Well, first off. My Superbowl prediction turned out to be about a touchdown too heavy for both teams (the Saints and the Colts), not to mention backwards. Congratulations to New Orleans for a 31 – 17 victory over Indianapolis (that’s a really nice feel good story that anybody can get behind).

Now, to the Superbowl commercialism.

The usual sellers doing the usual stuff. Men behaving badly. Check. Celebrities. Check. Humorous animals (gophers, groundhogs, and other assorted varmints especially). Check.

However, didn’t it feel like this year’s advertisers all met in a big room and kinda, sorta colluded? Three ads where men don’t wear pants anymore (subliminal message possibly). At least three ads where hot tubs full of hotness made random appearances. But, the overriding theme for a lot of these advertisers had to have been selling to male insecurity.

Here’re only a few examples:

Dove: Are You a Man
“Now that you’re comfortable with who you are” – buy some Dove men’s lotion.

Dodge Charger: Man’s Last Stand
“I will … I will … I will …” put up with a bunch of stuff just so I can drive a Dodge car.

FloTv: Spineless
“As you can see, Jason’s girlfriend has removed his spine … ”

On the whole, the game was awesome. I guess after everything Archie Manning has done for the Saints’ franchise, it’s only fitting that his son should be the one to deliver New Orleans their first Superbowl Title. Mardi Gras came to Bourbon Street a week or two early. And the best commercials (cumulatively), I think, were Denny’s free grand slam ads with screaming chickens.