We’re not going to totally recap the Super Bowl and all of its flashing lights and fireworks. You and 200-some million of your closest friends saw it. In an era of micro cultures and area of interest pockets of each a part of life, football unites the US like nearly nothing else.
So that you witnessed the nearly four-hour commercial for capitalism. You watched the NFL wrap itself in an American flag and toast to this country. You saw advertisements from seemingly every beer brand, Pepsi and Dunkin’ Donuts, celebrities starring when the athletes took a break. Your breath was taken away in good ways and bad, with never-ending controversies concerning whether he caught that, the league oddly opting to play on an ice rink and a maybe-game-deciding errant flag.
And, right: You saw a superb game that lived as much as the hype.
Super Bowl LVII encapsulated what the game means and signifies to the world — a cultural touchstone through which values are laundered through a game — and to its biggest fans. The Chiefs escaped Glendale, Ariz., with an exciting, comeback, 38-35 victory over the Eagles in a game that featured a wondrous display of contemporary offenses and a universal frustration with modern referees. Because on the NFL’s holiest holiday, after all some poor officiating was going to crash the party.
The party officially began at 1 p.m., when Fox’s pregame show began five-and-a-half hours before kickoff. For those who are American (or perhaps a sympathizer), there surely was a slice of the pregame festivities designed to please you.
R&B star Babyface performed “America the Beautiful,” which was signed in American Sign Language by Colin Denny, a member of the Navajo Nation in Arizona. Sheryl Lee Ralph sang the Black national anthem, “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Seven women piloted the U.S. Navy flyover above State Farm Stadium. Finally, country rocker Chris Stapleton’s mellow national anthem left Eagles coach Nick Sirianni in tears. In 2023 — and long before now, too — the NFL has attempted to align supporting skilled football with supporting men, women, diversity and particularly the troops.
In a number of ways, championing the NFL is championing this country in all its excesses, and people excesses are rarely laid bare like they were yesterday. Every moment was sponsored, every ad rigorously plotted and designed to have interaction (with too many QR codes to count). Hollywood was well-represented, an ad for “The Flash” or “Indiana Jones” or “Guardians of the Galaxy” every jiffy. A private favorite was “Fast X,” the most recent within the “Fast & Furious” franchise, solely since the spot was an ad for an ad: Go browsing to see the total trailer!
The sport often felt like a sideshow, just one in all many performances on the night. But this performance packed in a lot of what has made football more popular than any president could hope to be.
Jalen Hurts was phenomenal, accounting for 374 total yards and in a position to make nearly any pass while using his feet when needed, including on the two-point conversion with 5:15 remaining within the fourth quarter, when he bruised his way into the top zone to tie the sport.
Patrick Mahomes, the freshly minted MVP, one way or the other also ran when needed — his 26-yard scramble on the following possession arrange Kansas City’s go-ahead field goal. He had limped his way off the sector within the second quarter, appearing to aggravate the high-ankle sprain that has hampered him for weeks. But Mahomes, essentially the most electrifying player in the sport and maybe in the sport’s history, led the Chiefs to scores on every possession within the second half.
What might need been thought to be an all-time classic shootout as an alternative might be partially remembered for slip-ups along the way in which, and we mean that literally. The NFL, which so often tweaks its rules and finds out which work on the fly, learned on its largest stage that the very surface the players ran on was not suitable for running. Several plays ended on unceremonious falls. Eagles kicker Jake Elliott tripped on a kickoff, which might need been a game-swinging slip had Elliott not stayed upright long enough to finish the kick.
The grass — not turf — was grown for 2 years prematurely of the sport at a Phoenix farm and installed just a few weeks ago. The entire surface cost $800,000, in keeping with ReadHuddleUp.com, which suggests the issue might be not in a scarcity of willingness to speculate. But the actual fact the league would play on what became clear was not fully tested grass speaks volumes. A pregnant Rihanna may very well be suspended from moving platforms, however the players couldn’t properly speed up and decelerate on the bottom below.
Also speaking volumes was the style through which the sport finished. A season that included constant complaining in regards to the officiating — remember the Rams-Seahawks game that was called the “worst officiated game of the 12 months?” How in regards to the persistent roughing-the-passer calls that drove fan bases crazy? Or the pass-interference-that-wasn’t that helped the Giants beat the Commanders? — at all times was going to finish with more complaining in regards to the officiating.
