The Rams and Patriots advanced to Super Bowl LIII yesterday with road wins over the Saints and Chiefs, respectively, and it was "perhaps the greatest championship Sunday in the history of the NFL" (THERINGER.com, 1/21). Both games went to overtime, and it was "one heck of a championship Sunday for the almighty league that rules all" (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 1/21). There has not been a "crazier, more dramatic game day" in NFL history (NBCSPORTS.com, 1/21). The NFC title game in New Orleans featured a "widely rebuked missed call, an uncharacteristic miscue by the most accurate quarterback in NFL history, and then a kick for the ages" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/21).

Super Bowl LIII will pit Rams coach Sean McVay against the Patriots' Bill Belichick in a "matchup of the old and new NFL genius -- arguably the greatest coach in the history of the league versus the prototype of the 21st-century football coach." It is the "Dark Knight against the Golden Boy" (WASHINGTON TIMES, 1/21). There will be a "contrast of familiarity with novelty, experience with youth" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/21). The Rams have been designated the home team in Atlanta, and they "have an outfit picked out" already (OCREGISTER.com, 1/20).

Oh by the way...

🗣 WE WEARING THROWBACKS AT THE SUPER BOWL! pic.twitter.com/MfHN6W0k4T

— Los Angeles Rams (@RamsNFL) January 21, 2019

The Rams' 26-23 win over the Saints in the NFC Championship game featured "one of the worst non-calls in NFL playoff history," when a potential fourth quarter pass interference was not called against the Rams. The incident "will scar the league now and for years to come." NFL Senior VP/Officiating Al Riveron "admitted the error in a phone conversation with Saints coach Sean Payton" (N.Y. POST, 1/21). It will be "remembered for the most significant officiating call in a playoff game since the Tuck Rule" (NBCSPORTS.com, 1/21).  The officiating throughout the game was "horrific, and one call in particular will remain infamous in New Orleans" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 1/21). The "no-call will go down in infamy" (THEADVOCATE.com, 1/20).

After the game, even Rams CB Nickell Robey-Coleman, who was in coverage on the play in question, said, "Oh, hell yeah. That was PI" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 1/21). New Orleans-based WWL-AM radio host Kristian Garic said, "The NFL thinks its biggest problem is CTE? No, it's the officiating!" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/21).

The Patriots' 37-31 win over the Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium "adds yet another layer" to New England's "two-decade-long domination of the AFC" (PROVIDENCE JOURNAL, 1/21). Many observers "had hoped the Chiefs would become the NFL's new hero franchise," but the "anti-heroes in New England still stand on top" (GLOBE & MAIL, 1/21). William Shakespeare "would shake his head at the tragi-drama-comedy that was this game, this season, this dynasty for two decades" (NBCSPORTSBOSTON.com, 1/21).

CBS' Tony Romo was lauded for his call of last night's Patriots-Chiefs AFC Championship alongside Jim Nantz, with the Boston Globe's Chad Finn saying he "can't recall a color analyst having a better game." Finn noted Romo "adds so much to the broadcast in terms of recognizing what is coming." The N.Y. Post's Andrew Marchand: "Romo does little, if any, analyst-speak. When he talks, he is nearly always talking about specifics and moving the broadcast forward." Virginia-based WDBJ-CBS sports reporter Anthony Romano: "Think about the gamble CBS took on Tony Romo. ...To boot Simms and put Tony on the A team took guts, but it’s resulted in the best announce team in the sport." Free agent Bryce Harper: "Confirmed: Just called Tony Romo to see where I’m going to play next year" (TWITTER.com, 1/20). 

ESPN's Mike Greenberg this morning opened "Get Up" by saying, "Tony Romo has predicted we will have a great show today" ("Get Up," ESPN, 1/21).

There is "another full slate of NBA games" today in recognition of MLK Day, with 22 of the league's 30 teams playing. In Memphis, the Grizzlies stage their 17th annual MLK Celebration Game when they host the Pelicans, and yesterday players from both teams "toured the National Civil Rights Museum together." Part of the Pelicans-Grizzlies festivities will also "feature the presentation of the 14th annual National Civil Rights Museum Sports Legacy Award." The honor "goes to athletes who, in King's spirit, have made noteworthy contributions to civil and human rights" (AP, 1/21).

Meanwhile, the Grizzlies will enable furloughed government employees to attend today's 4:30pm ET game "for free." Furloughed employees "with an I.D. for any federal government job can receive two free tickets" from the FedExForum box office (Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL, 1/21).

NBA referees starting with Warriors-Lakers on TNT tonight will "answer questions about calls in real time over Twitter in a selection of games for the rest of the season." Fans can "tweet @OfficialNBARefs or use the hashtag #RefWatchParty to get responses from officials who are watching the game." The concept was "first tried out" last season during a Warriors-Cavaliers Finals game, and this season the league office "agreed to work in collaboration with the referee union" on the project. The second game utilizing the experiment will be Wednesday's Spurs-76ers tilt on ESPN (ESPN.com, 1/17).

Fanatics has a deal with the Univ. of Florida to be the school’s "primary apparel partner for licensed merchandise." The deal will make Fanatics UF's "chief provider of licensed apparel." Fanatics "beat out a field of at least four other top collegiate licensees to win the rights." The agreement was "brokered by IMG College Licensing, the school’s longtime licensing agency." The 10-year deal will begin in '20 and comes with a "signing bonus and an annual guarantee" that is "believed to be in the same ballpark" as the Univ. of Oregon’s $1.5M signing bonus and $2.15M annual royalty guarantee (SPORTS BUSINESS JOURNAL, 1/21 issue).

