Before POPS PROPS X, Tony S.’s dominant five-point triumph in POPS PROPS VIII was the largest winning margin in POPS PROPS history. It also marked the first time that a POPS PROPS champion failed to correctly pick the winning team. Tony thought New England would win and Tom Brady would take home the MVP.
CATEGORY LEADERBOARD
| FIRST FOUR (4 questions) | 6 pts. max |
| Eric Sch., Erin S., Will M. | 5 |
| 10 tied with | 4 |
| EARLY GAME (9 questions) | 10 pts. max |
| Tim B. | 7 |
| 9 tied with | 6 |
| ENTERTAINMENT (11 questions) | 13 pts. max |
| Luke B., Tony S. | 10 |
| Beth C., Kyle D., Terra D. | 8 |
| 9 tied with | 7 |
| THE TWO HALVES (13 questions) | 13 pts. max |
| Brittany R., Naomi D. | 10 |
| 9 tied with | 9 |
| TEAM TOTALS (11 questions) | 11 pts. max |
| Kevin K. | 9 |
| 12 tied with | 8 |
| INDIVIDUAL TOTALS (30 questions) | 33 pts. max |
| Jesse G., Tony S. | 19 |
| 5 tied with | 18 |
| CROSSOVERS (10 questions) | 11 pts. max |
| Wes W. | 8 |
| 4 tied with | 7 |
A FEW OBSERVATIONS
How did Tony S. do it? Let’s take a closer look:
He was the only competitor to sweep all five of the National Anthem/America The Beautiful questions: (1. PiNK’s anthem lasted less than 1:55; 2. PiNK did/wore none of our eight options, 2-pt bonus; 3. PiNK stood during the Anthem without her hand over her heart; 4. Leslie Odom Jr. took less than 1:45 to sing America The Beautiful; 5. Odom stood, rather than sitting behind a piano or on a chair/stool)!
He correctly guessed New England would win the coin toss and the coin would land on heads!
He correctly guessed that more than 14 points would be scored in the second, third and fourth quarters, but incorrectly picked “more than 14” for the first quarter!
He correctly guessed that 11 penalties would be assessed and the Eagles would have more penalty yards than the Pats!
He correctly guessed that the total sacks would be less than 5, the total interceptions would be less than 2 and the total fumbles would be less than 2!
He correctly guessed that Brady would pass for more than 308 yards, Foles would pass for more than 278, the total passing yards would be higher than 610 and the total passing attempts would be higher than 72!
He correctly guessed that a Patriots player would be tackled for a loss less than 6 times, an Eagles player would be tackled for a loss than 6 times and Patrick Chung would lead the Pats in tackles!
He earned a two-point bonus for guessing that neither coach would throw a challenge flag!
He earned a two-point bonus for guessing that Justin Timberlake wouldn’t wear a hat!
He answered four of the five receiving questions correctly by picking the over: (Pats’ leading receiver, more than 100 yards; Pats’ second-leading receiver, more than 65 yards; Eagles’ second-leading receiver, more than 65 yards; third-best receivers for both teams, combine for more than 90 yards). Stasiek missed on the Eagles’ leading receiver, because Corey Clement tallied exactly 100 yards. Weirdly, the only two competitors to answer that correctly and receive a 2-point bonus were our two bottom finishers, Pagan Hill and Jason Schklar!
He swept all five of the punting/kickoff return questions: (Donnie Jones, longest punt; total punts, less than 8; total returned punts, less than 5; longest punt return, less than 30; longest kickoff return, less than 35)!
He won, despite only getting four of the 10 crossover questions correct!
QUESTION SUMMARY
1. Who will win Super Bowl LII?
| New England! | 41 |
| Philadelphia! | 26 |
2. How long will P!nk’s rendition of the national anthem last? (The timer rounds to the nearest second, starts at her first note and ends when she concludes singing.)
| Longer than 1:55! | 31 |
| Shorter than 1:55! | 32 |
| Exactly 1:55! (Bonus) | 4 |
3. Which of these things will P!nk do or wear when she performs the national anthem? (Point awarded for any correct answer.)