On a third-and-8 with 1:54 left within the fourth quarter of a tie game, Mahomes threw too deep into the top zone for JuJu Smith-Schuster. For a moment, it appeared as if the Chiefs would must kick a 32-yard field goal to creep ahead and hand the ball back to Hurts’ Eagles with a shot at a game-winning drive.
As a substitute, a flag was thrown on former Giant James Bradberry, who the officials believed held Smith-Schuster on the route. Perhaps he did for a moment, however the contact was minimal and sure didn’t keep Smith-Schuster from reaching the ball. With a latest set of downs, the Chiefs milked the clock and booted a last-second field goal for the win.
What a terrible solution to end an important game. What a predictable and symbolic solution to end the 2022-23 season.
The Super Bowl was American, bloated, infuriating and thrilling. A lot went mistaken, which won’t affect the sport’s popularity an iota. What an ideal capsule of the NFL in 2023.
Today’s back page
Read more from the Super Bowl:
🏈 O’CONNOR: Patrick Mahomes is latest face of American sports after Super Bowl heroics
🏈 VACCARO: The Chiefs are ready to deal with the dynasty query
🏈 CANNIZZARO: Andy Reid enters rarefied air with Chiefs’ thrilling comeback win
🏈 MARCHAND: Greg Olsen nailed Super Bowl’s crucial play — and now the pressure is on Tom Brady
🏈 Jets have Aaron Rodgers trade talks with Packers
Grind city
For a fiftieth straight 12 months, Latest York won’t see an NBA title. The Nets only have ABA trophies, and the Knicks are ringless since 1973.
The Nets’ decision to trade Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving ensured the streak would proceed. Yet, each Latest York teams emerged from the trade deadline as immensely likable, if not legitimate contenders, ahead of their showdown on the Garden on Monday night (7:30 p.m., MSG, YES).
In tearing down their super-team, the Nets acknowledged defeat. In rebuilding on the fly with long, defensive-minded wings who also seem content in Brooklyn, the Nets have traded potential for popularity.
Mikal Bridges already enjoys his natural “Brooklyn Bridges” nickname. Spencer Dinwiddie is showing that after a fan favorite, at all times a fan favorite. Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith play hard and defend at all times, which the organization clearly now’s prioritizing. Regardless that the new-look Nets lost Saturday to James Harden’s 76ers, it feels as if a team is forming that town can root for.
Speaking of grit, Josh Hart looked just like the exact piece the Knicks sought in his team debut Saturday, a win over the Jazz. Jalen Brunson’s former Villanova running mate can quietly resolve games without scoring. He finished with 11 points on six shots, but immediately became too necessary for coach Tom Thibodeau to sub out in the ultimate quarter. Every loose ball — which included seven rebounds and 4 steals — looked as if it would wind up in Hart’s hands.
“He made my job 10 times easier,” said Immanuel Quickley, who had less dirty work to do. “In every single place he goes, he’s a winner.”
Hart makes the Knicks higher and more hard-nosed, an attribute town appreciates. Still, these Knicks aren’t built to beat the Celtics or Bucks within the playoffs.
But that’s OK. With the football season over, Latest York fans can have a pair fun teams to root for tonight.
The Captain’s conundrum
Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez are teammates again.
Jeter is the latest member of team Fox Sports, the Yankees legend and Hall of Famer going from Marlins CEO to national baseball analyst starting this season.
In his playing days, Jeter excelled at saying nothing. He worked with reporters and at all times can be around to reply questions, but those answers rarely made headlines or raised eyebrows. He said rather a lot, and he said nothing, which is precisely how his Fox Sports stint began.
A number of hours before the Super Bowl, Jeter was asked on air who would win. He answered, and he didn’t answer.
“It’s form of hard for me to ever pick against [Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes] because we played against his dad,” Jeter said of Mahomes’ father, who pitched for the Mets. “So I’m hoping for a great game.
“I’m attempting to be politically correct here. This shouldn’t be my element, with football fans.”
Stating opinions has not been Jeter’s element, which can make this next chapter of his life fascinating.
