The SuperPool vividly remembers Superbowl LVII when the Chiefs beat the Eagles, 38-35.

 

The pain.

 

The agony.

 

The sadness.

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Sometimes, though, you get another shot. A do-over, An opportunity to be more than you were. A chance to achieve something better.

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That's right...we're talking about Superbowl LIX. Eagles vs. Chiefs. THE SEQUEL! 

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Of course, sequels have a distinguished history in our culture. For example:

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• Superman II > Superman I

 

• Oreo Double Stuff >  Regular Oreos

 

• Jennifer Aniston > Angelina Jolie

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But the most important sequel (and maybe the most Philly Sequel of all), Rocky II > Rocky I. These are the facts and they are undisputed.

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The SuperPool recalls Rocky II fondly. For one, Rocky wins in Rocky II. But who can forget the legendary "Rocky Run" when Rocky runs through the Italian Market, down Kelly Drive, past Independence Hall, and then up the Ben Franklin Parkway to the Art Museum Steps. Consider these fun facts about this run:

 

• If Rocky actually ran the route shown in the training montage, he would have covered about 30.6 miles. That's a marathon, plus a 5K, plus 5 laps around a standard track.

 

• There are 72 steps at the Art Museum measuring 5 inches high and 15 inches deep. The total elevation is 488 feet.

 

• At the end of the 30.6-mile run when Rocky outsprints the kids running with him, he traverses the steps in 9.8 seconds. Given that, I estimate he's running around 6:35/mile pace, up steps, after running a distance 5+ miles longer than a marathon. He's in sweatpants, a perfectly tucked sweatshirt, and wearing high-top Converse. Maybe he'd have been a better runner than boxer. Truth be told, if he ran that distance in those clothes/shoes, the chaffing and plantar fasciitis would have him out of the boxing ring for a month.

 

​Nonetheless, inspired by this historic endurance feet and the glory days of my running up the Rocky Steps in high school after winning the Catholic League Cross Country Championship (that's the picture shown above), the SuperPool's charity endeavor this year will be a donation to the "1% Better Chris Nikic Foundation" equal to the sum of the following:

 

• For every entry into the SuperPool, we will donate $5 to the Foundation.

 

• Whatever the total combined score of the game, we will attempt to run that many times up the Rocky Steps (at a date to be determined.) So, if the score is 38-35, we will attempt to run up the steps 73 times. Once completed, we will donate $5 to the Foundation for every successful time we make it to the top. If you'd like to join us in your own Rocky Steps walk/run challenge, set your own goal and make your own donation. That would be amazing!

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Enjoy the Eagles/Chiefs Sequel. Like Rocky II, Philly wins this one.

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All that's left is to cue the music. ​It never gets old. Fly Eagles Fly!​

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