| Boots! | 8 |
| A football jersey! | 1 |
| A gown! | 1 |
| Jeans! | 2 |
| A leather jacket! | 0 |
| Shades! | 2 |
| She’ll throw her trademark devil horns! | 1 |
| Some sort of sleeveless top! | 0 |
| Two, but not more than two, of these things! (Bonus) | 26 |
| Three, but not more of these things! (Bonus) | 15 |
| Four or more of these things! (Bonus) | 6 |
| None of these things! (Bonus) | 5 |
4. While singing the National Anthem, P!nk will be…
| On a moving platform! | 1 |
| Seated behind a piano! | 1 |
| Seated on a chair or stool (but not behind a piano)! | 2 |
| Standing with hand over heart! | 8 |
| Standing without hand over heart! | 43 |
| Suspended in air! (Bonus) | 2 |
| A combination of these things! (Bonus) | 4 |
| None of the above! (Bonus) | 6 |
5. How long will Leslie Odom Jr.’s version of “America The Beautiful” last? (The timer rounds to the nearest second, starts at the first note and ends when they all conclude singing.)
| Over 1:45! | 36 |
| Under 1:45! | 29 |
| Exactly 1:45! (Bonus) | 2 |
6. While singing, Leslie Odom Jr. will be..
| On a moving platform! | 0 |
| Seated behind a piano! | 6 |
| Seated on a chair or stool (but not behind a piano)! | 3 |
| Standing! | 50 |
| Suspended in air! (Bonus) | 0 |
| A combination of these things! (Bonus) | 4 |
| None of the above! (Bonus) | 4 |
7. Which team will win the pre-game opening coin toss?
| New England! | 32 |
| Philadelphia! | 35 |
8. Will the opening coin toss land on heads or tails?
| Heads! | 32 |
| Tails! | 35 |
9. The team that wins the opening coin toss will elect to…
| Defer! | 28 |
| Kick off! | 18 |
| Receive! | 21 |
10. The opening kickoff will be returned…
|
0
yards, because the ball will be kicked through the back of the end zone for a touchback! | 15 |
