First and foremost, I can’t believe we’re already at fifty-seven. I still vividly remember Super Bowl Fifty with the Broncos taking home the win, and Beyonce and Bruno Mars temporarily taking over Coldplay’s stage.
It’s crazy how time flies, especially as you get older. Anyway, back to fifty-seven.
As a complete math nerd, I’m not the biggest fan of prime numbers. However, I think this Super Bowl will turn me into a lover of the number fifty-seven.
There were was so much history and beauty to it. From it being the first time two Black quarterbacks face off to the first Black female coach, let alone someone who also graduated from ETSU, coaching in the Super Bowl, there was a lot to celebrate no matter who won. Though, ultimately, the Kansas City Chiefs took the cake, by a field goal, after a hard-fought battle with little possession of the ball.
I’m not on Twitter, so I decided to share everything I would’ve live-tweeted because, personally, this is a Super Bowl I want to remember. Plus, there were a lot of things I noticed that brought me joy… and had me scratching my head.
* I’ve been saying Austin Mahone in reference to Patrick Mahomes… I don’t even listen to Austin’s music. Literally haven’t seen the guy in YEARS.
* The first all-female team flew the jets after the National Anthem (can’t remember the exact name/title but still super cool)
* There were more cameras on the field than players for the coin toss… crazy
* They played at State Farm Stadium, and Patrick Mahomes has been in a few State Farm commercials
* It’s a bit trickier for the players to play on the painted parts of the turf, which isn’t actually turf but a new kind of grass they’re introducing
* The graphics are *chef’s kiss*
* The end zone on the Eagles side said “END RACISM,” and the end zone on the Chiefs side said “IT TAKES ALL OF US”
* The back of some players’ helmets said: “END RACISM” “CHOOSE KINDNESS” “CHOOSE LOVE” “IT TAKES ALL OF US” (love to see it)
* Jalen Hurts is pretty much my age…
* The right side of Donna Kelce’s jacket repped the Eagles, and the left side of her jacket repped the Chiefs (so she can rep both sons… beautiful)
* Sheryl Lee Ralph & Rihanna both performed in all red: planned or coincidental?
* If there were surprise guests in Rihanna’s performance, it was her unborn baby and the FENTY palette
* Lebron was in the stands when Rihanna sang about Lebron…
* Serena Williams was in two alcohol commercials, almost back-to-back, for two different companies
* Mr. Beast was in a commercial…
* Greg Olsen’s hair had Ken doll energy, but if Ken were a dad
* John Travolta’s spray tan didn’t quite reach his hands in the T-Mobile commercial
* Too many ads that looked like they were promoting one thing but were actually promoting something else
To everyone saying Rihanna’s performance was “mid” or “not that good,” girly is SUPER pregnant. Like, it looks like she’s in her second trimester, and this is after giving birth last May–less than a year ago. Given the conditions of her body, her performance was killer! She spent almost half the time suspended in the air on a platform that moved every which way vertically while singing live, and I can’t remember the last time I watched a Super Bowl and could tell the artist was singing live. Considering she didn’t get paid for her performance and was essentially doing all of us a favor, I found nothing wrong with the beautiful simplicity of her performance. Give people grace.
If there was anything “mid” or “not that good” about the Super Bowl, it would be the commercials. None of them were memorable.
Period.
