I just flew in from Kauai and boy, are my arms tired. I'll have a full report when I get organized here and mainly, sleep some. But I did get back in time for the Super Bowl. Outside of being ill, I haven't flown solo for the Super Bowl in quite a long time, so I had many observations that kind of hung out there in the ether. I like the Super Bowl ads, but I still think football process during the games and need to bounce those ideas off of people. So, here it goes.

Did I miss an Asian singer during the pregame? I saw Queen Latifah and Carrie Underwood (in her "Lost in Space" outfit) and wasn't sure if the rainbow was complete.

Jim Nantz was over the top in announcing, "The coin toss...next!". Then, Emmitt Smith "debacling" the coin toss.

The commercial with LeBron and Basketball Jesus was, and I'm being quite charitable, lame.

Peyton Manning has become "Peyton", much like "Ben". But Nantz actually said, "And Miami has become Peyton's place again!". So much for spontaneity. He needs to check his sponsorships at the door.

A commercial with Betty White AND Abe Vigoda? Gold, Jerry, gold!

The Saints with really bad tackling early. I think I agreed with Manning after the game. I'm not really sure the Saints ever stopped the Colts offense.

Two major criticisms I had with the announce crew. The first one dealt with a play in the first half right before Pierre Garcon's TD for the Colts. On a third down play, Joseph Addai busted up the middle for a big run. The Colts had a linebacker (#52) in the backfield. Now, I don't see the Colts very often, but I see 'em enough to know that was a new wrinkle. Anyhow, he goes right to start the play, as if he is going to get a pass out of the backfield. Obviously, the Saint defense moves with him, and Addai gets the ball behind that motion and gets big yards. Absolutely no mention of it, even during a replay.

The other was before the half. Nantz and Phil Simms actually had a discussion of how the Saints might use their timeouts before halftime. The problem was, on second down, the play ended with 59 seconds left and the Saints called a TO at 51 seconds. After the ensuing punt, they clearly could have used those seconds to run another play before having to kick their field goal. And, once again, the announce crew (more concerned with spotting Barney Stinson in the crowd) asleep at the wheel.

Dexter. For Dodge. Ni-i-i-ice.

Yeah, Nantz was typically Nantz, but I did laugh at this FLO TV ad. You know, the "injury report" with the spineless husband? He had me at "Hello, friends..."

The Pierre Garcon drop in the first half probably changed the outcome of the game, even though it was early. So much for Haiti.

The Simpsons commercial for Coke was baffling to me. Not the actual production, but the concept.

OK, I'm a fanboy for The Who, so I really enjoyed the halftime. But, I must say, Roger Daltrey didn't have the best of starts. I thought we may have had a disaster brewing, but he definitely got it together after his first two attempts at singing. Pete, as ever, windmilling around the stage, was still the Pete Townshend I love. And I loved the hat. CBS must have thought Keith Moon was still drumming, because Zak Starkey, Ringo's son, seemed to be getting more airtime than Roger and Pete. Pino Palladino and Pete's brother, Simon, were afterthoughts it seemed, as far as TV time. Regardless, I thought it was great.

After the Saints onside kick, Nantz said, after a replay, "Bounced off the hands of Hank Baskett...". Yeah, you don't hear that often. Tee hee.

The NPP (Non-Playing Posse) of the Saints killed me during this championship run. The gold sweatshirts, actually acting like they were playing, towel waving. Gave me tons of material. Several second half sightings of them.

While watching Manning and Drew Brees battle, where is the hope for the Browns? Especially with the current guys we have at quarterback?

Leno, Oprah and Dave on the CBS promo for Letterman was genius.

Did you catch the mention that Howard Mudd, the Colts offensive line coach, was retiring after the game? Do you also realize he coached the Browns line under Marty? If we have any glory years around here, those are it. And he started here (gulp!), 27 years ago! It makes me wonder where Lindy Infante is.

Reggie Wayne with only one catch in the first three first quarters was not good. But Manning kept going to him in the fourth quarter and, well, you saw the result. Interception return for the Saints to put the game out of reach. And, it was by Tracy Porter, the guy with dumb Super Bowl haircut.

Once you think you know the NFL rules, they redefine them further. I'm thinking of the Saints 2-point conversion. First ruled incomplete on the field, then overturned on replay. First, we have become obsessed with "making a football move" after a catch. Now, we have to be concerned with something called a "second act"? I thought the original call was correct. Those hands definitely separated for control, the way I saw it.

After Manning's interception, the Peyton Manning Face returned! Do the face!

As you may or may not know, a famous local sports radio caller, Dumpling, died recently. Virtually all of the hosts in town eulogized the guy on their shows. Then some callers called in with their memories, as well. For a day or so, these random calls would show up and someone would comment on Dumpling. It got to the point, we thought it would be great if the Cavs would win a title and LeBron would say, "This one's for Dumpling!". That has spawned a lot of "This one's for Dumpling!" comments during the NFL playoffs. Yesterday, with the Saints winning, we had to change it to, "This one's for Boulette!".

I predict that Drew Brees pictures with his kid will be like Kurt Warner and "Thank you, Jesus!".

I saw James Carville on the field during the postgame celebration.

Let's not forget Tom Benson almost moved the Saints. Just sayin'. Great teams are not always run by great owners. Art Modell.

Great scene on ESPN last night. They wanted to show Bourbon Street after the game and right when they got a camera shot, you saw two policemen on horseback giving a guy a hard time. They lingered awfully long on it, until someone nudged the camera in a different direction. Awesome. Of course, Rick Reilly referred to the "Latin Quarter" of New Orleans.

Speaking of weird, that Polamalu commercial scared me.

Lastly, did you see Peyton Manning run off the field WITHOUT SHAKING HANDS WITH THE OPPONENTS? Let's see how differently the media handles that than LeBron. When LeBron did it, it was a major story that would not go away. Manning does it and, well, let's see if anyone noticed it.

Big wrapup here.

Meal of Links

Costa Rica elects a woman President. And she looks like a weird version of that "Biggest Loser" trainer.

22 romantic characters who don't deserve love. Nothing earth shattering here.

How the theme to "Twin Peaks" was written. Great stuff. "I see Twin Peaks."

Exercise Yard

It's All Saints Day today.

Visitor

28 Across: NBA center who was a three-time MVP (11 letters) Answer: Moses Malone