Let Me Take You Back to 1989

Cooterdoodle and Jake did such a great job this week recapping their favorite Super Bowl commercials, it got me thinking about my own. Then suddenly, it hit me like a ton of bricks, transporting me back to my youth.

You youngsters out there may have NO IDEA about the Bud Bowl …

More than a commercial, Bud Bowl was a darn cult legend ... and the build-up was INSANE. Especially growing up in the Stone Age without DVR (forget about YouTube), you wouldn't DARE skip a commercial break and risk missing the game within the game …

 

(Note: This first appeared in our Betting Llife Newsletter on 2/9/2025)

Bud Bowl had everything (there’s a great history of it here and again here) and no detail was spared; the old-school 32 oz. bottle “coaches” even wore paperclips as headsets for crying out loud!

First time out, we had no idea what to expect from the long-awaited Bud Bowl ... but there was actual action.

It was hard-hitting from the kickoff and the nation was hooked!

Despite parents everywhere being torn over their children’s obsession with a beer commercial … how could they complain? Kids NEVER sat through an entire football game so quietly in their lives! (We couldn’t risk getting sent to bed early)

Gotta win the turnover battle, even in beer bottle football, by the way.

Announcers, everything ... the Bud Bowl truly had it all (check out this clip I found from 1988 where Bob Costas — “who recently started his own late-night talk show” — hypes it up… and Roy Firestone couldn’t be reached for comment). In fact, I think Mike Ditka wound up coaching by the fourth installment.

I contend to this day it’s the greatest TV ad campaign of all time—and I’d do anything to bring it back into the fold.

Enjoy the Super Bowl, everyone!

Let’s just hope it doesn’t come down to you know who …

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The latest analysis and insights from our merry band of sports betting nerds:

🏆 Sorry, when I referred to Cooterdoodle and Jake above, I meant MY FELLOW AWARD FINALISTS. Shoutout to everyone who got the nod for fantasy awards

❄️ I’m not sure where Norman Chad is today but man … this 1989 column is a freezing cold take on the Bud Bowl

🎙️ My partner in crime Gene Clemons (and his new partner in crime Matt Swing) predict Kendrick Lamar’s setlist for halftime tonight.

⚜️ Ronis used the Fantasy Life newsletter yesterday as an opportunity to tell everyone that Kendall almost fell, several times, all over New Orleans.

💸 I cannot get enough of these fake Super Bowl props

🔮 If you want to heighten your Super Bowl betting experience, here are some futures in other sports (even golf!) to pair with them.

🦠 Rashod Bateman has a lot of new non-Chiefs fans today. His quotes on SiriusXM have officially gone viral.

👻 Here she is, cooterdoodle with the Super Bowl Scared Money parlays.

🥊 For my boxing people, that Canelo-Jake Paul fight isn’t happening. But check back tomorrow because this is very up and down.


🏈🏆 Super Bowl Bets: Pick Another Peck Of Player Props 🏈🏆

At this point, most, if not all of you have been brow-beaten to death with the same analysis over and over. However, if you did just return to Earth for whatever reason and are looking for my normal stat-dense geeky breakdowns—check out this week’s previous Betting Life editions on both the Chiefs and Eagles. For reference, these bets can all be found on DraftKings, under Super Bowl Specials.

DeVonta Smith With A Reception In Each Quarter (+450) .10u: If Steve Spagnuolo maintains his usual consistency in schematic approach (high pressure rate with two safeties up top), the middle of the field could be left open to prevent any deep shots downfield. Enter DeVonta Smith, the best WR in this game who no one wants to acknowledge with all the Dallas Goedert love going on. Nothing like a nice, low bar to clear with a (+450) return on the backend. 

Xavier Worthy With +10 Receiving Yards In Each Quarter (+450) .10u: Xavier Worthy’s taken the lead as KC’s volume wideout, with seemingly new creative ways to get him the ball every week. Especially if you think the Chiefs could be behind and/or abandoning the run game early like I do—10 receiving yards a quarter feels awfully attainable at (+450).

