Staff Reports
Good Sunday morning, and welcome back to “Brunch,” a pop-up newsletter about the 2025 Legislative Session.
Please check out our choices for the Winner and Loser of the Week in Florida Politics by clicking here.
Happy birthday to former U.S. Rep. Patrick Rooney, Nancy Heffley, and our friend, Todd Jennings, former Chair of the Pinellas County Republican Executive Committee.
Happy Super Bowl Sunday, which, as David Johnson beats the drum for, should be on Presidents Day Weekend, with tomorrow being a national day of recovery.
Right now, the spread is KC -1.5 (love), the money line is KC -120 (really love), Philly +100 (OK), and the over/under is 48.5 (27-24 feels right for this game, so you should be like everyone else not in Eagles green and take KC and the over).
Many football fans — probably not those in Kansas City or with a particular affinity for Taylor Swift — think NFL refs will, and have already, favored the Chiefs. The team, led by the objectively handsome Patrick Mahomes and Tay Tay’s boyfriend, is hoping for its third Super Bowl championship in a row. But with officials well aware of the bias perception, there’s now reverse speculation that the refs could overcompensate and actually benefit the Eagles. Read more here.
Here is a link to prop bets. My 5-Star Lock of the Year is Mahomes over 5.5 rushing attempts (if you can still get it).
Now, please enjoy Brunch!
— Rise from the ashes —
When the Chiefs and Eagles take the field Sunday, it will have been just over a month since a terrorist attack on Bourbon Street left 14 people dead. While New Orleans is very much still a city in mourning, the year’s biggest sporting extravaganza will be an opportunity to find joy amid sorrow, and celebration in the face of tragedy.
— Strange bedfellows: Sitting on the first block of Bourbon Street, ground zero for myriad raucous celebrations, is a fascinating array of businesses. A Kilwins is on one side, waiting to please anyone with a sweet tooth, while Larry Flynt’s Hustler Club sits not too far away. For those recovering from the previous night’s debauchery, according to The Athletic, there’s a Walgreens available to grab some aspirin, and a Krystal burger, where a greasy patty awaits to sop up last night’s booze.
— And now there’s something else: A memorial. It consists of heartfelt messages from survivors and others who just want to share their sympathies. Murals honor the 14 victims killed in the attack.
— New Orleans knows how to recover: The city is no stranger to adversity. It’s been nearly two decades since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the town, and if you look hard enough, evidence of devastation can still be found. And so it goes that just five days after the attack, life went on, as it must, with the beginning of Mardi Gras season.
Those who call New Orleans home are coping, as they’ve learned to do. And if The Athletic’s Chris Branch’s narrative is any indication, they’d like you to come have a great time celebrating one of the biggest sports championships worldwide. But while you’re there — or even if you’re watching from home somewhere else — be sure to take a moment to reflect on the latest tragedy and remember those who lost it all, not just a football game.
— Super Bowl sit-down —
Fox News is hosting President Donald Trump for a Super Bowl Sunday interview with anchor Bret Baier.
— The details: Trump spoke to Baier during the week for the pre-taped talk. You can join the pregame festivities at 3 p.m. Eastern to watch the interview on your local Fox station.
— The history: Presidents have sat down with whichever network airs the big game for over two decades. Trump himself broke that tradition in 2018, declining a sit-down with NBC. Former President Joe Biden also declined talks in recent years.
Now, Trump is restarting the tradition just weeks after taking office. Will he use the yuuuge audience to make some news? You can watch in a few short hours to find out.
— NFL won’t sack DEI —
Commissioner Roger Goodell made news this week, saying the NFL will continue its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives amid pressure from Trump to wipe those practices from the federal government.
— Deep roots: The NFL was among the highest-profile institutions publicly promoting a DEI initiative when the league established the Rooney Rule in 2003. The lack of minority assistant coaches from decades prior — when race more openly played a factor in hiring decisions — led to a paltry amount of Black head coaches in the NFL due to few potential candidates being in the coaching pipeline. That prompted the NFL to institute a rule requiring teams to interview — not hire — at least one minority head coach when a vacancy opens. The rule opens the process to more diverse candidates and pushes teams to vet potential minority hires.
— Right move? Goodell said those and other efforts have put the league on a good path, and DEI efforts will continue. “We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the NFL,” Goodell said. “And we’re going to continue toward that, because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven that it does make the NFL better.”
