BG and TB12 Feature in Another Super Bowl

We can’t be the only ones losing patience waiting for Sunday. It’s cold and miserable in Philadelphia (again). The Sixers lost (again). The NFL is trying to screw its players over (again). At least we can have some “where are they now — they’re right here!” fun with Tom Brady and Brandon Graham.

Just three more sleeps until the Super Bowl.

In the email today:

• 🎤 NFLPA executive director comes out against 18th regular season game

• ⏳️ It's 2025 and we're talking about Brandon Graham, Tom Brady and the Super Bowl

• 🧟 Zombie Sixers Return with loss to Heat

  • 📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

  • 📊 Poll

  • 🔗 Links

  • 📺 Coming Up

We are taking a one-day hiatus from unserious Super Bowl week stories like “Is Taylor Swift Actually Not an Eagles Fan” to report some hard football news.

The NFLPA seized on the national spotlight to take a strong stance against any efforts by the NFL to add an 18th regular season game to the schedule.

Howell’s hand was forced by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s recent statement that the league is considering adding another regular season game to the annual slate.

Of course, because if the NFL is known for anything, it’s known for being sensitive and smart about balancing player safety with the reckless and thirsty chase for every available dollar.

Goodell took what is left of his credibility and lit it on fire when he said recently that safety data in the league’s possession, per ESPN, doesn’t discourage adding another regular season game.

Any NFL fan who watches more than clips and highlights knows how often games are stopped as trainers, physicians and carts come onto the field. The blue medical tents get a lot of use.

Unfortunately, as we have seen time and again, when the league floats out something like this, it almost always gets what it wants.

So with all due respect to Lloyd Howell — who is in an absolutely brutal spot — if he ever says outright that the players will never accept an 18th regular season game, our response will be right out of the Will Ferrell “Anchorman” playbook.

If you’re like us, you’ll never forget where you were when Brandon Graham strip-sacked Tom Brady in Super Bowl LII.

That was seven years and two days ago, an absolute eternity in the NFL. But somehow, the stars have aligned to bring us Graham and Brady on football’s biggest stage one more time.

Granted, Brady isn’t playing this time.

Brady will be involved in the big game for the first time as a broadcaster. His minority ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders led to restrictions on his access to coaches, players and team facilities throughout the regular season.

As noted in the earlier story, though, the NFL is pretty good at bending or rewriting the rules when doing so serves its interest. Hence, the regular season restraints on Brady’s access are gone.

We have as much antipathy for Brady as the next guys. We still have to admit that it might/could be compelling to hear Brady analyze this Super Bowl. No one can question his track record or his sense of the moment.

One of the moments that is definitely going to come up again is that strip-sack that Brady would love to forget. If Graham plays in the game, the mention will be all the more poignant.

Graham has been waffling wildly about whether this Super Bowl will be his last game. He’s arguably earned the right to do so.

And every Eagles fan would surely relish hearing Brady call another Eagles Super Bowl win with Graham contributing to the victory.

It was inconceivable even a year ago that a. Brady would be calling the Super Bowl, and b. that the Eagles would play in it. Of course, Brady and Graham have combined on the inconceivable before.

We began this Zombie Sixers bit at the beginning of the season on nights where at least two of Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey were out of the lineup.

Last night’s game didn’t technically qualify, except when George is as useless and irrelevant as he was last night, the Sixers would arguably be better off with him on the bench in street clothes.

Call this scapegoating. Call it oversimplification. We don’t care. George is making absolutely absurd, unjustifiable money to wind up with nine points, one (!!) rebound and two assists in 32 minutes.

When George is this awful, it takes a Herculean effort from someone else to cover for him. Maxey has been doing that a lot for the Sixers lately. He got 31 last night, but it took an Iverson-esque 28 shots to get them. Erik Spoelstra is no dummy.

Not much more you can say about this one. With no Embiid and George being what he is, these are your team, your town, your Zombie Sixers.

They’re back at it in Detroit Friday night. Your guess is as good as ours as to which of their “stars” will suit up and play up in the Motor City.

📆 This Day in Philly Sports History

We remember where we were on this date, too. Throwing up on our own shoes, like #5.

📊 Poll

Results from Wednesday:

No, YOU have a biased sample.

🔗 Links

• 🔥 In other Heat news, Jimmy Butler got exactly what he wanted after all — out of Miami and a new deal.

• 🏀 The Warriors’ acquisition of Butler appears be related to Kevin Durant’s rejection of a return to the Bay Area.

• ⚽️ ICYMI: The Union sent homegrown Jack McGlynn to Houston.

• 🏈 Deion Sanders is not usually bashful, so admitting he probably would not be a good NFL head coach is surprising.

📺 Coming Up

Games before our next send.

February 6, 2025

• Flyers vs. Capitals, 7:00 p.m. (NBC Sports Philadelphia)

Thanks for reading. See you tomorrow.

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