Super Bowl Violence

I started out a little late watching the Super Bowl, because we waited until almost kickoff to make a trip to the HEB, knowing that it was going to be crowded until then, what with all the parties and cookouts that were being prepared.

When we got home, the game was already about ten minutes under way. But I was in time for the first commercials, which is the only reason I take the time to watch this popular game. The first commercial I saw was for Doritos - and I was appalled. It featured a glass snow globe being hurled into the glass of a vending machine so that the employees could reach in and steal the packs of Doritos. As if that weren't enough, that was followed by someone else hurling the same snowglobe into the crotch of an elderly executive at the company, who collapsed in agony. How clever.

Before the game, I was cheering for the Steelers, mostly because they sort of represent the working class of America. But in the course of the game, I twice saw a huge Pittsburgh Steeler pounding a smaller Cardinal with his fists, long after the play was over, and even though the Cardinal was refusing to hit back. In one of those instances, the player being assaulted had taken off his helmet and was trying to reason with the block of beef who was trying to hurt him. By halftime, I was very much in favor of the Steelers losing by as much as possible. If you can't even practice a little sportsmanship at the Super Bowl, of all games, what does that say about your team?

The violence continued with more commercials. A guy, still in his chair, being thrown out of the fourth floor window because he suggested not buying Budweiser. A woman being covered with pigeons (and you know what pigeons do) because she was using a cell phone. The Jack in the Box guy getting hit by a bus. A woman being insulted and humiliated by a box of cheap flowers - "nobody wants to see you naked" was the final putdown - as her co-workers look on in pity. Meanness was the running theme of this Super Bowl.

Violence aside, the quality of the ads this year was way down. There were no ads that have the potential of starting a campaign - nothing like the Geico gecko, no Budweiser frogs, nothing. We got the usual Clydesdales for old times' sake, I suppose, but nothing really special.

The two best ads of the night were the one for pet adoption (clever and well done), and one for job searches involving a hunting safari chasing down a herd of office chairs. Even those were lame compared to other years. (added: there was also an excellent ad involving a moose in an office).

To put it another way, the NBC promos for upcoming shows were better than anything showing during a football time out. That about says it all.