Nunnie on the Sideline

By Nunnie Robinson, WG Sports Editor

    I continue to receive positive and often unexpected feedback about my NOTS column, which I find both encouraging and motivating. My goal has always been to write about sports in a way that is journalistically relevant, thought-provoking, and worthy of reflection. I want to thank Brother Cedric Shirley, whom I recently met at the MLK Parade, for his unsolicited words of support—they were truly appreciated.

I also hope I’ve eased the frustration of readers after my dismal performance in picking the NFL Divisional Playoff games as well as the College Football Playoff final. My misses included the Houston Texans, Chicago Bears, and Miami Hurricanes. I fared considerably better, however, when selecting Super Bowl contenders, correctly identifying the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

My pick of the Patriots over Denver admittedly carried some bias, stemming from what I found to be Sean Payton’s reprehensible public sideline rebuke of quarterback Russell Wilson. Ironically, a current commercial promoting Seattle’s return to the Super Bowl replays Wilson’s infamous goal-line interception—one that turned a certain championship into a crushing defeat. That play arguably altered the course of the franchise, contributing to the team’s eventual implosion. Under Pete Carroll, the Seahawks featured stars such as Marshawn Lynch, Richard Sherman, and Wilson. The decision not to give the ball to Lynch—virtually unstoppable in goal-line situations—remains one of the worst calls in Super Bowl history. Even if the call came from the sideline, Wilson, an experienced Super Bowl-winning quarterback, could have audibled after recognizing the Patriots’ defensive alignment.

That said, Payton’s criticism of Wilson comes with one mitigating factor: both men own exactly one Super Bowl ring.

I am largely underwhelmed by recent NFL coaching hires. The Steelers’ decision to name Pittsburgh native Mike McCarthy as Mike Tomlin’s replacement raises questions. Is the hire driven primarily by McCarthy’s previous relationship with 42-year-old Aaron Rodgers? In Atlanta, Raheem Morris—who never lost the team’s respect and closed the season with four straight wins—was dismissed in favor of Browns retread Kevin Stefanski. Meanwhile, Brian Flores, former Dolphins head coach and current Vikings defensive coordinator, continues to interview without landing a job. These developments reinforce two ongoing issues: the Rooney Rule remains largely ineffective, and the margin for error for Black coaches is noticeably thinner.

With professional sports seasons overlapping—football, basketball, hockey, and soccer—fans are often forced to prioritize. For me, professional and college basketball hold little interest until the Super Bowl is played. A quick glance shows Arizona and Duke leading the men’s rankings, while UConn and South Carolina top the women’s side.

Based purely on the eye test and football instinct, my pick to win the Super Bowl is Seattle.