Venus Trapped in Mars Sports and Lifestyle Blog Dallas

31 January 2014

XLVIII Link Up: Super Bowl Football Questions, Answered.

Venus Trapped in Mars

XLVIII Link Up: Presented by my girl Karly Kim and yours truly! 
(Shameless plug: I redesigned her blog too, you should check it out)

God y'all I really need to get another picture of me throwing the football. This one is played the F out. 


So I told you guys I would vlog the answers to the questions you asked in last week's Fan Friday post. Yeah well, I was also told that Santa Claus was real and look how that turned out. You shouldn't believe everything you're told, kids. You're just setting yourself up for disappointment. But if you want to see the one vlog I've ever done, it is 11 seconds long and located here.

Q1: Kelli - Can the Super Bowl end in a tie? I'm guessing not, but what are the OT rules for the big game?

A1: Brace yourself for this statistic, but NO SUPER BOWL HAS EVER GONE INTO OVER TIME! Whoa, right? But in the event that you witness the first OT in Super Bowl history, no it will not end in a tie and here is how it works!









Q2: Comes from EricaWhat meds is Sherman supposed to take, but clearly forgets to take them everyday?

A2: Sherman is supposed to take Gushers each day. When he neglects to take his Gusher medicine, Sherman gets quite angry without access to his explode-in-your-mouth-with-flavor treat. This was evident in his terrifying interview with Erin Andrews. 


While on his Gusher medication:


While off it:



Q3: Also from Miss EricaWhen was the last time each team won the SB?
A3: Broncos - 1999  Seahawks - NEEVVAAHHHHHHHHHH (sad face)

Q4: April asks: I have the hardest time differentiating a "holding" call or a "pass interference" call vs. normal contact. Is there an easy way for spotting them?

A4: Holding is when you hold on to the guy's jersey before the ball is thrown. Pass interference is when you clearly are inhibiting the receivers opportunity to catch the ball. You gotta give the guy a chance. If there is contact, and the defender's back is to the ball, it will be pass interference every time. But if there is contact and the defender is facing the ball, trying to catch it, that is just good defense!





Q5: Janna asked me: What is a 2 point conversion?
A5: After a touchdown is scored, the team has the choice to either kick an extra point (this happens 87% of the time, and yes I made that number up) or to go for two points. If they decide to go for 2 points, they'll start just 5 yards away from the end zone. So all they need to do is run for 5 yards, or pass for 5 yards and they get 2 points!

Why would you go for 2? Well, think of it like in Price is Right.

Contestants, how much do you bid for this new bedroom suite?
Sarah: $1900
Jim: $2260
Tony: $1200
Candice: $1901 Bob (or Drew, whatever)

And Sarah is sitting there thinking F$#@ YOU, Candice. F YOU! GO F YOURSELF AND YOUR NEW BEDROOM SUITE.

It is all about strategy, you only go for two when it wouldn't benefit you to just get one point, you gotta have 2 by any means necessary.


Q6: Comes from Michael: How do I get rid of Erin Andrews and/or Pam Oliver and take their job?
A6: You call your friend Sarah, we split the cost of a hit man, maybe find a guy that has a 2-for-1 special going on. Then blackmail the producers into giving us the job. That was just an idea, of course.

Q7: Carissa asks: How many types of "backers" are there? Or is there only one, and different teams make up different names for "backers" depending on what schemes they run? For example: I thought you could only be a linebacker, but I've heard the term Devilbacker, SAMbacker, Spur linebacker, Will backer...and so on and so forth.

A7: Well, there are backs like half, and tail, and full, and nickel, and dime, and slot.... but specific backers, like you listed, are types of linebackers. Like strong side and weak side and to all of that I say:


Q8: Miss Meghan asks: How do they decide where the Super Bowl is held each year?
A8: The location is usually picked 3-4 years in advance. Cities actually bid to host the Super Bowl. The selection committee then makes a decision based on the cities ability to host (i.e. can the city handle such a huge event), how nice the stadium is and up until this year it was assumed it would be in a dome or in a warm city!

