Second Thoughts

Still stuffed? You're not the only one

Holly Holm of the U.S. is shown in this 2015 file photo.
Holly Holm of the U.S. is shown in this 2015 file photo.

Staying at home for the Super Bowl doesn't mean consumers skimp on spending.

photo

AP

In this July 4, 2014, file photo, Ronda Rousey stands on the scale during a weigh-in for the UFC 175 mixed martial arts event at the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas.

According to Kathleen Burke of MarketWatch.com, Americans were expected to spend a record $15.5 billion on items related to this year's game, with the average consumer spending $82.19, according to a 2016 survey of more than 7,000 consumers by the National Retail Federation. And Super Bowl Sunday is the second-largest eating day of the year in the U.S., after Thanksgiving, according to the National Chicken Council.

With about 113.4 million football fans planning to throw or attend a watch party, according to the NRF, food and beverage spending will account for a significant amount of overall consumption. Chips, dips, chicken wings, chili and Tex-Mex food have traditionally been some of the most popular items in the run-up to the game, said Wal-Mart spokesman John Forrest Ales.

Chicken wings are a particularly large category of Super Bowl food spending. About 1.3 billion chicken wings are expected to be consumed during Super Bowl 50 -- an amount so large that one of the three winners of the latest $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot's lump sums would only pay for 76 percent, or 123 million pounds, of it, according to the National Chicken Council.

Beer is one of the more common beverages of choice to wash down a Super Bowl calorie binge. Whether it be craft or light, Americans drink as much as 325 million gallons of beer -- enough to fill 500 Olympic-size swimming pools -- during the Super Bowl, according to 2014 calculations by the Stevens Institute of Technology.

Side note

From sharp-eyed observer Dwight Perry of the Seattle Times:

"Clete Blakeman, this year's Super Bowl referee, hails from Omaha, Neb. So he'll be the one who keeps saying 'Huh?' every time Peyton Manning barks his signals."

One-liners

From Brad Dickson of the Omaha (Neb.) World-Herald:

• "The Super Bowl could end 57-56 in double OT and the big story in local media tomorrow will be how many times Peyton Manning barked 'Omaha!' "

• "I don't like the local excitement at Peyton shouting, 'Omaha!' When it comes to the big stage, act like you've been there for gosh sakes."

• "Super Bowl prop bets are dumber than ever. Guys can lose their house because Peyton Manning tapped the center's butt four times instead of three times."

• "Do not forget the true meaning of the Super Bowl. It's not about who wins and who loses. No, it's about how much beer, cheese and Viagra are sold during the commercials."

• "On Airbnb, a treehouse near the Super Bowl stadium was renting for $495. 'Honey, next time I'll find the accommodations.' "

A kick in the head

Holly Holm beat Ronda Rousey again.

The mixed martial arts fighter who handed Rousey her first career loss at UFC 193 in November to claim the women's bantamweight title won four awards at the eighth annual World MMA Awards on Friday at Las Vegas.

Holm (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) picked up awards for Female Fighter of the Year, Breakthrough Fighter of the Year, Knockout of the Year and Upset of the Year. Her camp, Jackson-Wink MMA, also picked up Gym of the Year honors.

Seems like kind of a back-handed compliment to Rousey (12-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC), with her first loss resulting in her opponent winning four awards.

As for Rousey, she didn't leave entirely empty-handed. She was presented with the award for Submission of the Year for her 14-second victory over Cat Zingano at UFC 184.

Well, either that or she just took it.

Sports quiz

Before becoming an MMA figher Holly Holm was a profession boxer. What was her record?

Answer

33-2-1. She was also 2-1 as a professional kickboxer.

Sports on 02/08/2016

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