Week 36... The Super Bowl

Greetings:  

Well, we are two days away from The 47th Super Bowl, or as some are calling it this year, "Har-Bowl."  The two teams are coached by brothers, Jim Harbaugh for the 49ers and John Harbaugh for the Ravens.  Unlike any other sporting event throughout the year, The Super Bowl is quite simply a different animal, easily ranking Number 1 each year when compared to any other event in the Sporting World.  For on Super Bowl Sunday, the "Event" and all that goes with it and around it, for all practical purposes, is bigger than the actual "Game" itself...

Are you ready for some football???  It's the Last Game for 7 months...

Some Interesting Super Bowl "Stats"

For most, obviously, the Game is the "Main Attraction."  But in watching the game, there are those that tune in just to watch the commercials.  They could care less about the Game unless they're in a "pot".  According to 24/7wallst.com, this year, Super Bowl Ads are "selling for up to $3.8 million on average for 30-second spots, up by $300,000 per 30 seconds from 2012."   Approximately 35 Ads at the 30 second average will garner $133 million.  There will be more than that.

The Game is being played in New Orleans at the Super Dome.  The Stadium holds 69,700 seats.  At a current average ticket price of $2,253, an entry level ticket, if all seats sold at this price (it will be higher), the total would come to just over $157 million.

The 2012 Super Bowl was seen by an "average audience of 111.3 million viewers" and was said to be the most watched TV Program of all time.  2013 will be bigger.  

According to Hallmark Cards, Inc., The Super Bowl "Represents the number 1 at-home party event of the year, even bigger than New Years Eve."  No fewer than $55 million is expected to be spent on food for The Game.  Second only to Thanksgiving, The Super Bowl marks the next biggest day in food consumption.  Frozen Pizza is the top seller at the Grocery Store.  Speaking of pizza...  Super Bowl Sunday is the busiest day of the year for pizza sales.  Statistic Brain said that Pizza Hut sold 2 million pizzas in 2012.

Finally, saveonbrew.com has an info-graphic that shows the following:  "50 million cases of beer will be consumed, resulting in more than 2 billion gallons of water used to flush away that much beer consumed, with roughly 7 million people calling in sick on Monday."  

In The Beginning, There Was Dallas

OK, so I grew up in Dallas in the '60's when the Dallas Cowboys were born.  My Dad was an avid football fan and therefore, a Dallas Cowboys fan.  As I got older, I too, became a huge football fan and recall the Sundays during football season watching Dallas Cowboys football games with my Dad and often times, my Bro-n-Law, Howard.  

In 1971, we moved to Houston, where the Oilers played.  But the Dallas Cowboys remained our "team."  We were Die Hards!!!"  Through 1979, Dallas had been to 5 Super Bowls, winning two and losing three.  Just prior to the 1992 season, my Dad passed away.  During that 1992 season, a good 10 years before the birth of the Houston Texans, Dallas regained their '70's momentum and returned to the Super Bowl.  On that Super Bowl Sunday, January 31st, 1993, there was no fancy parties, no fancy food table, and no libations.  I was in uniform, working a side job as a Police Officer, working Security in a Shopping Center parking lot.  On that Sunday afternoon, I sat in my car, watching the Game on my 5 inch black and white TV screen, constantly looking up at the parking lot and back down at the TV screen.  The game ended my very first season of watching Dallas Cowboys football without my Dad (Howard had moved to Oklahoma) and culminated in Dallas winning The Super Bowl over the Buffalo Bills, 52 to 17.  That night, as the game ended, I sat in my car with tears running down my cheeks (good thing I had tinted windows), saying out loud, "This win is for you Dad...  I wish you were here to see it."  I will never forget that moment.  Dallas would go on to win two more Super Bowls over the next three years. 

And Then, There Was Houston

In 2002, the Houston Texans were born (the Oilers had left town years before) and the rest, they say, is history...  Living in Houston and with a brand new NFL team on the board, I switched my "love" to the Texans, became a Season Ticket Holder, and started taking my Son, Shane, to games.  And just last season, as well as this current season, the Texans came within two games of reaching their first Super Bowl.  The future looks bright.

The Game

On Sunday, it's the 49ers and the Ravens.  The 49ers are favored by 3.5 points.  The Ravens are the surprise team, beating the Broncos and the Patriots, winning on the road to reach the Big Game.  The 49ers come into the game with a Rookie Quarterback, inserted into the starting lineup midway into this season.  It's probably a toss up, but I think the 49ers will pull it out in a close game.  We'll see...

Music:  If I'm going to Blog about The Super Bowl, I have to include what is arguably considered to be the very best rendition of the National Anthem at a sporting event, or anywhere else, for that matter.  At Super Bowl 25, in 1991, Whitney Houston sang and her version became an instant classic.  It also came at a time when the Persian Gulf War was ongoing...  Do you remember???  Take two minutes and give a listen to Whitney's amazing version of the National Anthem.  

Libations Anyone????:  I'm not suggesting anything specific this week, but being Super Bowl Sunday, I'll just say...  enjoy your favorite Beverage/Libation of choice and be safe.

Photos:  Just for grins...  I took this 3/4 Moon Shot late last night while out walking the Tobester.  Thought it looked pretty cool:

Late Thursday night, just starting to rise...

Market Watch:  Not much change this week as Facebook closed yesterday at 30.98...  Simply holding steady, still above 30.

The End:  Again, I appreciate you checking in at Slu's World.  I hope you'll stop by again next week.  Until then, Thank You.  

Be safe, be smart and always smile...  It's "Happy Friday"

adios...  vaya con dios