It's the weekend and we're hours from the biggest sporting event of the year. That means only one thing.
Mailbag.
These are letters from TFP readers. Send yours to jgreeson@timesfreepress.com and maybe you'll make next week's column.
From TD:
My buddy and I were talking about what would be the favorite restaurant of each SEC (football) coach. We're not thinking about some fancy places that these guys could go but day-to-day type go-to places.
We decided we wanted you to be the one to break this down. We love the "5 at 10."
TD --
We love, Love, LOVE questions like this.
Alabama coach Nick Saban -- the neighborhood Mexican restaurant where he can boss everyone and everything comes out super fast. The really good neighborhood Mexican restaurants always embrace the process.
Arkansas coach Bret Bielema -- Shoney's -- or any other buffet.
Auburn coach Gus Malzahn -- Waffle House. This one was easy. Dude has a reserved table at the Auburn WH.
Florida coach Jim McElwain -- any place that Will Muschamp did not like.
Georgia coach Mark Richt -- Chick-fil-A. Let us pray.
Kentucky coach Mark Stoops -- KFC, of course.
LSU coach Les Miles -- neighborhood Chinese, because they understand his ancient sayings and logic perfectly. Wax on, wax off.
Missouri coach Gary Pinkel -- Olive Garden (on $5 wine night, of course).
Mississippi State coach Dan Mullen -- Subway. We asked him this on "Press Row" last summer, and he said his go-to order is a 6-inch tuna with double meat.
Ole Miss coach Hugh Freeze -- If Mullen picked Suubway, Freeze is going the exact opposite and will go with Blimpie's. Or maybe Jimmy John's.
South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier -- Burger King. Why, you ask? Because someone with an ego as big as the HBC, well, they have to have it their way.
Tennesse coach Butch Jones -- Any place that serves brick-oven pizza. Brick-by-brick, baby.
Texas A&M coach Kevin Sumlin -- This the most difficult. We thought about Popeye's because Sumlin can get a little wide-eyed when he gets excited. We thought about barbecue, too. Finally we'll go with Zaxby's. Why, you ask? They have awesome Texas toast.
Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason -- Krystal, or whichever local establishment is the cheapest. Dude has to watch his pennies since this likely is his last year.
From Michelle:
Almost everyone watches the Super Bowl, and a bunch of us are going to a party Sunday.
Give me some talking points, OK?
Like what do think would be the best addition to the Super Bowl and who do you think will win?
Thanks, and your radio show is awesome. I love it when you guys do Rushmores.
Michelle --
Great question, and you're right: The Super Bowl is such a cultural phenomenon that we should have a little primer.
We have a video on timesfreepress.com about some talking points, too. If you need some more, well, let's try this quick top five:
1. The Super Bowl comprises the top 21 most-watched shows in the United States, with last year's being the most watched ever with more than 110 million viewers, and a peak audience of more than 167 million.
2. Speaking of viewers, did you know that there was a higher average of viewers during halftime last year than during the game? With that in mind, it could be the worst Super Bowl matchup of all time, but if they get Taylor Swift to perform at the Super Bowl next year, dear buckets of monolith meeting monolith. That could put 200 million in play.
3. This will be the most expensive Super Bowl ticket in history. The cheapest seat face value is $800, but Forbes estimates that the average ticket price on the open market is about $5,000.
4. If you wanted to, you could call this the Frasier Crane Super Bowl, since we met Frasier at Cheers in Boston and he moved to Seattle to be a radio host. Wonder who he'd be rooting for?
5. And have another Co-Cola. Super Bowl Sunday is believed to be the second biggest day of beer consumption in the U.S. (trailing only July 4).
Bonus: Sunday will have the most takeout food of the year -- more than 48 million Americans are expected to order takeout food. Domino's estimates its drivers will drive more than 4 million miles Sunday. That's going around the equator 160 times.
From SteelerFan:
Well, it's almost Super Sunday and my six-time-Super-Bowl-champion Pittsburgh Steelers are resting up for next year.
So my mind is wandering a little this week. I'm wondering what Bible characters you think would make good athletes. I'm thinking Samson might make a good bookend for Gronk at the Pats' other tight end spot now that Belichick is officially listing Aaron Hernandez as "doubtful." Goliath might be the missing piece in the paint the Cavs need, too, don't you think? And for some reason, I see Daniel in a Lions uniform -- maybe a slot guy not afraid to go over the middle. And don't you think Bathsheba has "Laker Girl" written all over her? If I'm not mistaken, I think she would be the first Hittite in the league.
What'cha got?
Steeler Fan --
We're at a loss for words. This question is brilliant.
OK, let's start with big guy. Jesus would be the bee's knees in whatever sport he picked. Forget Deion or Bo -- Jesus would be the most dominant multiple sport athlete ever.
In bass fishing he could catch a few fish and they'd still be weighing them six weeks later. In swimming, well, that whole walking/running on the water would be a game-changer. And pick any of the rest of the sports that need some sort of God-given ability, well, we figure that he's flush with that too, since, well, he's pretty well connected.
So from there, try these 10 on (not any particular order):
1. Noah would win at least three America's Cup yacht races.
2. We concur that Goliath would be a 5-star football and 5-star basketball recruit, like Allen Iverson was back in the day. Heck, here's saying Goliath's home land of Philistia would have been the Florida-type recruiting hotbed back in the day since 9-foot-tall giants were not that uncommon.
3. Speaking of Goliath, we believe David's accuracy with a stone screams Greg Maddux-type control. Plus, there would be very little debate between David and Felix Hernandez about who the real King is.
4. Moses would be the all-time Olympic swimming medal holder. Yes, Michael Phelps was awesome, but if Moses could part the pool and get down there and run on the concrete, well, that's not going to be topped.
5. With the right coaching, Job would be the best big-moment golfer since Nicklaus in his prime. Think of the patience and wherewithal that Job has and how that would translate on the back nine at Augusta.
6. Samuel would be the greatest scout in the history of sports. Dude picked Saul and David to lead Israel. Take that, Mel Kiper Jr.
7. Speaking of Saul, the Bible tells us he was a head taller than everyone else, so that means he would have looked like George Mikan back in the day. He screams a dominant low post threat.
8. Joshua was arguably the first great leader. The Johnny U. of the early parts of the Old Testament, if you will. That demeanor screams quarterback, you know.
9. How could we forget Samson? Dude would be a monster outside linebacker, right? Plus, with that flowing hair, he and Troy Polamalu would clean up on Head and Shoulders commercials.
10. Finally, we'll go with baddest dude in the whole Bible. Satan would have all the skills to do whatever he wants, of course. Sadly, he most likely would end up as the NFL's commissioner and try to distract all of us with PAT changes and jazz hand moves about concussions.
Excellent question, my man. Thanks and enjoy the game.