Today’s the day! Millions of sports fans and disparate families will come together over something that rarely fails to capture the solid attention of a nation. Super Bowl LVII, with its snazzy purple logo, has come to sweep America off its feet. Dozens of highly skilled paragons of fitness and power will face off to determine which team’s dedication and teamwork will earn it the title of very best.
Yet somehow, the most exciting aspects never have to do with the game itself. Whether it’s the food, the people, or the side shows, I find myself getting the most excited for the Super Bowl traditions that have the least to do with the game. These are a few of those exceptional items.
The Puppy Bowl, a parallel competition of elite warriors, features an adorable lineup of puppies! They play with tiny footballs, they sometimes bump into each other, and every now and then they’ll score a point. It’s basically the same! Typically the Puppy Bowl airs a few hours before the Super Bowl, but I always like to start with the main event.
During the actual football game, one yearly tradition never fails to bring me joy: the absurd advertisements. I learned recently that a 30 second ad slot during the Super Bowl costs more than $7 million. That means the puppy-monkey-baby commercial was a $7 million endeavor. What’s tragic is that I don’t even remember which company that ad was made for… If I ever spend that much money on an advertisement, remind me to make it count.
Then there’s the half-time show, the moment that even true football-haters live for. Ever since that one shark from Katy Perry’s year stole my heart, I live for it too! It seems like the artists are either worse live or eerily perfect, and I love seeing each year pull stunts to one-up the last. Recently, my family and I like to analyze the background dancers and look for the next fun clip.
Finally, I get excited about the food. Wings, loaded potatoes, chili, and more. The whole block brings something to eat! When my family signed on for a cold dessert, I knew exactly what to do. Suzy’s Swirl catering doesn’t quite come in bowls, but I always preferred Super Cups anyway. ;)
“I want to rush for 1,000 or 1,500 yards, whichever comes first”
George Rogers, former Saints Running Back