Kareem Hunt With +10 Rushing Yards In Each Quarter (+600) .10u: Before you can think it—yes, as the odds get longer my arguments will get progressively worse. Kareem Hunt is a plodder at best, but he’s also the most trusted RB in the backfield. I expect him to continue leading KC in carries and if we get the right distribution of four carries for 11 yards … it’s a nice cash on an otherwise uninspiring output.

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🏆 More Super Bowl Bets: A Pair Of Longshot Game Props 🏆

Both Jalen Hurts And Patrick Mahomes With A 20-Yard Rush (+1000) .10u: Since we mentioned the tsunami of repetition in the betting space this week, I wanted to take a different approach to one of the more popular angles for the big game. Everyone (and I mean everyone) seems to be on the rise in postseason QB scrambling. Well, what if the public’s right? (ducks) A long scramble is in the cards for both shot callers given the amount of expected pressure in a win-or-go-home situation, right? 

Longest Field Goal Zero/Tie (+1500) .10u: Landing on a tie is going to take a miracle—but I wouldn’t say the same whatsoever for any of the other wildly popular TD-only final scores (28-21, 35-28, etc). Both teams exercise aggressive play-calling on fourth down and know they’ll need to find paint if planning on lifting the Lombardi.

And that’s a wrap for the 2024-25 NFL season, everyone! What a ride … Good luck on your wagers, and have a great time watching the game!

Eat, drink, and be merry—just please bet responsibly and most importantly, do not let anyone you know drink and drive. One bad decision can wipe away a lifetime of responsibility, and we need you all home safe and sound to enjoy our next go-around—aka next week: “the offseason.” We appreciate you dearly, and remember: without you, there’s no us. 

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What Do The Sharps Say For Super Bowl LIX?

From our friends at Sharp Hunter, by Mike Mutnansky

At Sharp Hunter, we’re tracking thousands of bets from sharp bettors every day. Not just in the NFL, but in the NBA and college basketball, too. 

As for Super Bowl LIX, the line is tight. As of Saturday, Kansas City is a consensus 1.5-point favorite with a total of 48.5 across the board. 

At Sharp Hunter, since the game opened, we’ve seen sharp bets on Kansas City. To back that up, we show a One-Bag Sharp Score on the Chiefs -1.5. Those sharp scores show where the sharp money is going. 

I’ll be betting this Super Bowl with our sharps on Sunday. 

And look, the Eagles are very good, but their path to winning on Sunday goes through the running game and Saquon Barkley. With Barkley and that loaded offensive line, this team was built to run the football.

They had the No. 1 rush rate in the NFL this season (55.9%). And look it worked—the Eagles ran the fewest plays of any team in the NFL when trailing by 6+ points. They ran the ball to get the lead, then pounded the ball and time of possession to close out games—that was the winning formula all season.

So what if, on the biggest stage, they trail early? What if they get punched in the mouth? And what if they have to throw the ball more? That sets up for Chiefs’ DC Steve Spagnuolo to fire off blitzes at Jalen Hurts. The Philadelphia signal-caller was mid-pack (16th) vs. the blitz this season, per DVOA. I like that matchup for the Chiefs.

Yes, he’s the best quarterback on the planet, and some of Patrick Mahomes’ trends make it very easy to back Kansas City. He’s a silly 28-9-1 ATS as an underdog or favorite of 3.0 points or less. I have him 16-1 SU in domes/retro roof games with 38-6 TD/INT and a QB rating over 105. Since 2019, Mahomes is now 30-4 SU with 8+ days of rest. There are a ton of big trends in his favor.

And on Sunday he’s got a full complement of receivers. The aforementioned coaching staff has had two weeks to prepare. In a game that feels very close on paper, he’s the quarterback I’d want with the ball in the fourth quarter.

All year, I’ve trusted the sharps. They’re backing the Chiefs on Sunday. 

And as a neutral fan rooting for his bets (and a good game), so am I. 

Good luck on Sunday—from all of us at Sharp Hunter.

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