If you haven’t heard it by now, I suggest you get out more, but the New Orleans Saints won Super Bowl XLIV Sunday in Miami as they defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 31-17.
The game was much closer than the score lets on. The Saints simply had an incredible second half, which they started with an onside kick that they actually recovered. It was a risky move, but since they got the football back right away, it was a gamble worth taking.
That combined with an interception Colts quarterback Peyton Manning threw, the difference in points got greater that it should have.
Both teams played great, and it was a battle until the end. Sure, I wanted the Colts to win because I really like Manning. I think he is the most intelligent quarterback in the NFL, and I think he is hilarious, especially when he is doing commercials with the likes of Justin Timberlake.
The irony of this game was that Manning was born New Orleans, and I would have loved it if he beat his old, hometown team; however, one has to give credit to the Saints’ leader, quarterback Drew Brees.
Brees, who was named the Super Bowl MVP, and his teammates played like there was no tomorrow. They wanted to win and be the group of guys that earned the first franchise Super Bowl victory for the Saints and the city of New Orleans.
I congratulate them and secretly wish I was in New Orleans right now. Oh to be at the party that is rocking that city! Yowza!
Of course, as the headline points out, I am always interested in the nerdier sides of these types of events, so today I am doing a special Monday Edition of my Front Page Friday series that focuses on the coverage of football’s grandest hour — the Super Bowl.
However, nearly every paper in the country probably put something on their front pages about the game. I don’t have time to dissect them all.
Instead, I’m going to focus on the hometown papers of the two teams: The Indianapolis Star and The Times-Picayune.
Both papers used large photos, which I like, and they both focused on the team leaders, who are their respective quarterbacks.
The Indy Star’s headline expressed the sadness the team and community feels at losing the Super Bowl.
The Times-Picayune focuses on an emotion of relief since it is the first Super Bowl the Saints’ franchise has ever won. A victory was something fans had been hoping for, and they finally got it.
Both front pages are very telling of how important the football teams are to the towns the media outlets serve.
In both cases, the Super Bowl story is the only story on the page, which is fitting. The Super Bowl is a big deal.
For example, if the Kansas City Chiefs were ever to make it to the Super Bowl, let alone win it, all Kansas papers might devote all the pages to coverage of the Chiefs success, as well as the fact hell must have frozen over in order for the Chiefs to do that well.
Seriously, though, the photographs used by these two papers were great. Each gave a clear message of the feelings the players and fans were feeling.
Brees is clearly happy as he holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy above his head, and Manning is clearly sad and dejected as he watches the Saints celebrate the victory.
So which front page do I like better? The Times-Picayune. Not because they were the winning team, but because of the typography. The huge “Amen” is big, bold and beautiful, and, though it might be a bit cheesy, I like the exclamation point with the Saints logo in it. The whole headline works well because under the “Amen” is a reference to prayers being answered.
Is this front page a little homer-ish? Sure. And it should be. The Times-Picayune is part of New Orleans. So are the Saints. Why shouldn’t the local paper celebrate the victory?
Super Commercials
Besides an incredible football game, Sunday night was also a time for high-dollar television advertising to be shown between plays.
In honor of this part of the Super Bowl tradition, I am sharing with you my favorite commercials, in no particular order. Let me know what your favorites were.
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