All things Super Bowl LVII: We have the big game preview
On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast: Super Bowl LVII is here! We have all things Super Bowl including how to watch, half time and how much money Americans are expected to bet on the big game. Plus Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will become the first pair of Black quarterbacks to face off in the Super Bowl. We hear from sports personality Stephan A. Smith about what the moment means. And we've all heard about the Kelce brothers being the first brothers to ever play on opposing teams in the Super Bowl, but what happens after the game and how does mom, Donna handle this conundrum? And finally, we hear from former NFL running backs Jamal Charles and Brian Westbrook on the Chiefs and Eagles matchup.
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Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text.
Taylor Wilson:
Good morning. I'm Taylor Wilson and this is Five Things You Need To Know, Saturday the 11th of February, 2023.
Today it's Super Bowl weekend. Hear from Stephen A. Smith, the Kelce's mom and more, as we get you ready for the big game.
The Super Bowl is almost here. Tomorrow night. The AFC Champion, Kansas City Chiefs will take on the NFC Champion, Philadelphia Eagles, in Arizona. The Chiefs are looking for their first Super Bowl win since 2020, while the Eagles are trying to win it all for the first time since 2018.
As for the entertainment country star, Chris Stapleton will be performing the national anthem. Babyface will sing America the beautiful, and Cheryl Lee Ralph is performing Lift Every Voice and Sing, the Black National Anthem. Then at halftime, Rihanna will take the stage. You can tune into the game on Fox at 6:30 PM Eastern Time, 3:30 Pacific. And Kevin Burkhart and Greg Olson will have the call.
The American Gaming Association estimates that more than 50 million adults will place a bet of some kind for Super Bowl LVII, and a survey conducted by the organization found that betters will wager some $16 billion on the game, more than twice as much as last year. The game's venue itself outside Phoenix also makes it easy for bets to be placed on site, since there's a sports book inside State Farm Stadium. Of the 50 million that'll place bets, 38% will do so online, 26% will take part in office pools and 13% will go old school and deal with a bookie. The Supreme Court, in May of 2018 struck down a law that banned commercial sports betting. Since then, 33 states and Washington DC have legalized gambling.
Patrick Mahomes and Jalen Hurts will make history tomorrow as the first pair of black quarterbacks to ever face off in the Super Bowl. So what does this moment mean? Sports personality, Stephen A. Smith, discussed with USA Today's sports host, Mackenzie Salmon.
Mackenzie Salmon:
I really think it's cool how we've finally gotten to a point where two black quarterbacks are going to be playing here. Can you put into context for us how important that is?
Stephen A. Smith:
Well, I think that a lot of people look at it and they lamented the fact that we are living in times that even in the year 2023, we're here to highlight that there's going to be two black quarterbacks. I look at it totally differently. I like the fact that we're highlighting that there's two black quarterbacks, because it allows us the opportunity to point to the inequities, the pigeonholing, the marginalizing, and the other insidious things that were taking place in being exacted and exercised towards premier big time black athletes in the past. There were plenty of black athletes that could have played the quarterback positions. There were plenty of black athletes who knew how to call a playbook. There were plenty of black athletes who knew how to be leaders, who could galvanize teammates and get max effort and max performance out of them. And they were told they couldn't play that position. They weren't going to be allowed to play that position, and deferred to doing something else, which compromised their overall careers and the success that they could have reached.
So to me, when something like this happens and we bring up the fact that there's two black quarterbacks, we have the license to touch on history and remind folks of the iniquitous acts that have been placed against us as African Americans, as black men in this country. I like that. It doesn't bother me at all.
Taylor Wilson:
The Kelce brothers, Travis and Jason, have spent their careers in separate conferences, but they'll finally get the chance to meet in a Super Bowl clash tomorrow. Travis, as the Chief's tight end, and Jason as the Eagle's center. They'll become the first brothers ever to play on opposing teams in the Super Bowl. That creates a conundrum for their mom, Donna.
Donna:
In the Super Bowl, you only have a chance to see the winner. The losers are immediately sent to their hotel. It's like, "Go to your room." You're allowed to go on the field. The winners are the only ones that are there. And so I will be at the celebration. I want to embrace whoever the winner is, and then you go back to the hotel, go to the post-game party, that's where I'm going to give my son that is heartbroken a hug, tell him I love him. And there are no words that are going to help him at all. So, it just is what it is.