— Overturning the President: While some private entities have followed Trump’s lead in purging DEI policies, Goodell said the NFL resists making spur-of-the-moment decisions. “We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get into or a trend to get out of it,” he said. “Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent both on and off the field. We see how it’s benefited the NFL. I think we’ll continue those efforts. I think it’s also clearly a reflection of our fan base and our communities and our players.”
— Ending “End Racism” —
The end zones will look different tonight, though, with the NFL deciding not to display the “End Racism” message the league has used during the Super Bowl for the past three years.
— Backing down after all? While Goodell said the NFL will not pull back on its DEI messaging, this is the first time the league will not spotlight the “End Racism” verbiage since 2021. And Trump, of course, will be attending this year’s game.
— Calling an audible: But league officials say there is a reason behind the decision. Since 2020, the NFL has spray-painted multiple messages in the end zone during games throughout the season in addition to “End Racism,” such as “Stop Hate,” “Vote,” “It Takes All of Us,” and “Choose Love.” NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said those latter two messages would be displayed Sunday, citing “recent tragedies.”
— Tragic times: In addition to the terror attack in New Orleans, recent weeks have also seen massive wildfires tear across Los Angeles and multiple deadly plane crashes in the Northeast.
— Take the over —
If you’re wondering how many Americans plan to put money down on Sunday night’s game, know that number is expected to set records.
— Going mainstream: Analysts from the American Gaming Association (AGA) expect nearly 68 million Americans to gamble on the game, almost a quarter of the country’s adults. That’s a significant jump of 35% from last year.
— Big bets: Overall, the AGA projects $23.1 billion will be spent on wagers, up almost more than 44% from last year’s total of $16 billion.
— Get in on the action: There are now 38 states where sports betting is legal, plus Washington, D.C. That list includes Florida, and this is the first Super Bowl following a series of court wins, keeping in place the Gaming Compact between the state and the Seminole Tribe of Florida. That means fans across the state can use the Hard Rock Bet app to pick their favorite bets for the Super Bowl and give the game just a little more meaning.
— Profitable Swifties —
Taylor Swift is NOT a football star, but she’s still dominating the sport’s biggest championship game. The pop superstar will attend the big game in New Orleans; for the second year in a row, her BF, Travis Kelce, and novelty prop bets surrounding her appearance are surging.
— Will he pop the question? This one circulated last year, too, even though the celebrity couple’s relationship was in its infancy. Now, the prospect seems like a better bet.
— Will she take the stage at halftime? Rapper Kendrick Lamar is headlining the act, but it’s not uncommon for other stars to join headliners onstage, and it doesn’t get much bigger than Taylor Swift, so this feels like a decent wager.
— The wagers are endless: There are some obvious things to bet on, like how many times the camera will pan to Swift or what she’ll wear to this year’s game. But bets like that are highly regulated, leaving such wagers on sites that aren’t strictly legal.
— Legal gambling sites are getting creative: They can’t facilitate bets on Swift’s actions, but they can use references to boost bets on things that are allowed, according to Business Insider. DraftKings is using “Swiftie Specials,” with song names relating to in-game action. That includes a betting opportunity called “Shake it off,” which allows people to wager on the Eagles scoring first and winning.
Other DraftKing bets include “Mine,” another named after a Swift song, which odds that Kelce will land 87 or more receiving yards and score one or more touchdowns. The “Swiftie Specials” also include the “I knew you were trouble” bet, wagering that Eagles running back Saquon Barkley gets 250-plus rush and receiving yards, and “Déjà vu,” which puts the Chiefs winning by 3.
— Big business —
The Super Bowl is known to pull in higher ratings than any other broadcast worldwide. But this year, it could yield the highest ratings — and consumer spending levels — ever.
— Going for 2(00 million): A survey from the National Retail Federation expects 203.4 million Americans to watch at least some of the game Sunday night. That would narrowly eclipse last year’s total of 202.4 million. Last year’s game also generated the record for concurrent viewers, at 123.4 million.
— Spending hike: The NRF also projects that $18.6 billion will be spent preparing for the Super Bowl, topping last year’s high by $1.3 billion. This year’s estimated total would average around $91.58 per viewer. Most of that money (81%) will go toward food and drinks, while team apparel (14%), TVs (10%), decorations (8%), and furniture (6%) will also be significant spending drivers.
— Delay of game prep? For those of you doing last-minute shopping, the Florida Retail Federation encourages you to seek out Florida products. “It’s clear that Floridians are excited to watch and celebrate this year’s Super Bowl,” said Scott Shalley, FRF President and CEO. “Be sure to shop local and ‘Find It In Florida” when gearing up for the big game.”
