A snowy Super Bowl hangover

A couple quick notes today as Johnny has other appointments. We think the chance for another outdoor Super Bowl, at least at the new Meadowlands was completely ruined by NJ Transit and their lack of planning and trains. Amazing to hear them talk about how well they did when in fact they sucked. We guess that's just how the leaders at NJ Transit view success. They need replacing.

Also Johnny wants to give a big thanks to the host of the teevee show The Soup, Joel McHale, who retweeted Johnny's picture below of the Empire State Building all done up in Seattle Seahawks colors to his 3.3 million followers. That was great.

More snow tomorrow night into Wednesday, yep you heard that right...

Seahawks beat a dead horse 43-8 to win the Jersey Super Bowl

OMAHA!

And the Seahawks jump offside...

If you want to go to the Super Bowl you CAN, the game is NOT a sellout

OK football fans, if you'd like to go to today's Super Bowl at the new Meadowlands there are still around 1,000 tickets left at online ticket brokers. Reports say they were around $2000 yesterday and the prices are dropping fast (some as 'low' as $800). We're not linking you to the ticket brokers, they should be illegal but if you still want to go to the game today, you still can.

We repeat the game is NOT a sellout.

So Jersey City, what are your thoughts on Super Bowl week thus far?

Johnny's had a lot to say on the matter here and on the Twitter but what do YOU think of all this hubbub? Good? Bad? Indifferent? Mad at the JCPD for ruining the fan experience at the Hyatt where the Seahawks are staying? Spit it in comments.

Local NJ towns: The NFL has been a nightmare to work with

Despite NFL protestations to the contrary, many city, town and township powers that be say the NFL has been a nightmare to work with in trying to bring events to their towns. Many in fact thought they had events in place after talking with the NFL only to find out the NFL has many levels of bureaucracy many of whom not to know what others are doing.

It's a good read and rather frustrating to weigh everything being said by so many local municipalities against a blanket denial by the NFL which w're frankly tired of hearing because the NFL's comments just don't jibe with what's going on on the ground.

The Super Bowl hype machine is up and running and you know what Johnny's noticed?

NYC seems SO desperate to let people know THEY have something to do with it. Yes, with NJ thinking they'd be the ones overlooked by the media and getting no attention for their events the script has completely flipped. Did anyone watch the NYC news reports the last couple nights? Read the blogs and newspapers? They seemed almost pained to say everything for the next few days was Jersey-centric. From the non-stop team reports here in Jersey City on the NFL Network and ESPN where the Broncos and Seahawks are both staying, to the media day at the Prudential Center in Newark, to the kickoff concert.

It's the New York City media outlets looking desperate for attention.

They continually showed their big Broadway football NFL experience in Times Square thing where nobody was. New York media outlets are talking up NYC events that frankly aren't drawing. Lots of fans here for the kickoff concert at Liberty State Park last night. Look at the pictures in the link, lots of fans hanging outside the hotels here in Jersey City.

As hard as Roger Goodell and his NFL lackeys might have tried to minimize New Jersey in the whole Super Bowl run up it appears that New Jersey has become the star and New Yorkers are left trying to photobomb us.

Never let them forget it either...

Both Super Bowl teams arrive in Jersey City Sunday with much fanfare

At least by Jersey City's Mayor and the fans of the teams themselves. There just aren't a lot of Seattle or Denver fans who make up the local population to make that happen. You citizen are encouraged to go to both the Denver Donkeys arrival celebration which takes place at 4pm at the Hyatt hotel, 2 Exchange Place AND Crooked Pete and his Merry Band of Self-Important Seattle Peahens who will have their arrival celebration at 8pm at the Westin, 479 Washington Blvd.

Said Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop of the welcome ceremonies:

“We are excited to welcome the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks, as well as all of their fans, to Jersey City,” Fulop said. “Working closely with the NFL has been a great opportunity to showcase Jersey City as we prepare for the nation’s largest annual sporting event. We hope that everyone attending the Super Bowl experiences everything Jersey City has to offer.”

