By Jay Hoberecht

This year’s National Football League Championship takes place on Sunday, February 12^th, in Glendale, Arizona.  It is the 57^th Super Bowl.  According to Nielsen, there are very few American people who have not seen a Super Bowl.  What about this sports extravaganza appeals to you?

The Pre-Game.  In the early years, there was a 30-minute pre-game.  Last year’s pre-game stretched on for five hours.

The Game.  Sure, we all like good, well-played, close games.  Here are my top three Super Bowls in no particular order.  Super Bowl XIII:   Pittsburgh Steelers 35, Dallas Cowboys 31.  It was Terry Bradshaw against Roger Staubach.  Super Bowl III:   New York Jets 16, Baltimore Colts 7.  This one changed the perception of the AFL.  Joe Namath got it done!  Super Bowl XLIX:   New England 28, Seattle Seahawks 24.  A classic championship game between two great teams!  Was it the best ever Super Bowl?

The Food.  Every good Super Bowl watch party has plenty of food.  We ate more than 12.5 million pizzas on game day last year.  The favorite topping was pepperoni.  We consumed 1.42 billion chicken wings.  Plus, all the chips and dips to try!  What about the fellowship of family and friends hanging out critiquing the game?

The Commercials.  The commercials have been epic over the years.  Budweiser’s Bud Bowl I was so popular that seven more followed over the years.  Plus, the Budweiser Clydesdale horses made several appearances.  Coca Cola’s “ Hey Kid, Catch” with “Mean Joe Green in 1979 was a hit.  McDonalds, Fed Ex, and the NFL with their “100^th Year Game” in 2019 all had special commercials.

The Half Time Shows.  In 1989, Coca Cola provided fans with 3D glasses for a halftime show called

“BeBop Bamboozied”.  In 1993, Michael Jackson performed a medley of hits.  Remember the “wardrobe malfunction” in 2004.  Billboard magazine called Prince’s performance in 2007 the greatest halftime show.

What do you love about the Super Bowl?