Football fans all around the country eagerly await the annual contest between the champs of the NFC and AFC … the final game of the National Football League season and the year’s biggest sporting event – the Super Bowl. I have to admit, I’m not a big football fan, but I love to watch the Super Bowl! There is something special about watching the “best of the best” compete, and gathering with friends and family to cheer for your favorite team. Or, maybe I like it because of the abundance of yummy food that is involved (not to mention a friendly wager among friends and football squares). In any event, much of the world will be watching on February 5 as the Atlanta Falcons take on the New England Patriots.
I did a little research on Super Bowl history and found some interesting tidbits. I learned that the tradition of using of Roman numerals in the game names started in 1971, the brainchild of Kansas City Chiefs owner, Lamar Hunt. He felt that the Roman numerals added prestige to the championship event. He also coined the name “Super Bowl,” from the children’s toy, “Super Ball.” Hunt’s KC Chiefs played the Green Bay Packers in the inaugural Super Bowl in 1967 at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. The Green Bay players received a bonus of $15,000 and Kansas City players received $7,500 each. In 2016, it was reported that the losing team’s players each received a $51,000 bonus and the trophy-winners received $102,000 each. The Lombardi Trophy weighs seven pounds, is 21 inches tall and worth $25,000. It is named in honor of legendary NFL Coach, Vince Lombardi.
Now, let’s talk about food. It’s been reported that Super Bowl Sunday is the second biggest food-consumption day of the year, topped only by Thanksgiving Day. Approximately eight million pounds of guacamole will be consumed along with 14,500 tons of chips. In my opinion, a Super Bowl party is not complete without munching on some good junk food like chips and dip, some smoky Buffalo hot wings, and my personal favorite: seven-layer dip. A big pot of spicy chili is also a must-have party staple.
Are you a Super Bowl commercial junkie? Some people only tune in to the big game to watch the special ads, particularly those aired during half-time. According to SuperBowlCommericals.com, we can look forward to more ads from Wix, Avocados from Mexico, Kia, Skittles and Snickers, to name a few. The all-time favorite Super Bowl commercial reported by INC.com is Budweiser’s “Puppy Love” ad from 2014. The second-most popular is Budweiser’s “Lost Dog” commercial from 2015, which depicted a Labrador puppy trying to find his way home – how cute was that?
The Super Bowl is considered to be not only the year’s biggest sporting event, but also one of the most-watched TV events. Even if you don’t like football, you might enjoy being entertained with a performance by Lady Gaga during the half-time extravaganza. And no matter which team you root for, Super Bowl 50 is guaranteed to be an exciting day – whether you’re in the crowd at the NRG Stadium in Houston, TX, at your local sports bar, or in the comfort of your own living room in front of a wide-screen TV.
Pass the guacamole!
