A GAME ABOuT THE GAME ITSELF

Sure, they will tell you, quite often and at quite a high volume, what’s at stake Sunday night in the Arizona desert when the Kansas City Chiefs meet the Philadelphia Eagles.

They just might not tell you just how important is for the future of the NFL itself.

Too drastic an idea?

Not in the least. From the teams on the field to the network broadcasting the game, the very way we think about, follow and cover professional football is on the table.

Start with the combatants. Both are franchises that are sound and stable in their ownership, intelligent in their front offices, innovative with their coaching staffs and supported by loud, passionate and big fan bases. Those are common threads.

Where it differs in

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how they are perceived. Fair or not, the Chiefs, even with Travis Kelce and Chris Jones on hand, are tied to Patrick Mahomes and his wondrous gifts, which over the last five years have produced a steady stream of highlights, three conference titles, two league MVP trophies and one big ring. Move to the Eagles, and a different picture emerges. The reason Philly has blown out most of its opposition this season, including two playoff foes, is the sheer depth and quality of its roster, on both sides. Jalen Hurts is a fine quarterback, but few think of him as the reason the Eagles are here.

Former BOE members support DeBarbieri

To the editor:

We, the undersigned past members of the Board of Education of the Baldwinsville Central School District, highly recommend that the current Board of Education offer the position of Superintendent of Schools to Mr. Joe DeBarbieri.

Mr. DeBarbieri is highly qualified, extremely knowledgeable and has helped guide the district through three consecutive failed superintendencies as well as the Covid crisis. It

This happens as teams across the NFL search for the elusive winning formula. Some are absolutely convinced that the “franchise quarterback” is essential and that all other considerations are secondary.

Others take a different approach, certainly wanting a great QB, but not completely depending on it. They want to build strong rosters, top to bottom, which promotes strategic (not to mention salary cap) flexibility.

Both of those philosophies are on the field at Glendale. Kansas City hopes that having Mahomes is the differencemaker. Philadelphia would rather beat you in a comprehensive, physical manner with dominant play up front.

As always in the NFL, whatever wins a championship tends to get imi - is our belief that he will restore the reputation of the district and elevate it to its previous position of high regard throughout Central New York. Joe will ensure successful efforts to improve both math and reading scores, work toward the goal of helping students catch up following the Covid shutdown, and will never embarrass the Baldwinsville Central School District.

Mr. DeBarbieri has been, and is, a strong supporter of all extracurricular activities (including sports and music) and is very knowledgeable in the areas of finance and budgeting. He tated, and how this game goes may determine just how would-be contenders act in their quests for glory.

This happens as the narratives built up before, during and after the season centers even more around superstar QB’s, which would be fine if that was the only way to win, which it isn’t.

Just the same, there’s no single “correct” way to televise this game, even if the ratings make it idiot-proof. A broadcast with diverse points of view and an ability to conceive multiple storylines is sorely needed.

And what do we have at this Super Bowl? Fox’s game analyst, Greg Olsen, just in his first year on the job but winning plenty of acclaim for the way he sees the game from a different perspective.

That’s because Ol - sen, heaven forbid, was a tight end. Hardly a glamor position or a glamorous angle, but absolutely necessary given the lack of depth seen on so many other networks and platforms.

Ah, but Olsen is already a lame duck. Fox sure isn’t paying him $375 million to be an analyst as they are with a certain 45-year-old quarterback who just (we think) retired.

Already the sport is flooded and inundated with QBs-turned-analysts who rarely see the game beyond the perspective of those under center. Thus, every big play, no matter who makes it, is centered around the same people we always talk about and put the cameras on all the time. And we learn nothing.

Taking all that into consideration, picture the scene at the end of also is experienced in human resource matters and has supported important mental health initiatives. As a former coach, wrestling official, math teacher, high school principal and administrator in multiple capacities (including deputy and acting superintendent), he is eminently qualified to continue leading the district as superintendent. Please don’t spend thousands of dollars on another search when previous searches have proved unsuccessful and when we have an outstanding candidate already at the helm.

Lastly, please understand that in this game. Either redand-gold-confetti will blanket the turf celebrating Chiefs glory, or green confetti will honor the Eagles ascending to the throne. no way has Mr. DeBarbieri requested we compose this letter to express our thoughts to the board and the community, nor is he aware of our doing so. GREG Hudson; ViCToR JEnkins (PasT BoaRd PREsidEnT); JoHn HuDSON; KIM DEC; SALLy DAyGEr; maRk manninG; kEVin BERnsTEin; (PasT BoaRd PREsidEnT); JEnniE HEWITT; BurrILL WELLS (PAST BoaRd PREsidEnT); Roman DIAMOND; JAMES GOuLET; CrISTy Bond (PasT BoaRd PREsidEnT); former memberS of the baLDwinSviLLe boarD of eDuCation

If K.C. emerges on top, it will quickly turn into a coronation of one. Small hint – he’s in all those insurance commercials. If Philly does the same, there’s no ignoring just how great a team they were, start to finish.

Tens of millions will watch, rate the commercials, judge Rihanna at halftime, all the usual nonsense. Don’t ignore the game, though, and especially the lessons it will offer on just where this sport might head in the next 10 to 20 years.

Phil Blackwell is sports editor at Eagle News. He can be reached at pblackwell@ eaglenewsonline.com.