O'Donnell: Shanahan, Shanahan and Belichick - Could Jimmy G possibly be more prepared for SB 54?

WITHOUT SPECULATION, where would the Super Bowl be?

A major national gaming association has estimated that at least 26 million Americans will have some sort of direct betting interest in the San Francisco-Kansas City SB 54 (Fox, 5:30 p.m.; Joe Buck, Troy Aikman).

That includes close to nine million through legal channels.

The figure is undoubtedly low, since it doesn't take into account square pools and strip cards from places as varied as the Klan Ridge VFW to The Stud 'n Spud in suburban Pocatello.

But on a day designed for such prejudiced projection, here's a speck of sideline spiral:

Has any quarterback in the game's history had such expert input into being "coached for the moment" as Jimmy Garoppolo?

Consider:

• Forty-Niners head coach Kyle Shanahan is one of the most facile offensive minds in the NFL and was wretchedly, memorably burned as OC of the Atlanta Falcons in SB 51;

• Mike Shanahan, the coach's father, won two Super Bowls as a HC and has freely admitted that through the wonders of modern electronica, he can monitor all SF practices, meetings, et al, from the comfort of his family room;

• And what about Bill Belichick?

Think Belichick has been monitoring the run-up to Sunday's proceedings with benign disinterest?

He mystically rolled a second-round draft choice on Garoppolo in 2014 and wound up going "jackpot."

Then, on an October 2017 morning that may forever live in New England football infamy, he was told by Patriots owner Bob Kraft that the bromance with Tom Brady will continue ad infinitum and Garoppolo was expendable.

So Belichick dutifully gift-wrapped "The G" to Kyle Shanahan, the son of one of the few ranking members of the NFL's aristo-elite who supported him during "Deflategate."

And BB could only hope and pray that the day would come sooner than later when he could let Kraft know with marbled Roman numeral finality whose judgment should be supersedent in all matters football.

So has Garoppolo been getting hands-on coaching from the son, textable tweaking from the father and roundabout fine-tuning from the holy spirit?

The game will tell.

But if Andy Reid and the Chiefs see some nuanced, precision football not quite previously displayed by SF in Super Bowl 54, what will they be left to do?

Other than speculate.

THE INSISTENCE BY A FRIGID FRINGE this week that recall of Kobe Bryant's 2003 sexual assault charges be immediately included in mention of the man's death and life was both obscene and disgusting.

Perhaps those same minds can lobby Congress for a federal law commanding that in any eulogy - verbal, written or other - the absolute worst, most regrettable moment of an individual's life must be included within the initial three minutes or 300 words.

Whether it be Bryant at the Colorado resort of Marian the Librarian pilfering two packets of Sweet'n Low from the IHOP up on the highway, pound 'em when they're down.

For those more familiar with the essential underpinnings of constitutional law in the United States and due process, Bryant was charged, declared his innocence of the assault allegation and was found guilty of no indictable offense.

Moralistically, societally, didn't Nathaniel Hawthorne cover much of this in "The Scarlet Letter?"

And what of Bryant's young widow and his three surviving daughters?

Are they, too, to be stigmatized as worthy of only a lesser empathy?

At any point, does the forgiveness of sin and an ongoing pursuit of earthly redemption come into play?

Could they at least have waited until the remains were recovered from the hillside?

STREET-BEATIN': Through his assorted media gigs, Dave Wannstedt has morphed into one of the most crisp and insightful NFL analysts in the land. And he likes KC in SB 54. (Book it, Garo.) ...

Jeff Fogle of vsin.com did an intriguing breakdown by quarter of both SF and the Chiefs vs. playoff-bound and postseason opponents. Mild surprise: The Forty-Niners open much better, both teams dominate in the 2Q and dead-heat in the second half. (Meaning, Raheem Mostert, Dee Ford and Bay mates may have to go wire-to-wire.) ...

ESPN tries to draw a little thunder away from Fox with long pregame programming. Steve Young chats with Jimmy G shortly after noon. (Prop bet: Will "G" mention the Starbucks near the Arlington Theater, still a favorite haunt of South Middle School's bicycle brigade? On the board at 517-1.) ...

Fox Sports offers expanded coverage of The Big Iguana with Joe Montana, Brett Favre and Drew Brees commentating in real time on the network's website, app and social media channels. ...

Deep-data Democratic presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg is spending close to $10M on a 60-second Super Bowl spot that's sure to ping the gun lobby. (Apparently Ben and Jerry didn't maple up for Bernie Sanders.) ...

Billy Bush did an absolutely masterful interview of Jerry West regarding the Kobe Bryant tragedy on "Extra." (Long form - app. 20 minutes - on YouTube, either "ExtraTV" or "billy bush jerry west.") ...

Lethal defender Da'Monte Williams and streaking Illinois get the competitive motors running Sunday at Iowa (noon, FS1, AM-890; A tough one - Fox's Jim Jackson says Hawkeye Luka Garza is the leading contender for Big Ten Player of the Year.) ...

The pick - from a very dry selector: SF 27, KC 17. (Really - if it's played organically.) ...

And ESPN analyst Rex Ryan - a frequent critic of Baker Mayfield - direct to the struggling Browns sophomore QB on "Get Up": "Hey, but I'm a mouse turd and you're out hunting elephants."

• Jim O'Donnell's Sports & Media column appears Thursday and Sunday. Reach him at jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com.