It’s Super Bowl Sunday

Are you watching Super Bowl LIII today?  The New England Patriots play the Los Angeles Rams  today at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.

Predictions say  that over 116 million people are expected to watch.

Super Bowl Sunday has become more than just a championship play-off event.  Some people laughably consider it a national holiday. Even the criminals take Super Bowl Sunday off. In 1985, when the San Francisco 49ers played the Super Bowl in Palo Alto, CA, the crime rate in San Francisco dropped 75%.

For some who do not like football, it seems that the Super Bowl has gone on forever!  But, it actually all began on January 15, 1967 in the Los Angeles Coliseum with the Green Bay Packers beating the Kansas City Chiefs 35-10.

I was amazed at some of the numbers that surround the Super Bowl.

This year, a 30 second Super Bowl commercial will cost over $5.5 million dollars.  WOW!!

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Super Bowl Sunday is America’s “second-largest food consumption day.”  Only Thanksgiving day beats it.  It is predicted that 43 million people plan to host Super Bowl parties across the USA and 325.5 million gallons of beer will be consumed!

Maroon 5 will be the Super Bowl LIII halftime performer. Many other performers have declined to participate in the halftime show because of concerns over the NFL’s treatment of kneeling protesters and Kaepernick.  But…Adam Levine feels his group, Maroon 5, will put on a great show.

The national anthem has been performed at every Super Bowl except Super Bowl XI when “America The Beautiful” was sung by Vicki Carr.  The person who performs the national anthem will create a reputation, good or bad.  Whitney Houston’s version in 1991 at Super Bowl XXV is considered the best ever done. However, a few days after her performance it was said that she lip-synched. Apparently her mic was dead and so they broadcast a prerecorded version.

The “Star Spangled Banner” is a difficult song that most people cannot sing very well. But, in 2011, Christina Aguilera got noticed not for her voice, but for the fact she forgot the words!

Having the “Star Spangled Banner” performed in sign language began in 1992 for Super Bowl XXVI.  The signer was Lori Hilary.  Since then, there has been a sign language performer as well as a vocal performer to do the national anthem at the Super Bowl every year.

So…how can I tie this post to Clay Aiken?  EASY!!!

On September 26, 2005, Jimmy Kimmel Live  presented 60 Seconds with Jimmy Kimmel during the Monday Night Football half-time show.  It was a short but cute moment when Jimmy pretended to interview Clay Aiken, 3-time Superbowl QB for the Dallas Cowboys…the topic? Passing the football! Clay Aiken’s advice, “get back to the basics.” He then demonstrated a pass to Jimmy. Clay looked like a PRO, but I think most people were surprised to see him in this funny joke!

I wonder if Clay Aiken will be watching the Super Bowl this year.  

OK, Clay…which team do you want to see win this game?