Columnist Sal DeFilippo: Oscar was really good, man

Sal DeFilippo

Friday, Feb. 4, 2005 | 10 a.m.

Sal DeFilippo's pro football picks column appears Friday. Reach him at sal@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4076.

If Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman's view of the Super Bowl is as accurate as his football picks were this season, he might want to shield his eyes during the game.

Goodman's roots, and his heart, are with the Philadelphia Eagles. But his wallet is with New England.

"I love the Eagles as a fan, but I see no weaknesses in New England," Goodman said of the Super Bowl XXXIX combatants. "I'm a Chargers fan now because they are close by, but I was raised with the Eagles. I'm probably the only guy in town who remembers Chuck Bednarik."

I told Goodman that a good friend of mine, fellow Eagles fanatic Mike Mele, had recently mentioned Bednarik, explaining that the uniform number, 60, worn by the league's last full-time two-way player matched the last year the Eagles last won an NFL championship. Mele is hopeful that Donovan McNabb's No. 5 would mean a win in '05 as well.

Goodman quickly grabbed a phone and soon was talking to Mele about his days hanging around Franklin Field as a youth.

"I love talking to Eagles fans just as I loved going to watch them as a kid. Those were great days," the mayor said.

These days, Goodman is more consumed with trying to lure a Major League Baseball team to the valley, City Council meetings and downtown redevelopment.

But there's one mayoral duty which he places above the rest -- picking football games.

"I probably cost taxpayers about $300,000 this year with the time I spent trying to pick winners," Goodman joked. "The truth of the matter is that the only thing that could get my public information officer fired would be if she didn't get me the lines in time for me to make good judgments.

"I would wake up at 2 a.m. every Wednesday to study to spreads for three hours. It's the most important thing I do as the mayor."

That's arguable, but this isn't: He did it quite well. Goodman compiled a record of 31-19-1 against the point spread this season to win the fourth Sal's Celebrity Selectors prognosticating contest. As champion, the mayor recently received the, um, prestigious traveling trophy -- the Golden Nerf.

Goodman will keep the trophy until a new champion is crowned, and joins past winners Lance Burton (2001), Clint Holmes (2002) and Rita Rudner (2003).

Rudner, who headlines at New York-New York, presented the Golden Nerf to his honor last week and said although she was sad to release the trophy, she was glad to see it in the mayor's care.

"If I had to lose, I wanted to lose to someone who can name a street after me," Rudner said.

Unfortunately, Goodman said he didn't always practice what he preached when it came to picking winners.

"I did have some people actually following the contest every week and telling me they made money with my selections. I wish I had followed my own advice better, though," he said. "I am a believer now that it's better to pick your best three games than to play the whole board."

The mayor said he also enjoys competing against some of Las Vegas' top celebrities, which also includes Danny Gans, Wayne Newton and Penn & Teller.

"In all seriousness, I'm honored to be among the folks who participate in this contest. Las Vegas is blessed to have them all -- they are the most generous group of entertainers imaginable. Whenever there is any issue in this city where we need help, in any area -- that's the group we make the phone calls to and they always come through," he said.

Super Bowl XXXIX selection: After an 8-2 playoff record against the spread, including a 2-0 record in the conference championships, I'll try to finish things off with one more winner. As the mayor said, the Patriots don't appear to have any problem areas. Yet, New England's two Super Bowl wins have come on last-second field goals, and after a four-year journey, I don't expect the Eagles to lay an egg. The seven-point spread is a sharp number, but I'll take the points and hope for a low-scoring game. The Eagles cover, but don't win. Final: New England 14, Philadelphia 9.