Friday, February 4, 2011

As I have said in the past I truly believe Super Bowl Sunday is one of the biggest holidays of the year, except it’s not a holiday and not even on calendars. Yet many of the things we associate with holidays will occur on Sunday. Families and friends will get together, food and drink will be consumed in large quantities, homes will be decorated and then on Monday more people will take a sick day than any other over the course of the year.

The game itself has evolved from a simple football game to a mega-event which has become part of the fabric of American life. Sunday night’s meeting between the Packers and Steelers will be the most-watched TV show of the year and the post-game analysis will find as much conversation about the commercials as the game itself. FOX has the game this year and will use the opportunity to air a special episode of their hit show “Gleee” immediately following which will no doubt earn monster ratings unless the game ends so late than nobody on the East Coast can stay awake. The tradition of using that spot to feature another show actually began in 1978 when CBS showed a Super Bowl-themed “All in the Family” when the game ended. So Archie Bunker did change television in more than one way.

Anyway for real football fans the problem is that it seems at times the game is rather insignificant because of all the pomp and circumstance over things like the commercials, the singing of the National Anthem, the halftime show and the glitz and glitter that will no doubt occur inside Cowboys Stadium.

Here’s a couple of interesting facts…at least I think they are interesting:
• The Packers are 2 ½ point favorites which is good news is you’re a Green Bay fan because the favorite has won 32 of the previous 44 Super Bowls.
However the Steelers are an impressive 6-1 in their Super Bowl appearances
and their 8th trip to the big game ties then with the Dallas Cowboys.
• 8 million pounds of guacamole will be consumed Sunday along with 22,000
tons of chips and 9 million slices of pizza. The only other day with more food eaten is Thanksgiving.
• More people will be involved in an alcohol-related accident on Sunday than another other day of the year except St. Patrick’s Day.
• The average number of people at a Super Bowl party is 17 but 5% of Americans will watch the game by themselves.
• The Packers will win the game 31-27 on a touchdown in the final 2 mins.