Somewhere, NBC execs are smiling. They are thanking Larry Fitzgerald for scoring a go-ahead touchdown late in Super Bowl XLIII. They are thanking Ben Roethlisberger for improvising his way down the field during the Steelers’ ensuing drive. Finally, they are thanking Santonio Holmes for keeping both feet in-bounds and maintaining possession of the ball as he scored Pittsburgh’s go-ahead touchdown catch.
A close game equals high ratings. In fact, the 98.7 million viewers SuperBowl XLIII drew made it the most watched game in history — and you thought the Steelers were the only winners on Sunday night.
But watching the theatrical event that is the Super Bowl makes one wonder. It makes one wonder about how the whole thing seems to run so smoothly; how we have an MVP chosen so soon after the clock hits zero; how they get those people on and off the field so quickly during the halftime show. It makes you think about weird traditions, like why players say, “I’m going to Disney World,” after they win or where the term “Super Bowl” was first coined.
With diligence and the help of a good search engine, I can hopefully shed some light on these Super Bowl mysteries:
Question #1: Who determines the Super Bowl MVP?
A combination of fans and sports writers chooses the Super Bowl MVP. By logging on and voting at nfl.com in the final quarter of the game, fans can have a say about who deserves the MVP hardware. Unfortunately, fans only have 20 percent of the vote; the other 80 percent belongs to 16 selected members of the sports media that cast their ballots as soon as the game ends.
So next time you try to dish out blame after a wide receiver is handed an award that you think a quarterback deserved, look no further than those 16 sports writers. Remember, though, they are only 80 percent responsible.
Question #2: Where does the losing team’s apparel go?
It’s safe to say that some child in Nicaragua is somewhat confused. That’s because he or she is wearing a T-shirt that says “Arizona Cardinals — Super Bowl XLIII Champions.”
The NFL recently mandated the losing team’s apparel be packaged and sent overseas to a third-world country — usually Africa or Central America — where people will benefit most from 288 extra T-shirts and hats. The league ensures the apparel doesn’t see the light of day in the United States. Because it doesn’t want the taboo T-shirts popping up on eBay, the gear stays tightly packaged and locked safely until it arrives at its country of destination.
If you’re a Cardinals’ fan, take solace in knowing that somewhere, your team won Super Bowl XLIII — even if that “somewhere” is Sierra Leone.
Question #3: Who gets to go on the field at halftime?
What? You actually thought the security personnel just opened the gates, allowing fans in sections 102 and 103 to charge the field? Au contraire, my friend. The herd of 2,000 screaming people that rush the field at the beginning of the halftime show is as choreographed and preplanned as an Ashlee Simpson concert. Those 2,000 “fans” earned their role by being the first to sign up online. Additionally, those 2,000 “fans” (read: actors) even had rehearsals before the Super Bowl — yes, they actually went to a nearby stadium and practiced running on and off the field. If that isn’t organized chaos, I don’t know what is.
And so we are reminded that a successful Super Bowl has many contributors, from the trophy workers at Tiffany & Co. to the staffers who try to organize 2,000 people to run onto the field at halftime. It is a game filled with a rich history and unremitting traditions.
And every now and again, a player like Santonio Holmes reminds us that the true appeal of the Super Bowl doesn’t have to do with commercials, silver trophies, a halftime show or victory T-shirts. It has to do with the types of plays that leave the viewers open-jawed; the types of plays that leave the opposing coach with a blank stare; the types of plays that, well, not even Google can explain.
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