Patriots vs. Seahawks (-4½)

We’ll gather on Super Bowl night

Watching Pats and ‘Hawks in our homes

A matchup that’s feeling just right

Since we don’t have to look at Mahomes

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams (93) sacks Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) during the first half of the NFL Super Bowl 59 football game, Sunday, Feb. 9, 2025, in New Orleans. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)

Sam Darnold is here, but not Vikes

Enough to make ‘Sota fans queasy

Sunday, as blood pressure spikes

They’ll just blame it all on ol’ Kwesi

Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, right, speaks with quarterback J.J. McCarthy before an NFL football game against the Detroit Lions, Thursday, Dec. 25, 2025, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

Some gambling fever we’re getting

In our Land of 10,000 Lakes

Throughout the Bay Area, we’re betting

Over under: a half-dozen quakes

Paul Budde Sr. Vice President of Catastrophe Modeling discussed the damage from the 6.5 Cambria earthquake, with staff researchers at the Benfield, Bloomington, Mn., firm, that shook San Francisco and Los Angels, California, Dec. 22, 2003 , . sd 6-18-04

On TV, the ‘cast might be awful

Hearing Collinsworth on NBC

But really, we all should be thankful

Game’s gonna be Paul Allen-free

Minnesota Vikings radio announcer Paul Allen walks on the field before an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2023, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)

New England’s offense will start slow

Its sieve-like O line sowing doubt

By the end of first quarter we’ll know:

It’s time for a Stefon Diggs pout

FILE – New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) leaves the field following an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov 23, 2025, in Cincinnati, Ohio. (AP Photo/Peter Joneleit, File)

 

Seattle up 10 at the half

The 12th Man’s outlook ever sunny

Then nation gets ready to laugh

At Trump’s loony tweets on Bad Bunny

FILE – Bad Bunny performs during the iHeartRadio Music Awards in Los Angeles on March 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello, File)

In third, Maye tries lighting the fuse

For reviving Pats’ passing attack

But Schefter puts out Breaking News:

You can’t throw too well on your back

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) passes against the Houston Texans during the second half of an NFL divisional playoff football game, Sunday, Jan. 18, 2026, in Foxborough, Mass. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

At game’s end, the Seahawks are kings

Draped in rarest Fanatics apparel

The reason Seattle got rings:

It’s no longer coached by Pete Carroll

Seattle Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll, center, watches as players react after Russell Wilson was intercepted by New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler during the second half of NFL Super Bowl XLIX football game Sunday, Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Pick: Seahawks 27, Patriots 13

Record

Last week

1-1 straight up

0-2 vs. spread

Season

171-112-1 straight up (.605)

135-149 vs. spread (.469)

All-time (2003-26)

3990-2213-15 straight up (.643)

3046-3028-145 vs spread (.502)

Coming Tuesday: Our extra-special Loop Ten countdown of all things Super Bowl LX.

You can hear Kevin Cusick on Thursdays on Bob Sansevere’s “BS Show” podcast on iTunes. You can follow Kevin on X– @theloopnow. He can be reached at kcusick@pioneerpress.com.

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Today is Friday, Feb. 6, the 37th day of 2026. There are 328 days left in the year.

Today in history:

On Feb. 6, 2013, toy maker Hasbro Inc. announced that Monopoly fans had voted online to add a cat token to the board game, replacing the iron.

Also on this date:

In 1778, during the American Revolutionary War, the United States won official recognition and military support from France with the signing of the Treaty of Alliance in Paris.

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In 1862, during the Civil War, Fort Henry in Tennessee fell to Union forces.

In 1899, a peace treaty between the United States and Spain was ratified by the U.S. Senate; the treaty ended the Spanish-American War and ceded the Philippines, Puerto Rico and Guam to the United States.

In 1952, Britain’s King George VI, 56, died at Sandringham House in Norfolk, England; he was succeeded as monarch by his 25-year-old eldest daughter, who became Queen Elizabeth II.

In 1921, “The Kid,” Charlie Chaplin’s first feature-length film, was released across the United States.

In 1998, Washington National Airport was renamed Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, honoring the former president on his 87th birthday.

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated the 70th anniversary of her ascendance to the British throne, an unprecedented reign that made her a symbol of stability in the United Kingdom.

In 2023, a powerful 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck Turkey and Syria, toppling thousands of buildings and trapping residents under mounds of rubble; the death toll would eventually surpass 50,000.

Today’s birthdays:

Actor Mike Farrell is 87.
Former NBC News anchorman Tom Brokaw is 86.
Singer Fabian is 83.
Filmmaker Jim Sheridan is 77.
Tennis Hall of Famer Manuel Orantes is 77.
Actor Kathy Najimy is 69.
Actor-director Robert Townsend is 69.
Rock singer Axl Rose (Guns N’ Roses) is 64.
Singer Rick Astley is 60.
Actor Charlie Heaton is 32.
Actor Shelby Simmons is 24.

After a heated city council meeting on Monday, the mayor of Farmington has resigned effective immediately.

Joshua Hoyt

Farmington Mayor Joshua Hoyt resigned Wednesday after a contentious city council meeting where he and residents exchanged words, some of them being expletives.

While commenting on a proposed data center, which has faced persistent community backlash, Farmington residents took issue with an enforced five-minute rule for the public commenting period. Each person is given five minutes to speak and once the timer runs out, the mic at the podium is cut and an alarm can be heard.

One resident called the timer “ridiculous” and claimed it was discriminatory against people who speak slower than others.

Tensions grew as one resident refused to leave the podium after five minutes. “You can be done … or I’ll have you removed,” Hoyt said. A video of the meeting shows a law enforcement official approaching the man at the podium and following him out of frame.

