The St. Louis Rams didn’t exactly lower the boom on Tennessee’s Titans last January in Super Bowl XXXIV, but there was a degree of finality in their 23-16 triumph because it was only toward the last that Tennessee made it that close.

Super Bowl MVP Kurt Warner of the Rams was just old salt enough to keep his team on course, completing 24 of 45 passes for a record 414 yards and two touchdowns. He put on a show under the gun, good enough to triumph the Titans’ mad-paced late comeback.

But it’s now 2001 Super Bowl time and the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens are the main players in Tampa this Sunday. The Giants made their way to Tampa with a mighty 41-0 dash past Minnesota, while Baltimore was easing around the Oakland Raiders 16-3 on Jan. 14.

Super Bowls have a habit of disappointing their jillions of fans. But the Super Bowl is the Super Bowl, and this year’s goes in with that same allure. It couldn’t be any other way.

All Super Bowls are hard to figure, one reason being that both teams are champions, Baltimore in the AFC, New York in the NFC this time. Only one thing is for sure: You can’t be sure.

I know the Ravens are tough, especially defensively, but what about the Giants’ offensive clout? I actually like to think the game will be a tossup because of their respective strengths.

I’m going with offense over defense in this one, it just so happens.

Which means: The Giants 23, the Ravens 20 in Sunday’s Super Bowl XXXV.

4HURRIED HASH: Chris Shivers not only won more than $300,000 last year riding bulls, he’s &uot;Professional Bull Riding’s&uot; &uot;Million Dollar Man&uot; as regards career earnings. Significantly, Chris is Jonesville’s own, and the Miss-Lou claims him with pride.

Chris is not only a natural among bullriders, he’s an astute young 22-year-old businessman who manages his finances well, I understand. He’s lithe and limber, which explains his championship bullriding form. The 5-foot-three, 135-pounder turned pro in 1997 and three years later he’s a millionaire.

Chris is, again, a great favorite all over this part of the country. Yes, the Natchez area, too. His humility is foremost as a reason for his popularity. He’s very young – let’s watch and applaud.

4Ole Miss in the SEC, and USM in Conference USA are making tournament waves with good showings recently – maybe losing a game or two but generally winning. The Rebels beat Kentucky at home pretty easily, 65-55, in their last outing, while the Eagles thrilled their home crowd in Hattiesburg by taking the now 6-12 Louisville Cardinals 69-60.

Southern may be ranked by the time you read this, but the last I looked Ole Miss was ranked No. 19. The Golden Eagles are tied at the top with Memphis at 4-1 in the USA National Division and 14-3 overall. The Rebels, after losing to Georgia and Alabama in consecutive games, sacked the Wildcats to make a statement.

Some people might not agree, but Conference USA and SEC basketball is a good brand of roundball. Just watch the top teams in postseason action.

Glenvall Estes is a longtime sports columnist for The Natchez Democrat.