Did you know that yesterday's Super Bowl was the most-watched program in American television history? According to Nielson, 106.5 million people watched the Saints beat the Colts. That surpasses the previous record of 105.97 million viewers by the finale of M*A*S*H.I watched the game for about one quarter and bits here and there - but got distracted with dinner - making chili and bread sticks and cleaning up the mess.
The halftime is always entertaining, but watching The Who gave me a weird high-school-memory moment. Took me back to standing against the wall in the gym wondering if I was going to get asked to dance. Not a pleasant memory. What's with all these oldie bands playing the Super Bowl halftimes anyway? I don't get it. They're old - like, way older than me, and it kind of creeps me out to see people who were young when I was young looking like total geezers.
I was watching when the Saints did that goofy onside kick. I absolutely couldn't figure out what was going on, and I learned long ago not to quiz or bug Scott during a game. Now I'm hearing that it was the "most gutsy decision in Super Bowl history." I don't get it. What was gutsy about it? All I know is that football is an interesting media phenomenon fed by superlatives (the most the best the worst) and, probably, money.
The other confusing thing to me was all the Peytons and Mannings. There was Peyton Manning, Sean Peyton, and Archie Manning. To add to the confusion, Archie Manning loves the Saints and yet wants the Colts to win. Took a bit of Googling to figure all of that out.
Speaking of Google, I must mention the ads. Of course the ads are the other reason to watch the Super Bowl. If you want a full "advertisement" run down of each quarter of the game that lists the ads that aired, go to the article here by Seth Stevenson (no relation) on Slate.com. He includes his personal faves, but you also get a taste of his sarcasm. I don't necessarily agree with his opinions, but it's the best (written-word) summary on the web.
If you're more inclined to watch than read, there's an "adblitz" channel here on YouTube right now where you can go watch and vote.
My faves were the Google ad - a sweet story about Paris and (hating to admit) the e-trade baby ads. There were some others told a story that I laughed at, but have forgotten the product. I DID NOT LIKE the ads with men in their ugly underwear. What's up with two ads in a row showing such hideousness. And then all those other ads about the drudgery of men's lives. One guy on TV said, "It was the year of the dumb male in underwear. It was a men-stupidity convention - not a good way to sell product. It was the year of 'Let's smack men around and make them look like idiots.'"
