Ah, the Super Bowl. So much to say… so consider this post like a symphony is a few parts. First, I\’ll talk about what the Super Bowl is at its core. Then, I\’ll share my thoughts on the game. I\’ll wrap it up with the statements made by the NFL and its sponsors.
Not that any of you should care what I think. But if you are slightly curious, read on…
The Super Bowl is a national treasure that draws millions of viewers and millions of dollars. Without a doubt, the absolute pinnacle of American capitalism.
Not that there\’s anything wrong with that. But if there is any demonstration of just how prosperous our country is, the Super Bowl is the poster child.
People paid into five figures for seats to the game.
Millionaire athletes who are the best in the world at what they do got paid.
Sponsors and networks traded ludicrous millions in order to reach an audience who eagerly gobble up the commercials in what can be called an annual anomaly.
A spectacle of a half-time show (they always are) designed to draw in non-football lovers costs millions and becomes the talk of social media for days, weeks and sometimes years to come.
Capitalism rocks.
With that said, I\’m not a big fan of the sportsballs. But due to the fact that my girlfriend is a diehard Chiefs fan (off the hook nuts is a better description) and that my co-host is also all about the Chiefs, I found myself drawn into the season.
So yes, I cheered the Chiefs on to victory and captured some epic video of Erin screeching at the television at the top of her lungs. (It will likely never see the light of day)
I felt like the game was relatively uneventful until the 4th quarter, and not because the Chiefs were behind. Typically a game is made exciting by awesome plays. A long pass seized out of mid-air, a behind-the-lines toss that takes everyone off guard and leads to a run all the way downfield, an ominous defense that sacks the QB for 20 yards. None of that really happened.
Instead, the most exciting parts were turnovers. I don\’t like when mistakes are the most exciting part of the game.
That changed in the 4th quarter as we witnessed 24-year old Patrick Mahomes do what he does best. And the rest is history.
So much for my pro football commentary. Let\’s move on to the commercials and conflicting messages sent by the NFL.
As is always the case, a few commercials were standouts. Feeding the world a Snickers bar in order to make it a better place was classic, especially with the narcissists falling into the hole at the end.
Google toyed with people\’s emotions in their 90-second \”love story\”. I was unaffected because I know Google is evil and couldn\’t care less about your, or anyone\’s, love story. They just want to use us. Period.
But the standout was unquestionably Jeep\’s \”Groundhog Day\” spot. The sheer brilliance behind getting Bill Murray and others from the classic film to reunite and illustrate how every day on repeat ain\’t so bad if you have a Jeep and the groundhog was absolutely epic. Whoever came up with that campaign deserves a raise.
Of course, we saw several spots highlighting diversity and that were empowering to women. I\’m all for empowering humans of every race, creed, religion and gender. But there was plenty of virtue signaling in some ads, designed to pander to specific demographics. That\’s fine. Pretty much the norm for our society these days, for better or worse.
And then came the halftime show.
First of all, I am NOT a prude. I am not offended by the female anatomy or the lack of covering on it, especially when said anatomy is quite attractive.
But surely I can\’t be the only person struck by the inconsistent messages delivered by the NFL. On one hand you have empowering women and not objectifying them. On the other hand you have two super hot, somewhat talented, pop singers pole dancing and twerking this stuff on National television. And we celebrate it.
To be honest, I\’m not impressed by the music of either of these ladies. No doubt they have great voices and a solid following. But the most impressive thing I saw was their aging bodies being rocked like they were in their twenties. And for that I applaud them.
But after having seen Prince, Bruce Springsteen, Bruno Mars and Paul McCartney halftime shows, Shakira and J-Lo get a big \”meh\” from me.
The most appalling FOX Sports stunt was not what you saw, but what you did NOT see.
Fox would not accept the #FacesOfChoice video, which brought awareness to people who survived abortion. It\’s powerful stuff and would give any reasonable person cause to think about the issue. FOX Sports ignored the organization that was ready to spend money on the ad.
Sure, it\’s their network and they can do what they want. But it does make you wonder who they don\’t want to be heard… and why.
Here\’s the ad for anyone that wants to see it.
So there you have it… sub-amateur football analysis combined with my cultural observations. And God bless Capitalism!
Until next year…