Reversing the call

Just like the ref who has to own up to a bad call after reviewing the incontrovertible video evidence of the instant replay, on closer examination I must admit that I blew it with yesterday's post.

This was one of the best football games, ever.

From the moment the Bears ran back the first opening-kick touchdown in Super Bowl history, this was one exciting show. I decided since the Colts were underdogs going in to the match, that I was going to root for them, and for once my chosen team rewarded me. (This is a totally unknown feeling to any former fan of the Houston Oilers.) The Bears defense struggled, worn down by having to be on the field for most of the game, while their offense simply never kicked into gear despite the opening TD strike. The wet and slippery conditions made for fascinating watching, and also made me extremely appreciative of my warm, dry seat in front of the TV. World-class event or not, I was just as glad not to have spent $4,000 to sit in the pouring rain for five hours (that's about thirteen bucks per minute, a really expensive shower).

The commercials were creatively entertaining as expected; I especially liked this elaborately animated Coca-Cola spot, and the clever Robert Goulet parody for Emerald Nuts. If you missed any or care to see them again, you'll find them online at numerous web sites including AOL Sports, where the video quality is excellent and the ads are conveniently grouped by quarter. You can also vote for your favorite.

And Prince's halftime show? Wow. Talk about your "Purple Rain", indeed; he couldn't have picked a more appropriate tune for the soaked crowd. His guitar pyrotechnics were topped only by those exploding above the stands, and made McCartney and The Stones look like old (albeit respectable) geezers. The Purple One -- no spring chicken himself at the age of 48 -- has certainly come a long way since the 80s, when he sported a thong and sang about "Darling Nikki" getting herself off to a magazine in a hotel lobby; hard to believe that Prince is now considered "family-friendly", but I guess that's what becoming a Jehovah's Witness will do for you. Born-again or not, he rocked the house.

So after further review, the official Toast Superbowl ruling? Kicked. Ass.