Super Bowl Musings

Random musings, observations and opinions post-Super Bowl from the Bradley Brown team.

image courtesy Annie O'Neill

Susie
After a week of miserable winter weather, which included an ice storm, a snow storm and day-after-day of endless snow shoveling and school closings, Super Bowl Sunday dawned with balmy, sunny weather—maybe it was an omen. The Pittsburgh Steelers fans were outside en mass enjoying the remarkable weather and, as always, getting fired-up for what proved to be a record-breaking Super Bowl. The Steelers are an enormous part of Pittsburgh and its pride and its heritage. And despite what the WSJ says about "sports mania being a poor substitute for economic success," the Steelers achieve great things for the image and the spirit (and the economy!) of Pittsburgh. Sunday's win was a testament to the positive energy this team creates for its hometown.

Megan
So I wanted to punch a koala when Hartwig got called for holding in the end zone. And I'm not speaking to Chris Keamatu. But I love my Steelers. Things I loved. Tone playing like the superstar he is. (But will they put him on a Corn Flakes box to replace Phelps?) Harrison's can-you-believe-it run. Ben not getting MVP. The CareerBuilder and "Free Doritos" ads. Obama calling out Jessica Simpson's "weight battles" during the Lauer interview. The "Berger! Berger! Berger!" chanting at my family's party every time Mitch took the field. Joe "I want to kiss you" Namath giving LeBeau a smooch before the trophy presentation. Jennifer Hudson's rendition of the National Anthem.
Not so much. Alex Flanagan's sideline reports. Sure, she's cute, but did she even know she was at the Superbowl? John Turtorro hawking Heineken. The downright mean Teleflora ad. Brenda Warner's hair. Cris Collinsworth. One too many smackdowns by Mel Blount has made this tool the ultimate Steelers hater. Madden in high-def.

Paul
When I'm watching sports (or most anything) on TV, I always mute the commercials. I tire of the same pitches repeated ad nauseam: big trucks that haul mountains, libido drugs that cause migraines, and American beer that's DRINKABLE! Whatever that means. So when Super Bowl time rolls around, I'm excited to see what the best creative minds in the business can do to top these lackluster gems. Top dog for me this year? CareerBuilder. I loved the shot of the woman in her car screaming and pounding the steering wheel. And the follow-up bit where the boss walks past a cubicle and says, "Hey dummy" to a co-worker. I'm gonna try that one. But according to USA Today's Ad Meter, the "top dog" teams from Madison Avenue were beaten by two unemployed, self-proclaimed "nobodies from nowhere" who created the Doritos crystal ball commercial. USA Today ranked their Doritos commercial as the Super Bowl ad victor and predicted that the spot could be a game changer for the advertising industry. That I would surely like to see. I just pray that they put the Clydesdales out to pasture once and for all.

Lori
Wow! I've never experienced such a wide range of emotions within such a short period of time, but that amazing game was well worth it. I watched the game with about 40 crazed fans at a photo studio in Lawrenceville, which made the experience even more exciting and memorable. Everybody was so loud that you couldn't hear the announcer. Funny to think about every Steelers fan in the world simultaneously screaming at their television screens. My favorite line was when someone yelled: "Hey Kurt Warner's wife, the 80s called and they want their hairdo back!" Ouch. The incredible plays made the high-priced ads pale in comparison. Or was it that my party crowd was so loud I couldn't hear the ads? And I can't decide which play was more exciting: Harris' interception and 100 yard return or Holmes' miraculous last-minute touchdown reception. Either way, we've made history and it's a great day for the city. Go Steelers! Go Pittsburgh!

Christine
The couches were arranged and positioned directly in front of the television. The week seemed to have lasted a year in anticipation of Super Bowl XLIII with my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers. I can go on and on about the absolutely fabulous plays in the game —the beast Harrison running 100 yards for a touchdown at the end of the first half and Holmes with the amazing catch on his toes to win the game. And typical Steelers style of ending the game with a stressful, dramatic finish. But I must say that my favorite part of the Super Bowl, apart from The Boss rocking the knee slide into the camera man at the age of 59, was the presence of Pittsburghers in Tampa. The electric energy extended a thousand miles down the East Coast. Being a Pittsburgh Steelers fan is an experience in itself. Waving the Terrible Towel, shaking our pom-poms, and screaming woo-hoo until we needed Chloraseptic throat spray. I am a very proud Pittsburgher and Steelers fan today!

Matt
My Super Bowl Sunday started early. Taking advantage of the nice weather, I took my kids outside to burn some energy—making snowmen, sledding and playing in the snow. Starting at 6 PM it was my turn to commandeer the TV! Other than having heart palpitations over the game, I got my 6 yr. old son excited about the 3-D Monster vs. Alien promo. One problem: we couldn't find his 3-D glasses until five minutes after it happened. To avoid a "situation," I told him they may air it again, hoping he would forget—which he did. And I wasn't overly impressed with most of the commercials. The Doritos commercials were good, but top honors go to the Coca-Cola picnic commercial with animated insects for its artistic quality. Hats off to the CGI artist that pulled it off!

Do you have a great Super Bowl story or celebration/victory parade photo?
Share it with us and we may publish it in a follow-up Super Bowl Off-Press.

 

Thanks for reading.