It’s an event that involves billions of dollars and affects of millions of Americans. It’s also an occasion that generally leaves the rest of us puzzled.
PETER OLIVER, once a defensive tackle for Michigan-based outfit Lake Fenton Blue Devils, dissects Super Bowl XLVI…
IT’S the game that stops a nation, and generally leaves the rest of the world confused and wondering what all the fuss is about. It is, of course, the annual NFL Super Bowl.
For those who care, on Monday morning/afternoon the New York Giants upset the favourites, the New England Patriots 21-17 in a ripper of a game to claim the Vince Lombardi trophy in Superbowl XLVI.
It was a game that had a bit of everything; some savage hits (when you get pole-axed midair, no amount of padding is going to help you), some brilliant offensive plays, and a super close finish that went right down to the final play.
Tom Brady’s Patriots were expected to do the business, and were favourites (I had a small nibble at the Patriots by 1-6 points, which nearly paid off), but the Giants made the big plays when it counted.
It was also the match when Giants quarterback Eli Manning well-andtruly stepped out of the shadow of his older brother Peyton Manning, winning his second Superbowl and second MVP (amazingly, it always seems to be the quarterback who wins the plaudits, never their hardworking linemen who create the space and time the QB needs).
Of course, whenever the Super Bowl rolls around, it invariably draws utterly pointless comparisons with rugby league and union, with the leaguies and raa-raas claiming their sport is much tougher, and the pads and helmets make the NFL players soft.
It’s futile to compare American Football to any of Australia’s other footballing codes; each one is unique, requiring different skill sets, and each one is very tough in its own way.
And make no mistake, American football is a tough sport.
The number of former players who are now suffering brain injuries from years of concussions is staggering, and the NFL now treats chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease caused by repeated concussions, very seriously.
Australians haven’t warmed to American football in ways some other countries have. A quick glance at Facebook or Twitter shows the scorn and derision Australians heap upon the sport, with many of them (quite understandably) finding it too stopstart, slow or just plain confusing. However, the Super Bowl is more than just the game; it’s an entire event.
There’s a reason why 21 Super Bowls have featured in the top 45 rating shows in American TV, and last year’s Super Bowl was the highest rated program in American television broadcast history.
Not a bad effort at all.
People across the US throw Super Bowl parties, and I’d like to see figures on how many people chuck a sickie on the day after.
Probably one of the main reasons that Australians battle to embrace the Super Bowl is that they don’t show some of the famous ads, which screen during breaks in play. Do yourself a favour, jump on YouTube and check them out.
When the advertisers are paying $3.5m for a 30 second ad spot, it encourages them to be clever. And the vast majority of them are. Chrysler in particular has produced two brilliant ads in the past two years, featuring Eminem and Clint Eastwood.
The ads are just part of the Super Bowl spectacle; along with the halftime show, which this year was performed by octogenarian material girl Madonna, who lip-synced and grinded her way through a 12 minute ‘best of’.
There certainly have been better Super Bowl half time shows (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers put on a fantastic set a couple of years back; again, I’d recommend you check it out on YouTube).
The Super Bowl may not ever catch on here in Australia, but while ever umpteen million Americans tune in, advertisers pay the equivalent of Ghana’s GDP for a bit of advertising, and the games go down to the wire, I really doubt the NFL will care.
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