Now that the Cardinals have appeared and lost....

 

Only eight franchise have won the SB in their first appearance - all other winners had been there and lost before winning -

 

First time winners:

 

GB I

NYJ III

Pitt IX

SF XVI

CHI XX

NYG XXI

Ravens XXXV

TB XXXVII

 

Nineteen franchises have lost their first appearance (includes Indy, since BAL lost in III).

 

Five franchises have never gone.

 

This clearly suppports the theory that the hoopla is very distracting to a team that has never been there.

Now that the Cardinals have appeared and lost....

 

Only eight franchise have won the SB in their first appearance - all other winners had been there and lost before winning -

 

First time winners:

 

GB I

NYJ III

Pitt IX

SF XVI

CHI XX

NYG XXI

Ravens XXXV

TB XXXVII

 

Nineteen franchises have lost their first appearance (includes Indy, since BAL lost in III).

 

Five franchises have never gone.

 

This clearly suppports the theory that the hoopla is very distracting to a team that has never been there.

 

Who are they?

JAX HOU NO CLE DET

This clearly suppports the theory that the hoopla is very distracting to a team that has never been there.

 

I think it has less to do with the actual TEAM that is in the SB, and more to do with the PLAYERS that are in the SB.

 

For instance... What about a team that went to the SB 30 years ago? The current players may have never played in the SB...so just because the team they play for won a SB in the past does not give them any advantage, obviously.

team = players... i think. Otherwise it is a wacky excuse.

Obviously, a 36 year gap (a la Colts) isn't salient.

 

However, if the you look at the first 8 SBs, only two teams won in their debut (and you could argue that GB doesn't really count as they were dominant in the old NFL).

 

And out of the first 15, only 3 won in their debut.

 

And out of the first 19, only 4................

 

In a matchup of the best 2 teams for the year, you'd expect a little more balance between virgins and whores (I know, bad analogy, but you catch my drift).