— Ad blitz —
With plenty of eyes on the most-watched TV event of the year, you can expect advertisers to go all-out to capture viewers’ attention between game action on Sunday night.
— How much?! Reports say at least 10 ads have sold for $8 million, which would easily be a record for Super Bowl ad spending. According to Statista, 30-second ads in the 2002 Super Bowl sold for around $2.2 million. It took 16 years for that number to increase by $3 million to $5.2 million in 2018. Just seven years later, rates are surging almost another $3 million. And if this year’s $8 million number holds, that’s a surge of $1 million from the 2023 and 2024 average of $7 million per spot.
— Health conscious: As the Trump administration markets its MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) message, Axios spotlighted several companies looking to promote a more nutritious message. This year, Hims & Hers is a new advertiser with a spot on America’s obesity crisis. Multiple nonalcoholic drink companies bought ad space, and Novartis will look to promote breast cancer awareness.
— Sneak peeks: For those who don’t want to wait until the evening, you can preview many of this year’s ads already.
— Music to our ears —
Six artists who have won a combined 38 Grammys will perform on Sunday, including four Louisiana natives who will take the microphone before kickoff.
— “The Star-Spangled Banner”: Seven-time Grammy winner Jon Batiste.
— “America the Beautiful”: Two-time Grammy winner Lauren Daigle joined by Grammy winner Trombone Shorty.
— “Lift Every Voice and Sing”: Grammy-winning actor and singer Ledisi.
— Halftime show: 22-time Grammy winner Kendrick Lamar joined by five-time Grammy winner SZA, plus potential other special guests.
— Super Bowl savvy? —
There is no shortage of Super Bowl trivia opportunities. From how many times a team has made it to the big game to which team lost the most Super Bowls, you can find a question with an interesting answer starting in the pregame and through well after the championship hats have been distributed.
— 25 questions to test your knowledge: The quiz includes a satisfying yet well-rounded 25 questions, ranging from Super Bowl trends to on-field accomplishments and halftime performances to coaching tidbits.
— For the water cooler: Did you know this is the second time in three seasons the Kansas City Chiefs meet the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl? The Chiefs bested the Eagles in the 2023 game by just a field goal. If you forgot, it’s probably because T-Swift wasn’t dating anyone on the field then, so you could be forgiven.
In any case, the quiz will help you bone up before Super Bowl Sunday since, even if you get the question wrong, you’ll walk away with some new knowledge to impress your friends — and foes — while you watch the game. Take the quiz here.
— Correct lexicon —
As people prepare to post all about Super Bowl Sunday — from game action to halftime fanfare and up to what Swift is doing in her box suite — The Associated Press is doing its part by ensuring people know the correct spelling, capitalization and other usage of popular New Orleans cuisine.
— Aw, shucks: The AP probably doesn’t care if you suck the heads, but they do want you to know it’s “crawfish,” not “crayfish.” That would also seem to rule out “crawdad.”
— That’s rich: But not really. The correct spelling for the classic sandwich in New Orleans is “po’boy.” Note the absence of a space between the “po” and the “boy.”
And, of course, there’s a popular dessert in New Orleans, too, which has some quirky capitalization rules. For the uninitiated, it’s bananas Foster — lowercase ‘b’ but uppercase ‘F,’ because the “Foster” in the name is the actual name of a customer at Brennan’s Restaurant in the Big Easy.
— Pricy parties —
Those looking to throw a killer Super Bowl party in Florida will be ponying up, according to a new study.
— Big city blues: A new study by Bizinsure researched American cities to determine where throwing a Super Bowl party might be the most expensive. Three Florida cities made the top 10 list. Miami was the most expensive town in America to throw a Super Bowl party, followed by Tampa in second. Orlando came in ninth. The analysis mostly factored in grocery store costs of pizza, chips, beer, chicken, potatoes, soda, etc. The study focused on the country’s 50 most populous metro areas and was based on hosting a shindig of about 17 people.
— Chief offender: According to the study, it’s likely to cost $238.22 to throw a Super Bowl bash in Miami. That comes out to 16.9% of a weekly household budget estimated at $1,413.10, making the South Florida hub the most expensive place in the country to have friends over for the big game.
— Runners-up: Tampa wasn’t far behind, coming in second. A Super Bowl party there would likely cost $227.95, or 16.6% of a weekly budget of $1,370.27. Orlando was estimated to require $211.94 for a Super Bowl party. That’s 14.6% of a weekly budget of $1,454.06 in the Central Florida city.
