MONDAY COMMENTARY – AND IT ALL TURNED OUT NICE AGAIN

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 & Rock 98.5 FM)

I’M NOT SURE WHO THE LEGENDARY WINNIPEG BROADCASTER WAS – CACTUS JACK WELLS I THINK – WHO’D OFTEN END HIS BROADCASTS BY SAYING, “AND IT ALL TURNED OUT NICE AGAIN.”

THAT PHRASE ECHOED IN MY HEAD AT THE CONCLUSION OF SUNDAY’S SUPER BOWL 56 WHEN THE HOMETOWN L.A. RAMS CAME BACK TO BEAT THE CINCINNATI BENGALS 23-20 AT SOFI STADIUM.

SO MANY THINGS WERE STUNNING ABOUT THE GAME, AND THE WEEK.

TRUTH BE TOLD, I HAD A 1:30 PACIFIC TIME FLIGHT OUT OF LOS ANGELES TO CALGARY SO I MISSED THE FIRST HALF OF THE GAME. FORTUNATELY I WAS ABLE TO CATCH THE HALFTIME SHOW ON MY PHONE WHILE WAITING FOR BAGGAGE, AND THE STAR-STUDDED LINEUP DEFINITELY GOT A “TWO THUMBS UP” FROM ME.

THE UPSTART BENGALS HAD A LEAD FOR MUCH OF THE SECOND HALF AND WE WERE ALL WONDERING IF THE IMPOSSIBLE COULD HAPPEN?

ALTHOUGH IT MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN ALL THAT IMPOSSIBLE. THE POINT SPREAD WAS RAMS BY 3.5-POINTS SO THE EVEN THE ODDSMAKERS PREDICTED A CLOSE GAME.

AND THAT’S WHAT THEY GOT. ALTHOUGH A STRING OF PENALTIES ON THE BENGALS DEFENSE IN THE FINAL MINUTE GAVE L.A. SEEMINGLY ENDLESS SHOTS AT THE ENDZONE.

THEY FINALLY MADE GOOD ON THEIR LAST ONE, WHEN MATTHEW STAFFORD FOUND COOPER KUPP FOR HIS SECOND MAJOR OF THE GAME AND AN L.A. WIN IN THE DYING SECONDS.

ISN’T IT AMAZING HOW THE ODDSMAKERS ALWAYS NAIL IT?

SO HISTORY WILL SHOW THAT THE BENGALS BEAT THE SPREAD, BUT THAT’S OF LITTLE CONSOLATION FOR A HARD-LUCK FRANCHISE WHO’S MADE A HABIT OF LOSING THE TOUGH ONES.

BUT YOU’D HAVE TO THINK THEY’LL BE BACK.

THIS ONE TURNED OUT NICE BECAUSE, AS I NOTED ALL LAST WEEK HERE, WINNING THIS SUPER BOWL AT HOME WITH A SUPER TEAM BUILT FOR THIS MOMENT WAS THE WAY I FELT IT SHOULD GO.

I ADMIRE A TEAM, OR PERSON, WHO TRIUMPHS IN THE FACE OF REMARKABLE PRESSURE AND ADVERSITY.

THAT’S THE L.A. RAMS, YOUR 2021 NFL CHAMPIONS.

AND WITH THAT, FOOTBALL SEASON IS OFFICIALLY OVER, IN ALL LEAGUES.

FOR US, WE’RE BACK AT GREY EAGLE RESORT AND CASINO IN CALGARY FOR THE FIRST OF 25 ROD PEDERSEN SHOWS ON GAME+ TV AND YOUTUBE.

AS MY PAL JOHNNY ATHENS WOULD SAY, “IT NEVER ENDS.”

I WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY.

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY.

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily at 12 pm ET on Game+ TV across Canada and the USA. Call you cable provider for details. You an also watch on YouTube Live or listen 24/7 at RodPedersen.com/ListenLive)