You have the questions ...

And our intrepid Super Bowl team gets you the answers

Click here for more on this story

Posted: Saturday January 30, 1999 06:50 PM

Jamal Anderson hopes to show that he is the dominant running back in the Super Bowl AP

We asked CNN/SI users to e-mail us questions for players and coaches in Super Bowl XXXIII. We got some good ones, and a lot of not-so-good ones. Here's a cross-section of the questions, with the answers tracked down by our CNN/SI team in Miami.

Question : Why is it that the Denver Broncos still don't get the recognition they deserve? They may have only won one Super Bowl, but they have been there several times before, which is not easy. GO BRONCOS!!!! -- Broncoed, Nitro, W.Va.

Answer : "It really doesn't matter. It didn't matter to us last year. We were underdogs last year," says Broncos coach Mike Shanahan. "Our team is very aware that if you don't play your 'A' game, you don't come out a winner. We don't take anything for granted. We don't buy into that hype that we're favored. We know we have an opportunity ahead of us, and if we don't play our best, we don't win."

Question : I am sick of people thinking Terrell Davis will be the difference. This is a chess game. Jamal Anderson matches him on the other side. No problem. The only difference I really see is tight end experience which goes to Denver with Sharpe even though Santiago shows a lot of promise and big play ability. But this tight end advantage is offset by Denver's suspect secondary prone to giving up big plays while Atlanta's is on a positive role by at least stopping Minnesota when absolutely necessary. Atlanta is already in the stop the big play mindset. The only real advantage I see is experience and that is just a slight edge. It really boils down to who wants it the most. My question is: Why, considering all these factors, is no one really giving Atlanta a chance? A snowball's chance in hell? Almost everyone from analysts to armchair quarterbacks to people at the office is saying that Denver will win. Does anyone give Atlanta a chance? -- Steffan Oxenrider, Pawleys Island, S.C.

Answer : A few people. The Broncos seem to realize the Falcons are pretty good. But the Falcons are certainly taking those supposed slights and using them to their advantage. "We have been the underdog from Day 1. From the start of the season right through the NFC Championship game, we have been the underdog," defensive end Lester Archambeau said. "That's fine. It doesn't matter what you are going into the game, only what you are coming out of the game. We are going to come out on top of this one. That's all that matters."

Question : BRONCOS ARE GOING TO WIN SUPERBOWL! -- Faz, Rochester

Answer : MAYBE! SUPER BOWL IS TWO WORDS!

Question : What is the point spread for the superbowl and who is favored to win? -- Stacey Ryal, Nevada, Iowa

Answer : The point spread is somewhere around 7 1/2 points, in favor of the Broncos. Super Bowl is still two words.

Question : What is the economic impact of the Super Bowl on the two competing cities, Atlanta and Denver? Any stats (dollar and cents-wise) will be appreciated ... -- Ron Veleke, Plymouth, Wisc.

Answer : The NFL doesn't have any statistics on how much a Super Bowl is worth to the cities whose teams participate. The league does, however, release information on economic impact on the Super Bowl host city, information usually gathered by outside sources. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP says that last year's Super Bowl, in San Diego, generated $295 million.

Question : Could you ask the Denver Broncos to sing "Baby When the Lights Go Out" by the Backstreet Boys? Thank you. -- Austin, Minn.

Answer : No.

Question : Will "Ally McBeal" be doing promos throughout the Super Bowl? Who will have more penalties? Thanks -- Kevin Schultz, Chicago

Answer : FOX Television, which is airing Super Bowl XXXIII, has always been heavy on the promos. And, with some seven hours of pre-game, you can expect plenty Sunday. We're penalizing them the most because of that.

Question : What was the price of the tickets to the first Super Bowl in 1967 and what is the price of the tickets for the game this year? I am talking about the face value of the tickets... not scalper prices. -- Garry Goldsmith, Heath, Ohio

Answer : You could get into the gate at Super Bowl I in 1967 for $6, with the most expensive ticket going for $12. Prices topped out in Super Bowl XXX, when the most expensive ticket went for $350. This year, face value is $325 for all tickets.

Question : If by some miracle the Falcons pull off an upset, then do you think John Elway will drive his car off a cliff ...? -- John Mead, Manhattan

Answer : We don't know, and we didn't have the nerve to ask Elway your question. But if he does as you suggest, that'll put an end to any more retirement questions.

Question : The secondary of both teams has the ability to shut down the opponents' receivers. But how do you think the run defense will be against two Pro Bowl running backs in Jamal Anderson and Terrell Davis? -- Ryan D. Reynolds, Chicago

Answer : A lot of people, so-called experts and players alike, see that as the key to this game. "If you're not careful," Denver linebacker Bill Romanowski says of Anderson, "if you don't have two guys there to wrap him up and do a great job tackling him, he'll run over two guys. He'll run over three guys. He seems to be the key to the whole thing." Says Falcons linebacker Cornelius Bennett, about Davis: "You can't come in all blind, and arm-tackling's definitely not going to work against Terrell. It has to be as close to possible to the correct tackling technique to get him down."

Question : I was wanting to know what Greg Norman is doing with the grass in Miami for the Super Bowl? -- Jeff Solomon, Austin, Texas

Answer : Norman has a sod farm in Avon, Fla. He provided the grass for Pro Player Stadium. Unfortunately, the turf had dollar spot disease when it arrived three weeks ago. But famous groundskeeper George Toma has it looking good for the game, thanks to a lot of green dye.

Question : Here is the way that I see this year Super Bowl. The way for the Falcons to beat Denver is by ball control and keeping Elway off the field, and pressuring Elway to hurry his throws, by blitzing, disguising pass coverage. Do you thank the Falcons can accomplish this task? -- Michael O'Barr, Birmingham, Ala.

Answer : Sure. But they still have to score more points than the other guys.

Question : Coach Reeves: What is your game plan overall offensively against the Broncos defense and how do you plan to stop Terrell Davis? -- Chris, Coupeville, Wash.

Answer : "I think the team that is most successful running the ball increases their chances to win. The team that doesn't turn it over has the best chance to win," Reeves said this week. "And I think the team that comes up ... with a couple of plays on special teams and cuts the field down to where they have a shorter distance to go, those are the keys as far as I'm concerned." What, you expected him to give away his game plan?

Question : Where can I find the playbook of each team going to the Super Bowl? -- Phil, Montreal

Answer : They sell them at your corner convenience store.

Question : What are your predictions. Who do you think will win? -- Tod, Utah

Answer : Predictions? You want predictions? All righty. How about 31-27?

 

Related information
Stories
SI's Peter King: Hall voters did the right thing Falcons' Chandler beating image, opponents Falcons' Mathis using Super Bowl week to make impact Bubby was a beautiful buy for Broncos
Multimedia
Click here for the latest audio and video
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call 1-888-53-CNNSI.