— Potato power —
Super Bowl, spuds and St. Johns County. These three “S’s” converge for a national audience on Sunday night.
— The spot: It’s 60 seconds long, and you’ll see it in the third quarter. “The Little Farmer” showcases the iconic Lay’s Potato Chips and includes the tagline: “Lay’s are made from real potatoes, and our potatoes come from real farmers.”
To watch the ad, please click the image below:
— Boffo board: The national showcase synergizes nicely with the new St. Johns County Agricultural Advisory Board. “For generations, our local farmers have grown agriculture in St. Johns County, and on Sunday, this heart-warming commercial will grow the world’s attention to the responsible farming happening in our community,” said County Commissioner Krista Joseph.
— Family affair: The spot focuses on a little girl named DeLee, but wraps with a shot of her family, showcasing the generational nature of the potato game. “Our family is happy and honored to be chosen by Frito-Lay to be in this commercial,” said Jeffrey Parker. “Our farm has contracted with them to provide quality potatoes since 1964. Our family has been farming in St. Johns County since 1937. We are proud fourth-generation farmers, and DeLee will carry on that tradition.”
— Kismet docked —
People are getting to The Big Easy by planes, trains, automobiles, and, as Jacksonville Jaguars owner Shad Khan shows, by boat.
— The vessel: As Darren Rovell notes, it’s bigger than the field in the Superdome (400 feet long with a hefty $360 million price tag). And there are so many amenities. There are three pools if you get hot, four fireplaces if you get cold, a spa for your beauty treatments, a cryo chamber to roll back the aging, a yoga studio for downward dog, and even a helipad if you want to pretend you’re George W. Bush looking at Katrina damage.
— Smile, please: Louisiana lookie-loos aren’t going to be invited on the boat, but that’s not stopping Pelican State photogs from taking snaps. And why not? With the magic of Photoshop, you can be on the deck yourself.
— Seen it before: The boat was in London for the Jags games last year and is a frequent fixture on the St. Johns River in Duval when the team is home.
— Florida represents —
When the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles kick off Super Bowl LIX, both teams will feature players who starred for college football programs in Florida.
— Chief Gators: Right tackle Jawaan Taylor, a former Gator, is the Chiefs’ starter. Kansas City backup offensive lineman D.J. Humphries will likely play on special teams and could be inserted in some offensive formations.
— From Gator to Eagle: As for other UF stars, Philadelphia strong safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson started all but one game for the Eagles this season, picking off six passes and returning one for a touchdown. He received votes for The Associated Press Comeback Player of the Year award. Philadelphia reserve tackle Fred Johnson started six games this season and has been on the field for all 20 of the Eagles’ regular season and playoff games.
— Red and gold times two: Florida State alum Derrick Nnadi should play as a backup defensive lineman for the Chiefs, providing run-stopping support for the Chiefs. Former Seminoles defensive tackle Fabian Lovett is on the Chiefs’ practice squad but will not be active for the game.
— On the other side: Philadelphia linebacker Josh Sweat, a former Seminole, led the Eagles in sacks this season with eight. Philadelphia wide receiver Johnny Wilson started four games and played 12 others during his rookie season. Wilson caught five passes, one for a touchdown.
Will any of these players who starred in Gainesville or Tallahassee have their big moment in the game? Chances are that some players with Florida ties will step into the Super Bowl spotlight.
— Florida future —
When will the Super Bowl return to Florida? It won’t be any time soon. The following three Super Bowl host cities have been awarded; none are in the Sunshine State.
— What’s next? After this year’s Super Bowl in New Orleans, the next three games will be played at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California, SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, and Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.
— Historic host: Miami has hosted 11 Super Bowls, most recently Super Bowl LIV in 2020. That week created over half a billion dollars for the local economy, according to reporting by the Miami Herald.
— Tampa, too: Tampa last hosted a Super Bowl in 2021, the fifth time the NFL’s biggest game was held in the city. At that time, COVID restrictions limited the crowds. The NFL may favor the next Tampa bid since the city did not see the same economic impact. Tampa will host the College Football Playoff title game in 2029, replacing Dallas, so the city is not likely to be considered for a Super Bowl until 2030 at the earliest.
— Junior Jags: Jacksonville hosted just once, in 2005. The Jaguars are renovating EverBank Field and after 2026, the stadium will not be ready to host football games until 2028. Jacksonville still lacks the requisite number of hotel rooms near downtown that the NFL prefers. Until Jaguars’ owner Shad Khan completes the building of a Four Seasons hotel near the stadium, Jacksonville would not consider putting together a bid.
