SUPER 58 OFFICIALS WERE SUPER ... THEY DIDN'T INTERFERE

 Leftovers:

Would you believe … the game officials let the Chiefs and 

49ers play … and there were few complaints about the crew in 

Super Bowl 58? Former Redskins’ tackle TRENT 

WILLIAMS was called for moving before the snap then 

negated an early SF first down with a holding penalty … At 

that point there was reason to believe the whistle tooters 

would be a typical nuisance, injecting themselves into the 

game. WRONG!

Referee was BILL VINOVICH, 62, working his third SB … 

including KC over San Francisco four years ago ... Born in 

Pennsylvania, raised in California, magna cum laude graduate 

of the University of San Diego (1983), he is best remembered 

as the official in charge of the 2018 NFC championship game 

in which a non-call of an obvious pass interference cost the 

Saints a victory over the Rams … A petition to have Vinovich 

fired drew 150,000 signatures, but the NFL ignored it.

If nothing else, the Super Bowl helped answer the question: 

whatever happened to MEGAN KELLY? The one-time 

biggest thing at Fox News, who followed predecessor biggest 

thing BILL O’REILLY down the rabbit hole, is alive and … 

well, drawing apparently much-needed attention by saying 

stuff guaranteed to strike many nerves … justified or 

otherwise. For example? MK targeted the NFL for having the 

“black national anthem” as part of the pre-game ceremonies 

… thereby joining a chorus of conservative voices … and 

being labeled racist as a result. Like she couldn’t care less … 

Also, Kelly didn’t like the halftime show, suggesting it wasn’t 

fit for young viewers. From all evidence to the contrary, 

however, this was incredibly tame compared to previous R-

rated extravaganzas. This one was PG, at the worst.

TRAVIS KELCE broke the hearts … and possibly the pocket 

books … of fans who wanted the KC tight end to pop the 

question to TAYLOR SWIFT after the game. One betting 

service had odds of 8-1 that he would … Not that Cupid 

wasn’t alive and working in Las Vegas. Halftime entertainer

 USHER RAYMOND IV, 45, and long-time girl friend

 JENNIFER GOICOECHEA took out a marriage license 

three days before the game. They have a daughter (born 2020) 

and son (2021) together.

In case you were wondering … somebody actually kept track 

of Swift’s air share of CBS’ coverage: 54 seconds or 0.36 per 

cent of the four-hour, eight-minute telecast … It was a minute 

minus-6 well spent. Of the record average of 123.4 million 

viewers, 59.8M were women, also a Super 58 best … and it 

would be pretty naive to think Swift – and her legion of

 Swifties – had nothing to do with it.

By the way … DraftKings set the total points line at 47.5. 

Chiefs won 25-22.

It says here Fox would be wise to hang on to GREG OLSEN, 

who is about to be replaced on the network’s No. 1 NFL 

tandem by TOM BRADY. I know, I know … it’s unlikely but 

what if Brady turns out to be the second coming of JOE 

MONTANA, who lasted one very long season with NBC 

before a mutual parting of the ways? Being a GOAT at 

quarterback doesn’t mean you’ll be good – forget great – in 

the booth or studio.

Come on … YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS!! … On the NHL 

Network, we learned BRADY TKACHUK’s ”average 

distance in feet per goal” was 16.5, up from 11.9 in his rookie 

season (2021-22) … which was a good thing. This was after 

Tuesday night’s hat trick in Ottawa’s 6-3 decision over 

Columbus ... “He’s on pace to score 42, which would be a 

career high,” said NHLN’s MIKE KELLY … who, we 

swear, looks like an AI robot.

So … NHL Toronto’s MORGAN RIELLY is objecting to a 

five-game suspension for cross-checking RIDLY GREIG in 

the neck and face after the Ottawa forward wound up and 

drove a slap shot into an empty net, punctuating the final goal 

in a 5-3 decision. Go for it, Morgan. Maybe they’ll realize you 

deserved eight, maybe as many as 10 games, instead. To think 

Rielly’s coach – and quite a few others -- defended the 

indefensible.

Until next time ...