NFL News:

• Following up on a balls comment from last night’s Open Thread, the Super Bowl viewership rating was a 41.1, or an average of 98.2 million viewers.
  • The lowest viewership rating since 2003, Super Bowl XXXVII – Raiders vs. Bucs.
  • Market share varied across the country:
    • Boston had a 57% viewership
    • LA had 44%  
      • Highest since 1996.
    • New Orleans was 26%, indicating the “Blackout Bowl” mantra had legs.
      • Lowest since 1998.
  • It’s also the first one with viewership under 100 million since the advent of digital streaming.
    • Digital numbers take the overall viewership to 100.7 million.
  • The all-time viewership record was Super Bowl XLIX at 114 million.

• Legalized gambling on the Super Bowl cost New Jersey $4.5 million.
  • Just under $35 million was bet on the Super Bowl at New Jersey sportsbooks, according to the Sports Gaming Authority.
  • In comparison, Nevada sportsbooks won almost $11 million on the nearly $150 million bet on the game, according to the Nevada Gaming Authority.
    • The second-most ever bet on a Super Bowl in Nevada.
      • Most = $158 million, on last year’s game.
    • The largest Nevada bet was $2.0 million on the Rams.

• Despite his protégé looking like dogshit & only scoring three points, the Bengals have named Rams QB coach Zac Taylor as their new head coach.
  • Prior to the Rams, he was an OC for the Dolphins, and in 2016 was the OC at the University of Cincinnati.

• Brian Flores admitted during his first press conference in Miami that there will be rebuilding.
  • Dolphins owner Stephen Ross reiterated his comments from last month about looking for “a long-term leader of the team who would build a winning culture in Miami”.
  • That’s likely also why Flores insisted on a five-year guaranteed contract.

Finally, the Patriots held their victory parade today.

Tonight’s bullshit:

• State of the Union – 9:00PM – every broadcast channel

Tonight’s sports:

• NHL:
  • Canucks at Capitals – 7:00PM | Sportsnet
• NBA:
  • Raptors at 76ers – 8:00PM | TNT / TSN
  • Heat at Trail Blazers – 10:30PM | TNT
• NCAA:
  • Boston College at Duke – 7:00PM | ESPN
  • Michigan State at Illinois – 7:00PM | ESPN2
  • Pittsburgh at Wake Forest – 7:00PM | ESPNU
  • St. John’s at Marquette – 8:00PM | FS1
  • Kansas at Kansas State – 9:00PM | ESPN
  • Missouri at Tennessee – 9:00PM | ESPN2
  • Florida at Auburn – 9:00PM | ESPNU
• WWE:
  • Smackdown Live – 8:00PM | USA / Sportsnet360
    • If you like, Daniel Bryan introduced his new wood & hemp belt last week.

SO EARTHY!