gold star for USAHOF
Committee Chairman

Committee Chairman

Kirk Buchner, "The Committee Chairman", is the owner and operator of the site.  Kirk can be contacted at [email protected] .

A very significant retirement has taken place in sports, as Boston Bruins Goalie, Tuuka Rask, announced today that he was retiring from the NHL.

From Savonlinna, Finland, Rask was drafted in the First Round (21st Overall) by the Toronto Maple Leafs, but he never played there as he was traded to Boston for fellow Goalie, Andrew Raycroft.  It was a deal that historically would favor the Bruins, the team in which Rask played his entire career.

Rask was first called up in 2007, but was not the regular back-up until the 2009-10 Season, a year in which he led the NHL in Save Percentage and Goals Against Average.  Rask would finally take over from Tim Thomas as the Bruins lead Goalie, bringing the Bruins back to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2013.  They lost to Chicago, but Task established himself as one of the best in the game.  The season after, he won the coveted Vezina Trophy as the NHL’s top Goalie.

Rask had his ups and down afterward, dealing with injuries, but again led the Bruins to another Cup Final in 2019, the same season he was named a Second Team All-Star.  Boston again lost, this time to St. Louis, who captured their first Title.

Rask had an upper-body injury that kept him on the sideline going into this season, but he came back to rejoin the Boston, appearing in four games as Linus Ullmark’s backup, but he cited that he physically was not at the level he needed to be.

Internationally, Rask represented Finland multiple times, with his greatest success coming in the 2014 Olympics, where he backstopped his nation to a Bronze Medal.

Rask leaves the games with a record of 306-163-66 with a 2.28 GAA.

Should Rask’s retirement hold up, and he does not play in Europe, he will be Hall of Fame eligible in 2026.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to wish Tuukka Rask the best in his post-playing career.

A week after Ring of Honor announced that the Briscoes (Mark & Jay), the wrestling promotion announced that Bryan Danielson will also be part of the inaugural class.

Danielson competed in the main event of the first ever ROH event in 2002, and three years later “The American Dragon” defeated James Gibson for the ROH World Championship.  He would make 38 Title defenses before losing to Homicide, ending a 463-day reign as champion.

We here at Notinhalloffame.com would like to congratulate Bryan Danielson for this impending honor.

The Cincinnati Bengals will complete the most remarkable turnaround in NFL history when they compete in Super Bowl LVI on February 13. 

At the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, the Bengals take on the Los Angeles Rams inside their opponents’ home venue aiming to win their first Super Bowl at the third attempt.

To get a sense of how unlikely their play-off run has been, the Bengals were quite low in Bovada NFL odds to reach the Super Bowl in pre-season. Those odds were issued following a 2020 season in which Cincinnati won just four games, and after a 2019 when they delivered an NFL-worst two wins. 

So, how did one of the worst franchises in the NFL transform itself in record time to now being one win away from lifting the Vince Lombardi Trophy?

Joe Burrow

There is no need to overcomplicate the biggest reason for Cincinnati’s turnaround. The 2019 season may have entered the Bengals into the NFL Hall of Shame, but it did guarantee the franchise the first draft pick in 2020. 

The Miami Dolphins wanted Joe Burrow so badly that they were willing to give up multiple first round picks in exchange, but the Bengals never wavered and every Cincinnati fan will be delighted they didn’t.

Burrow has had an enormously transformative impact on the Bengals. The 25-year-old has been immense in leading the Bengals offense this season, both throughout the regular season and more so in the playoffs. 

His brilliance has been even more impressive given the deficiencies of the offensive line which is meant to protect him: Burrow is the 55th QB in NFL history to be sacked more than 50 times in one season – but is the first to lead his team to the Super Bowl. 

Off the field, Burrow has been just as influential. His swagger and confidence have permeated throughout the Bengals franchise and the wider football community in Cincinnati to the point where the collective mentality has completely shifted.

Once again, a lot will rest on Burrow’s shoulders to deliver the Super Bowl. Not that he will be fazed one bit.

Ja’Marr Chase

It’s incredible to think back now to how much criticism the Bengals received for drafting Ja’Marr Chase with the No 5 pick, when all logic pointed to the franchise needing an offensive lineman. As it turned out, reuniting Chase with his LSU teammate Burrow has proved a masterstroke.

The 21-year-old wide receiver has scored 13 touchdowns and caught 81 passes for 1,455 yards in his debut season, and the synergy he has with Burrow has been key in elevating Cincinnati’s offense to the level that has guided the team to the Super Bowl.

Chase’s 266-yard performance against the Kansas City Chiefs – which comprised three touchdowns and 11 catches – was one of the all-time great rookie performances by a receiver, and he has more postseason receiving yards than any rookie in NFL history.

Cincinnati’s offensive line may still be the team’s weak spot but no one is doubting the decision to recruit Chase now. 

Defense

While much has been made of the offensive line’s shortcomings, the same accusations cannot be directed at the defensive line. 

The signing of Trey Hendrickson as a free agent has proved a shrewd move by the Bengals and the 27-year-old defensive end has delivered with 14 sacks this season – the fifth most in the NFL.

The arrivals of B.J Hill and Larry Ogunjobi – the former from the Giants, the latter after being released by the Browns – further enhanced Cincinnati’s defensive ranks and both players have made big plays during the playoffs.

