Random Thoughts: Super Bowl LVI

Joe Burrow being folded into a small origami swan by Aaron Donald.

I've been a fan of NFL football since I was a little kid, which was about 750 years ago. I know some stuff about football; I participate in pools every year, I follow the ups and downs and ins and outs of every team in the league. And don't get me wrong; the game of football is fucked up in many ways. It's a violent sport that causes irreparable injury on many levels to nearly every player. And fully admitting my awareness of that fact, I still enjoy the hell out of it.

Here on the day following Super Bowl LVI, I don't have a lot to say, but a few things merit inclusion in this ongoing log of random whatever.

1. It Wasn't a Great Game

It was an okay game at best. I mean, it was close and wasn't decided until the last minute or so. But the overall play of both the Rams and the Bengals wasn't nearly as dynamic and exciting as nearly all of the playoff games that led up to the big one. Poor throws, dropped passes, porous offensive lines, very few big runs, a mostly conservative game plan... it was okay. If it tells you anything, ESPN's NFL Power Rankings the day after the game has the Chiefs and the Bills in the #1 and #2 spot, and neither of them even played in the big game.

Side note: despite being born in Cincinnati and living nearly my whole life in the greater LA area, I'm not a fan of either team, which made watching the game a lot less stressful.

The only other football-related note is that Joe Burrow is a young and very talented guy. You would assume it's an automatic given that he'll be back in another Super Bowl soon. Well, there was another guy who was one of the best quarterbacks of his generation, and he also made it to one Super Bowl in his second season... and never went back. His name is Dan Marino. I'm just saying... there are no guarantees, in sports or life or otherwise.

Speaking of QBs, is this guy a future hall of fame inductee? Despite having now won a Super Bowl, I'm not seeing Matthew Stafford as one of the all-time greats, but I suppose we'll see what happens with the rest of his career.

2. The Halftime Show Was Amazing

I couldn't be happier about the halftime show, because it was long overdue. How laughable is it that the hip hop world was never made a part of the NFL's biggest event until now? The show, centered around Dr. Dre and featuring Snoop Dogg, Mary J Blige, Eminem, Kendrick Lamar, and a surprise appearance by 50 Cent, managed to be both too nostalgic for some and too Black for others. That made it pretty much perfect for me. The fact that conservative pundits were aghast about the show showed me that they did all the right things. I'd place it as the second best Super Bowl halftime show of all time, behind only Prince.

Didn't see it? You should, and I don't care if you're a person who can't relate to rap. Note that you can't see it here; the NFL is out to get me personally. No, just kidding. They just want to control the experience of their content, and... no, they hate me, they do. It's all true.

3. The Ads Were Ads

Much like the game itself, the ads were okay. Some were awful. Some were sorta great. Few were very effective. None were revolutionary. On a personal basis, as a longterm fan of The Sopranos, the spot for the new Chevy Silverado EV truck featuring Jamie-Lynn Sigler and Robert Iler was absolutely enthralling.

This ad was aimed right at me, and it hit.

Some other ads sort of worth mentioning, I guess...

• Alexa/Mind Reader with Colin Jost and Scarlett Johansson.
• Toyota Tundra/Joneses.
• Lay's Potato Chips with Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen.
• The ad with the bouncing QR code that there was no way in hell I was going to scan. These fucking cryptocurrency people can all fuck themselves.

4. Snacking

I read a stat that I found hard to believe, but apparently it's true that Americans eat more food on Super Bowl Sunday than on any day of the year with the exception of Thanksgiving. For me, the Super Bowl is a spectacle of delicious snacking, rather than big meals. Kat came through once again this year with her incredibly good guacamole. 

Kat's famous Super Bowl guac. Avocados, garlic, cilantro, Serrano peppers,  lime, red onion. Prep an hour ahead of the game, let the flavors intermingle. Simple and delicious.

We also did a little more frou-frou snacking later in the evening, breaking out a truffle tapenade that was lovely with some sesame water crackers and Jarlsberg cheese. After the game ended, a barrage of various explosions shook our neighborhood via my fellow LA-area residents who were happy about the victory. I'm glad for all the true old-school Rams fans. I'd enjoy seeing my Raiders get back there someday, hopefully sooner than later.

Anyway, that was Super Bowl Sunday. I enjoyed it. As usual, I'm going to miss the NFL season while it's gone. I always do.