Superbowl XLI!!

[Imran Siddiqui]

Originally posted by rah
Again, that just reinforced my point. It should be more about the game, not just a sideshow for making as much money as possible. It's not like the NFL isn't making money hand over fist already.

-Jrabbit gets it. It's entirely a celebration of the NFL money making empire. It's a business; the entire reason it exists is to make money!

And obviously people watch it. It's more than simply a game, it's an event, and that's how ratings are brought in. Non-fans watch for commercials and half-time shows (sometimes). Fans for the game.

The game is merely the centerpiece. The rest of it is just flaunting the wealth and power of the league.

If anything, as the years go on, it'll be less focused on the game, unless the NFL wanes in popularity.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
Btw, the initial ratings news is that this game was the 2nd highest rated SuperBowl EVER. Only 2nd to 1996's matchup between the Steelers and Cowboys.

It's the 3rd highest rated TV program in US history .

I'm betting its because of the great numbers of Bears fans around the country and football fans who wanted to see if Manning could get that monkey off his back.

I was listen to foxsports radio on Monday, they said it was the 3rd most watched program of all time but not the 3rd highest Neilson rating.



ACK!

[Imran Siddiqui]

How does that work?

[-Jrabbit]

Ask Asher.

[Drake Tungsten]

Nielsen points are a percentage of total possible viewership, as Asher demonstrated when he pwned Jrabbit and Ming. As such, it's possible that a program from years ago attracted a higher percentage of the potential viewership at that time (and therefore a higher Nielsen rating) than SuperBowl XLI did in the present, even though the total number of viewers for this SuperBowl was higher due to population growth.

[Ming]

Originally posted by Drake Tungsten
Nielsen points are a percentage of total possible viewership, as Asher demonstrated when he pwned Jrabbit and Ming.

Yeah... right... I guess you consider throwing insults around a winning argument

[rah]

I know it's all about the money, but I'm just saying I wish that wasn't the end all of the event. The end all should be crowning a champion, and I would prefer to see a game where there's a higher probability of the elements playing a part of the game.

As to empty seats, bah, they're not real fans, they're there for the party. (gee sounds like wrigley)
With so few seats available, they could be filled by real fans. It can be a blizard in GREEN BAY and any stadium shot wouldn't embarass the league.

And AGAIN, i know the reality, I was just stating my personal preference. Let any city capable of hosting be eligible despite what the weather might be like.

[Lord Avalon]

Lovie Smith Becomes First African-American Coach To Lose Super Bowl

MIAMI—As devastating as their 29-17 Super Bowl XLI loss to the Colts was for the proud Chicago Bears, it was worse for their coach: Lovie Smith will forever be remembered as the first African-American coach to lose a Super Bowl.

"I give full credit to the Colts," Smith said, exhibiting admirable class and dignity by speaking to reporters moments after the game ended, despite the heartbreak he certainly felt at failing on football's biggest stage during the first Sunday of Black History Month. "We were outplayed and outperformed today, but I'm proud of my team. I just hope they are still proud of me."

Smith became the first black coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl less than three weeks ago when his Bears defeated the Seahawks, 27-24, mere hours before the Colts advanced past the Patriots. His story was covered to exhaustion by the media, who made endless comparisons of Smith and Doug Williams, the first black quarterback to play in a Super Bowl. However, some say the comparisons break down when considering that in his Super Bowl, Williams, unlike Smith, won.

"Let's not forget that this is still a great moment for any coach," said Dan Marino, who covered the game for CBS. "No, Lovie Smith didn't call a perfect game. No, it wasn't his day. Should he have done some things differently? Of course. But at the end of the day, I hope we can see this as something more than a huge disappointment for the black community."

"I just hope this doesn't become a focus for negativity," said CBS' Shannon Sharpe. "Responsible people, truly knowledgeable people, will be looking at all the positive achievements black coaches made this year—Smith's among them. I know that certain people will say that it just isn't time yet for a black coach to win the Super Bowl. And even though Smith lost, I think those people are just wrong."

With Smith's dubious place in history now assured, prominent figures around the league worry that his ignominious loss will only add to the stereotypes surrounding black coaches.

"Will this feed the stereotypes about African-Americans? Probably," said Minnesota Vikings head coach Brad Childress, who says he has "enormous respect" for Smith's coaching ability and work ethic. "There will be those who look at the Super Bowl and say the same old crap they've been saying forever—'See? Black coaches can't coach in the rain. Black-coached teams turn the ball over too much. Black coaches' quarterbacks are overrated panicky idiots who throw the ball downfield without even looking and get picked off.' Bunch of crap, of course. But after Sunday's game, it's going to be that much harder for him to shake that off."

"I'm sorry, but Lovie Smith let us all down," said Tony Dungy, the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl. "I'm sorry, I love the guy—you know Lovie used to work for me—but he was totally outcoached out there. He looked lost—the other team had him spinning his wheels, looking helpless, unable to cover his weaknesses. It infuriates me that America had to see a black man so totally outmaneuvered in the biggest game of the season."

"Face it, Lovie got beat bad," Dungy added. "America really needed an African-American coach to win that game. And thanks to Lovie Smith, we got to see an African-American lose."

Link

[Imran Siddiqui]