I. In all, a pretty decent ballgame. The first half was one of most entertaining halves of football all year....big plays on offense and defense, both teams trying to deal with the elements, close score, etc. Once the game settled into a rhythm, it was fairly clear that the Colts would win.
II. I'm not wrapped up in Superbowl commercials, but these were especially bad and forgettable. At least, I hope I can forget them. Also, is it just me, or is Jessica Simpson one of the most annoying celebrities out there? Every time I see or hear her I instinctively think, "please, go away."
III. Prince rocked....which was needed after the Geritol aided performance by the Stones last year. Good song choices...though, the Foo Fighters cover was unexpected....and ending on Purple Rain....in the light induced purple rain of the night....was classic. I still haven't decided if Prince is weirdly awesome or awesomely weird, but one thing is sure....he freakin rocks.
IV. Manning just put himself in a position to be the best ever. Meaning, with Tiger and Federer doing what they are doing, we are watching three athletes simultaneously dominate, destroy, and define success in their respective sports.
V. Biggest winners: Manning and Dungy.
Biggest loser: Marino. Sorry, Dan. I've had your back for 20 years in the 'who is the best ever?' conversation, but that train just left the station, as it were. The Bears aren't the biggest loser, as I believe they will be back in the big game sooner rather than later.
Predictions for next year:
- Manning gets the chance to make the Pats v Colts a true rivalry....and does it.
- Somewhere, T.O. and Randy Moss make their teams worse, not better.
- The bears will be as good, or better....sorry testudineous.
- Hotlanta, baby. Lookout.
7 comments:
You didn't mention the debacle that was the "needs rehab soon" Mr. William Joel of East Hampton, NY.
I only wish that Peyton Manning could've leapt onstage during the halftime show and traded shredtastic guitar licks with Prince. That would have rocked so hard.
While Prince gave a classy (per a typical Prince concert) performance, it was the commercials that pushed the envelope. As the opening commercial break showed two men eating the same Snickers bar where they eventually met in the middle, and then later a Doritos commercial that required a "cleanup" at the register, I wonder... where is the FCC now? As tasteless entertainment standards go, I prefer wardrobe malfunctions.
While I wish my Bears would have not embarrassed themselves...if they had to lose I am glad it was to such a class franchise. 22 YEARS OF FRUSTRATION FELL ANEW LAST NIGHT DURING THE FOURTH QUARTER...
An addendum to your "biggest loser": I don't think we could possibly forget Mr. Grossman's two-fumble, two-interception performance. I understand that playing in a Florida downpour must have been completely alien to him, as opposed to the domed, turf-bound Manning. As the Chicago media likes to rebuke: "Bad Rex!"
In favor of continuity in this post, I'll address your "predictions" for next season before I get to my thoughts on the halftime show. Duh Bears will probably be even better next season, and I don't see any reason why they can't repeat as NFC champions. They will, however, never win a Super Bowl with the gentlemen they've lined up behind center over the past several seasons. It is now necessary to refute the Dominant Defense, Shite Quarterback argument: When Trent Dilfer "led his team to victory" in 2001, the Baltimore Ravens were champions of an already-superior AFC. This phenomenon has not yet been reversed, and I don't believe it will be any time soon, as, barring Drew Brees, the AFC holds an overwhelming edge at the quarterback position. So, Hotlanta, what will you do with/what can you get for your extra quarterback---the one NOT chained to your team for $130 million? Choose wisely...I believe he will be the most coveted commodity on the market; the right trade could seal the NFC South division championship for 2007 (barring Drew Brees---see above). Just PLEASE! do NOT! broker a deal with Chicago.
I watched the Super Bowl last night in a land where everyone is supposedly infused with "Purple Pride." (An exception to this rule is, sadly, the old-school, nevergonnadieoff Green Bay Packer contingency. Last night for the first, perhaps, the only time, I looked over at a gentleman in a green and gold sweatshirt, looked back at the television, looked back at him, squinted my eyes, and determinedly...nodded. He nodded back. For on the 4th of February, we became, for four hours, brothers.) I discovered another, perhaps more painful exception to the effusion of Purple Pride in my home state of Minnesota. Halftime at Super Bowl XLI. It was only with the greatest of difficulty that my brother and I prevented a channel-flip during the twelve minutes of purple reign. Our enthusiasm was met with groans on all sides, jabs at Prince's sexual orientation (he leaves himself somewhat open to these), and even jabs at our own! I learned the sickening truth last night: Minnesota would rather put forward a low- to medium-level hockey talent than feel the discomfort of giving birth to GENIUS. (If Prince's originality is ever challenged, don't blame him that James Brown and Jimi Hendrix were born first.) His performance last night was rewarded in his hometown only with catcalls, relief that the set was finally over, and comments on the Dungy's-red-flag-or-Prince's-do rag? debate. Truly disturbing.
Still, what a performance! No James Brown splitses, overly conservative (by Prince's standards) song selection, "whaaaa?" cover selections, and a live mix that found his second-to-none backing section buried muddily in the background. Despite all of this, Prince strode into the pouring rain, and put on a show none of his peers can muster. His voice has been untouched by age, and he and his guitar sang and sometimes screamed a medley of songs in rapid succession. For 16 bars or so he made fellow Minnesotan Bob Dylan's "All Along the Watchtower" his very own with beautiful-yet-nasty touches on his Fender. He somehow achieved, along with his deafening shrieks and howls, musical subtlety at an open-door stadium filled with 70,000 screaming fans, in a deluge...of purple rain. Sometimes, simultaneously satisfying the masses and the devoted few intersect. The choice of "Purple Rain" to end his show was one of those times. Everyone got exactly what he or she wanted. My only regret--- we won't get Prince at Super Bowl XLII.
Personally, I’d like to see us deal Schaub and Dunn to the Raiders for their pick this year, use that pick to draft the future best receiver in football, Calvin Johnson, and then spend every other pick and dollar we have on O-line help…I know Vick has struggled, but everyone is ignoring the fact that our O-line was awful when he came, and they’ve done little to nothing to help it since…I say give him a year with a decent O-line and a go-to receiver and see what he does. If the passing game still struggles, then it’s probably time to pull the plug on the Vick experiment.
Other (less important) thoughts:
- Grossman has been more heavily criticized than I think is fair, but when this is the case, an athlete’s only chance is to shine when given the biggest stage on which to do so. Grossman had that opportunity and performed exactly as his critics predicted.
sidenote: While watching the game the other night, my friend made the comment that Grossman looked like could be the fifth brother in my family…I couldn’t disagree more.
- Yes, some of the Marino sympathy should evaporate over this, but as far as I know, he never had a receiving corps as talented as Manning’s. So, he’s still entitled a place in the “best ever” conversation.
- Prince is always prince. Nothing more or less. If you’re a fan, he never disappoints. If you’re not, he never fails to aggravate.
cheers.
Testu,
The gyrating and James Brown-style boogeying may be a thing of the past...word on the street is that the Purple One has bum hips.
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