HOLDERS OF THE MUSTARD JACKET:  The National Football Hall of Fame has voted to induct players Junior Seau (in his first year of eligibility), along with Jerome Bettis (5th), Charles Haley (6th), Will Shields (4th) and Tim Brown (6th). As for the other finalists:

The players who filled slots six through 10, and stand a solid shot at the Hall next year include linebacker Kevin Greene, quarterback Kurt Warner, tackle Orlando Pace, wide receiver Marvin Harrison and coach Tony Dungy. 

The first five players eliminated from the original list of 15 modern era finalists were coaches Don Coryell and Jimmy Johnson, kicker Morten Andersen, running back Terrell Davis and safety John Lynch.

Next year, that fun-loving mudslinger becomes eligible.  (Seriously, there's such a backlog in this Hall; all fifteen finalists belong in, don't they?)

EXCELSIOR!  In part because the theme park rights are a legal mess, Marvel has licensed out its IP for a traveling "experience," which I had comp tickets to.  You begin by signing in as an "agent," and getting a preshow with several heroes in an animated film--most from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but some not--Spider-Man and Wolverine are included.  Distractingly, the voices are all bad copies of the movie counterparts--nope, we don't even spring for Clark Gregg (Coulson doesn't even appear), and there's no real inkling of how/where this would fall into cinematic or comic canon. 

TENTH ANNUAL SEASON-ENDING BIG GAME POOL: Five questions, one blog:

1. Winner/final score.
2. Official Game MVP.
3. Which advertiser tops the USA Today Super Bowl Ad Meter?
4. Katy Perry setlist predictions?
5. Will Idina Menzel's rendition of the National Anthem run longer than 2:01?

Tiebreaker: Pick a prop bet as listed on Football Outsiders. Get it right. The tougher the odds of winning your bet, the more credit you get.

Previous winners: 2006: Benner; 2007: me; 2008: Joseph J. Finn ; 2009: Scott; 2010:Scott again; 2011: GoldnI; 2012: Phil; 2013: Benner; and 2014: Isaac Spaceman. As they will tell you, the prizes are Fame and Glory within this community, but nothing financial.

[My picks: Seattle 34-21; Russell Wilson; Anheuser-Busch; Teenage Dream/American Woman/Roar/Firework; shorter; Phil sees shadow and Seahawks win.]

BEANS, BEANS, THE MAGICAL FRUIT:  Slate explains why beans have no place in a proper chili.

THE GOLDEN AGE OF AFFLICTION-BASED ACADEMY AWARDS:  Flavorwire's Jason Bailey reviews the recent history of the quest for gold.

AND PRESIDENT OF THE FUTURE ASSASSINS OF AMERICA:  As part of the SNL 40th Anniversary show airing on February 15, Eddie Murphy will return to the show for the first time in thirty years.

SONG SIMILARITIES DESK:  As several folks have noted, Kelly Clarkson's new single "Heartbeat Song" shares more than a little DNA with early-2000s one-hit wonder "The Middle."  (See how easily they mashup.)

HIT THE RASTAMAN, HE SAID "BLOODCLOT":  A chef explains how a muffin tin can allow you to poach a dozen eggs at a time.

OH, YEAH!  Someone has done the science, and yes, Kool-Aid Man, assuming he actually were a 6 foot tall pitcher filled with Kool-Aid, would be able to run through a brick wall.

HE'S SEEKING TO MAKE HIS OBLIGATIONS GONE, GONE, GONE:  Phillip Phillips has filed a complaint with the California Labor Commissioner seeking to be released from his post-Idol contract with Idol's producers.

YOU CAN STAND ME UP AT THE GATES OF HELL, BUT I STILL WON'T WEAR A TIE: Did you notice how Sam Smith's "Stay With Me" sounds like Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down," especially in the chorus?  So did Tom Petty's lawyers, apparently, and Petty (and Jeff Lynne) now receive co-writing credits and a cut of the royalties.

Previously from our Don't Rip Off Tom Petty Desk.

#TEAMKRAKOW: 20 years ago today, My So-Called Life ended its (too short) run.  Discuss your memories and how much you hate that bitch Hallie Lowenthal.

CHARLIE DON'T SURF: Dengue Fever is one of those bands I seem to rediscover in my library every now and again.  Cambodian Psychedelic Surf music from an LA band sung primarily in Khmer.  So I was pleased to hear this piece on NPR this morning on occasion of a new album.

A great story of how the band got together and a great band to boot.

There's lots of great stuff: Lost in Laos is one of their more popular tracks, although I first heard them in this cover version of Both Sides Now.