Monday, February 08, 2010

But, but , when could we go to the bathroom?




For all those gathered around the television set, Sunday's Super Bowl had many sub plots during the marathon television extravaganza.

Would the Colts ever get the ball back into Peyton Manning's hands (as things turned out rarely), would the Saints manage to bring the biggest Mardi Gras trinket back to New Orleans in time for the party (they did). Would Pete Townshend or Roger Daltrey need oxygen or a defib machine before the end of their set (they didn't) and how did they get Dave, Jay and Oprah onto the same set (ah but we know, see later)

Super Bowl Sunday provided a full afternoon of entertainment leading up the a first time victory by the New Orleans Saints, a hard earned championship that probably had everyone (well outside of the Greater Indianapolis area) feeling pretty good for the Crescent city as they rooted along with each point appearing on the scoreboard.

The game provided much in the way of thrills, a stellar game plan put together by the Saints coaching staff saw the offense keep the Colts marquee player Peyton Manning off the field for a good portion of the second and third quarters, when he was on the field an untimely interception proved to be the game breaker for the Saints.


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By games end Drew Brees would be the MVP, Bourbon Street was rocking and if New Orleans had delayed their municipal elections by but one week we suspect Brees would probably have been the write in candidate for Mayor of that city as well.

The half time show provided those closing in on their sunset years with a chance to relive the sixties with Pete Townshend and Roger Daltrey, helped out by Ringo Starr's young lad on the drums. They provided a fast paced set of tunes, reviving some of the most memorable of moments from The Who songbook, those to young to remember the sixties instead were probably going hey, is CSI on now!

It was an energetic break, highlighted by a remarkable visual display of flashing lights, laser beams, smoke and flash pots, perhaps helping to distract from the fact that the two main performers weren't moving around as much as they once were known to do.



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But, as usual on a Super Bowl Sunday, away from the action on the field and the hype of the stage show at the half it was the stuff that filled the rest of the time that will have many talking this morning.

Super Bowl Sunday provides a five hour window of advertising that pits some of the most creative ads of the year up against each making for the most anticipated focus group that Madison Avenue has. In most years, depending on the outcome of the game and how it played out, the ads become the story, the most memorable event of the day's broadcast.

Perhaps not this year however, the Saints with their back story of carrying the hopes and dreams of their city on their shoulders into the game will most likely dominate the discussion now.

Still, there was much to watch and debate from the onslaught of advertising.

The always entertaining Bud Light commercials, the collapse of the Montgomery Burns financial empire, Betty White playing some smash mouth football and a promo spot for CBS's late night programming featured Oprah trying to work her peace keeping magic on Dave and Jay were some of the highlights of a full roster of ads.

While the New York Times suggests that this was not the advertising industries best effort ever, there were still some worthwhile thirty second comedies or dramas to keep us close to the television set.

USA Today has once again provided a recap of all of Sunday's merchandising vignettes, as well as the chance to vote on which one had the most impact on the viewers of the broadcast.
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For those that can't remember, or had to answer nature's call at a most inopportune time. The full review can be found here.


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