Super Bowl Sunday is America's largest unofficial holiday, and the event is a spectacle. Last year's telecast averaged 94.5 million viewers, approximately 1/3 of the population of the United States. You don't need to be a football fan to enjoy this game.
The Super Bowl means different things to different people. Some people watch for the commercials or the halftime show. Some watch so they can keep up with the conversation at work. Others just like the parties and food. Heck, some people even watch for the actual game.
And you know what, in the end, it doesn’t really matter why you watch.
With that, here are 44 thoughts about Super Bowl XLIV.
I. Why is the Super Bowl halftime so long? This season, the Colts and Saints have each played 22 games (four preseason, 16 regular season, and two playoff). In each of these games, halftime was 15 minutes long. Now, in the most important game of the year, halftime is 30 minutes long.
II. My favorite commercial from last year’s Super Bowl was the Cash4Gold ad with Hammer and Ed McMahon.
III. This year's Super Bowl may very well be decided by the little guys. During this year's playoffs, winning teams are an incredible 16-for-17 on field-goal attempts. Meanwhile, the losing squads are a pitiful 4-for-16. Obviously, all of these games were not decided by three points or less. However, it is likely that the momentum swings that followed these field-goal attempts directly impacted the outcomes of several games.
IV. Are Indy wideouts Austin Collie and Pierre Garcon really that good, or is it all Peyton Manning?
V. Roman numerals really do make things look more official.
VI. Both the Colts and Saints play their home games in a dome, so there will not be the usual Super Bowl advantage that goes to the "warm weather" team.
VII. Scouts Inc. ranked all the players on both teams (106 players in total). Peyton Manning was first, while Colts wide receiver Samuel Giguere was last.
Giguere played in one game this season (the Colts' meaningless regular-season finale), and did not accumulate a single statistic.
VIII. Since Janet Jackson’s wardrobe malfunction, the Super Bowl halftime acts have been as follows: Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones, Prince, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, Bruce Springsteen and The Who. Next year, Elvis is going to drive on stage in a DeLorean.
IX. Why doesn't Budweiser bring back the Bud Bowl?
X. Super Bowl XLIV will officially be held in South Florida, even though the game will be played at the Miami Dolphins’ stadium, now known as Sun Life Stadium. Why is this? Super Bowl XXXIX was held in Jacksonville, not Northern Florida.
Last year's Super Bowl was held in Tampa Bay, not Central Florida. (This one actually makes no sense, because Tampa Bay is actually a body of water, not a city. But I digress.)
XI. The team that rushes for more yards has won the past nine Super Bowls.
XII. The last time the Colts won the Super Bowl, the game was also played in Miami.
XIII. If you’re searching the web for "How to throw a great Super Bowl party," then you probably shouldn't be hosting a Super Bowl party.
XIV. Why did CBS accept the Tim Tebow Focus on the Family ad, but not the ManCrunch ad?
XV. You may have heard that the Saints' defense "gives up a lot of yards, but creates a lot of turnovers," or that the Colts' defense is "very good against the pass, but has trouble stopping the run."
These statements sound good. The only problem is that the numbers simply do not support the words. Statistically speaking, the Colts' and Saints' defenses are almost identical. It's actually a little scary how close the numbers are.
Saints total yards per game allowed: 357.8 yard per game
Colts total yards per game allowed: 339.2 yard per game
Saints rushing yards allowed: 122.2 yards per game
Colts rushing yards allowed: 126.5 yards per game
Saints passing yards allowed: 235.6 yards per game
Colts passing yards allowed: 212.7 yards per game
Saints points allowed: 21.3 points per game
Colts points allowed: 19.2 points per game
XVI. The Colts allow only 213 passing yards per game. Sounds great, right? Before you "crown their —," as Denny Green would say, consider that the Patriots allowed 210 passing yards per game, and the Saints didn't have much trouble with them.
XVII. Worst Super Bowl ad ever? No question, the appalling Just For Feet ad that literally killed a company. Well, that and accounting fraud. Just For Feet filed for bankruptcy within a year of this commercial. The company no longer exists.
XVIII. The Dwight Freeney ankle saga continues to be a big story, as well it should be. Freeney is a nightmare to try and block. But did you realize that the Colts have two terrific pass rushers in Freeney and Robert Mathis?
Since 2004, Freeney has 60 sacks, while Mathis has 59 1/2.
XIX. The Houston Texans made the right choice during the 2006 NFL draft, when they selected Mario Williams first overall, instead of Reggie Bush.
XX. Why was there even a question as to who Archie Manning would be rooting for? Who would you root for in a fight: your son or your former employer?
XXI. Including the playoffs, the last time the Colts played a meaningful game against a Top 10 offense (yards per game) was Week 10 — against the Patriots.
