This week's Lycos 50 brings a number of search debuts we've been expecting? and one that is completely unexpected.
The unexpected search term is Jesse Jackson (#24). Well, it was unexpected until news broke last week of Jackson's extra-marital dalliance with Rainbow Coalition employee Karin Stanford and the resulting two year-old daughter. Lycos users searched for Jesse Jackson affair, Jesse Jackson family secret, and even Jesse Jackson love child.
More expected was the rise in football searches. The Super Bowl (#19) makes its first appearance of the year, and the NFL (#12) is also still strong. If searches for the two were combined, the total would stand at #4 on this week's list. Searches for the New York Giants outdistanced the Baltimore Ravens, 53 percent to 47 percent.
If you aren't giddy with anticipation over a Giants-Ravens matchup, you aren't alone. Fans of the other 29 teams are already looking forward to next year, as 25 percent of NFL searches specify April's NFL Draft.
Those who can't get enough football after the Super Bowl is over always have Vince McMahon's XFL. The fledgling football league, which we've been touting since November, debuts at #48. Roughly 10 percent of queries ask for information on XFL fantasy football, as football addicts search for information on which ex-NFL scrub will dominate the new league, and who will be the Most Valuable Rashaan, Memphis RB Salaam or Los Angeles RB Sheehee.
WHAT FELLOWSHIP: The other anticipated debut is Lord of the Rings (#28). Lycos users were among those trying to find the trailer of this eagerly awaited Tolkien adaptation, still 11 months away. Once again, almost nobody searched for the movie using its actual title, The Fellowship of the Ring.
LESS GINGER: Although it dropped only two places in the standings, there was a major decline in searches for the mystery invention IT/Ginger (#6). Searches for IT and Ginger dropped by 39 percent, and searches for inventor Dean Kamen dropped by 63 percent, enough to take him out of the Lycos 50.
THE RETURN OF ROCK: Teen popsters, step aside. Four rock bands make the Lycos 50 this week. Metallica (#33) returns for the first time since September with the news that bassist Jason Newsted is leaving the band. U2 (#50) makes its first-ever Lycos 50 appearance due to searches for summer tour dates. Limp Bizkit (#46) hangs on to a spot near the bottom. And this marks 10 weeks for The Beatles (#35), who continue to outperform nearly all modern bands despite breaking up thirty years ago.
SHORT SUBJECTS: Could America already be tiring of Temptation Island? (#16) Searches dropped 25 percent this week? U.S. Postal Service (#36) begins to return to sane levels? Lycos users looking for inauguration information put George W. Bush (#30) back in the Lycos 50? Although the Chinese New Year (#44) which begins tomorrow is the year of the snake, a number of searchers specified the year just ending, dragon, instead.
NEW THIS WEEK: Super Bowl, Jesse Jackson, tennis tournament Australian Open, Lord of the Rings, George W. Bush, Metallica, Chinese New Year, XFL, U2.
DROPOUTS: Ginger inventor Dean Kamen, American Music Awards, Detroit Auto Show, Majora's Mask, Microsoft Xbox, Tomb Raider, Napster knockoff Gnutella, Carmen Electra, South Park.
BIGGEST RISE: Valentine's Day, up 21 places to #13.
BIGGEST DROP: U.S. Postal Service, down 29 places to #36.
FINALLY: We received surprisingly few searches for the California Energy Crisis, which comes in with about one-tenth the queries required to make the Lycos 50.