|
0
yards, because the returner will kneel in the end zone for a touchback! | 21 |
| 1 to 15 yards! | 15 |
| 16 to 25 yards! | 9 |
| 26 to 35 yards! | 2 |
| 36 or more yards! | 1 |
| Fumbled, but possession will be regained! (Bonus) | 1 |
| Fumbled, and possession will be lost! (Bonus) | 1 |
| Returned for a touchdown! (Bonus) | 2 |
11. Which team will be assessed the first accepted penalty?
| New England! | 12 |
| Philadelphia! | 50 |
| Neither team will be penalized! (Bonus) | 5 |
12. Which team will call the first timeout?
| New England! | 31 |
| Philadelphia! | 34 |
| Neither team will call a timeout! (Bonus) | 2 |
13. Which team will cross the 50-yard line first?
| New England! | 36 |
| Philadelphia! | 29 |
| One or both teams will never cross the 50-yard line! (Bonus) | 2 |
14. Which team will score first?
| New England! | 35 |
| Philadelphia! | 32 |
15. The first points will be awarded as a result of a…
| Defensive or special-teams touchdown! (Bonus) | 2 |
| Field goal! | 30 |
| Passing touchdown! | 27 |
| Rushing touchdown! | 7 |
| Safety! | 1 |
16. Which head coach will throw the first challenge flag?
| Bill Belichick, New England! | 29 |
| Doug Pederson, Philadelphia! | 22 |
| Neither coach will throw a challenge flag! (Bonus) | 16 |
17. Will the first points be scored in the first 5 minutes, 30 seconds?
| No! | 32 |
| Yes! | 34 |
| The first points will be scored at exactly 5:30! (Bonus) | 1 |
18. Will the team that scores first win the game?
| No! | 32 |
| Yes! | 35 |
]19. The total number of first-quarter points will be…
| Less than 14! | 39 |
| More than 14! | 16 |
| Exactly 14! (Bonus) | 6 |
| Exactly 10! (Bonus) | 6 |
20. Which team will lead at the end of the first quarter?
| New England! | 32 |
| Philadelphia! | 23 |
| The score will be tied! (Bonus) | 12 |
21. The first commercial after the conclusion of the first quarter will advertise…
| Alcohol! | 20 |
| Automobiles or tires! | 16 |
| Chips, food or snacks! | 11 |
| A movie, television show or streaming service! | 8 |
| Non-alcoholic beverages! | 3 |
| Some sort of financial organization! | 2 |
| A non-financial technology company or non-streaming app! | 1 |
| None of the above! (Bonus) | 6 |
22. The total number of second-quarter points will be…
| Less than 14! | 27 |
| More than 14! | 36 |
| Exactly 14! (Bonus) | 4 |
23. Which team will lead at halftime?
| New England! | 36 |
| Philadelphia! | 27 |
| The score will be tied! (Bonus) | 4 |
24. Which of these songs will Justin Timberlake NOT perform?
| SexyBack! | 4 |
| Can’t Stop The Feeling! | 1 |
| Filthy! | 4 |
| Say Something! | 2 |
| My Love! | 2 |
| What Goes Around…Comes Around! | 4 |
| Suit & Tie! | 4 |
| Two of these songs! | 25 |
| Three or more of these songs! (Bonus) | 19 |
| He will perform all of these songs! (Bonus) | 2 |
25. What kind of hat will Justin Timberlake wear during his halftime show?
| A baseball hat! | 2 |
| A bowler hat! | 1 |
| A fedora or trilby! | 17 |
| A ski cap! | 3 |
| A top hat! | 1 |
| Some other type of hat! (Bonus) | 4 |
| Two or more of these hats! (Bonus) | 10 |
| He won’t wear a hat! (Bonus) | 29 |
26. Will Justin Timberlake make a political statement during the halftime show?
| No! | 47 |
| Yes, and he will mention Donald Trump! | 2 |
| Yes, but he will not mention Donald Trump! | 18 |
27. Which of these things will Justin Timberlake wear during his halftime show?
| Flannel! | 3 |
| A football jersey! | 1 |
| Shades! | 4 |
| A suit with a tie! | 11 |
| A suit with no tie! | 10 |
| A tracksuit! | 1 |
| A tuxedo, rather than a suit! | 0 |
| Two of these things! (Bonus) | 26 |
| Three or more of these things! (Bonus) | 4 |
| None of these things! (Bonus) | 7 |
28. Who will make a surprise appearance during Justin Timberlake’s halftime show?
| Janet Jackson! | 6 |
| Jay-Z! | 4 |
| One or more members of The Lonely Island! | 1 |
| One or more members of NSYNC! | 7 |
| Britney Spears! | 4 |
| Chris Stapleton! | 2 |
| Timbaland! | 1 |
| Pharrell Williams! | 4 |
| Two or more of these people! | 16 |
| Someone else! | 15 |
| There will be no surprise guest! | 7 |
29. How many outfits will Justin Timberlake wear during his halftime show?
| More than 3! (Bonus) | 3 |
| 3! | 15 |
| 2! | 34 |
| 1! | 15 |
30. The total number of third-quarter points will be…
| Less than 14! | 35 |
| More than 14! | 26 |
| Exactly 14! (Bonus) | 6 |
31. The total number of fourth-quarter points will be…
| Less than 14! | 26 |
| More than 14! | 36 |
| Exactly 14! (Bonus) | 5 |