Syracuse men's hoops' 74-63 win over Pitt on Saturday at the Carrier Dome was played before an "announced crowd of 24,466 on a weekend when forecasts called for up to two feet of snow." The crowd "set a new standard for the biggest on-campus crowd this season" (SYRACUSE.com, 1/19).

MSG Networks today launches its first-ever "Wellness Week," where on-air personalities for the Knicks, Rangers, Islanders and Devils will share workout routines, sleeping techniques and dieting tips, among other healthy living promotions (MSG Networks).

"SAINTS FANS. DO NOT THROW OBJECTS ONTO THE FIELD" -- The Mercedes-Benz Superdome PA announcer, after a replay was shown in the stadium of the controversial no-call for pass interference against the Rams late in yesterday's NFC Championship (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 1/21).

"It has been a marvelous 40 years there, 45 years overall" -- Longtime Detroit News Tigers reporter Lynn Henning, on retiring from the paper Feb. 1 (TWITTER.com, 1/20).

The Memphis COMMERCIAL APPEAL profiles Grizzlies G Garrett Temple, whose own history "intersects with Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy." Temple is a "veteran NBA player with a reputation for leadership on issues both on and off the court," and his father, Collis, "broke the color barrier on the men's basketball team at LSU and endured the brunt of Civil Rights era racism in the process." 

More MLK Day reads: 

• Tony Parker, Rudy Gobert and the world of the black int'l NBAer. 
• Tony Dungy on his problem with announcers' "biased language" towards black QBs.

Also: 

• A look behind the scenes at a NESN Bruins broadcast.
• Why NBA Kings VP/Basketball Operations Vlade Divac is "misunderstood."

Unbelievable day of football all around. Unfortunate the role officiating played in it. But an amazing spectacle nonetheless

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) January 21, 2019

Before this game someone asked me if LA was going crazy for the Rams yet. I said it was starting, but they needed to win this game for the city to fully embrace and jump on the bandwagon. Well, they did, so get ready for two weeks of _____

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) January 20, 2019

Remember, when the Patriots lose a game in October you are obligated to say this is the end of Brady & Belichick. Those are the rules.

— Frank Isola (@TheFrankIsola) January 21, 2019

Tom Brady has played in 3 postseason overtimes and his opponent hasn't touched the ball in any of them.

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) January 21, 2019

Like it or not NFL overtime adheres to one basic premise - sudden death. The game can end on any play at any moment. Would be a mistake to change that.

— Dean Blandino (@DeanBlandino) January 21, 2019

If you see a tweet we will not want to miss, send it to us at editorial@sportsbusinessdaily.com.

Some of the top news items from yesterday's edition of Weekend Rap:

• NHL concussion settlement deadline for players extended.
• Cubs preview upcoming TV network during team's convention.
• President Obama, Larry Fitzgerald play Seminole Golf Club in Florida.
• Chiefs' Patrick Mahomes could become first $200M player in NFL history.

This week's In-Depth looks at startup pro football leagues like the XFL and AAF. 

• USOC, NCAA agree to allow schools to promote their Olympic ties.
• What drew Lakers' Jeanie Buss to Women of Wrestling?
• Technology takes center ice at NHL All-Star Weekend in Silicon Valley.

Get a jump on the big stories in this week's SBJ in the First Look podcast.

A brief hit on the stories you need to know ... Subscribe on iTunes ... Check out our podcast home. 

Friday night’s “Final Jeopardy!” category was “TV Personalities.”

“In 2000 this man was the host of a No.1 rated network show and a No. 2 rated syndicated talk show.”

CBS’ James Corden said of the AFC Championship Game, “It got so crazy in that fourth quarter, I was pouring vodka directly into my Pepto Bismol. I call it a Pink Russian. … The wind chill was negative five degrees at kickoff which I assume was just fine with Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid, who by all appearances is a full-grown arctic walrus.” Corden: “Congratulations to New England, well done. Your 11-month Super Bowl drought is over.” Corden also congratulated the Rams for winning the NFC Championship Game and “to everybody in L.A. who is now pretending that they care." 

More Corden: "When you think about the best football players, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it their toughness, their grit? No, it’s end zone dances. Since moving to America I’ve realized it's always the wide receivers and the running backs who get all the glory while the big guys up front do all the work, a struggle I know all too well. That's why I invited some of the best offensive and defensive linemen in the NFL to come here and be part of the world's first NFL ‘Big Man Dance Crew’” (“The Late Late Show,” CBS, 1/20).

Raiders RB Marshawn Lynch appeared on HBO’s “Real Time,” with host Bill Maher noting the show does not usually have football players on. Maher: “But if you want to, get me the most interesting one, and that’s why you’re here. You don’t give interviews a lot, but you have a lot to say.” Lynch: “I feel like the Dos Equis man up here, the ‘Most Interesting Guy Alive.’” Lynch said of President Trump calling him “unpatriotic” because he took a knee during the national anthem, “I mean, that mother****** say a lot of s***. He called me ‘unpatriotic’ but you come to my neighborhood where I’m from you’ll see me take the shirt off my back and give it to someone in need. What would you call that?” (“Real Time With Bill Maher,” HBO, 1/19).

“Who is Regis Philbin?”

The network show was “Who Wants To Be a Millionaire?” and the talk show was “Live With Regis” on daytime TV.