Super Bowl XLI: Prince was even better than Peyton

Highlights and lowlights from yesterday's Super Bowl XLI.

My prediction didn't seem that far off. I must admit, after the first 5 minutes, I was wondering if I had stepped too far onto the "logic" bandwagon.

Peyton Manning played well enough to win. Good for him. Now that monkey will have to find someplace else to live.

Rex Grossman played just as poorly as everyone expected him to. To paraphrase Dennis Green "He is what we thought he was!" Now the big question will be, what to do with him? Truth be told, he hasn't started that many games, despite his years in the league. But if I was a die hard Bears fan, that wouldn't exactly fill me with confidence.

According to noted bible thumper Tony Dungy, god played a role in getting the team though adversity and reaching the pinnacle of their sport. Surely, this was at the top of his list. After all, it rained, and god must have bet the under. As for visiting a plague upon your enemies, Rex Grossman has to be up there with boils, locusts, frogs and diseased livestock. (And Shannon Sharpe, for TV viewers).

Speaking of which, I'm still waiting for Sharpe to say something intelligible. The rest of the broadcast was well handled. Nothing spectacular, but nothing egregiously wrong, either (excluding Sharpe, of course). CBS did allow James Brown to talk over a cheering crowd from Baghdad, but that's about it for glitches. I usually completely tune out the fluffy, sappy pre-game fair, but did notice something else. Katie Couric's story on Hines Ward (can't knock a truly nice guy, great player and Bulldog getting some props) would have seemed relevant, oh, say, a year ago? When it happened? And when his team was in the Super Bowl?

I usually don't watch Criminal Minds, but I did enjoy the nifty transition from the post-game to the show. The pre-fab Nantz and Simms piece had to have been filmed before, and it was eerily on target with their talk of "turnovers" playing a role (not exactly a stretch, but it did work). And Tony Dungy probably wasn't happy with the plot, with Dawson and his FiveHead paying a little too much attention to his religious upbringing. (maybe if god hadn't been paying attention to getting the Colts a Vince Lombardi trophy and winning the "under" bet, he could have made sure the Beek didn't go on a killing spree).

I'll address the ads in a separate post, but the highlight of the entire coverage? That would be The Purple One, Prince, peforming The. Best. Halftime. Show. Ever. Except for the Aunt Jemima headgear and Dolphins inspired wardrobe, the halftime show simply rocked. Hard. First, it's great when a true artist, who actually writes songs, plays instruments and sings, performs live and doesn't lip synch. But to do it in a rainshower? Without getting electrocuted? And without controversy (as opposed to "Controversy," which would have been cool, too)? The song choices were fantastic. Opening with "Let's Go Crazy" and then a combo of "Baby I'm a Star" (one of my favorite Prince songs) and "Proud Mary?" Then throw in some Hendrix, screaming (and again, "real" and "live") guitar, A Foo Fighters cover and end with Purple Rain -- while it's raining? Simply spectacular. Oh sure, it's hard to beat "Up With People" or Michael Jackson with 3,500 kids (Super Bowl memento - free restraining orders!), but his royal badness totally delivered the goods.