32. In which half will there be a greater number of points scored?
| The first half! | 12 |
| The second half! | 51 |
| The two sums will be equal! (Bonus) | 4 |
33. Which team(s) will score in the final 4 minutes?
| Only New England! | 12 |
| Only Philadelphia! | 16 |
| Both teams! (Bonus) | 29 |
| Neither team! | 10 |
34. Which team will score last?
| New England! | 31 |
| Philadelphia! | 36 |
35. The total number of touchdowns will be…
| Less than 6! | 33 |
| More than 6! | 23 |
| Exactly 6! (Bonus) | 11 |
36. The longest touchdown will be…
| Less than 45 yards! | 30 |
| More than 45 yards! | 35 |
| Exactly 45 yards! (Bonus) | 2 |
37. The shortest touchdown will be…
| Less than 2 yards! | 38 |
| More than 2 yards! | 22 |
| Exactly 2 yards! (Bonus) | 7 |
38. The total number of successful third-down conversions will be…
| Less than 12! | 23 |
| More than 12! | 38 |
| Exactly 12! (Bonus) | 6 |
39. The total number of successful fourth-down conversions will be..
| Less than 2! | 29 |
| More than 2! | 15 |
| Exactly 2! (Bonus) | 23 |
40. How many accepted penalties will be assessed in the game?
| Less than 11! | 44 |
| More than 11! | 17 |
| Exactly 11! (Bonus) | 6 |
41. Which team will have the most penalty yards against?
| New England! | 15 |
| Philadelphia! | 49 |
| The two sums will be equal! (Bonus) | 3 |
42. Will there be a defensive or special-teams touchdown?
| No! | 35 |
| Only defensive! (Bonus) | 19 |
| Only special teams! (Bonus) | 6 |
| Both! (Bonus) | 7 |
43. The total number of sacks will be…
| Less than 5! | 34 |
| 5! | 15 |
| 6! | 3 |
| 6 or more! (Bonus) | 15 |
44. The total number of interceptions will be…
| Less than 2! | 15 |
| More than 2! | 33 |
| Exactly 2! (Bonus) | 19 |
45. The total number of lost fumbles will be…
| Less than 2! | 41 |
| More than 2! | 14 |
| Exactly 2! (Bonus) | 12 |
46. Tom Brady’s total passing yards will be…
| Less than 308! | 24 |
| More than 308! | 40 |
| Exactly 308! (Bonus) | 3 |
47. Nick Foles total passing yards will be…
| Less than 278! | 34 |
| More than 278! | 30 |
| Exactly 278! (Bonus) | 3 |
48. The total number of passing yards in the game will be…
| Less than 610! | 37 |
| More than 610! | 27 |
| Exactly 610! (Bonus) | 3 |
49. The total number of passing attempts in the game will be…
| Less than 72! | 26 |
| More than 72! | 38 |
| Exactly 72! (Bonus) | 3 |
50. The total number of passing attempts by someone other than Brady and Foles will be…
| More than 10! (Bonus) | 2 |
| 6-10! (Bonus) | 6 |
| 3-5! | 3 |
| 2! | 7 |
| 1! | 15 |
| 0! | 34 |
51. Philadelphia’s leading rusher will gain…
| Less than 75 yards! | 26 |
| More than 75 yards! | 38 |
| Exactly 75 yards! (Bonus) | 3 |
52. New England’s leading rusher will gain…
| Less than 75 yards! | 43 |
| More than 75 yards! | 21 |
| Exactly 75 yards! (Bonus) | 3 |
53. Which team will gain the most rushing yards?
| New England! | 21 |
| Philadelphia! | 42 |
| The two sums will be equal! (Bonus) | 4 |
54. The total amount of rushing yards will be…
| Less than 237! | 38 |
| More than 237! | 24 |
| Exactly 237! (Bonus) | 5 |
55. The longest run from scrimmage will be…
| 0-10 yards! | 0 |
| 11-20 yards! | 9 |
| 21-30 yards! | 15 |
| 31-40 yards! | 22 |
| 41-50 yards! | 11 |
| 51-60 yards! | 6 |
| 61-70 yards! | 0 |
| 70 yards or longer! | 4 |
56. The New England receiver that gains the most receiving yards will tally…
| Less than 100 yards! | 23 |
| More than 100 yards! | 41 |
| Exactly 100 yards! (Bonus) | 3 |
57. The New England receiver that gains the second-most receiving yards will tally…
| Less than 65 yards! | 26 |
| More than 65 yards! | 36 |
| Exactly 65 yards! (Bonus) | 5 |
58. The Philadelphia receiver that gains the most receiving yards will tally…
| Less than 100 yards! | 34 |
| More than 100 yards! | 29 |
| Exactly 100 yards! (Bonus) | 4 |
59. The Philadelphia receiver that gains the second-most receiving yards will tally…
| Less than 65 yards! | 34 |
| More than 65 yards! | 29 |
| Exactly 65 yards! (Bonus) | 4 |
60. The sum of the receiving yards by the New England and Philadelphia players with the third-most receiving yards will be…
| Less than 90 yards! | 43 |
| More than 90 yards! | 21 |
| Exactly 90 yards! (Bonus) | 3 |
61. Which player will gain the most all-purpose (receiving + return + rushing) yards?
| Jay Ajayi, Philadelphia! | 9 |
| Danny Amendola, New England! | 16 |
| Brandin Cooks, New England! | 3 |
| Zach Ertz, Philadelphia! | 3 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Philadelphia! | 12 |