Johnny wishes he could get excited by these teams but come on, Denver and Seattle. Nuff said.

Experts: NJ is getting outright hosed on Super Bowl money

The NFL, without showing all work, uses a formula from a company calling itself Sport Management Research Institute to tell host cities they will get upwards of half a billion dollars from travelers and others coming for the game and festivities. People who don't do their homework on these numbers hear this and think fabulous what a great deal we're getting, some kind of factoring and science must have been used in these projections. Well the half a billion is being grossly overstated by as much as 75% and the science used so the NFL can use the $500 million number is based on "false science" say experts:


Andrew Zimbalist, a sports economist at Smith College, told NJ.com in a recent Q&A that the study that produces that $500-600 million figure is based on "false science":

The studies that they do that I’ve seen—they don’t make all of them available—but the ones that I’ve seen use input-output analysis and produce reams of data that an uninformed observer would look at and say, ‘Well, this is science.’ The NFL certainly wants people to believe that it’s science.

S.P. Sullivan at NJ.com did a great breakdown of the true costs and benefits of Super Bowls and what New Jersey and to a lesser extent NYC can expect from this year's Super Bowl. Sullivan interviewed quite a few experts who said the NFL numbers just do not add up:

Matheson says the rosy economic figures being offered by the NFL and host committees are flawed in part because the parties funding them have an economic interest in reporting big numbers. They also focus on economic activity created by the game without factoring in economic activity prevented by the game, he says.

"The way that the studies go wrong is that they do a pretty good job estimating all the economic impact that does occur because of the Super Bowl, but they don't do a very good job of estimating the impact that doesn't occur," Matheson said.

There is so much more on this at the link above. It makes for a great read if you want to know the truth and not just what's being told to you.

Stupid question NJ.com, Should the Super Bowl be postponed if it snows?

Now, they're not talking 1-2" of snow and postponement. They mean like we just had, 6, 8, 10 inches and up. The answer of course is NO. No they shouldn't delay or postpone the Super Bowl a day or two or a week because of inclement weather. Of course the Super Bowl brings in the millionaires who don't go to football games all year then show up and expect to be catered to.

Screw them. Johnny nor most of America does not care if rich people have to deal with getting to the stadium in the snow or sitting outside in the snow. We all do it or have done it. The Lions vs Eagles game this year was a treat for fans, not a zonk. Then again it's the rich people who keep Roger Goodell, the NFL Commissioner obviously in over his head, in his job. They expect to be sheltered from such events, kind of like Montgomery Burns.

But this is all speculation Johnny, the chances of snow showing up next weekend are, whoops, ruh ro, pretty good according to CBS 2 Weatherman Lonnie Quinn who is calling for a whopper next weekend. He said on a sports call in show yesterday our area is looking at a storm even bigger than the 10" we got on Tuesday.

So, our answer is of course not, we regular fans love football in the snow. We hope this snow does materialize for the Super Bowl, because then Roger Goodell is going to have to choose; His millionaire lackeys or the millions of fans who want a SnowperBowl.

Joining the Denver Donkeys are the coffee house misanthropes from Seattle

The Peahens have won the NFC and are also on their way to Jersey City full of vim, vigor and a bag full of shitty calls helping them to the Super Bowl. The NFL should really be quite ashamed of the way that game was officiated.

So fans from Denver and Seattle will be coming to Jersey City to wait near their teams' hotels to get a glimpse of their favorite players or to get an autograph on a jersey. Seeing as Johnny is a Browns fan and the Donkeys have kept Cleveland out of three Super Bowls any Denver fan asking Johnny a question is going to get a wrong answer or wrong directions. Look out Bayonne, here come some Denver fans.

The Denver Donkeys are on their way to Jersey City for the Super Bowl

Whoopee!

