By GEORGE MAHL

The day before the Super Bowl is the day when arm-chair quarterbacks all around the country have a field day.

It is last day when all of the so-called “analysts” have one more shot at explaining why either Oakland or Tampa Bay will win. The game itself figures to be a contest between two well-coached teams.

As everyone knows, Tampa Bay head coach Jon Gruden previously coached Oakland for four years. He hired current Raiders head coach Bill Callahan to be on his staff.

My thoughts on the game? Don’t believe what everyone says with regards to it being a close, competitive game. I remember back in 1988 when Denver’s game with Washington was supposed to be a barnburner. It turned out to be a walk in the park for the Redskins.

Three years later, Buffalo, coming off a 51-3 trouncing of the Raiders in the AFC title game, was supposed to easily defeat the New York Giants. A missed field goal by Scott Norwood allowed New York to pull off a 16-13 upset. Most recently, however, the biggest upset had to be the New England Patriots, who were two touchdown underdogs, defeating the St. Louis Rams in the Superdome in 2002.

As a life-long Raiders fan, I would very much like to see Oakland win. On the other hand, I have been a big Tampa Bay fan for the past several years.

In fact, I attended the last time the Oakland Raiders played in the Super Bowl, against the Philadelphia Eagles. I must have been about seven and my father and I were sitting in the seats behind the Eagles endzone with several Eagles fans before kickoff.

For a moment, I thought I was going to be the only Oakland fan in that part of the Superdome. However, as the game drew closer more and more Raiders fans filled the stadium. Jim Plunkett, Kenny King, Cliff Branch, Lyle Alzado were players I loved.

Sorry to get sidetracked for a minute. I think this year’s game boils down to whether the best defense in the league (Tampa Bay) can stop the league’s best offense (Oakland). With that said, I see TB defensive ends Simeon Rice and Warren Sapp getting to Oakland quarterback Rich Gannon early and shutting down the Raider’s offense.

Please don’t take this prediction to the bank or a nearby betting parlor, but I believe the Tampa Bay Buccaneers will defeat the Oakland Raiders by a score of 23-17.

GEORGE MAHL is a sportswriter for L’Observateur. He may be reached at 985-652-9545 or lobnews@bellsouth.net.