Game 37: Richard M. Nixon vs. Super Bowl XXVII

Ask yourself this. Which of these two statements is more unbelievable:  "Richard Nixon has resigned from the Presidency in disgrace" or "Ladies and gentlemen, your Super Bowl champions: the Tampa Bay Buccaneers"?

The Bucs had become a benchmark for badness in the NFL. They started in the league in 1976 and lost their first 26 games. Going into the 2002 season, they had compiled exactly twice as many losses as wins in their storied history: 131-262-1. But new coach Jon Gruden took them all the way this season, crushing the favored Raiders 48-21 in the first Super Bowl to feature two teams named after pirates. The tenacious Tampa D picked off Raiders QB Rich Gannon five times. Suddenly, we didn't have Tampa Bay to kick around anymore.

Unlike Gruden, Nixon's ambition to come out on top got the better of him.  His political comeback, after he'd lost the election of 1960, was gutsy. But he trusted no one. He made lists of enemies. The cover-up of the Watergate break-in eventually pointed to him, and he was done. In the end, his strengths and weaknesses meant little compared to his legacy: leaving a generation distrustful of government. 

And so Nixon is done here too. Super Bowl XXVII wasn't a great game, but there were no major scandals (though Gruden had previously coached the Raiders and knew their plays). Nobody resigned in dishonor (though the Buccaneers became the first team in Super Bowl history to score three defensive touchdowns.).  The Presidents drop another key game. The Super Bowls are knocking on the door.

Score after this match: Presidents 19, Super Bowls 18. 

Go to next match.