| Dion Lewis, New England! | 12 |
| Someone else! (Bonus) | 10 |
| There will be some sort of tie! (Bonus) | 2 |
62. How many times will a New England player be tackled or forced out of bounds for a loss of yards?
| Less than 6! | 41 |
| More than 6! | 17 |
| Exactly 6! (Bonus) | 9 |
63. How many times will a Philadelphia player be tackled or forced out of bounds for a loss of yards?
| Less than 6! | 29 |
| More than 6! | 28 |
| Exactly 6! (Bonus) | 10 |
64. Who will lead New England in tackles?
| Malcolm Butler! | 5 |
| Patrick Chung! | 16 |
| Trey Flowers! | 11 |
| Stephon Gilmore! | 6 |
| Kyle Van Noy! | 5 |
| Someone else! (Bonus) | 14 |
| There will be some sort of tie! (Bonus) | 10 |
65. Who will lead Philadelphia in tackles?
| Nigel Bradham! | 5 |
| Fletcher Cox! | 16 |
| Ronald Darby! | 11 |
| Corey Graham! | 7 |
| Malcolm Jenkins! | 11 |
| Mychal Kendricks! | 4 |
| Someone else! (Bonus) | 6 |
| There will be some sort of tie! (Bonus) | 7 |
66. Which kicker will have more total points?
| Jake Elliott, Philadelphia! | 12 |
| Stephen Gostkowski, New England! | 50 |
| Someone else! (Bonus) | 1 |
| There will be some sort of tie! (Bonus) | 4 |
67. Which team will make the longest field goal?
| New England! | 33 |
| Philadelphia! | 31 |
| Neither team will make a field goal! (Bonus) | 3 |
68. The longest field goal will be..
| Less than 47 yards! | 21 |
| More than 47 yards! | 42 |
| Exactly 47 yards! (Bonus) | 4 |
69. The shortest field goal will be…
| Less than 25 yards! | 28 |
| More than 25 yards! | 35 |
| Exactly 25 yards! (Bonus) | 4 |
70. The total number of field goals will be…
| Less than 4! | 18 |
| More than 4! | 31 |
| Exactly 4! (Bonus) | 18 |
71. Which punter will have the longest punt?
| Ryan Allen, New England! | 22 |
| Donnie Jones, Philadelphia! | 40 |
| Someone else! (Bonus) | 1 |
| There will be some sort of tie! (Bonus) | 4 |
72. The total number of punts will be…
| Less than 8! | 32 |
| More than 8! | 26 |
| Exactly 8! (Bonus) | 9 |
73. The total number of returned punts (non safe-catches) will be…
| Less than 5! | 48 |
| More than 5! | 12 |
| Exactly 5! (Bonus) | 7 |
74. The longest punt return will be…
| Less than 30 yards! | 41 |
| More than 30 yards! | 21 |
| Exactly 30 yards! (Bonus) | 5 |
75. The longest kickoff return will be…
| Less than 35 yards! | 34 |
| More than 35 yards! | 28 |
| Exactly 35 yards! (Bonus) | 5 |
76. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
|
[The
average price (in cents) of gasoline in the United States, according to AAA] + 35! | 37 |
| The midpoint between Tom Brady and Nick Foles total passing yards! | 27 |
| The two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 3 |
77. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
|
(The
price, at kickoff, of an ounce of gold in U.S. dollars) divided by 10! | 28 |
| (Alshon Jeffery receiving yards) + 40! | 36 |
| When rounded, the two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 3 |
78. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
| The price, at kickoff, of an ounce of silver in U.S. dollars! | 32 |
| (Jay Ajayi rushing attempts) + 1! | 28 |
| When rounded, the two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 7 |
79. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
| (The Henry Hub Natural Gas spot price per million Btu) times 10! | 37 |
| The distance in yards of the longest kickoff or punt return! | 25 |
| When rounded, the two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 5 |
80. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
| (The price of a single Bitcoin in U.S. dollars) divided by 100! | 29 |
| (Dion Lewis total rushing, receiving and return yards) minus 20! | 34 |
| When rounded, the two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 4 |
81. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
| Philadelphia touchdowns! | 37 |
| (Total goals scored by Racing Club + Huracan) + 1! | 21 |
| The two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 9 |
82. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
| Total number of sacks! | 36 |
| (Total goals scored by Audux Italiano + Huachipato) + 1! | 24 |
| The two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 7 |
83. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
| Total number of turnovers! | 22 |
| (Total goals scored by Honduras Progreso + Vida) + 1! | 36 |
| The two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 9 |
84. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
|
The
final-round score of the winner of the Waste Management Phoenix Open! | 26 |
| New England’s total number of plays! | 33 |
| The two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 5 |
|
For
some reason, the Waste Management Phoenix Open won’t conclude on Sunday! (Bonus) | 3 |
85. Which number will be greater on Sunday, Feb. 4?
| The final-round score of the runner-up of the Waste Management Phoenix Open! | 28 |
| Philadelphia’s total number of plays! | 33 |
| The two numbers will be equal! (Bonus) | 3 |
| For some reason, the Waste Management Phoenix Open won’t conclude on Sunday! (Bonus) | 3 |
86. How many total points will be scored in the game?
| Less than 30! | 1 |
| 31-35! | 3 |
| 35-40! | 10 |
| 41-45! | 12 |
| 46-50! | 18 |
| 51-55! | 5 |
| 56-60! | 10 |
| 61-65! | 4 |
| 66-70! | 0 |
| 71 or more! (Bonus) | 4 |
87. Will the total number of points scored be even or odd?
| Even! | 27 |
| Odd! | 31 |
| Either even or odd but also a prime number! (Bonus) | 9 |
88. Who will be the MVP of Super Bowl LII? (3-point bonus question)