Q9: Helene asks: Why are football games so long??
A9: And to that I will come back with another question for you, my dear. Why aren't games longer?

But in all actuality, they are long because you are playing so many fewer games in a season, than every other sport. I mean, baseball games take 2 hours and you play a million of those a year. Three hours, 21(ish) times per year is nothing!


Q10: Nicole asked me: Is Richard Sherman the best? And should or should I not talk about him?

A10: So, this is a touchy question. While yes, he is the best, I would advise that you should only talk about him if you can do it without opening your mouth. Soooo, like if you do a ventriloquist act, it is ok. But other than that, I would urge you to avoid discussing the level of his athleticism at all costs. Jim Harbaugh mentioned, via opening his mouth, the level of Sherman's talent....  then he got butt slapped.



Heard this song on the Beats by Dre commercial and now I can't stop, won't stop.
Linking up with Whitney
Venus Trapped in Mars

  • Why you like football more than your man?
  • Tell us why you hate / love / why you're mad your team didn't make it this year.
  • Which do you like more: the game or the commercials?
  • Do you secretly wish you were an NFL star?
  • Do you love Tom Brady? 
  • Who should be MVP in your book?
  • Guess the final score of the Super Bowl  and we'll send you a virtual high five
  • Super Bowl Drinks
  • Super Bowl Foods / Dips / Concoctions
  • Drinking Games
  • Games to Play During the Super Bowl
  • Which team's colors you like better (although I'll (Sarah) will be judging you if you do this) 
  • Anything that starts with F and ends with ootball
  • 30 January 2014

    Super Bowl Drinking Game XLVIII & Puppy Bowl Drinking Game 2014

    Super Bowl Drinking Games

    You didn't think I would miss a Super Bowl XLVIII Drinking Game did you? Yesterday I showed you Super Bowl Squares, today I bring you the Super Bowl Drinking Game and The Puppy Bowl Drinking Game! Happy boozing my friends!

    Super Bowl Drinking Game  2014 XLVIII Denver Broncos Seattle Seahawks






    And as a bonus, for all of you Puppy Bowl fans, I've included a Puppy Bowl Drinking Game! Because, puppies. Duh.

    Puppy Bowl Drinking Game 2014




    Oh, and if this blog looks like she is exceptionally gorgeous and glowing today, it is because today is her one full year of blogging birthday. Happy Birthday Venus Trapped in Mars! 


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    29 January 2014

    2014 Super Bowl Squares Free Printable for Your Party + How To Play

    Super Bowl Party Games

    I'm here with the most classic of all classic Super Bowl Gambling games you can play at your Super Bowl party. It is so very simple, and I think i've even managed to make something seemingly un-girly, girly! Hey, it's kinda my thing!


    Super Bowl Party Squares



    To download FREE 8.5x11 PRINTABLE click here 
    To Download Instructions (if you need them printed) click here

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    So if these instructions are a bit confusing, and you are more of a hands on learner, like me here is an example:

    Let's say I'm having a party and I ask my party guests if they would like to buy squares. The squares cost just $1 a piece. Here are what my party guests buy...

    Oscar the Grouch (OTG) - Asks for 10 squares - puts in $10

    Miley Cyrus (MC) - Asks for 5 squares - puts in $5 (cheap ass)

    Peter Griffin (PG)-Asks for 10 squares and a Pawtucket Patriot- puts in $10 but no money for the beer

    General Neyland (GN) asks for 5 squares - but just gives me a high 5. So, I go ahead and cover his $5

    You know I wouldn't skip a gambling opportunity. I buy 10 squares - $10 (SRW)

    Terrell Owens - (TO) tries to buy just 5 squares, I tell him if he buys more I'll be his Facebook friend, so he buys 20 - $20 (He ended up having to take out a loan for the $20)

    Buggs Bunny (BB) comes in and scoops up the rest ($40)


    With $100 in the pot. We will have 4 winners, each winner gets $25! Our board now looks like this...

