So, the Super Bowl was played last night. Yes, I watched it but, as neither team is one I normally cheer for, I didn't really have a dog in the fight. I found myself pulling more the Ravens, mainly because I wanted Ray Lewis to go out on a high note.
Here's the rub, though. This Super Bowl is probably the closest I'll ever come to seeing one. It was played an hour away over there in New Orleans. Having spent quite some time in that city, this week it was nice seeing familiar places on TV.
Normally, this game is played in other places that I have never been and/or am not familiar with, such as next year's game in New York. (I already feel sorry for the players having to go up there in the cold).
I'm not going to comment on the game, but that power outage, which was quite odd, can't be overlooked. As soon as it happened, some of my facebook friends started posting all kinds of smarmy comments.
As many of my friends are brainwashed fans of the team that normally plays in that building, they thought they had something to do with it, others said it was the 49ers attempting to hit the reset button, but the best one was that it was the governor's fault, because he's a spoiled brat and felt like it. I couldn't help but get a laugh out of that one.
Anyway, I just wanted to get some thoughts out. Thanks for reading!
Like most people in the country, I spent last night watching the Super Bowl. I'm a football, fan, what do you expect? Neither of the teams playing are worthy of my support, so it was more of the lesser of two evils. This year, that happened to have been the Patriots. Ironically, 4 years ago when these two played, the tables were turned.
That point aside, for some reason, I just wasn't feeling it this year. It should be noted that I haven't really had the chance to watch much NFL this year, so that may have had something to do with it, but even so, I'm normally all ready to plop down on the couch and not movie for the 3-4 hrs the big game is on.
As a matter of fact, I missed the 1st quarter because I was playing, ironically, football on my PS3. I was actually more pissed that I missed the national anthem, though (this was before I knew my future wife, Kelly Clarkson, was singing it).
Even my snacks seemed a bit blah. Before you say that perhaps my tastes are changing. Those that were leftover and that I've been eating all week, taste just as good as they always have. So, I guess that was just a fluke, but could it be that I'm over the Super Bowl, or was it just this year?
All in all, though, it was a good game, even if I wanted a different outcome, but things happen, right? Anyway, thanks for reading!
So, Sunday was the Super Bowl, in case you missed it. Congrats to the Green Bay Packers for the win and to the Pittsburgh Steelers for putting up a helluva fight down to the last minute (and getting screwed on that last cal...but I won't go there).
This is definitely one of the more entertaining Super bowl's I've seen. Of course, the fact that it was closely contested may have had something to do with that.
Enough about the game, though. Let's talk about the "entertainment". For some reason, the blogosphere has been blowing up on this topic all week.
First off, let's get the halftime performers (and I use that term loosely) our of the way. The Black Eyed Peas did an ok job. I mean, I commend the NFL for not going to the musicians retirement home this year, but rather getting a current artist. I still say they need to stop being so paranoid. That Janet Jackson fiasco was a one time fluke, but whatever.
So, the Peas have been getting criticized for doing the "worst halftime show" ever. Someone even went so far a to say it would have been better to trot out a marching band instead. I take offense to that remark, but that's not the point I'm trying to make here.
I watched the halftime. While I'm not a big fan of the Peas, I do enjoy some of their music. All through the game, though, the announcers were saying how impressive the halftime would be and that we would be blown away.
I think this is what led to some disappointment. It was overhyped! On top of that, the guest stars overshadowed the headliners. Slash rocked "Sweet Child o'Mine", in spite of Fergie butchering the actual song. Usher took the show to the next level and some are saying he should have been the halftime performer in the first place. I have to agree with them.
On top of all this, FOX seemed to be having some kind of audio/technical difficulties throughout the performance, which didn't help matters. So, while everyone else in the blogshphere is ripping them a new one, I say it was a subpar effort. Sure, I expected more, but it wasn't all their fault. Now, if the next time I have the opportunity to see them perform and it isn't any better, I'm jumping on the bandwagon and ripping them a new one, but for now I'm going to say they were just average. This is the Black Eyed Peas, for goodness sakes, not Michael Jackson! What did you really expect?!?
The other thing that has people up in arms in Christina Aguilera flubbing the words to the "Star Spangled Banner". Some are even offended by it, but not me.
Sure, I'm a huge Christina fan, but that's not the reason I'm coming to her defense. All these people complaining about her forgetting the words probably don't know the words themselves.
Admittedly, if you were to ask me to sing it, I'd probably flub them myself, but I'm a musician. All I have to do is play the music, not sing the words!
Seriously, though, forgetting the words isn't such a big deal. It was just amplified because it was on arguably the biggest stage. She has performed this exact same song before and done it flawlessly. So, this was nothing but a fluke. There is no need to be so sensitive.
I read one blog calling for her to be exiled! WTF?!?
