Super Bow; LIX - Eagles XL - Chiefs XXII

Let me begin my commentary on this past Sunday's Super Bowl by flashing back to what I wrote two years ago in this space, February 15, 2023 to be exact, after the Kansas City defeated Philadelphia 39-35:

• Equally magnificent in defeat was Eagles QB Jalen Hurts.  Three rushing TD's and a bomb of a TD pass.  He led the Eagles on a drive in the fourth quarter to tie the game after KayCee took a 35-27 lead, by making an "octopus" (more on that later).  It was gutty performance, and perhaps the best and most heroic performance in defeat in Super Bowl history.  Hurts has proven himself beyond all doubt, and Philly is set at QB for the next decade or so.

As the old saying goes, I believe I had that.

The highly anticipated matchup between the  two Number 1 and Number 2 seeds in their respective conferences turned into pretty much a non-game.  The Eagles led 24-0 at half time and extended that lead to 34-0 in the third quarter before KayCee finally got on the board.  Patrick Mahomes had perhaps the worst game of his career with two interceptions, one of which was returned for an Eagles TD and the other was deep inside Chiefs territory that led to another Philly score.  He was also pressured relentlessly by the Philly defense and was sacked 6 times.

Hurts, on the other hand was terrific.   He went 17 for 22 passing for 221 yards and two TD, and rushed for 72 yards on 11 carries and scored a TD of his own.  He fully deserved that MVP Award and those trips to Disney World.

A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith 

each caught a TD pass from Hurts

It sure wasn't the thrilling game that America's football fans wanted to see, and Mahomes and the Chiefs sure picked a bad day to have a Bad Day, but it happens.  As I often say, no sporting event comes with a guarantee.

Halftime Show

I am going to take the position of my favorite podcaster, Tony Kornheiser, on this one.  I am certain that Kendrick Lamar is very good, and perhaps among the very best at what he does (the guy has actually won a Pulitzer Prize for his work), but what he does is not aimed at me, although I truly did enjoy the choreography and dancing of the seeming hundreds of people on stage with Mr. Lamar..  I am not going to rage and criticize.  If you enjoyed it, great.  If you didn't, I hope that you used your time to go to the bathroom and get something to eat, and didn't give yourself an ulcer by griping and moaning about the performance.

Commercials

What we liked:

• Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal
• David Beckham and Dave Beckham.  "Are you like Matt Damon-famous?"
• Harrison Ford for Jeep "even though my last name is Ford."
• Ben and Casey Affleck for Dunkin' featuring Bill Belichick and his girlfriend.
• Anything with the Manning Brothers.

Didn't like:

• Those Tubi commercials with the people with the cowboy hat heads.  THAT was totally creepy.
• Seal as a seal.  Also kind of creepy.