Super Bowl kickoff concert with free tickets to the show at Liberty State Park

January 27 Mayor Steve Fulop says everyone is to attend (well ok encouraged to attend) a Super Bowl Kickoff Concert with the Goo Goo Dolls and Macy's Fireworks. If you'll follow this handy dandy link you might be one of the lucky ones to get some free tickets.


Johnny Action Space Punk cannot officially endorse an event with the Goo Goo Dolls because, well, Goo Goo Dolls.

Just a quick FYI for fans of the four NFL teams left playing, Jersey City awaits the winners!

Suppose you're a 49ers fan (like Mrs. Johnny). Suppose your team gets power up and wins this Sunday in Seattle. The 49ers will then (well actually BOTH teams who win Sunday) will set up camp in Jersey City before the Super Bowl. It's true, both Super Bowl teams will be staying in Jersey City. One at the Hyatt and one at the Westin. So if you're a die-hard Patriots, Seahawks or Broncos fan, and they win, after Sunday Jersey City will be the place for you.

This Super Bowl thing must be a big deal, we get a Vignelli transit map out of it

Since the New Meadowlands (pay up Snoopy) is going to act as the fourth branch of government on Super Bowl Sunday and nobody will be tailgating or even driving to the game, you better get a look at the official transit map for the big event if you're planning on going. This isn't just any transit map, no Vignelli Associates was tasked with creating this one. They make the most famousest of transit line maps. You can hit up Gothamist for more on the story and map or check out the .pdf by clicking here. Those with tickets should keep in mind Governor Christie allegedly likes to slow down cross-border traffic on a giant scale if he is angered. He's stronger than the storm. Try and keep him happy until February 3.

Sports!

Sounds like the Super Bowl expectation of every room being rented in NYC is falling rather short

Now we understand the NFL is never above telling everyone that everything is going smoothly and that everyone is more interested in their product that they were ten minutes ago. So why have only 27% of the available rooms in NYC been booked for Super Bowl weekend? Look, we already know the NFL is giving New Jersey the back of their hands, instead trying for the glitz and glamor of NYC.  Roger Goodell and his merry band of assholes are putting on very very little in the way of Super Bowl events in the Garden State and are giving NJ the short shrift, with practically everything in Gotham.

So, if people could give a shit and NOT rent rooms in NYC, where is all this Super Bowl excitement? We hear the NFL is want for volunteers as well to help shuttle people and do things for those big spenders coming from all points. That's not a very good formula for success at such an event. In fact at this point, after watching and listening to the NFL marketing over the supposed NJ/NY Super Bowl we'd invite anyone from New Jersey to NOT volunteer and let the New Yorkers step up to the plate. Screw the NFL. If they don't care about the very state their biggest game is being held, why would Garden Staters want to volunteer to help them marginalize New Jersey? Do it yourself NFL.

But don't count on those hotels in NYC to fill up JUST for the Super Bowl. 27% two months out? Yeah NFL, we're just not that excited about your game on either side of the Hudson. In fact, here's a troubling stat for the NFL:

Some New York City hotels have reportedly either slashed their rates or reduced the minimum number of nights for which guests will be required to pay.

If this lack of interest in the Super Bowl here continues on (despite what the marketing machine from the NFL will tell you) it couldn't happen to a nicer group, the NFL bigwigs and their acolytes.

Now all we need is a crippling snowstorm. And if you think Johnnys being petty about the snow, former Green Back Packer and NFL Hall of Famer Paul Hornung said he hoped on Feb. 2 in East Rutherford "It snows like a bitch."

No tailgating at the Super Bowl

Because TERROR! Yep, security concerns have caused tailgating before a football game, the supposed biggest game of the year to be 86'd. From the article:

"...because space will be so tight in the parking lot thanks to all the security checkpoints and TV crews, even the lucky ticketed few might be banned from (literally) chilling in the parking lot pre-game."

So no tossing the football around in the parking lot before the game either. So no tailgating, no tossing the ball around the lot, no football-type actions of any kind.

"Children of Sombertown, your playing days are over!!"

