if they lost out and the Patriots won out, the Steelers would still have the head to head tie breaker. But, it gets worse.

With the Jacksonville Jaguars beating the Seattle Seahawks, the Jags gained ground on the second seed. If they win out, they would be 12-4, and if the Patriots won their final two games after losing to the Steelers, the two teams would have the same record, but Jacksonville would get the seed via their better conference record.

Simply put – because the Patriots lost to the Dolphins in a stunning upset, their hopes for the number one seed in the AFC rely upon running the table, and if they lost, they would need help from the Texans, 49ers, or Titans (which brings up a host of other playoff scenarios) to have a first-round bye, something the beat-up team needs and has had annually since 2009.


Subscribe to my blog via email to get an update any time something is posted. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter at @KidReporter363 for other updates about my writing and check out all my content at haydengoldberg.contently.com. Please leave your feedback in the comment section, I reply to everyone and take any and all feedback, ideas, comments, etc. under consideration.

Tom Brady Leaves To Much Time, Newton Runs for TD 50: Events that Sparked my Interest, Week 4

Week 4 of the NFL season had some surprising finishes. Both the Falcons and Patriots got upset and that alone caught my eye and will have big implications on the playoffs later on. Another thing that will impact that playoffs is how Le’veon Bell performs for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and after missing Week 1 due to a holdout and having poor weeks 2 and 3, he performed how the best back in football is supposed to in Week 4.

While I’m not going to write much about it, something that really sparked my interest due to a YouTube video I recently watched was that Week 4 of the NFL Season had 2 scores that the league previously hadn’t seen before: 14 to 57 (Texans beat the Titans) and 18 to 46 (Seahawks beat the Colts).

With that out of the way, its time for Events that Sparked My Interest in Week 4.

Tom Brady Leaves Too Much Time for the Panthers, Cam Newton rushes to TD number 50

After brining the Patriots back from two scores down, Tom Brady left Cam Newton and the Panthers slightly over three minutes to engineer a game winning drive with the game tied at 30. Usually the Patriots opponent leaves too much time, but on Sunday it was Brady who left Newton too much time.

Besides his game winning drive, Newton also rushed for his 50^th career touchdown, becoming the first QB in history to achieve that. In September 2016, he passed Vince Young (44 TD’s) to have the most rushing TD’s by a QB in the Super Bowl era and not long after that passed Otto Graham’s all time QB rushing TD record, with 45.

In terms of active quarterbacks, it doesn’t seem likely that Newton’s record will be passed any time soon, baring a devastating injury to him. This is since the next QB’s on the active list are: Aaron Rodgers (25), Andy Dalton (18), Tom Brady (17), Drew Brees and Ben Roethlisberger (16 each), and Joe Flacco (15). Following them, Andrew Luck, Alex Smith, Matthew Stafford, and Russell Wilson all have 14, while Ryan Fitzpatrick (yes, that’s not a typo) and Mark Sanchez (I’m not kidding, this isn’t a typo) have 13 each.

To put Newton’s 50 TD’s in 6 and ¼ years in perspective, he is tied with LeGarrette Blount (a running back who has been in the league a year longer) for 7^th on the active list. 5^th and 6^th place belong to Chris Johnson and Matt Forte with 55 and 52 TD’s and they have both been in the league since 2008.

To put our other QB’s totals in perspective, David Johnson, who has been in the league since 2015 has only one fewer TD than Rodgers. Had Johnson not gotten hurt earlier in the year, he surely would have passed Rodgers, moving from 18^th to 17^th on the active list. Ezekiel Elliott, whose played in 19 career games, has as many rushing TD’s as Brady. Mind you, not including the 2008 season when Brady played in only one game due to injury, he’s played in 17 seasons and rushed for 17 touchdowns.

Deshaun Watson’s Texans Stomp on the Titans in Huge Game for the Rookie

Not only did the Titans vs. Texans game result in a never before seen score, it gave way to a highlight reel game for former National Champion Deshaun Watson. His 5 total TD’s (4 in the air, 1 on the ground) tied a rookie record for QB’s. While his yardage wasn’t absurd, he only needed 3 of those touchdowns to secure the win for the Texans.