Finally, the commercials. Similar to the halftime, I think these are just overhyped (and overpriced). Here it is 6 days later and I can't really remember any of them, save for the ones that are still getting airplay. The one that I can remember was this Kim Kardashian commercial.
Honestly, it isn't that memorable of a commercial, but the sexiness of it makes it memorable.
So, in conclusion the word for this year's Super Bowl activities has to be overhyped. How often can we say that the game was the best part?
Unless you've been living under a rock the since Sunday night, you are more than aware that the New Orleans Saints won the Super Bowl. Those are words I thought I'd never say/type, but sure enough, it happened. Congratulations are in order for them.
Living down here in south Louisiana, you can imagine I've gotten more than an oversaturation of hearing about them. However, there have been a bit less of them than I expected.
Let me talk about halftime for a second. The Who were awesome, don't get me wrong, but who are they? I mean, let's face it, much of the audience that watches the game (myself included) wasn't around when they were in their heyday. I'm not saying it was a bad choice, but I just think they could have found someone a bit more relevant.
I realize that the whole Janet Jackson thing a few years back has the NFL shaking in their boots to let a modern artist perform at halftime, but they need grow a pair. I'm not saying they need to get Lil' Wayne, Adam Lambert, or some other controversial act, but what about Alicia Keys, Daughtry, Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Kings of Leon, Beyonce, or something along those lines? Those are all modern artists who I think would be a good choice. Maybe its just me, though.
Also, 30 minutes for halftime! For the coaches and the performers this isn't bad, but put yourself in the player's heads, especially the ones that are on a hot streak, or the team that is losing. They're ready to get back out there, and having to sit in the locker room for 30 minutes is just making them ansy, kinda like having to wait 2 weeks to play the game. Of course, nothing is gonna be done about this since its all about the money and ratings, and the players don't matter.
My disdain for the Saints aside, the game wasn't half bad, but the let down had to have been the commercials. Yes, I said the commercials.
Face it people, alot of us tune in to watch the commercials just as much as the game. I know that this is one of the few times of the year, if not the only time, that I actually don't flip through the channels during the commercials.
Usually, though, there is some commercial that sticks in your mind, but this year, it was a bit of a letdown. Sure there were some good ones, but a month from now, I seriously doubt that I'll remember what commercials were shown.
That just isn't right. I feel kind of robbed! I expect to see something that I'll remember! lol
So, it wasn't a good Sunday for me. The freakin' Saints won (which literally made me sick to my stomach) and there weren't any memorable commercials. Ugh! Oh, and to top it off, football season is over now, so now it's on to total boredom until March Madness and the NBA Finals (the only thing that comes even close to keeping my attention until the season starts back) lol
Living in Louisiana, especially south Louisiana, the past couple of weeks has been painful to say the least. I seriously considered taking time off and go visit my friend in West Texas until after the Super Bowl.
Why, you mask? Well, the New Orleans Saints are in the Super Bowl, and as I've mentioned in a previous entry, from the moment they punched their ticket to the big game, people have been jumping on the bandwagon and saying they deserve to win it for the city.
Look, I'm all for New Orleans. I love the city, but those hurricanes happened 5 yrs ago, get over it. Saying they deserve it is like saying the NY Giants or NY Jets deserve it because of 9/11, even though that was 9 yrs ago. Disasters happen, you take time to heal, then get over it.
For whatever reason, they won't let it go, and remind folks about it every chance they get. It's really annoying. However, that's not the point of this blog.
Read this:
A Louisiana high school student says he was sent home for wearing an Indianapolis Colts jersey Friday - the day the principal encouraged students to wear New Orleans Saints black and gold as the teams get ready to face off in the Super Bowl.
``If they tell other students to support their team, why can't I support mine?'' Brandon Frost, 17, told The Associated Press. The senior at Maurepas High School moved three years ago from Indianapolis to the rural town 30 miles from Baton Rouge.
A Livingston Parish School Board member said Frost wasn't sent home, but was told he couldn't wear the blue jersey at school. Keith Martin, whose district includes Maurepas, said the school uniform had been relaxed only for black and gold.
He said he planned to ask school system attorneys whether that violated Frost's right to free speech, as the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana contends.
State ACLU director Marjorie Esman sent a letter to Principal Steven Vampran, asking him to wipe Frost's record of any discipline stemming from the incident.
Vampran declined to comment.
Martin said he had talked with both Vampran and Frost's father, Larry Frost.
``I think we got things worked out,'' Martin said.
According to Martin, a friend of Brandon Frost's had asked Vampran on Thursday whether Brandon could wear a Colts jersey, and had been told ``no.''
During a class on Thursday, Frost said, he talked about his plans to wear his jersey rather than Saints colors. He said the teacher warned him he'd get in trouble.
Larry Frost said he didn't know about that when Brandon asked Thursday whether he could wear the jersey. He said he told his son to come home if he was hassled too much.