Who the hell would want to go to this if your team wasn't playing? There's nothing football about this game. You do realize while you aren't allowed to grill a burger or eat a hot dog outside the stadium walls, inside the muckity-mucks will be enjoying the finest food and yes, some of it grilled on site. Again, you really want to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on this? If so you're not one of the fans sitting in snow and single digit wind-chills in Green Bay, Cleveland, the New Meadowlands, Buffalo, Baltimore and New England today. In essence, if you want to pay all that money for puffery and no real football feel, you're not a football fan Johnny wants at his tailgate.

One Super Bowl matchup has been set - New Jersey vs. New York

The New York Times took a somewhat condescending look at New Jersey in a piece that shows the competition for Super Bowl events and sponsors is already being played between New Jersey and the other state. Well, not so much state at all, just that big city. The Times points out almost looking down their noses at the Garden State events that yes of course all the celebrities and glamour will be in NYC because duh. They even sound a bit like Robert Duvall as Colonel William Kilgore in Apocalypse Now who says of the North Vietnamese when, during the famous helicopter attack scene, spits out incredulously "These people never give up." Sorry we're trying to have a good time with the Super Bowl New York Times, and god forbid we draw someone away from that Broadway football experience complete with Angry Drunken Don't Tickle Me Elmo and a super bowl of gumbo from Bubba Gump's ("Eat where the Saints players refuse to eat"®).

The article mentioned events in New Jersey having difficulty drawing sponsors. But not once did they mention Jersey City which makes Johnny ask our city administration, people are going to be aware that Jersey City has the best access to NYC, brilliant restaurants and a view to die for riiiiight? Riiiiiiight? Maybe a well placed viral ad campaign, maybe a couple well positioned billboards advertising such. So maybe you only grab a few thousand, it all helps. Governor Christie, well we need you to be Governor Christie and make SURE everyone knows where this game is being played. You gotta book a Saturday Night Live spot to get the message out? Do it!

So yes, NYC prepares to take the lion's share of the attention which should give Garden Staters all the more impetus to do what Johnny does and rightly call them the New Jersey Giants and New Jersey Jets.

We're stronger than the advertising storm!

OK PSE&G workers who will be working the Super Bowl, we need an updated next of kin emergency card

Because if the power goes out, so do your lights or so says Governor Chris Christie. Yesterday the Governor was in Moonachie for an event with NFL bigwigs when he told story about himself along with Jets owner Woody Johnson standing next to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell last year as the lights went out for a half hour during the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Christie is quoted (in a church no less) as saying:

"The lights were out for a while as you'll recall, and so I was with the commissioner, and it's an awkward time. We were there in the dark and he's on his BlackBerry trying to figure out what's going on," Christie said, via ESPNNewYork's Jane McManus, recounting how he was in attendance for the blackout. "Finally he turns to me and he said to me, 'You know, Gov, when we come to New Jersey next year, the lights aren't going to go out, are they?'"

"And I said, 'Listen, Roger, I can't guarantee the lights aren't going to go out,' I said," he continued. "'But if they do, there will be bodies strewn in the parking lot for the people who are responsible for the lights going out, because that's the way we handle matters in New Jersey.'"

So there you have it PSE&G workers, you will need to update your next of kin on your emergency contact cards and most likely check on the life insurance plan.

Chris Christie, The Governor...

So Hudson County, are you planning on trying to profit from Super Bowl XLVIII?

Johnny was reading that some of our friends and neighbors are renting out their homes/condos/apartments for some pretty good coin for the weekend of Super Bowl XLVIII. From an asking price of $10,000 for a two-bedroom place in Fuho, to an $8,800 ask in North Bergen for a two bedroom place people are getting interest in these inflated prices.

And why not? If you can make some good money off of people with more money than brains for an outdoor February football game we say go for it! There is really nothing the city powers that be can do to stop such a thing, so it's a free, fair and open market.

So, how much are you going to list your place for?