Also added to the Bengals’ defensive roster this year were Mike Hilton, Chidobe Awuzie, Tre Flowers, Vernon Hargreaves III, and Eli Apple. On the surface, it may seem like an odd mix of talent, but defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo has done an excellent job in turning the Cincinnati defense into a cohesive unit.

Clutch Kicking

The kicker is often the most overlooked player on the roster but is regularly thrust into the spotlight at clutch moments to decide the final moments of a game. That has certainly been the case for Cincinnati this season, so thankfully the Bengals can call upon Evan McPherson.

The 22-year-old fifth round draft pick from Florida converted 84.8 percent of his field goal attempts in the regular season, but he has been flawless in the playoffs with 12 from 12, including three successful attempts from more than 50 yards. 

While Burrow, Chase, and the defense have been instrumental in guiding the Bengals to the Super Bowl, the team wouldn’t be there were it not for McPherson’s accuracy and calmness under pressure in the walk-off wins over the Kansas City Chiefs and the Tennessee Titans.

Will the Bengals go all the way in next Sunday’s game and make history overcoming all the odds? It’s unsure, but nonetheless it does not delete an incredible season they had.

The much anticipated Super Bowl LVI is just around the corner. As we countdown to the biggest event of the football season, fans, observers, and punters are all on the lookout for vital information regarding the event.

If you like to place bets on the Super Bowl, then 2022 Super Bowl Predictions will be of much help. Also, information from relevant sites and tipsters will aid you in making informed bets.

This article will provide those updates and details that should keep everyone abreast ahead of the big matchday.

What Is The Date, Location, And Venue For This Year's Super Bowl?

This year, the Super Bowl LVI will take place at the SoFi stadium in Inglewood, Los Angeles. The Super Bowl LVI will be held on February 13, kick-off at 6:30 PM ET.

The game will have the Los Angeles Rams going up against the Cincinnati Bengals. It's a great encounter for the LA Rams as they will be hosting a Super Bowl match in their home stadium just like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did last year. 

Also, like the Buccaneers were crowned last year in their home stadium, the Rams will get an opportunity to repeat the same feat. That's if they defeat the Bengals, which is no easy task.

How Did Both Teams Make It To The Super Bowl?

The Los Angeles side earned the No. 4 seed in the NFC playoffs after concluding a 12-5 regular season and NFC West title. After that, the Rams defeated the Arizona Cardinals 34-11, then the Buccaneers 30-27. Then, they made a stunning comeback from behind a 17-7 scoreline to beat the San Francisco 49ers at a final scoreline of 20-17 to make it to this year's Super Bowl.

The Cincinnati Bengals also earned the No. 4 seed in the AFC playoffs. They achieved this after recording a 10-7 win in the regular season and winning the AFC North title. They defeated the Las Vegas Raiders in the opening round 26-19, their first post-season win in 31 years.

Then they defeated the Tennessee Titans 19-16. After that, they also made an amazing comeback from behind a 21-3 lead to beat the Kansas City Chiefs at a final scoreline of 27-24 to qualify for the Super Bowl LVI.

What Stars Will Perform In The Super Bowl LVI Halftime Show?

As this year's Super Bowl will take place in Inglewood, Los Angeles, it's only fitting that it features three superstars who grew up nearby in the game's halftime show. These three superstars are no other persons than the Long Beach native, Snoop Dogg and Compton natives, Dr Dre, and Kendrick Lamar.

These three superstars will be gracing the Pepsi Super Bowl halftime show with two other superstars; Eminem and Mary J. Blige. It'll be the first time these five stars will be performing together, and it'll happen on the improvised stage at the SoFi stadium. This show looks promising and could be one of the most interesting Super Bowl halftime shows in record history.

How To Watch The Super Bowl LVI

For one, you can head to the SoFi stadium to watch this year's Super Bowl. However, if you can't go to the stadium, you can watch the match on NBC, as the channel will be televising this year's Super Bowl. NBC will televise this match in the middle of another event – the Winter Olympics. The Super Bowl LVI is also available for live streaming on Peacock, NBCSports.com, and NBC sports app.

A Look Into The Betting Odds Of This Year's Super Bowl

Initially, the Los Angeles Rams were 3.5-point favorites to win over the Cincinnati Bengals with an over/under of 50 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. However, after about 12 hours of betting on the Super Bowl market spread, the market consensus has the LA Rams at a 4.5-point favorite and the over/under totals tickling down from the initial 50 points to as low as 48.5 points.

As for the outright winner odds, a popular market for casual Super Bowl bettors, the LA Rams had opening odds between -190 and -200 on the Moneyline. However, this went as low as about -185 after several hours. On the other hand, the Bengals Moneyline will be another popular bet option recreational bettors love to explore for a larger payout since they are betting on the underdog. The Bengals to win outright has been as big as +165.

Conclusion

From all indications, the Super Bowl LVI promises to be a fun-fest. Fans of both the LA Rams and the Bengals have been talking tough, as it should be. We wish all players and fans the best of luck in the season-ending event, and may the better team win!

Meta Description

The Super Bowl is one of the most important events in the sports calendar. Here are the things to know as we countdown to the Super Bowl LVI.