In recent years, the NFL has leaned toward awarding the Super Bowl to cities with new stadiums. The Buffalo Bills expect New Highmark Stadium to be completed in time for the 2026 season and Nashville’s New Nissan Stadium, home of the Tennessee Titans, should open by 2027. No other NFL teams have announced plans for new stadiums or major renovations. So, 2029 could be an option for Miami.
— Brunching out —
Earley’s Kitchen, from owners Anita and Jay Morrell, has been a local destination for classic Southern breakfast and lunch fare for over four decades. Thanks to renovation and expansion, Earley’s now has a new look — with more developments to come. Jay Morrell said the restaurant will add dinner in February, with sit-down service.
— Backstory: The restaurant’s upgrade was part of the South Monroe Street commercial corridor, made possible with the help of a grant from the Tallahassee Community Redevelopment Agency.
— Setting: Earley’s now offers an attractive outside patio with wooden beams for shade plus a full bar. The dining room is bright white with black and wood accents, with booths and tables separated from the cafeteria line.
— The menu: It’s easy to splurge on this lineup of Southern favorites such as fried chicken, sausage, fried fish, greens, cabbage, peas, potatoes and recently, fried green tomatoes, all made from scratch. For morning comfort food, it’s tough to beat a plate of eggs, grits, bacon, biscuits and potatoes. Add a slice of homey sweet potato or red velvet cake made by Tallahassee’s TC Bakery.
— Details: Earley’s Kitchen is at 1458 S. Monroe St.; 850-224-7090. Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday to Friday and 7 a.m. to noon Saturday. Other locations are at the Florida Department of Revenue in Southwood and Earley’s at the Capitol, in the lower-level cafeteria and 10th-floor coffee shop. Both are open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday to Friday.
— Romance retail record —
The Florida Retail Federation (FRF) projects a record number of people in Florida plan to celebrate Cupid’s holiday in some way this year.
— Big business: About 56% of Floridians will make a Valentine’s Day purchase to show their affection for a significant other, up 3 percentage points from last year. All that love will amount to an estimated $14.6 billion in spending across the country, a record according to a National Retail Federation (NRF) survey recently published. Gifts for family members and to the windfall, with another $4.3 billion spent.
— Show love to the locals: “Consumers across the state are breaking records all around this Valentine’s Day with many planning to show their love through gifting to significant others, family and friends,” FRF President and CEO Scott Shalley said. “Don’t forget to show some love to your Florida retailers (with) ‘Find It In Florida‘ while shopping this Valentine’s Day season. Florida retailers are stocked and ready to help shoppers find the perfect Valentine’s Day gifts.”
— Where to shop? In Florida, 38% of Valentine’s Day shoppers say they’ll buy gifts online, 34% say they’ll go to department stores, and 29% plan to bargain shop at discount stores.
— Go-to gifts: The NRF projects that each person in America buying Valentine’s Day gifts will spend about $188.81 each, up $3 from last year. The most common Valentine’s Day gift is candy, with 56% of shoppers reporting that as an expected purchase. Another 40% say they’ll purchase flowers or greeting cards, while 35% say they’ll take their loved one out for dinner or entertainment. Another 22% say they’ll buy jewelry.
— Love is in the air —
Hayward House is spreading the love this Valentine’s Day with unique dishes and more offered throughout the weekend to help you celebrate with your special someone.
— Special days: Hayward House’s specials will be available this Thursday through Sunday. Thursday is billed as “Galentine’s” Day, with Valentine’s following on Friday. Specials will also be available for brunch and dinner on Saturday and brunch on Sunday.
— On the menu: The special menu includes fire-roasted bone marrow with grilled sourdough, truffle butter, pickled onion, chives, and caper salad. Hayward House also offers fried Gulf oysters with black paddlefish caviar, lemon aioli, chives and cocktail sauce this weekend. You can also order salmon featuring a Cajun cream sauce, wild mushroom risotto and Southern-style butter bean succotash. Finally, a tomahawk rib-eye dinner for two served with two sides.
— Don’t forget dessert: Make sure to save room for some sweets with your sweetheart, with choices such as dark chocolate, almond panna cotta, berry sorbet, and berry brownie with vanilla ice cream.
— Up next: This month, Hayward House will also host a jazz brunch event on Feb. 26. And that’s in addition to their regular happy hour from 3-6 p.m. every day.
