The Super Bowl "After Party"

Thoughts, observations, and reactions from Super Bowl 57

They Ruined the Ending!

Like a great movie that finishes with a dud, the action was tremendous and highly entertaining, but as the drama built to a thrilling conclusion, a cheap and incidental defensive penalty call against the Eagles decided the game. So disappointing and so wrong.

Oh, what fun it would have been to see the Chiefs kick the field goal (as they would have been forced to do), and then watch and see if the Eagles, under intense time pressure, could drive for a final winning touchdown, or a game-tying field goal to go overtime, or if the Kansas City defense could get the big hold to win the game.

But all that went down the tubes with the pitiful ticky-tack call that effectively ended the game.

QB Greatness!

Both star quarterbacks played phenomenally. Jalen Hurts did everything, making clutch passes and scoring three running touchdowns, while Patrick Mahomes cemented himself as one of the top quarterbacks all-time by winning the MVP award while playing, basically, on one leg. Not bad for a guy who lost his starting job in college and had to transfer schools (Hurts) and another who pro scouts said baseball was his best route to stardom (Mahomes).

You Know it's a Big Game When…

During the pre-game (which, by the way, went on FOREVER!), the announcers stated, “and we will be right back after this for the coin toss.” For the coin toss? An advertising tease for the flip of a coin? Only in the Super Bowl.

New Announcers

Kind of refreshing to get a break from the usual big game announcers like Jim Nantz, Tony Romo, and Joe Buck. First time in the spotlight guys, Kevin Burkhardt and Greg Olsen, were very good. What I like best is they didn’t talk too much. They let the game play out. And Olsen, the ex-Chicago Bear, did question the final holding call, although I would have liked him to be a little stronger in his criticism, considering the moment.

We Miss You, Whitney!

Country star Chris Stapleton sang the National Anthem. It was ok, I guess, but just okay. Not as inspiring as it could have been, in my humble opinion. Maybe the dearly departed Whitney Houston just set the bar too darn high.

Time Out on the Halftime Show

I have two comments on the halftime show. One, give Rhianna credit for doing that energy-laced performance while pregnant, (surprise, surprise) and still keeping up with the male dancers.

Secondly, and I am no prude, but…part of that show was waaaay too sexualized. The movements? The actions? The insinuations? The lyrics? Especially in the first half of the show, to me, were absolutely NOT appropriate for an audience that includes young kids-both boys and girls.

I have said this about other recent halftime Super Bowl shows, but apparently, nobody listens to me, and the beat goes on.

The Stars Come Out to Wow

It was almost like an all-star game for actors with appearances in commercials. Will Ferrell, Ben Stiller, Alicia Silverstone, Serena Williams, Paul Rudd, Brie Larsen, Adam Driver, Maya Rudolph, Jon Hamm, John Travolta, Amy Schumer, Pete Davidson, Nick Jonas, and Bradley Cooper…just to name a few.

And the Winner is…

A lot of really clever commercials, but in what obviously could be an unending debate, I will give my award to two commercials. The tie goes between the “I’m stuck on Pringles” ad, where people perform everyday activities with a Pringles can stuck to their hand because they got caught reaching all the way down for that last chip, and the Doritos “triangle shape” commercial, which had a classic ending featuring Elton John. Both were creative, funny, AND got their product name awareness across in full measure.

Slippery When Wet

What the heck did they put on the turf at Arizona’s home stadium? Players were slipping and sliding all game long. Right from the beginning, you could see it would be a problem. It definitely affected numerous points of the game, and almost caused some serious injuries.

Stop With the Replays!

Okay, I am all for using replay to make up for a call that was obviously wrong. But when players like Devontae Smith and Travis Kelce make sensational catches, and then we have to go to replay and watch 16 different angles to see if they ever so slightly bobbled the ball as they hit the ground. Please. That is what we call paralysis through overanalysis. The naked eye, and any average football fan can see they were legitimate catches.e do not need a play-by-play, painstakingly slow technological breakdown of every single angle, to tell us differently. If it is blatant, change the call and do it quickly, and if not? Play on!

And Finally…

There were many previews for upcoming movies. Some with potential, some others? Maybe not. The one that fascinated me was the preview for Cocaine Bear. Wow. Who comes up with a script or even the idea for that one? And where did they find actors willing to act in close up, physical scenes with what looked to me like an actual bear!

That was a real bear right? Sure looked that way, but you never know these days with technological advancements and video enhancements. If so, could be the first animal ever to be nominated for an Oscar? Better yet, maybe his trainer should be the one to get nominated.

Cocaine Bear? Well, at least it got me thinking of something other than that blown referee’s call that ruined the end of what was a truly great game!