Football in today’s media landscape is a cultural throwback.  The weekly TV broadcasts are perhaps the last remaining events when Americans watch the same TV shows at the same time. And, the Super Bowl is the biggest example of holding a mass audience together.  Even the ratings powerhouse, “60 Minutes” showed reruns against the game.

This year’s game was close enough to keep viewers interested.  The era of online gambling has made it even a more attractive game for the serious and social player.  The Bengals were a close underdog and delivered enough to make the Rams sweat till the end.  It seems that the better team won the battle.  The Ram’s MVP controversy was a good story.  All three: Donald, Kupp, and Stafford(my choice) seemed deserving.  Who would you have chosen?

The Halftime show curated by Dr. Dre featured headlining legends of hip-hop.  It was the first all hip-hop performance and seemed to be welcomed by the cheering Los Angeles crowd.  The 15 minutes was lively, varied, and well directed.  I liked Snoop and Eminem the most.  Which performer was your favorite?

For many viewers, the commercials are the highlight of the show.  This year’s commercials were heavy on throwbacks.  New Frito-Lay and Budweiser spots were back after years on the sideline.  My favorite was a look ahead at the “Sopranos”.  The commercial, directed by the “Sopranos” creator David Chase, featured Meadow Soprano driving an electric Chevy Silverado to the propulsive theme song of the show that introduced the show for 7 seasons had me clapping along. Plugging the EV into a charging station and meeting her TV brother was the climactic moment!

Some huge stars made appearances that were hilarious.  Jim Carrey returned as a Cable Guy and Mike Myers as Dr. Evil.  Larry David, playing the ultimate cynic, put down the wheel, light bulbs, and crypto as useless inventions. Did you have a favorite commercial?

All in all, the Super Bowl was an entertaining night of Television!