Quick hits on the Super Bowl

Mon, 02/02/2009 - 8:55am

This is an age when it's fashionable to complain about everything in America going downhill. So it's worth pointing out that, compared to my youth, the Super Bowl is an event that has improved with age. This past decade the games have been far more competitive than the first 25 Super Bowls. The NFL has been smart enough to dispense with the military metaphors. Even the halftime shows have gotten better -- props to Bruce Springsteen.

Yesterday's game was thrilling, if a bit sloppy and very chippy. There was some excellent scrambling from Ben Roethlisberger and some outstanding wide receiver play (also a more recent and pleasant change: wide receivers with exceptional talent who don't shoot off their mouths, or their hips).

While the game was good, I'm not so sure about the ads. I liked the one with Jason Statham, and I loved the one with Conan O'Brien. Otherwise, it seemed like a down year. Enough with the f$%^ing Clydesdales, Budweiser. And that Alec Baldwin Hulu ad was funny peculiar more than funny ha-ha.

Readers, what did you think?

Daniel W. Drezner | Permalink | | Comments? Login or register
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Football? Who? Where?

by dcoffin on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 11:59am

There was a football game yesterday? Who was playing? Who won?

Why not Finland?

by Jay Gadsden on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 12:00pm

The Conan ad would have been funnier if the place were the ad was set to run was Finland instead of Sweden. Conan had a very funny trip to Finland after it came to light that he was very popular in Finland and somewhat resembled the country's female prime minister.

The biggest hit among the ad's among the people I watched the game with was the one for careerbuilder with the woman streaming in her car on the way to work, the man getting called a dummy, etc... Although the ad seemed more appropriate for times when people were job-hopping with ease.

The snow globe

by Brett on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 12:29pm

The snow globe fortune-telling ad was my favorite one. It was the kind of humor that the show "Family Guy" would probably do.

The referees put a huge

by Buzz Killington on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 1:12pm

The referees put a huge damper on what would have otherwise been a classic. The first thing I will always think of when I recall this Super Bowl is the atrocious, and suspicious, work of the officials. Heads need to roll for not even reviewing the last play of the game.

Well, the first 24, anyway

by dubl59zy on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 8:54pm

You might recall that SB 25 finished 20-19. Can't get much more competitive than that.

gold4cash

by paul81 on Mon, 02/02/2009 - 11:49pm

The Gold4Cash ad with MC Hammer and Ed McMahon was definitely one of the best. Can't believe it hasn't gotten more publicity, although it did air kind of late, if I remember right.

Weak Crop of Commercials

by Groomsman on Tue, 02/17/2009 - 11:28am

I thought this year had a very weak crop of commercials...even the Doritos commercial that many people thought was one of the best, was just OK, in my opinion. You'd figure that a company spending millions of dollars for just a few seconds would hire the 'best of the best' in the TV ad business, but I guess not. Or maybe the 'best of the best' is not the best!

Groomsman