Using data to determine who will win today's Super Bowl

Today is the biggest day of the sports year, Super Bowl Sunday.

That statement is proven by statistics: The eight most-watched programs in U.S. history are Super Bowls. Seventeen of the top 21 programs are Super Bowls.

It's a big show, statistically. So why not use statistics to determine whether the New England Patriots or Los Angeles Rams will win?

You can have your oddsmakers (who establish the Patriots as a favorite), but I believe the winner today will be determined by data. Because it's 2019 and that's what we believe.

Following is a long-time test that I just made up to determine who will win a major sporting event. The idea? Compare facts about the cities and teams, with point values assigned.

Eight Super Bowl questions, each worth points:

1. Which town is better? I'm no fan of Los Angeles, but this is a simple choice. New England isn't a town. It's not even a state. The Rams get one point.

2. How have the teams been portrayed in movies? I'm unaware of any movies with significant roles played by the Patriots, while "Heaven Can Wait" was a decent late-1970s flick starring Warren Beatty as a Rams quarterback who dies and comes back. Rams get one point because Warren Beatty was pretty good in that movie.

3. Franchise movement. We like long-term commitment to an area. The Patriots began as the Boston Patriots and became a regional team, playing 30 miles southwest of Boston. The Rams? They were in Cleveland, then Los Angeles, then St. Louis, now back in Los Angeles. They move around like an Air Force family. Patriots get one point.

4. Musical mentions. These are plentiful, topped by "Weekend in New England" by Barry Manilow and "I Love LA," by Randy Newman. According to Wikipedia (my source for all facts), there have been 45 songs titled "Los Angeles" and zero titled "New England." Maybe the Patriots should have kept "Boston" (12 songs) in their name. But they didn't. Two points to Rams.

5. My visits. I went to Boston once in high school–visiting one sister and seeing another get married. I've been to Los Angeles a lot more, and I suspect most readers of this column echo that. It's West Coast bias. Rams get one point.

6. Natural rivalry. San Francisco 49ers fans don't want Patriots quarterback Tom Brady to win another Super Bowl, so there's an inclination to root against New England. And the Patriots launched their dynasty by stealing a win from the Raiders through the idiocy of the "Tuck Rule." Los Angeles is the natural rival of the Bay Area, but history overcomes heritage. Somehow, we tolerate the Rams more than the Patriots. One point to Los Angeles.

7. Solano County connection. Rams backup running back C.J. Anderson is from Vallejo, where he attended Bethel High School. One point for Rams.

8. Who would win in a fight: A Patriot or a Ram? This seems fairly obvious, despite the fact that Revolutionary War-era soldiers (the inspiration for New England's mascot) used muskets. The Patriots get one point.

Final tally: Rams will win by five points.

You could say only one Super Bowl had a five-point margin (49ers 26, Bengals 21 in Super Bowl XVI) and the Patriots are favored.

I would simply say Super Bowl XVI was the greatest day in NFL history.

And that you shouldn't argue with data.

Reach Brad Stanhope at bradstanhope@hotmail.com.