Mailbag
Sarah here! This week’s Wrap Up is ALL MINE—that’s right, no Esteban, just Sarah. That means there’s going to be some extra exclamation marks!!
Last week we asked for examples of timed sports that would help FOX Sports understand the ridiculousness of comparing one year’s winning time to another year’s winning time in agility. Several of you responded with some great examples:
Ed wrote:
“cross country and road racing (you know, weekend 5Ks to marathons). It’s not perfect – usually the distances are the same, (26 mi + for Marathon, 8K for college men’s cross country, etc.) but the courses vary in terrain from location to location. No one thinks that running the Boston Marathon is the same as running Berlin or London, which are clearly faster.”
Karen added:
“The FOX article addresses it like one would describe events in Track and Field — with times that advance as the competitors improve and the sport matures — example 100m. Dog Agility is more like Alpine Ski Racing — it’s timed and the fastest competitor (or dog agility team) wins that keeps on the course. Competitions can be in the same places each year, but the course is different and you don’t really compare the winning time from the Downhill or Giant Slalom from one year to the next.”
Ed and Karen, you nailed it. Now I just need the editor’s phone number. I assume that’s readily available. 😉
Super Bowl LX and a Podcast for Medium Speed Teams Going to the NAC
For the first time, Hannah watched the Super Bowl with me! Esteban skipped the game but watched the halftime show (he’s always bummed when the Cowboys aren’t in it so he’s been bummed since the ‘90s).. We didn’t have much skin in the game from a fan perspective, but we decided to cheer for the Seahawks (shoutout to our PNW peeps!). Hannah and I quickly became invested in all the different “firsts” unfolding during the game.
As the fourth quarter began and neither team had scored a touchdown, we found ourselves cheering for no touchdowns at all (which would be a Super Bowl first). Of course, Seattle immediately scored early in the fourth. Even though that was technically “our” team, we were both disappointed. We quickly shifted our focus to hoping for the first Super Bowl shutout, which didn’t happen, but we did get to celebrate when Jason Myers broke the Super Bowl record for number of field goals.
This idea of finding a “game within the game” is something we talked about in our recent podcast, The Medium-Speed Dog’s Guide to NAC. The fact is, the majority of handlers going to Nationals fall somewhere in the middle of the pack. They’re not the fastest, and they’re not the slowest. And there is a strategy for medium-speed dogs.
The key is to play your game, work toward your goals, and find enjoyment and value in the event, regardless of the final outcome.
Click here to listen to the podcast: Episode 379: The Medium-Speed Dog’s Guide to NAC
Favorite Super Bowl Commercials
Speaking of the Super Bowl, which commercials stood out to you? We really enjoyed the Jurassic Park “what if” spot. I have to admit, it felt a little specifically targeted at our age group (Gen X). We’ve recently watched those movies with the kids, so it was fun for all of us to imagine how Jurassic Park might have gone if they hadn’t lost their internet connection.
The Budweiser Horse and Bird commercial definitely got me. It reminded me of The Wild Robot, which had all of us in tears. When the wings unfurled and, for a moment, it looked like the horse might actually be a Pegasus…well, let’s just say I may have gotten a little sun in my eyes.
And on a dog-related note, the Ring commercial certainly made me pause. Kind of a crazy world we live in.
The Super Bowl Halftime Show
I’m not very plugged into the current music scene, so I wasn’t familiar with any Bad Bunny songs before the halftime show. That said, I’ve been a Bad Bunny fan ever since his Saturday Night Live “KPop Demon Hunters” skit. I LOVE that movie and the music!
Of course, the music, dancing, and overall set were amazing. I loved the Latin beats and all the energy it brought out! I also thought it was sweet how it seemed to tell a story, starting with a proposal, moving into a wedding, and then featuring a young child. Maybe those moments weren’t officially connected, but I chose to see it as a love story unfolding over time.
One especially cool moment: while I was watching, I actually said out loud, “Wouldn’t it be amazing if they found a couple to really marry?” The next day, I read that it actually was a real, official wedding! How cool is that?
Today Esteban found the following graphic, which, as a numbers geek, I think is hysterical.
“NYC saw a significant reduction in water usage throughout the five boroughs during the Super Bowl’s Bad Bunny halftime show, but in the 15 minutes right after the show ended, there was a spike in usage equivalent to 761,719 toilets flushing across town.
Benito had everyone locked in (via NYCWater/X)”
FCI Agility World Championship Announcements
Later this year, the 2026 Agility World Championship will be held in Turku, Finland, returning to the Gatorade Center, where the Championship was previously held in 2019.
This week, FCI Agility also announced the location for the 2027 Agility World Championship. I’m already looking forward to visiting the Palazzo del Turismo in Jesolo, Italy, from October 6–11, 2027, and watching the best agility dogs in the world!
What was your favorite part of the Super Bowl? Email me at team@baddogagility.com.
Happy Training,
