How Do You Arrive At Your Super Bowl XLII Prediction

by Jason Jones

Ask yourself one question…What percentage of people across the country are rooting for the Patriots and how many are rooting for the Giants? The national media has spun this Super Bowl even harder than any other in recent memory. I guess that is justified, since we are about to witness history one way or another. They would have you believe that the “rooting breakdown” is barely 55/45 in favor of the Patriots. I clearly think it really is more like 70/30 in favor of the Patriots. The following is courtesy of ESPN.com. This is a collection of people who have given their picks for the Super Bowl. I have supplied all 129 of them with score and team. This list includes ESPN employees as well as celebrities that span sports, acting, music, etc. If that was not enough, I have done some basic adding and came up with what the average score would be according to people who honestly think the Giants will win. The average score by people who believe the Patriots will win. And, yes, the average score of all 129 people included. Enjoy, I’m not very good at math, so this was a son of a bitch.

ESPN STAFF and Selected Celebrities

1. Jeffri Chadiha: 24-23 Giants
2. John Clayton: 38-24 Patriots
3. Matt Mosley: 31-17 Patriots
4. Len Pasquarelli: 31-20 Patriots
5. Mike Sando: 30-20 Patriots
6. John Banks: 42-21 Patriots
7. Mike McAllister: 34-24 Patriots
8. Scott Symmes: 27-24 Giants
9. Sheldon Spencer: 27-23 Giants
10. Jeremy Green: 27-23 Patriots
11. Keith Kidd: 27-20 Patriots
12. Matt Williamson: 33-20 Patriots
13. Ken Moll: 28-17 Patriots
14. Doug Kretz: 31-17 Patriots
15. Marwan Maalouf: 28-27 Patriots
16. Gary Horton: 31-20 Patriots
17. Bill Simmons: 42-17 Patriots
18. Greg Garber: 38-21 Patriots
19. Gregg Easterbrook: 20-19 Giants
20. Jemele Hill: 38-31 Patriots
21. Wright Thompson: 35-3 Giants
22. Paul Newman (actor) Tie ---------
23. Joanne Woodward (actor) 28-14 Patriots
24. Jack Nicklaus (golfer) N/A Patriots
25. Arnold Palmer (golfer) 28-21 Giants
26. Gen. Mike Hayden (Dir CIA) 28-24 Giants
27. Martina McBride (singer) 31-27 Patriots
28. Placido Domingo (singer) 24-21 Giants
29. Serena Williams (tennis) N/A Giants
30. Don Rickles (comedy) 21-12 Patriots
31. Phyllis Diller (comedienne) 30-10 Patriots
32. Lebron James (cle cavaliers) 34-14 Patriots
33. Dwayne Wade (mia heat) 27-17 Patriots
34. Shaquille O’Neal (mia heat) 21-20 Giants
35. Keith Olbermann (msnbc) 27-21 Giants
36. Bill O’Reilly (fox) 31-30 Giants
37. Michael Phelps (swimmer) 24-17 Patriots
38. Mitt Romney (anti-Christ) 28-14 Patriots
39. Michael Bloomberg (Mayor) 31-28 Giants
40. Elisabeth Shue (actress) 31-20 Patriots
41. Mamie Van Doren (sex icon) 28-7 Patriots
42. Jerry Mathers (leave it to beaver) 30-27 Patriots
43. Bobby Thompson (baseball Giant) 28-21 Patriots
44. Ralph Branca (Brooklyn Dodger) 34-31 Giants
45. Chuck Yeager (pilot) 28-17 Patriots
46. Mickey Rooney (actor) N/A Patriots
47. Yogi Berra (NY Yankee) N/A Giants
48. Steven Van Zandt (sopranos) 20-14 Giants
49. Wayne Newton (singer) 35-30 Patriots
50. Dave Grohl (foo fighters) 24-21 Patriots
51. Dana Delany (actress) 28-21 Patriots
52. Mark Cuban (owner Mavericks) 28-16 Giants
53. Dr. Joyce Brothers (psychologist) 17-10 Giants
54. Andy Williams (singer) 21-7 Patriots
55. Barry Williams (brady bunch) 42-27 Patriots
56. Christopher Knight (brady bunch) 31-20 Patriots
57. Shirley Jones (partridge family) 34-20 Patriots
58. Adam West (original batman) 24-14 Patriots
59. Dawn Wells (gilligan’s island) 28-17 Patriots
60. Russell Johnson (gilligan’s island) 21-20 Giants
61. Haley Joel Osmond (sixth sense) 34-20 Patriots
62. Dick Vitale (espn coll basketball) 28-24 Giants
63. Dennis Miller (comedian/radio host) 19-0 Patriots
64. Dennis Farina (actor) 27-24 Giants
65. Randy Jackson (American idol) 31-24 Patriots
66. Tobin Bell (Jigsaw from “Saw”) 17-14 Patriots
67. Pam Shriver (tennis broadcaster) 24-13 Patriots
68. Neal McDonough (actor) 38-14 Patriots
69. Robert Patrick (actor) 35-17 Patriots
70. Stacy Keibler (wwe/actress) 32-17 Patriots
71. Jess L. Martin (actor) 25-21 Giants
72. Gordon Clapp (actor) 41-10 Patriots
73. Dr. Pat Robertson (reverend) 20-14 Giants
74. Dr. James Dobson (reverend) 34-24 Patriots
75. Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass) N/A Patriots
76. Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) N/A Giants
77. Scott Turow (author) 21-17 Giants
78. David Wright (N.Y. Mets 3B) 27-24 Giants
79. Omar Epps (actor) 35-24 Patriots
80. Marisol Nichols (actress) 35-21 Patriots
81. Susan Anton (singer/actress) 31-28 Patriots
82. Dierks Bentley (singer) 27-24 Giants
83. Kirsten Haglund (miss America) 31-20 Patriots
84. Rachel Smith (miss USA) 29-28 Giants
85. Vince Neil (singer/Motley Crue) 49-14 Patriots
86. Tony Sirico (actor/sopranos) 35-31 Giants
87. Christopher Gorham (actor) 27-17 Patriots
88. Dominic Chianese (actor/sopranos) 24-21 Giants
89. Jon Tenney (actor) 27-24 Giants
90. John Slattery (actor) 41-28 Patriots
91. James Denton (actor) 23-20 Giants
92. Dick Van Patten (founder NBPF) 35-14 Patriots
93. Ed Asner (actor) 7-3 Giants
94. Eva Marie Saint (actress) 38-35 Giants
95. Marlee Matlin (actress) N/A Giants
96. Shelley Berman (actor/comedian) 28-21 Patriots
97. Dionne Warwick (singer) 27-17 Giants
98. Bob Weir (musician) 31-24 Patriots
99. Joan Jett (singer) 35-21 Giants

