played back off the ball. He is a phenomenal blitzer. . .

NEW YORK (AP) — Sebastian Maniscalco has a perfect matchup in mind for the Super Bowl: Bears vs. Texans.Could happen.The native of Chicago and lifelong Bears fan also is close friends with Houston star defensive end J.J. Watt.So what could be better for the popular standup comedian than his favorite team facing off with his football buddy in the big game?“We were just talking about that Xavier Crawford Jersey 2019 , a friend and me, talking about going to the Super Bowl this year. It could be a Watt/Bears extravaganza,” says Maniscalco, who also is an actor and author. “It would be nice.“The last time the Bears were this good with this kind of swagger about them and a lot of confidence, they were doing the ‘Super Bowl Shuffle.’ “Maniscalco is headed for Madison Square Garden for four shows on Jan. 19-20 that nearly are sold out. The Garden is a natural spot for comedy — have you seen the Knicks lately? — and Maniscalco recognizes the tie-ins between sports and funniness.“Madison Square Garden is the epicenter for lots of great events,” he notes. “Comedy and sports definitely go together, though it’s not something I build my standup around. I tailor my act to whoever is there. It is something for me that I always loved, incorporating some sort of sports material into my act, some of it’s improvisational.“You’re out there and exposed in both. If people are not out there laughing, you are out there like a pitcher who cannot throw strikes. Comedy is very naked and very exposed. So is anybody who is kind of doing something on an individual level, like in sports.”Maniscalco, who threw out the first pitch for a Mets game at Citi Field last season and enjoyed the camaraderie of hanging out in the dugout, was a soccer player as a youngster. Part of his comedy routine — he has a Netflix special that premieres on Jan. 15 —centers on his father, who would come to Sebastian’s games with a legal pad Color Rush Xavier Crawford Jersey , write down what he saw, then break down what his son did and didn’t do.His father would sit away from the other parents in the stands.“No one knew who he was,” he jokes. “They were saying, ‘Hey, does someone owe money here?’ He looked like he was coming to collect a debt.”Now, Maniscalco says, dad comes to his shows and does the same critiquing of the comedy.Much of Maniscalco’s material focuses on family relationships and stuff people go through in their daily lives. He steers clear of politics, despite the deep well of potential material there.“The recipe for success to me is staying true to who I am, to my family, and sharing experiences people can relate to,” he says.His friendship with Watt started through Twitter when the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year said he was a fan of Maniscalco since high school. The comic and his family have visited with Watt when they were in Houston, and marveled at the impact Watt has had in the community.“He is like a leader. He inspires people,” Maniscalco says, noting Watt’s fundraising role after Houston was hit by Hurricane Harvey in 2017. “If something needs to get done Cheap Xavier Crawford Jersey , he gets it done. You kind of strive to do the things he does. It makes you a better person.”So if Watt and the Texans play his beloved Bears in the Super Bowl, where will Maniscalco’s allegiance be?Well, he isn’t quite saying. But, though he has lived in Los Angeles for 20 years, he still roots for all the Chicago teams.If the Texans and Bears get to Atlanta, and you see a guy on the street wearing a Watt jersey and Bears jacket and hat, it might be Maniscalco.No kidding. The Texans wanted to keep safety Tyrann Mathieu, but Mathieu’s attention quickly went to the city that has the reigning NFL MVP, Patrick Mahomes.“I wanted to come to a team that had great talent, great core players, a lot of their core players are still young, closer to my age,” Mathieu told reporters on Thursday regarding his decision to join the Chiefs on a three-year, $42 million deal. “I think that had a lot to do with the decision as well. Anytime you can play for an organization that has a great history. Obviously Xavier Crawford Jersey Womens , a great quarterback that’s really going to take this league over, really by storm. Really this was a no-brainer for me and my family.”Mathieu hopes to help a team that almost made it to the Super Bowl get over the top.“My biggest job is to come here, be a leader, try to make plays on and off the football field and put my hand in the pile and help us win some games,” Mathieu said. “I think we all know what the offense can do. I think it’ll be my job to come in here, try to get some direction, try to give guys some motivation, some inspiration, and then be an every-day factor. I want to be the same guy I am in the weight room that I am on the football field. That’s what I’m really looking forward to bringing to this team and, like I said, I’m going to try my best to do that every single day.”Mathieu said he’s not planning to step on any toes, but that he plans to lead by example and to do whatever the coaches ask him to do.“I love doing it all,” Mathieu said. “I’m a football player. My coach gives me a job, I just try my best to do it Xavier Crawford Houston Texans Jersey , but I think anytime I can get around the football, close to it, I just feel super powers. Anytime I’m away from the football I just feel like my powers are diminishing.”Coach Andy Reid plans to take advantage of those super powers in every way possible.“He can play anywhere,” Reid said regarding Mathieu. “You can move him out and he can play corner if you need him to play corner. He’s played inside in the nickel. He has played up on the ball. He has played back off the ball. He is a phenomenal blitzer. . . . [H]e isn’t the biggest guy in the world, but he plays that way. He plays such a physical game and he is so good toward the line of scrimmage. But on the same hand, he’s great on the back end making plays on the ball in the back.”And the best may be ahead of Mathieu, who has gotten — and stayed — healthy.“I went through a couple rough seasons, struggling with injuries, playing with knee braces on,” Mathieu said. “To be able to put together two consecutive healthy seasons playing every game, I do feel like I’m getting back to who I am. Then playing in this scheme will really allow me to do what I do best and that’s be a hunter.”That’s exactly what the Chiefs need, as they hope to put on the field a defense that best complements one of the best offenses in football. They’re not far away from being where they need to be, and Mathieu gives them a major boost in that direction.