    How to play super bowl squares



    So our  next step is to randomly list our numbers across the top and down the side. 

    Super Bowl Squares 2014 Denver Broncos Seattle Seahawks XLVIII










    So then we sit down and start drinking cheese dip and funneling beers while watching the game. The first quarter ends, and the score is Seattle 7 - Denver 10. Find 7 on Seattle's side, and 0 on Denver's side, then you find your winner! 





    And Buggs is your first quarter winner! Yay Buggs, get it! Any questions??! I'm here to help! 



    *Warning* Always play with ice cold (Miller light) beer! And of course drink responsibly and junk. 

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    Oh, and on another very important note, I wanted to help out my blogging friend Marty. Her friend's 4 year old daughter Sophia has been in the hospital since the end of November getting treated for tumors in her brain and spine. A lot of sports fans who know her family came together and donated some autographed/limited edition sports items from our personal collections and started a fundraiser on Ebay, where many of the items start to end in about 3 days. Some of the smaller items are photos, balls, videos, but some get super crazy like Brian Chashman's [Yankees GM] suite at the stadium with meet and greet! Go check it out and help Sophia!


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    28 January 2014

    Five Tips Towards a Stress Free Life



    This is a guest post, and not written by Venus Trapped in Mars.
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    Five Tips Towards a Stress Free Life

    Every now and then there will always be something that sends us off the rails. Stress is inevitable, but it doesn’t need to be as common as you may think. There are several ways to go about lowering your stress levels and living a happier life. All it takes is motivation and self-discipline. If you’re becoming overly stressed and it’s having an impact on your life, see what you can do to make a difference. Here are five tips for living a stress free life.

    Schedule

    One of the leading factors of stress is falling behind in your tasks. We’re all guilty of laziness and procrastination from time to time, but if this is becoming routine, it’s time to snap out of it. Make as schedule and stick to it. By having all of your work and chores done in advance, you will ease the stress. Even if you don’t think you’ve been stressing about iyt, it’s been burning away in the back of your mind.

    Tidy

    A messy, cluttered house will immediately add to your stress levels. Don’t let things get too out of control. Make sure that your house is tidy and clean. If you still find yourself surrounded by clutter, the answer may be finding more storage space. This doesn’t have to be a chore, there are several attractive storage designs you can choose from. If clutter is bothering you, consider purchasing some Fort Knox storage boxes to help your de-clutter your home and de-stress your mind.

    Meditate

    Meditation is a great way of winding down and easing your stress. You don’t need to be a master or particularly knowledgeable about it either. Maybe you could take some classes, or buy a relaxing CD. Something as simple as lying down for ten minutes with a book can help you to calm down and concentrate.

    Be Alone

    Social engagements and expectations from others are a leading factor in why we feel stressed. But don't feel bad about taking some time out for yourself. Cancel those lunch dates and plans if they’re stressing you out. Look after yourself first.

    Look After Your Health

    When we’re stressed, we often forget to look after our health. But this is extremely important. Not taking care of ourselves only adds to our unease and causes more problems down the track. Make sure that you’re eating well, exercising and keeping hydrated.
    Don’t let stress get to you. Once it starts to creep up on us, it can be hard to shake it off. But by ensuring that you never have a reason to feel stressed, you can make a huge difference. Take control of your life and don’t let stress affect you. After a week or two of your new outlook and routine, a stress-free life will begin to come much more easily.




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    Blogger Battle

    Alright everyone, even though I have a week filled with posts coming your way, I'm going to be a bad parent and go ahead and say this is my favorite one of the whole week. I've looked far and wide receiver to find two bloggers to go head to head for why you should be rooting for their team this Sunday (Saturday?!). Like most of you, my team is no longer in the playoffs, so we will be needing a team to root for. These girls are here to request your hand in cheering their teams on this weekend....

