Before Tom Brady led an assault on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, I thought the best pick on Super Sunday was the under 56 points. Turns out there was a better game day bet, the seven to one odds that the Super Bowl would include a fan on the field.
One guy was reported to have found value in that proposition and plunked down $50,000 at better than 7 to one odds. With that wager, the bettor would stand to gain more than $350,000.
The story goes on to say that the same guy that ran across the field, Yuri Andrade, is the same guy that looks to pay a $500 fine for his misdemeanor jaunt across the field in a bra, and collect $375,000 on his bet.
Now, I’m betting this story will prove to be an unfounded rumor that will be discredited, but it is a lot of fun to think about Andrade actually pulling off earning a fortune for an illegal stunt.
Someone who was just as much a winner passed away this week. Marty Schottenheimer. He coached four teams, ‘always’ had winning seasons and took three franchises to the postseason.
All that meaningless if not for the man that accomplished all that never becoming the bad guy. Schottenheimer owned a joyful outlook on life that he carried into all his relationships.
The last time I saw Schottenheimer, was at a roast in honor of Tom Flores. The recently inducted Hall of Fame recipient, Flores, was great friends with Marty and his family. Both men great leaders that maintained a high ethical standard on their journey’s in the National Football League..
One time, I had asked Marty his thinking and reasons for leaving the San Diego Chargers when they were on the brink of greatness. His first four seasons with the Chargers resulted in the development of a team in full fruition in 2006.
That year, Schottenheimer led the Chargers to a best ever season won/loss record that still stands, 14-2, and was a play away from downing the New England Patriots in an AFC Divisional playoff game. Marlon McCree had the clinching interception and only needed to get down with the ball. But instead, he tried to return it and had the ball jarred loose and lost on a fumble. That gave Tom Brady a second chance trailing by eight points with time running out.
We all know what Brady does with second chances.
After that gut-wrenching 24-21 setback, Schottenheimer was out as Chargers head coach.
Mutual decision was the word.
In fact, on the brink of something very special that almost surely would have included a Super Bowl win for Philip Rivers, Schottenheimer was out.
“Disagreement with management,” Schottenheimer deadpanned to my inquiry.
So, I don’t know A.J. Smith, or what kind of tension was built up between the two men.
But I do know this, I’d take Marty’s side confident I was on high moral standing.
Character worthy of heaven.