Tuesday, February 07, 2012

The Boredom Files: Super Bowl Hosts

This past Sunday, the New York Giants became the first team to go 9-7 in the regular and win the Super Bowl. Nine NFL teams had better records, they lost four games in a row, and they were 7-7 heading into the season's final two weeks, but they wound up triumphing in five "must-win" games in five weeks before beating the New England Patriots for the third time in the span of four games and five years. However, even in the wake of their stunning win, the Giants are not automatic favorites to win in next year's Super Bowl; that honor goes to the Patriots, who are still licking their wounds. As for 2014? Well, Giants fans might want to get ready for a rough season, along with the Jets faithful. Also, the New Orleans Saints probably shouldn't be measuring their fingers for Super Bowl rings . . . at least not this year.

My name is Jason. I get bored easily. Sometimes, an idea starts itching in my mind, and I don't feel relief until I scratch the hell out of it. A few months ago, I was wondering: How far have NFL teams gone in a season where that year's Super Bowl was being held in their city? The answer: not very far at all.

The Super Bowl has been held in a venue used by a NFL team (or AFL, in 1968-69) on 36 occasions. The games were initially planted in warm-weather cities, eventually drifting towards places with domes to avoid the late-January cold (Detroit and Minneapolis). Recently, the NFL decided that Super Bowl XLVIII would be held outdoors at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J., home of the Giants and Jets. Thanks to the Internet, I found out how far teams have gone when their stadium hosted the big game. The culuminative record for all 36 teams?

229-329-3

That's right . . . exactly 100 games below the .500 mark. Stretch the winning percentage over a 16-game season, that accounts for roughly 6 1/2 wins per season. Out of the 36 teams, only five made it to the postseason. Of those five, two won a playoff game. Neither one reached their conference's championship contest.

Is there a curse involved? A jinx? Perhaps the Indianapolis Colts' season did not officially end when Peyton Manning was knocked out for the year with neck injuries, but rather in May 2008, when the city was awarded Super Bowl XLVI. I'm not here to speculate . . . I'm just going to lay out the stats, as Cliff Claven grumbles, "Get a life, pally!"



Year
Super Bowl
Stadium
Location
Team
W
L
T
Pct
1968
II
Miami Orange Bowl
Miami
Dolphins
4
10
0
.286
1969
III
Miami Orange Bowl
Miami
Dolphins
5
8
1
.393
1970
IV
Tulane Stadium
New Orleans
Saints
5
9
0
.357
1971
V
Miami Orange Bowl
Miami
Dolphins
10
4
0
.714
1972
VI
Tulane Stadium
New Orleans
Saints
4
8
2
.333
1976
X
Miami Orange Bowl
Miami
Dolphins
10
4
0
.714
1978
XII
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
Saints
3
11
0
.214
1979
XIII
Miami Orange Bowl
Miami
Dolphins
11
5
0
.688
1981
XV
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
Saints
1
15
0
.063
1982
XVI
Pontiac Silverdome
Detroit
Lions
8
8
0
.500
1984
XVIII
Tampa Stadium
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
2
14
0
.125
1986
XX
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
Saints
5
11
0
.313
1988
XXII
Jack Murphy Stadium
San Diego
Chargers
8
7
0
.533
1989
XXIII
Joe Robbie Stadium
Miami
Dolphins
6
10
0
.375
1990
XXIV
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
Saints
9
7
0
.563
1991
XXV
Tampa Stadium
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
6
10
0
.375
1992
XXVI
H.H.H. Metrodome
Minneapolis
Vikings
8
8
0
.500
1994
XXVIII
Georgia Dome
Atlanta
Falcons
6
10
0
.375
1995
XXIX
Joe Robbie Stadium
Miami
Dolphins
10
6
0
.625
1996
XXX
Sun Devil Stadium
Tempe, AZ
Cardinals
4
12
0
.250
1997
XXXI
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
Saints
3
13
0
.188
1998
XXXII
Qualcomm Stadium
San Diego
Chargers
4
12
0
.250
1999
XXXIII
Pro Player Stadium
Miami
Dolphins
10
6
0
.625
2000
XXXIV
Georgia Dome
Atlanta
Falcons
5
11
0
.313
2001
XXXV
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
10
6
0
.625
2002
XXXVI
Louisiana Superdome
New Orleans
Saints
7
9
0
.438
2003
XXXVII
Qualcomm Stadium
San Diego
Chargers
8
8
0
.500
2004
XXXVIII
Reliant Stadium
Houston
Texans
5
11
0
.313
2005
XXXIX
Alltel Stadium
Jacksonville
Jaguars
9
7
0
.563
2006
XL
Ford Field
Detroit
Lions
5
11
0
.313
2007
XLI
Dolphins Stadium
Miami
Dolphins
6
10
0
.375
2008
XLII
U.of Phoenix Stadium
Glendale, AZ
Cardinals
8
8
0
.500
2009
XLIII
Raymond James Stadium
Tampa Bay
Buccaneers
9
7
0
.563
2010
XLIV
Land Shark Stadium
Miami
Dolphins
7
9
0
.438
2011
XLV
Cowboys Stadium
Arlington, TX
Cowboys
6
10
0
.375
2012
XLVI
Lucas Oil Stadium
Indianapolis
Colts
2
14
0
.125
Boldface denotes postseason berth
TOTAL
229
329
3
.411


Year
Team
Wins
Losses
1970-71
Miami Dolphins

@Oakland 21-14
1978-79
Miami Dolphins

Houston 17-9
1994-95
Miami Dolphins
Kansas City 21-17
@San Diego 22-21
1998-99
Miami Dolphins
Buffalo 24-17
@ Denver 38-3
2000-01
Tampa Bay Buccaneers

@Philadelphia 10-7
TOTAL
2
5

Year
Super Bowl
Stadium
Location
Team
2013
XLVII
Mercedes-Benz Superdome
New Orleans
Saints
2014
XLVIII
MetLife Stadium
East Rutherford, NJ
Giants
Jets
2015
XLIX
U. of Phoenix
Glendale, AZ
Cardinals

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