Taylor Wilson:
Donna will be wearing a custom split jersey tomorrow, half Chiefs and half Eagles.
This week Jason described growing up with Travis as chaos. He told reporters, "Enjoyable chaos, a lot of broken windows." Travis told reporters that Jason won all the fights between them growing up, until the last one. For more Kelce brothers stories, check out our link in today's show notes.
Jamal Charles and Brian Westbrook know a thing or two about being a running back in the NFL. They both started the position for the Chiefs and Eagles, respectively. They sat down with USA Today's Sports ahead of the big game to look at the Chiefs and Eagles sides of the matchup. First Jamal spoke with USA Today's Sports host, Mackenzie Salmon.
Mackenzie Salmon:
I mean, if Travis Kelsey, Patrick Mahomes, and Andy Reid do end up winning this, do you feel like it's fair to say that they are a dynasty?
Jamal Charles:
Oh yeah. They've been to five FC Championships. You know what I'm saying? That's hard to do. I don't care what you say. It's hard to even win a playoff game and they're already a dynasty.
Mackenzie Salmon:
I know you were there when Andy Reid ended up coming there when he got fired from Philly. Do you remember that first year? And did he really change the culture when he got there? Could you talk to us a little bit about what it was like being there with him?
Jamal Charles:
Oh yeah, it definitely, it was a culture change, culture switch. When we first got there, what I'm saying, was he changed the whole organization. He showed us how to be professionals. He showed us how to just let your lights shine on you, let your personalities shine. He let us be us. And we started off that season nine and oh, from one of my best seasons with the Chiefs organization, we started off nine and oh. I'm like, "Man, this came out of nowhere." So he reminded me, being back in Texas how to win again.
Mackenzie Salmon:
The Eagles have an incredible run attack and I know Mahomes, it seems like he's really gotten his stride with Pacheco, but do you feel like the Chiefs backfield can keep up with the Eagles backfield during this game?
Jamal Charles:
Well, it's just the different chain with having Pacheco and McKinnon. It's not about so much running games. Because Coach Andrew Reid, he can do his running game in the passing game. His passing game is when he throw the ball out, so McKinnon and Pacheco out the backfield. That's a run. The Philly B line is that. So we're going to have to find a way how to create some space to get those [inaudible 00:07:16] line from trying to chase out the Mahomes.
Taylor Wilson:
And Brian Westbrook talked about former Eagles and current Chiefs coach Andy Reid, among other things with USA Today Sports host, Tony Anderson.
Tony Anderson:
Now Brian, you have a unique perspective as a running back who played at a high level. When you look at Jalen Hurts and this Russian attack, what impresses you so much about this squad?
Brian Westbrook:
Well, this team has been multiple. They've had the ball, the ability to run the ball at the quarterback. They've had the ability to run the ball with the running back. They've been able to block every front that is designed to stop the run, and still be successful running the ball. And then we look at the passing game. You can affect the team on all three levels, the short game, the medium game, and the deep game. They've been able to score on all three levels. And when you have that, now where defense is not sure where to play you, they're not sure exactly what to do. And of course you have play maker on all three levels, right? In Dallas Godard [inaudible 00:08:11], Devonte Smith and AJ Brown. And then you have the running back out of the backfield that just have done a great job of receiving the ball. So this team has been super impressive throughout this season.
Tony Anderson:
You played under Coach Andy Reid. Things didn't work out there. He wasn't able to get that ship. Do you think you guys would've won that ship with Andy Reid eventually if he hadn't gone on to Kansas City?
Brian Westbrook:
Well, I mean if we talk about our 2014, I think if we would've stayed together, we would've won a championship. No doubt we would've won the Super Bowl if people stayed together. Unfortunately, we weren't able to stay together. By the time Andy was at his end of his tenure, 2012, 2013, the team had just deteriorated and it was time for him to move on. And he made a very successful move to Kansas City. Not a team that was not very good, but just had a bunch of talent to play on a different level. And now you're talking about one of the best teams in the history of the game, the Kansas City Chiefs, led by Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid. And so it's just hard to take anything away from him. He's just been a super important coach in the history of this game.
Taylor Wilson:
Thanks for listening to Five Things. We're here every morning right here, wherever you get your audio. James Brown is back with the Sunday edition tomorrow, and I'm back Monday with more of Five Things from USA Today.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: All things Super Bowl LVII: We have the big game preview