“When people come to the podium and they abuse it … then rules have to be put in place,” Hoyt said, to “maintain decorum and order.”

After another exchange with a resident, Hoyt can be heard saying, in a now viral video clip: “We have to hold decorum, that’s how rules work. Otherwise, it’s just a free-for-all, everybody just does what they want when they want and then what? It becomes (an expletive) circus.”

Hoyt’s comment drew more expletives from the crowd, prompting the council to break for a 10-minute recess.

In a letter addressed to the City of Farmington, Hoyt wrote: “After careful consideration, I have come to the difficult decision that I must step away from my role as Mayor to focus on my mental health. This was not an easy conclusion to reach, but it is a necessary one.”

Hoyt was first elected mayor in 2020 and reelected in 2024 with 51% of the vote compared to Paul Larsen’s 47%.

“We are deeply grateful for Mayor Hoyt’s years of dedicated service to the City of Farmington. He truly believes in this community and lives and breathes Farmington,” the city wrote on its website.

Council member Nick Lien will serve as acting mayor. The city council is expected to discuss next steps in filling the vacancy at the March 2 work session.

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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Drew Brees and Larry Fitzgerald headlined the 2026 Pro Football Hall of Fame class featuring five players but not six-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Belichick.

Brees and Fitzgerald both made it in their first year of eligibility in results announced at NFL Honors on Thursday night after prolific careers. Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri made it in their second seasons of eligibility, while Roger Craig was the lone pick among seniors, coaches and contributors.

“One of the coolest moments was getting up on that stage with all the other Hall of Famers,” Fitzgerald said. “That moment kind of crystallized it for me.”

But the class is also noteworthy for Belichick’s absence as at least 11 of the 50 voters opted against giving him a vote despite a career with 333 wins in the regular season and playoffs and the most Super Bowl titles of any head coach. A report last week that Belichick fell short in his first year of eligibility was met with widespread criticism of both the voters and the process for choosing Hall of Famers.

“His stats speak for themselves,” said Vinatieri, who played six years for Belichick.

“I thought he’d have a real good chance to be up there as well. The people who voted made their votes and I think he’ll be up here one day.”

The man who hired Belichick in New England to set the stage for the Patriots dynasty also fell short, with owner Robert Kraft failing to get enough votes.

This is the second straight year with a smaller class after only four people made it last year as new rule changes have made it harder to get into the Hall. There had been at least seven people inducted in the previous 12 classes before last year.

That contributed to the snub for Belichick and Kraft, who were grouped with Craig and two other players — Ken Anderson and L.C. Greenwood — who have been retired for at least 25 seasons. The voters picked three of the five candidates with the highest vote-getter and anyone else above 80% getting the honor.

Craig, who was in his 28th year of eligibility, was the only one of those five to make it. Craig was the first player ever to have 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards receiving in the same season, which happened in 1985, and he led the NFL with 2,036 yards from scrimmage in 1988 when he helped San Francisco win the Super Bowl.

Craig also was part of the title-winning teams for the 49ers in the 1984 and 1989 seasons. His 410 yards from scrimmage in those Super Bowl wins are the third-most ever behind Hall of Famers Jerry Rice and Franco Harris.

The four modern-era candidates all overlapped for several years, waging many battles against each other.

“Very early on you realized there was something special and unique about these guys,” Brees said.

Vinatieri was one of the most clutch kickers in NFL history, making the game-winning field goals in the first two Super Bowl victories during New England’s dynasty with Belichick and Kraft in charge. He joined Jan Stenerud and Morten Andersen as the only players in the Hall who were primarily kickers in their careers.

Vinatieri helped launch the run with one of the game’s greatest kicks — a 45-yarder in the snow to force overtime in the “Tuck Rule” game against the Raiders in the 2001 divisional round. He made the game-winning kick in OT to win that game and then hit a 48-yarder on the final play of a 20-17 win in the Super Bowl against the Rams.

Vinatieri is the NFL’s career leader in points (2,673) and made field goals (599) over a 24-year career with New England and Indianapolis. He also leads all players with 56 field goals and 238 points in the postseason.

Brees is second all time to Tom Brady with 80,358 yards passing and 571 touchdown passes. He spent the first five seasons of his career with the San Diego Chargers before signing as a free agent with the Saints in 2006, where his career took off as he helped lift a city still recovering from Hurricane Katrina.

Brees delivered to New Orleans its first Super Bowl title following the 2009 season, when he won MVP of the game after beating Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts. Brees made the Pro Bowl 13 times in his career, won AP Offensive Player of the Year in 2008 and 2011, was an All-Pro in 2006 and was a second-team All-Pro four times.

Fitzgerald spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals after being drafted third overall in 2004. His 1,432 catches and 17,492 yards receiving in 17 seasons rank second all time to Jerry Rice.

Fitzgerald topped 1,000 yards receiving nine times — tied for the fourth-most ever — and helped the Cardinals reach their only Super Bowl following the 2008 season. Fitzgerald set single-season records that postseason with 546 yards receiving and seven TD catches, including a go-ahead 64-yard score with 2:37 to play in the Super Bowl before Pittsburgh rallied for a 27-23 win over Arizona.

Kuechly’s career was brief but impactful. The first-round pick by Carolina in 2012 was an All-Pro five times, with seven Pro Bowl nods and a Defensive Rookie of the Year award. Over his eight-year career, Kuechly led all linebackers in the NFL in tackles (1,090), takeaways (26), interceptions (18) and passes defensed (66).

Voters reduced the list of 15 finalists in the modern era category to 10 and then seven before voting for five to make it. The top three vote-getters and anyone else above 80% got into the Hall.

Offensive linemen Willie Anderson and Marshal Yanda, and edge rusher Terrell Suggs made it to the final seven in the modern-era category and will automatically be finalists again next year.

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