Super Bowl party

Does anybody really think that the Super Bowl commercials are such a big deal, or are they just one more example of media hype? They had a "Greatest Super Bowl Commercials" special on TV last night; from the build-up, you'd think that the commercials were as important as the game itself. Although I'm glad to see that people still remember Mean Joe Greene and that kid with the Coke.

There are those out there, like some of the lefty activists I used to hang out with back in the day, who see the Super Bowl as nothing more than a mindless gladiatorial spectacle; bread and circuses for the unwashed masses. For most Americans, though, it is The Big Game, a crowning symbol of American culture and a good excuse to party besides. Robert Lipsyte's Nation article "The Church Of Football" has plenty of interest for True Believers and football agnostics alike. The NFL is a religion so big it can now tell God what to do: NFL tells churches Super Bowl parties violate copyright laws.

In the midst of all the hype and spectacle, they will play a football game tomorrow. The weather forecast for Miami is wet and windy; I'm looking for a sloppy game where defenses dominate. The weather and Bear defense will keep Peyton Manning from having a big day. The Bears would like to control the game on the ground, but they'll find that the Colts' defense has become a lot tougher during their playoff run. Rex Grossman will struggle tomorrow as well to get anything going through the air. This will be a game for the field goal kickers, and Adam Vinateri has a lot more postseason kicking experience than Robbie Gould does.

Colts 16, Bears 10.