    First up, I've got my girl Karly Kim here to recruit you to grab a neon green and navy foam finger and root her Seahawks on!



    Sunday, February 5, 2006

    The Seattle Seahawks had made it to their first Super Bowl in franchise history.

    As a lifelong fan, I was pumped beyond words.

    Then we lost.

    My heart broke.

    Monday, February 6, 2006

    My heart was still aching from the Super Bowl loss, but it was my birthday
    and Karly LOVES her birthday.  So I was counting on my birthday bliss
    to outweigh the Super Bowl doom.

    Spoiler alert: I was wrong.

    At the time, my boyfriend was a super hot uber-douche (just the way I like them) named Todd. 

    He called my really awesome pink Motorola Razr rang and I answered.

    "Hello?"

    "Hey babe, how's the birthday girl?"

    "I'm good!  Just got home... "

    "Good, good - did you get the flowers?"

    "I did!  That was so sweet of you babe, thank you."

    "Of course, I know how much you love your birthday."

    "I do."

    "So listen... babe... I think we should see other people..."

    "Hmmmmm... what?"

    "I think we should see other people.  I mean, we could still hang out, if you want... but yeah, I think other people too."

    The conversation continued along those lines, and it didn't end well.  Needless to say, he also didn't become my future husband.

    It'sbeen 8 years, and my Seahawks are back in the running for the Super Bowl championship.  I'm hoping for a more successful outcome in the game.  And more importantly that history does not repeat itself (re: my relationship).

    Now that I've played the pity card, may I present:

    5 Reasons Why You Should Be Rooting For The Seattle Seahawks To Win The Super Bowl 

    1.  Because unconfirmed reports speculate that Pete Carroll and Owen Wilson are father and son
    2.  Because their win against SF made Jim Harbaugh do this:

    3.  Because Snoop Dogg says it's okay




    4.  Richard Sherman



    5.  Because if you don't, this creepy bird will haunt your dreams.



    And because Hufflepuff is rooting for them.  What else do you need?










    Next up I've asked my friend Sami to back her Broncos! Sami has been a Bronco since she was just a Colt. *crickets crickets chirp chirp* Ok, ok, ok, sorry sorry I couldn't help it! Take it away Sami, why should we rep the Broncos this Sunday!?!

    Hi Y'all!

    http://www.samisshenanigans.com


    I'm Sami and I occasionally blog over at Sami's Shenanigans. Sarah asked me to be here today as the Denver side to the Superbowl argument.

    When she asked, I just couldn't say no. To be honest, I can't actually remember a time when I wasn't a Denver Broncos fan. It was instilled in me before I could walk and I've been lucky enough to attend countless games at Mile High Stadium, and then Invesco Field, which later became Sports Authority Field (clearly the men that make those decisions can't make up their minds). I've always had a "favorite" player, even if I couldn't tell you a single stat about them. There was John Elway, Terrell Davis, Rod Smith, and now.. Eric Decker (duh).

    While I'd love to tell you all the statistical reasons why the Broncos are definitely going to bring home the trophy on Saturday Sunday Monday, instead I'm giving you five completely logical girl reasons why they will win it all!

    5 Reasons the Denver Broncos Will Win the 2014 Superbowl

    5. One time, Peyton Manning said that Lord Voldemort grosses him out and we all agreed.

    PS. If you haven't seen this video you need to watch it immediately.

    4. Two words.. Eric Decker.



    Hands down the most attractive football player of all time. He will obviously use his unbelievably good looks (and occasionally good football skills) to take the Broncos to victory.

      3. Their coach, John Fox, was out mid season and had to receive heart surgery.


    He came back and coached them right into the Superbowl. That's pretty impressive and resilient if you ask me.

      2. Orange is THE official color of football.


    You might be scratching your heads at this one, but I know Sarah agrees with me since we both support college football teams that wear orange. Think of it this way.. football is best played in the Fall, orange is the official color of Fall, so orange is also the official color of football. It's science.