While the game was already over with 11 minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Texan defense came up with turnovers on three straight possessions, and the team scored 20 points in those final minutes.

Subscribe to my blog via email to get an update any time something is posted. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter at @KidReporter363 for other updates about my writing and check out all my content at haydengoldberg.contently.com. Please leave your feedback in the comment section, I reply to everyone and take any and all feedback, ideas, comments, etc. under consideration.

Playing Golf on Skis

Have you ever thought about what two sports you could do at the same time? Volleyball and basketball make sense. Tennis and baseball make a little.

What about golf and skiing? I doubt that came across your mind. 

But it's a thing, and I've done it.

When I went skiing in Snowmass, CO last week, I got to experience it. The Aspen/Snowmass ski area, with its four mountains, are special.

Yes, one of them hosts the X-Games annually.

Yes, one of them will host the FIS World Cup in March. Other ski areas have done that before. But, the Aspen/Snowmass ski area is one of a kind: they have shrines.

Throughout the four mountains that make the Power of Four - Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk, and Snowmass - lay shrines dedicated to various people and things, hidden within the trees. But not if you know where to look.

No other place in the world has shrines. There are shrines to the New England Patriots, the original Yankee Stadium, the Beatles, those who perished on 9/11, the deceased greats of golf, and more.

There, where Gunner's View and Bear Bottom join, hidden in the trees, photos hang on the trees, two chairs, ready to be sat in await those who come to pay their respect, two golf bags and a bucket of balls, for people to take some swings in the snow. 

And that, I did. When I was up on Snowmass last weekend, I visited that shrine. I slowly skied into it, via the little pathway in the trees. Once you made your way into the trees, you saw everything. It was really cool. There were images of golf greats: Arnold Palmer, Payne Stewart and more.

I was mesmerized when I got in, and was kinda speechless. I went in with my family, and we took our skis off to walk around. I got pictures with my family in the two chairs, with my grandfather on the ground, and some of the different signs and photos hanging on the trees.

Then, I got to play golf while skiing. I took a club, set the ball down, and took a swing, and chipped the ball. It was a great shot, and went to grab another ball.

After a practice swing, I made contact and once the ball landed, my dad yelled, "It's in the hole!"

Eventually, we had to leave, but it was a really cool and fun experience.

I definitely want to go back again next year, or whenever I go back to Snowmass.

If you would like to learn more about this shrine, and others, read David Wood's book, "Sanctuaries in the Snow". The book can be bought on his website here.  All book sales go towards the Trashmasters Golf Charity, which gives college scholarships to kids in Roaring Fork Valley, CO. Learn more about the other shrines and sanctuaries on his website here.

Why Tom Brady Shouldn't be Eligible to Win the NFL MVP

Despite the fact that Tom Brady has put up excellent numbers this year, he not only isn't deserving of winning the NFL MVP (or any other award for that matter), he shouldn't even be allowed too.

Why? He was suspended for the first four games of the season for "violating the NFL policy on the integrity of the game."

Simply put, Brady was caught cheating. If your caught cheating, I don't think you should be allowed to win any awards for that season.

If the NFL was smart, they would have made him ineligible to win it. And if they were really smart, they would strip the Patriots of their Super Bowl XLIX title and strip him of his Super Bowl MVP.

This isn't just about Brady, or the NFL, or Deflategate. It's about upholding honesty and not cheating.

If a 10-year-old-kid who looks up to him and see's that he wins the MVP even after cheating, then that kid has learned that, "if you cheat, you will be rewarded."

No, no, no! No! That is not okay! Not okay at all!

If a team has a really good play who is deserving of it (Matt Ryan of Atlanta), I don’t want to see him get beaten out by a cheater. No one in their right mind should.

So, really, if any athlete is suspended for cheating, shouldn't they also be ineligible to their sport's MVP, or any award.

It's not hard to understand: cheating is bad, and you shouldn't be rewarded for it. Common sense people.