Alan Greenwood

It is the busiest day of the year for pizzerias and sub shops around America, so that means any sports scribe worth his coffee-stained shirt needs to weigh in on who will rule the National Football League as its champion once the party tables feature little more than crumbs.

It’s a little tougher without the Patriots installed as an automatic favorite. No longer does the heart have any influence on what the head may rule. Still, when in doubt, it says here that one should always go with the superior

quarterback.

Kansas City 27, San Francisco 23. …

That outcome would absolutely ruin the day for a character known in Houston as “Mattress Mack.” Jim McIngvale owns a furniture store and according to a story on Yahoo Sports, put down a $1 million bet on the 49ers. At plus-120, Mack stands to bring in $1.2 million if Jimmy Garoppolo is hoisting the Lombardi Trophy a game’s end. …

These words are being hunted and pecked hours before the Celtics took one, final regular-season shot at beating the 76ers, so it is barely possible that something may have happened in that game to change this view. But if the Celts don’t find a way to at least modestly restrain opponents’ big men – like Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid – it’s hard to take anything they accomplish heading into the playoffs seriously. …

The delirium throughout New England inspired by Mitch Moreland’s return to the Red Sox this season has, no doubt, waned since that Thursday newsflash.

Now in the spotlight: The Mookie Betts Trade.

It seems that the Dodgers are now the leading suitor for Betts. And unless they part with a dozen players, whatever goes down is unlikely to make most New Englanders feel warm and fuzzy as pitchers and catchers prepare to report. …

But that annual sequel to Groundhog Day is set for Monday at Fenway Park. The Red Sox’ equipment truck will be loaded and sent on its way to JetBlue Park in Fort Myers, Fla., with Wally The Green Monster leading the pomp and circumstance.

At least the airline is smart enough to know that a Cargo Plane Day wouldn’t be nearly as much fun.

TIME TRAVEL: Feb. 3, 1975 – “Wins by Ken Holt in the 121-pound class and Bruce Gabriel in the 140-pound group were the key to victory for the Nashua High wrestling team in recent action. The Panther matmen defeated Lawrence, Mass., 32-16, in Lawrence.

” ‘It was the best match I’ve seen the team wrestle in my four years as coach,’ said coach Paul Bellavance. ‘The wrestlers were real hot, doing almost everything right on their way to victory.’ ”

Bellavance’s teams would have quite a few impressive performances over the coming decades.

Contact Alan Greenwood at 594-1248 or agreenwood@nashuatelegraph.com.

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