    1. Last but not least, it's about damn time.



    It's been over 10 years since the Broncos have won a Superbowl and the people of Denver are ready for our football team to be champions again. Clearly, we know who the victor will be in this year's Superbowl.. and I can't wait to watch it all go down this weekend. Naturally, I've already taken Monday off from work since I know we will be celebrating!
     


      So. Who will you be rooting for, Sami or Karly... errr ... I mean Seattle or Denver?
     Leave a comment, may the best fan win. 


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    And finally, if you remember on Friday I mentioned that this week's Fan Friday would be a Super Bowl special edition linkup! I'm partnering up with Karly to bring you XLVIII: The Linkup! 
    Venus Trapped in Mars



  • Why you like football more than your man?
  • Tell us why you hate / love / why you're mad your team didn't make it this year.
  • Which do you like more: the game or the commercials?
  • Do you secretly wish you were an NFL star?
  • Do you love Tom Brady? 
  • Who should be MVP in your book?
  • Guess the final score of the Super Bowl  and we'll send you a virtual high five
  • Super Bowl Drinks
  • Super Bowl Foods / Dips / Concoctions
  • Drinking Games
  • Games to Play During the Super Bowl
  • Which team's colors you like better (although I'll (Sarah) will be judging you if you do this) 
  • Anything that starts with F and ends with ootball
  • Join us Friday, January 31st for a XLVII extravaganza! 
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    27 January 2014

    This Bowl is Gonna Be Cold





    "Cold Super Bowl Hair Don't Care"-- Roger Goodell

    Goodell, the NFL commissioner, is one of the biggest reasons Super Bowl XLVIII will be the first ever outdoor cold city Super Bowl. The Super Bowl is one of the few sporting events where the winner is not crowned after a series of games, making this single game hold an incredible amount of pressure for both sides of the field.

    You all may have heard of Richard Sherman by now? He is that quiet, shy fellow Erin Andrews had the pleasure of interviewing after Seattle played the 49ers...




    So I actually like the kid, very much. He is loud, he is outspoken, he is opinionated... but guess what he isn't? DUMB. This young man went to Stanford, he is smart, he knows what he is doing and he's making a character and a name for himself. Grabbing the super star spotlight is something that is difficult for defenders to do.

    And I gotta admit, Sherman's opinion on the cold weather Super Bowl is spot on if you ask me, "It's the league's responsibility to show its audience the best possible product, and this can't happen in the snow."

    While I have no problem with cold weather during the playoffs or during the regular season, I do have a problem with it in the Super Bowl. This is the one chance each team gets to prove they are THE BEST. The one chance a year they get to entertain America. No one is the best in three feet of snow. We found that out when Philly played Detroit this year...





    With all of this being said, even Goodell doesn't want the game to be played in snow. There is snow in the New Jersey forecast, and a contingency plan is in place to possibly move the game to Saturday night. We would know 36 hours prior to game time if this is going to happen. So keep that in mind if you are planning a Super Bowl party, watch that forecast. This cold weather Super Bowl will effect you too!

    So what are your thoughts on the first cold weather Super Bowl? Yay or Nay?




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    24 January 2014

    The Best GIF Winner + A Background Freebie!

    And the winner from Thursday's GIF contest is.... 

    A TIE!! I'm not kidding, go count if you are really really bored and have 27 minutes to kill. 

    Stephanie's Pauly D and Elisabeth's Betty White

    So you both get ESPN spots. You get a car and you get a car and you get a car Alisha for being the 42nd person to comment!!

    And of course by car I mean ESPN ad space. I'll be emailing you ladies tomorrow morning, because it is Friday at 4:30 and it's quittin time. This seriously was the most fun contest to proctor ever, and my favorite part was that everyone got tons of votes. 

    And just because I don't feel like you should come to a party empty handed. Here is a party favor for everyone. Free desktop / background crap for your computer and iPhone! 











    Download for laptop here
    Download for iPhone here


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