Superbowl LI

Ahhh...the Superbowl.  This year might be one I might actually remember.  I'm still not over Deflate-Gate but the Patriots really pulled it off.  We watched at home so it was like any other night of watching the clock and waiting until bedtime.  There was excessive screen usage, a new CDVD playing in bedrooms and lots of ignoring of children and between those tactics and DVR I managed to see most of the night's programming.  The laid back Superbowl parties of my youth have ALMOST faded into oblivion.  I try not to think about them.  I did have a few drinks throughout the evening.  The first beer I dug out of the back of the fridge had a "best by" date of May 2015.  Ugh.  What has become of us?

So, I do enjoy the NFL and football action but I, of course, am always interested in the commercials too.  This year there seemed to be a lot of previews for TV shows, movies and video games which are kind of lame.  There was a funny commercial about people being stuck and needing help where a cat had it's head stuck in a Kleenex box that made me laugh.  I don't remember what it was advertising so it must not have made the impact it wanted.  My favorite of the night was the Budweiser commercial that told the story of how Adolphus Busch made his arduous journey to St. Louis as a German immigrant 140 years ago.  I love stories of immigrants from those days.  My own family is filled with records of river boat journeys through the chain of the Great Lakes, tales of babies born on ships and new surnames chosen to make them stand out in America.  But, what do you know...people are boycotting Budweiser over this add because they think it is anti-Trump and pro-immigration.  Whatever people...I don't know how any white person in the U.S. can be offended by this because pretty much ALL people with European descent came to the U.S. with a similar story.  Everyone.  It's still my favorite commercial of the night. 



I liked Lady Gaga's performance.  I don't choose to listen to her music if I am the one making the decision but I acknowledge that she is a very talented entertainer.  She writes her songs herself and designs all the craziness that comes along with her performances and she also plays instruments.  You could tell she was really singing as she ran all over the stage and performed some pretty physically demanding dances which always brings to mind the lame pop singers of my youth (ahem, Britney Spears) who defended their lip synching by saying they couldn't possibly dance and sing at the same time.  Well, someone can...someone besides Bruce Springsteen...

And, while her performance was widely praised of course some A-holes had to find something bad to say so people out there in fabulous Internet land are bashing her "flabby" stomach.  Because of that little tiny roll over the top of those hot pant things she's wearing.  Every woman knows that even the slimmest, fittest person has a bit of softness in that area.  I doubt she cares what everyone thinks.  I'm annoyed though.  It's like a girl can't ever be good enough. 

Now, the most important part of the night...my old NFL crush and former St. Louis Ram is now playing for the Patriots.  Chris Long! 

See the score in the corner there?  This was around the time I started zoning out during the game and fastforwarding to get to the commercials.  I love sports.  They are a reminder that anything can happen, even things that seem completely outlandish! 

At the end they had some footage of Chris and Howie...and Howie's wife...and Chris's wife...and their kid...sigh...Chris has changed over the years.  He is now covered with tattoos and with the eye black all over his face in these pictures he looks like a cast member of the show "Vikings" which I guess I'm OK with. 

Update:  My mom just texted me that the commercial with the cat and the Kleenex box was a Ford commercial.  If you know me you are Face-palming right now.