100. Tom Scholz (boston) 28-21 Patriots

101. Rodney Atkins (singer) 42-17 Patriots

102. Dolph Lundgren (actor) 21-13 Giants

103. Carl Weathers (actor) 31-17 Patriots

104. Leroy Neiman (artist) 31-21 Patriots

105. John Cena (wwe wrestler) 34-14 Patriots

106. Maria Menounos (tv host) 30-27 Patriots

107. Julia Mancuso (skier) 31-28 Patriots

108. Kerry Walsh (volleyball medalist) 35-27 Patriots

109. Jeremy Wariner (track medalist) 24-17 Patriots

110. Mike Eruzione (1980 US hockey) 38-21 Patriots

111. Karch Kiraly (volleyball medalist) 28-17 Patriots

112. Tyson Gay (track star) 27-14 Patriots

113. Sanya Richards (track star) 21-17 Giants

114. Clint Bowyer (NASCAR) 45-24 Patriots

115. Matt Kenseth (NASCAR) 24-21 Giants

116. Jeff Burton (NASCAR) 34-13 Patriots

117. Ted Giannoulas (SD Chicken) 34-26 Patriots

118. Carrot Top (comedian) 27-23 Patriots

119. Scott Adams (dilbert) 37-21 Giants

120. Judy Tentuta (comedienne) 28-21 Patriots

121. Penn Jillette (penn and teller) N/A Patriots

122. Sean Salisbury (ESPN) N/A Patriots

123. Merril Hoge (ESPN) N/A Giants

124. Ron Jaworski (ESPN) N/A Patriots

125. Mark Schlereth (ESPN) N/A Patriots

126. Mike Golic (ESPN) N/A Patriots

127. Mike Ditka (ESPN) N/A Giants

128. Keyshawn Johnson (ESPN) N/A Patriots

129. Emmitt Smith (ESPN) N/A Patriots

ESPN SportsNation Poll (as of Feb 1) – 492,651 total votes

Patriots will win-60.7%

Giants will win-39.3%

Total Score and Average Score of those taking the Giants

939-734 (in favor of the Giants)

26.08-20.38 (giving the Giants a +5.7 point margin of victory)

Total Score and Average Score of those taking the Patriots

2293-1390 (in favor of the Patriots)

31.41-19.04 (giving the Patriots a +12.4 point margin of victory)

Total Score of All Participants (129-not including the D-Bags who are too lame to actually pick a winner and chose to go with a tie in a non-tie era).

3232-2124 (in favor of the Patriots)

29.65-19.48 (giving the Patriots a +10.17 margin of victory)

If you do not have a rooting interest and might have been wondering how to make a pick without getting to completely immersed into it, this may be the best way to go. In a manner of speaking, this is the “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire-ask the audience” analogy. That is of course, if 129 of the ESPN employees and a gamut of celebrities were an audience at your disposal. If that is the case, then maybe your pick should be…

PATRIOTS, 30-19 (by way of rounding up or down).