Time to Punt

Like some incredibly huge number of other Americans, I watched the S_per B_wl (I've used cryptonyms to avoid the wrath of the NFL for copyright infringement) last night. Can't say that I was impressed. I didn't watch much of the actual football game -- I tuned in to watch the advertisements. And I wasn't impressed with the ads either. What up with that? Did the ad agencies run out of creative juice? Even some of the funnier ads were merely updating some of the ads from last year's "big game."

What has animated me regarding the "super" event is what happen when the pigskin was nowhere in sight. Let's start with the NFL's megalomania. The NFL has initiated lawsuits against several churches for planning "Super Bowl" parties where the game would be viewed on large projection screens. Plus, I'm generally on-plussed about the League's over-strict enforcement of the copyright on the brand name "Super Bowl." Why the league can't see that widespread use of the term "Super Bowl" amounts to free advertising for the sports gala. Come on, I have an MBA and am a big supporter of the profit motive, but keeping the Eat Podunk Christian Church for gathering on Sunday evening to view the game on a projection screen system is ludicrous. I mean, that's another 30+ people watching the game, seeing all of the money-generating advertising. What's the big problem?

My other disconnect is -- you guessed it -- His Purple Badness. That's right, I'm talking about Prince. Where did they dig him up? Can't he just be content with cameo spots on 80s and 90s music specials on VH1? While I will grant you that he has a decent voice and plays the guitar fairly well, he is just too obscene for me. Today on the Laura Ingraham Show, they are debating on whether or not his shadow play against a curtain was an obscene phallic display or merely the Purple Wonder being dramatic. I just wish he would go the way of Vanilla Ice.

Maybe next year I'll just skip the Super Bowl.

Postscript
It wasn't until after I made my initial posting that I heard about Tony Dungy's remarks at the awarding of the Lombardi Trophy. Here are Coach Dungy's words:

“I tell you what, I’m proud to be representing African-American coaches, to be the first African-American coach to win this,” Dungy said. “It means an awful lot to our country. But again, more than anything, I said it before, Lovie Smith and I, not only the first two African-Americans, but Christian coaches showing you can win doing it the Lord’s way. We’re more proud of that.” (emphasis mine)

It makes me proud to hear Dungy and Smith give credit to the Lord for their success.