The Colts and Saints play Sunday in the Super Bowl, and emotions have run high in Louisiana as fans celebrate the first Super Bowl appearance for the beleaguered franchise.
Brandon Frost said Vampran called him out of his first class Friday and told him, ``I don't recall saying you could wear a Colts jersey on Black-and-Gold Day.''
He said he told the principal that his father had given him permission to go home if it was a problem.
``He started to get angry with me,'' Frost said. ``I thought I remember him saying, 'If you like Indiana so much, why don't you go back?'''
Vampran has acknowledged that he should not have said that, Martin said. He said no one sent Frost home - but no one kept him from leaving rather than changing shirts.
Larry Frost said he called the ACLU rather than the school because he was too angry.
``Louisiana would be proud of him anyway,'' Larry Frost said. ``He wore Joseph Addai's jersey.''
The Colts running back is a graduate of Louisiana State University.
Yeah, you read right. They sent the kid home for wearing a Colts jersey. Apparently, that's some sort of crime. Heaven forbid you're not a Saints fan. They can say what they want and try to spin it into saying that it wasn't about him not wearing a Saints jersey, but we all know that's what this is truly about.
My point of view here is that this does violate some free speech law, especially when the principal said they can wear Saints stuff, but what about Colts fans?
A few years ago, when the Saints lost to the Bears, the school I was working for literally set up counseling sessions for the "bereaved". As if that wasn't bad enough, I had a student was was a die hard Patriots fan, and was totally devastated that they lost to the Colts. She went to the counselors and was turned away. WTF?!?
As I said before, its like it is a crime to be a fan of any other team down here. It is ridiculous.
Personally, I hope this kid gets to sue the school and wins. It's one thing for a principal to say wear your school shirt (assuming they don't already wear uniforms) or something, and quite another to say wear LSU, or wear the Saints. Not everyone, contrary to popular belief down here, likes them. Some people downright loathe them.
As much as I'm looking forward to tomorrow's game, I'll be glad when its over, one way or the other.
I don't know about you, but Sunday's Super bowl was one of the best games I've seen in my lifetime. I was captivated from the opening kickoff to the final drive. Seems not that long ago that every game was a blowout (as a Bronco fan, I was often cheering on the wrong end of those beat downs). I'm ecstatic that the Steelers won, though, and have to tip my hat to the Arizona Cardinals with an amazing season they've had this year.
Now, the long offseason begins. Well, there's still the Pro Bowl next week, but other than that, football fans are left to listen to rumors about whose going where, draft stuff, and all the negative publicity that will come from players being out at night. Am I the only who notices how the never cover any good news about players until a big game?
So, until August, I have the NBA (GO SPURS!!!) and college basketball to hold me over. After they end, though, comes the dreaded dead time until the beginning of the college season (or high school...whichever comes first).
Remember in the not so distant past when the Super Bowl halftime act was someone relevant? Then came "Nipplegate" and the NFL freaked out and got all conservative with their choices of halftime entertainment.
It seems since that fateful day, the NFL has been so scared to book anyone under 50. Not to take anything away from these acts. I mean, Prince was the act a couple years ago, and rocked the house. There is a reason these older acts have lasted this long, and are even considered. It's because they know how to make a hit and perform. However, the fact remains that none of them are in their prime anymore.
It should be noted that the average football fan could care less about the halftime show unless it was a bunch of half naked girls out there doing a strip tease or something along those lines.
However, I do care for the halftime show. I have no qualm with seeing older acts, but I think in today's world, and to bring in ratings, there needs to be a newer act headlining. I mean, one year Brittany Spears, N'Sync, and Aerosmith performed at the big game. If memory serves me right, Britany was the headlining act. Fast forward that to today. Replace N'Sync with some boy band that's out there now (if there are any left), and I guarantee you Aerosmith would be the headliners. Nothing wrong with that, though, I love Aerosmith. I'm just saying.
I remember being so disappointed a few years back when the big game was held in Detroit, and there was no mention of Motown! If they wanted to keep with their parade of old fogey acts, they could have brought out Stevie Wonder. I guarantee he would have brought down the house but instead they had some country act. Don't quote me on that.
This year, they have chosen Bruce Springsteen as the halftime entertainment for the game down in Tampa, FL. I have tremendous respect and admiration for The Boss, but how many people under the age of 25 even know who he is? If not for some Springsteen songs I played in high school band, I probably wouldn't know who he is, either. I realize he has a great resume behind him and all, but given the choice between Springsteen and say...Leona Lewis, I'd have chosen Leona. Much easier on the eyes, and she's relevant to today's crowd.
I may end up being proven wrong, though. Bruce may put on a good show. It just seems that the NFL is still scared of something and they need to stop cowering and grown their balls back!
Things could be worse...they could have chosen Miley Cyrus or the Jonas Bros.
