The Game
Pretty entertaining game, I have to say. I'd give it 3 stars (out of 4) in the last post's rating system. I'd thought the stopping of the Saints on 4-and-goal right before halftime was going to be the defining play in a Colts victory, but the onsides kick** and the back-breaking INT by Porter when the Colts were looking ready to even the game up. Good job, Saints. Well done. Am I bitter that you earned a Super Bowl title before the Eagles? Only a little.
The Who
Eh. The best comment I read suggested that The Who looked sounded like an aging-Who cover-band. I have to agree. I've never been a huge Who fan. I felt a little bad for Daltry's creaking voice but was pleasantly surprised that CBS didn't try to do a CSI tie-in when they played "Who Are You?" Did you guys like it?
The Commercials
I know that the Snickers "Betty White" commercial was pretty good, and it and the Google "Guy searches his way to career and love in Paris" ads are getting a lionshare of the kudos, but one 2-second blip put the Denny's "Chickens Across America" ad in first place for me — a silent scream from a chicken in a spacesuit? That sort of genius can't be topped.
The most tiresome ads by far have to be the E-Trade talking babies. Please — you weren't all that funny when you started… enough already!
What were your favorites? Least favorites?
Okay — so only 7 more months to Week 1!!
* full-disclosure: I am not clever enough to have thought of that title. Someone at the New York Times was.
** there was a good little piece in yahoo sports about how the Saints rookie kicker was "terrified" by the coach's decision to call the onsides kick. It's a nice real-human quote after all the hyperbole.
Stevil 
I enjoyed the game. I am a huge fan of The Who, but I didn't like their performance. Daltry's voice sounds old, and the whole performance just wasn't very… interesting. One of those examples of a band that should have just stopped in their peak rather than getting back together for these kinds of performances. As for the commercials, I thought there was a lot of sexism… even more than usual for the Superbowl. I find that disappointing, as a woman and a marketer. It seems pretty obvious that women are a fast-growing, large segment of the Superbowl audience.
Fleur Power is good. the game was good and competitive; I didn't expect Manning to choke as he did on the 4th quarter.The Who, I think were adequate. I had the same fear as you, that when Who Are You? began, the casts from the various CSIs would be on stage. the light show was great.commercials were particularly uninspired this year. check on the E-trade babies being annoying, but 'fiddling beaver' gets the WTF award. "chickens of America" were the only amusing ads.
Hapa — also with The Who, I think I would have been happier if they'd picked a couple of songs and really did them as opposed to a medley. A medley? From The Who?
mariser — yes, I thought the light show on The Who was really good and was particularly happy to see that they kept themselves from importing the fake-audience crowding the stage as they'd done in years past.
So true — a medley is so cheesy. And sad coming from The Who. They, like, totally changed my life with Pinball Wizard! And now… medleys?!?Hm, maybe I will write a post. I'll have to go through the commercials again one by one. I was surprised because with the recession and eco-consciousness of late, most commercials and pop culture stuff in general seems to be getting nicer and more sincere.
it was nice that they skipped the fake crowd. it ruined Springsteen for me last year. the medley it's so lounge-lizard…it ain't right for any rock band.Hapa, I'd also like to read your perspective on the ads – like steve, I found most of them mean-spirited and, dare I say, anti-women.
Really enjoyed the game and I rarely watch football. A real surprise and close to the end. I'd give it a 4 out of 4 mostly because it seemed like the refs were relatively fair and it was so unexpected that anyone could beat the Colts.
I liked the android commercial the best. Maybe an Intel ad?? Doesn't say much for the commercial if I can't remember what it was for.
Yeah! Finally someone else who doesn't think the talking babies are the greatest commercials ever.
As I'm still bitter over the NFC Championship, I was cheering for the Colts, but I have to admit that the onside kick to start the second half was a pretty good move. No one saw it coming. And the Saints just plain outplayed the Colts in Half 2. I'm grudgingly giving credit where credit is due (although I don't have to like it).
I watched movies & played video games with my niece and nephew instead of anything remotely football-related (although, since I followed Peyton's career at Tennessee, I wanted the Colts to win). Because of that, I've only seen the Google and Betty White commercials. Google's definitely awesome. I will echo Josh Schwartz's amazement at its storytelling. I'm sorry I missed Carrie singing the Nat'l Anthem; I'm not sorry that I missed The Who, the personal band of the CSI franchise.
Of course, my favorite ad was Polamalu declaring 6 more weeks of football!
I agree with those talking babies. Yawn! And creepy.
Emmi — yes, I thought it was overall a very well-played (not many penalties) and well officiated game.
Mello — this is the great question of whether it's better for the team that beat you to be the champs (hey, we lost to the champs!) or see the team that beat you lose so you feel better (har-hah!) — I think the second has a little extra touch of bitterness if you lost in a close game because then you spend the whole time going "SEE!?!? If we could have only scored that FG, WE'D be winning the Super Bowl!"
Carrie Underwood did a really good job of the national anthem — except for the last note — which in a way I really appreciated because it meant that she was singing and not lip-synching!
If only there were!! I don't know what to do for six months!
I liked the "Don't touch my momma. Don't touch my doritoes" kid. :)
I'm with you on the ETrade babies – enough already!
I was bummed the Colts lost but the tide really turned at the start of the 2nd half with the onside kick. The Saints just came out swinging and the Colts just couldn't keep 'em down. Oh well…still a good game!
I can't believe we have to wait until August for more football!!!!