• 
• CLASS
• JOBS
• AUTO
• HOMES

A few thoughts about Packer-less Super Bowl

Here are a few thoughts about the Super Bowl.

Wow, could NBC have offered any more pregame coverage? My wife flipped on the TV at 11:30—a full six hours before game time, and pregame hype was already on. Even though Cheryl was doing a craft project and I was reading, we grew tired of it all before the game started and tuned elsewhere for a while.

What did you find most interesting? While I enjoyed Aaron Rodgers’ commentary, the most powerful segment we saw was the tragic story about former New Orleans Saints hero Steve Gleason.

I was pulling for the Giants. I figured that, between these two teams, neither of which I like much, it’s better to have the team win it all so you can say that at least the Packers got beat by the best.

Did you enjoy Madonna’s halftime show? I wasn’t too impressed. We noticed her slight stumble off the bleachers. I liked Madonna back in the day, but now she and her music seem like has-beens. Cheryl and I missed the one-fingered salute by guest singer M.I.A.—and NBC apparently failed to see it in time to delete it with its six-second-delay feature. Apparently, NBC’s crew of 475 (see Tom Miller’s column in Sunday’s Gazette) weren’t enough to do the job.

What was your favorite commercial? None offered the slapstick that triggered gut-rolling laughs from years past (remember a couple of years ago when the grumpy caveman walked out of his cave and got stomped by a huge dinosaur?). I did, however, like the two by Doritos—one with a dog and the other with an older woman and baby. Cheryl liked the trio for Coke featuring the cartoon polar bears. I also liked the Ferris Bueller (Honda) one but didn’t much care for Jerry Seinfeld’s, even though I loved the “Seinfeld” series. I enjoyed Budweiser’s Prohibition one and Chrysler’s two-minute commercial with Clint Eastwood. The ones featuring Victoria’s Secret model Adriana Lima for Teleflora and the Fiat ad featuring a sexy Italian super model? Perhaps a little risqué for younger audiences watching with adults. I was surprised to read the Associated Press story Sunday that so many commercials were released online ahead of time. What does that say about the state of advertising today?

With the game behind us, it’s time for the most pressing question here in Packerland. What does Green Bay most need to get back to the Super Bowl next year? Do you expect the Packers to be there? What position should they be looking to fill with their top draft choice? The formidable defensive line that helped lead the Giants to the championship would seemingly be a good clue. Or do you think the Pack’s defensive backfield has more pressing needs than the lackluster pass rush?

Greg Peck can be reached at (608) 755-8278 or gpeck@gazettextra.com. Or follow him on Twitter or Facebook