XXII. Super Bowl locations are announced years ahead of time, and the games are only played in a few locations (Miami and New Orleans have hosted a combined 19 times), yet no team has ever played a Super Bowl in their home stadium.
XXIII. The Colts were tied for second-to-last in the AFC with 19 interceptions thrown this season. (Wait, isn't the perfect Peyton Manning their quarterback?) Meanwhile, the Saints were second-to-worst in the NFC, tossing 26 picks.
XXIV. If the Saints win the Super Bowl, will Mardi Gras last all year long?
XXV. Not much pregame trash talk. I guess everyone's learning.
XXVI. In addition to the coin toss, here are some actual Super Bowl XLIV Prop Bets:
1. Will Reggie Wayne have an even number of receiving yards?
2. During halftime, what song will The Who play first?
3. Will there be a score within the first 7.5 minutes of the game?
4. Will Joseph Addai have a rush of more than 12.5 yards?
5. Over/under on the time it takes to sing the national anthem (1:40)
XXVII. During the Super Bowl, you will hear a lot of all-time stats. For instance, Matt Stover will be the oldest player (42) to ever play in a Super Bowl, or Troy Brown has the most career Super Bowl punts return (8).
But this Sunday, Adam Vinatieri has a chance at a big-time Super Bowl stat. Only one player has five Super Bowl rings, Charles Haley. Vinatieri has four. Vinatieri will not play on Sunday (injured), but he is still on the Indianapolis roster, so a Colts victory would tie Vinatieri with Haley.
This might be a tainted record, though. Would Vinatieri deserve a ring? Absolutely. Would he deserve to be recognized as one of only two players to win five Super Bowls? That's questionable.
XXVIII. Hank Baskett plays for the Colts, though he saw little action this season. If you're wife/girlfriend/sister/mother knows who he is and you don't, this is why.
XXIX. Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers. Turnovers are to football what location is to real estate. Since 1999, only one team has lost the turnover battle and won the Super Bowl (2006 Pittsburgh Steelers).
During the regular season, the Saints were terrific at creating turnover (2.4 per game), but they also gave the ball away at a high rate (1.75 per game). The same goes for the Colts, who committed 1.5 turnovers per game during the regular season.
Of the 12 teams to make the playoff, only the Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets committed more turnovers than either the Saints or Colts.
XXX. In the playoffs, the turnover story has changed. The Saints have one turnover in two games, while the Colts have two. Can either of these teams go three consecutive games without committing more than one turnover?
XXXI. Several weeks ago, Reggie Bush reportedly promised girlfriend Kim Kardashian that he would propose to her if the Saints won the Super Bowl. Can I get "less than three months" in the divorce pool?
XXXII. The NFL recently issued a cease-and-desist order to various New Orleans vendors, in regards to the phrase "Who Dat?" The NFL claimed trademark infringement. They later modified their order by saying “Who Dat” was OK to use, so long as there was no mention of the Saints or the NFL.
XXXIII. Not since 1994 have the two No. 1 seeds met in the Super Bowl. (In that game, the Buffalo Bills lost their fourth consecutive Super Bowl — to the Dallas Cowboys.)
XXXIV. In New England, people always said Tom Brady was the best quarterback because of the rings. Will we still say that if Manning has two?
XXXV. Here is the Super Bowl officiating crew, if you are into that sort of thing.
XXXVI. The people who call ads "advertisements" are probably the same people who call cell phones “cellular phones.”
XXXVII. Saints safety Darren Sharper is one of the best ever. His 63 career interceptions are tied for sixth all-time, with Ronnie Lott. Sharper also has 11 career defensive touchdowns, which is a NFL record.
XXXVIII. Announcers and analysts give defensive players very little chance of winning the Super Bowl MVP. However, the numbers are not horrible. In 43 seasons, eight defensive players have been named Super Bowl MVP. (Two of which were co-MVPs.)
XXXIX. Colts linebacker Garry Brackett was not recruited out of high school, but walked on at Rutgers University. He was not drafted by the NFL, but signed with the Colts as an unrestricted free agent. Brackett is now in his fifth consecutive season as the Colts’ starting middle linebacker, and a great fit for their Cover 2 system.
Brackett also started a terrific charity aimed at helping underprivileged children, the IMPACT Foundation.
XL. It's sad that few real fans have a chance to attend the Super Bowl. The game has become a spectacle, filled with celebrities who just want to be seen.
XLI. Only once in Super Bowl history have both teams scored more than 30 points.
XLII. Ever wonder where all the Super Bowl loser's pre-printed championship apparel goes.
XLIII. On the Monday following the Super Bowl, an average of six percent of the American workforce calls in sick. Can't we just make it a national holiday already?
XLIV. Prediction: Colts 30, Saints 27.
