Under Pressure

I have no preference in the upcoming Super Bowl. Neither the Steelers nor the Packers are among my favorite teams. But I do have an enormous rooting interest in the game itself. Papa John's, the official pizza of the NFL and Super Bowl XLV announced that it is offering a free large pizza TO EVERYONE IN AMERICA if the game goes into overtime.

There are about 310 million people in this great country of ours and each and every one of them, from sea to shining sea, gets a free pizza if the Steelers and Packers are tied when the clock winds down to triple zeroes. In the words of Yaacov Smirnov, "Is this a great country or what?"

Consider the pressure as a Steelers / Packers kicker lines up a potential game-tying field goal as time expires. Twenty years ago, poor Scott Norwood of the Buffalo Bills was in that very situation, missed the kick, and the Giants won the Super Bowl. Scott's house was subsequently vandalized and he never played football again. He reportedly is living in Canada today.

Thoughts of the Steelers / Packers kicker as the clock runs down:

1. "Did I pay my homeowner's insurance? If I miss this, good-bye house. Hello, insurance claim."

2. "I'm sure Scott Norwood is very happy living in that cave in the Yukon. If I miss this, I'll be joining him."

3. "Papa John is on the hook for 310 million people x $10 = $3.1 billion. And I think I'm under pressure?"

If the kicker has Thought #3, that field goal will sail through the uprights, we will have the first overtime Super Bowl, and Papa John will be joining Scott Norwood in that cave in the Yukon.