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Dog Bowl: Canine Prognosticators Have Their Day

Tribune photo by JOSH POLTILOVE

Bosco, a 3-year-old German Shepherd from the Tampa Police Department, was the tiebreaker. He picks the Pittsburgh Steelers to win the Super Bowl.

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By JOSH POLTILOVE | The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 28, 2009

Updated: 01/28/2009 11:18 am

Bo knows football, and the Tampa Police Department dog picked the Pittsburgh Steelers today to win the Super Bowl.

Sunshine, a Labrador Retriever with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, selected the Arizona Cardinals' helmet.

A four-legged football expert was called in to break the tie.

Bosco, a 3-year-old German Shepherd from Tampa Police, stared down the two helmets placed in front of him downtown at Lykes Gaslight Park. After a bit of confusion, he settled on the Steelers.

It's not clear what impact, if any, the dogs' selections might have on the athletes. The Steelers are favored over the Cardinals by 7 points in Sunday's game in Tampa.

Sea life was split Tuesday on who will win the big game, as manatee Buffett picked the Pittsburgh Steelers by a nose and Shelley the sea turtle decided those same Steelers would get shelled. The creatures made their picks at Mote Marine Laboratory Aquarium in Sarasota.

Bo usually sniffs out narcotics for Tampa Police. His handler, James Bryant, said he doesn't know why the rescued Springer Spaniel sniffed out Pittsburgh's black and gold helmet today.

"I'm a Bucs fan," Bryant said. "I guess he likes the Steelers."

Last year marked the first time an ATF dog tried picking a Super Bowl champion. That dog chose the New York Giants, which went on to win the game in a dramatic upset.

This year, Sunshine, who is trained in explosives detection, made it clear that he believed the Cardinals possessed a superior offense.

"We're saying that the dogs are responding to the explosive offense of the Cardinals," ATF spokesman Carlos Baixauli said.

Fellow ATF spokesman Bill Filides was unsure whether Sunshine was picking the Cardinals to win or simply to beat the spread.

"The dogs haven't made any comment on that," he said.

Reporter Josh Poltilove can be reached at (813) 259-7691.

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