Super Bowl lives up to the hype

Ray Luna
Contributing Writer

Going into the biggest game of the year there is always intense media coverage. Almost every form of media, from TV and radio, to Internet and newspaper, there are always non-stop opinions. This year, with the New England Patriots and their pursuit of perfection, was no different.

The game was like a match made in East Coast heaven: dynasty vs. heavy underdog, New York City vs. Boston, Manning vs. Brady. (Oh, wait, wrong Manning; never mind that last one.) Nevertheless, the game was one that East Coast media could have only dreamed up.

So going into Super Bowl Sunday I was skeptical of how good the action was going to be. My thoughts were with the Patriots, the only team since the ’72 Miami Dolphins to go undefeated during the regular season.

After the Giants knocked out the No. 1 and 2 seeds in the NFC by close margins both times, it only made sense that the Patriots would take this championship easily.

Sports never make sense, and neither did this game. The Patriots offense was not the overpowering force it had been in the previous 18 games, and the Giants defense was magnificent.

Most games that are defensive slugfests are hard to watch, that was not the case with this Super Bowl. With the exception of the third quarter, this was an edge-of-your-seat kind of game.

When the game reached the fourth quarter I found myself rooting for the Giants, rooting against history. What I failed to realize was that this game was history, the biggest upset of my life, a game that I will be talking about to my grandchildren one day.

This game was everything the media made you believe it would be, except nothing like what the media thought it would be. I live for games like that.

Super Bowl entertainment falls short at halftime

Tracy Woods
Entertainment reporter

Before “Eazy E” and the Giants “stomped out” the Pats, Fox’s pre-game featured my “future baby-mama” Alicia Keys performing an awesome medley of some of her hot songs from her albums “Diary,” “As I Am,” and “Songs in A Minor.” She sang “No One,” off “As I Am,” but I really think she should’ve thrown in “Like You'll Never See Me Again.”

Then the latest “American Idol” Jordin Sparks, looking AMAZING I might add, came out and lip-synched the national anthem to get the game started. (Who cares if she faked it, she won “AI6,” what else does she need to prove?)

Then came the halftime show. I don’t even know what to say except a big, angry, sarcastic, THANKS A LOT to JT and Janet for Tom Petty and the freaking Heartbreakers.

I understand the Valentine’s theme (the Heartbreakers on a heart-shaped stage); I understand the “team-themed” songs (not all of them, just the last three, “I Won't Back Down” and “Runnin' Down a Dream” for New York and “Free Falling” for New England); I even understand having them perform to promote their upcoming tour.

What I DON’T understand is why Commissioner Goodell can’t get an artist with a hit in the last two decades to NOT flash the crowd? The NFL was so mad about children watching the Super Bowl and being exposed to Ms. Jackson’s “chestal region” they decided to put performers no one under 50 would want to watch.

So Journey, Foreigner, Fleetwood Mac, get ready, Coach Goodell might be sending you in the game come Super Bowl 43.

Actually, a Journey halftime show might not be that bad…

GO NINERS!

Super Bowl commercials almost generate more hype than the game

Tessa Benavides
Sports/Entertainment Editor

At one time the Super Bowl created enough media hype and audience excitement just with the teams playing, however I don’t really know if anyone can still vividly remember those days. It seems now that on top of the halftime entertainment, which some may say is starting to fall short, a great deal of attention is given to the Super Bowl commercials.

On post-Super Bowl Monday morning, everyone was talking not only about their favorite play, the call they disagreed with the most, but which commercials worked for them and which didn’t.

I can’t say whether or not this year’s Super Bowl commercials were any better or any worse than last year’s because, frankly, it’s not like I can remember any specific one. And that is what makes the Super Bowl commercials so interesting. Sure, they are something to talk about now, but they fade fast. They are quickly forgotten, more so than the game or halftime show are.

So I could spend this blog talking about which commercials I liked and which ones fell short, but what’s the point? In a few months, we will barely remember them.

But what I can guarantee is that we all went out and bought the products they advertised. Or, well, almost all of the products. Did anyone run out and buy an Audi?