What a Super Bowl! Turning around a season of turmoil and controversy, Tom Brady powered the Pats to their first Super Bowl win in team history, and the New England defense shut down the Rams' fabled offense, which has been called "Greatest Show on Turf."
But the action did not end on the field. The highly competitive and expensive ad market did not falter as many companies introduced new commercials that kept me interested even after the play had stopped.
Not all the commercials were winners, however.
In one of the most anticipated commercials in recent months, Britney Spears strutted her stuff in Pepsi's new ad that featured a montage of "historical" Pepsi commercials since 1958. Complete with the Marcia Brady hairdo, Britney showed off her curves first in black and white and later in color as a hippie. I was definitely that strange guy you saw running around in your dorm raiding the soda machines.
Budweiser certainly dominated the alcohol market with its numerous commercials. Cedric the Entertainer made the first ad for the King of Beers quite memorable as he whispered pick-up lines to a friend who had less game than that fat comic book guy from "The Simpsons."
Their plan was foiled, however, as the friend heard Cedric order a beer and asked his potential girl, "So, how much?" Let that be a lesson to all of you crazy kids trying to score out there: always come up with your own pickup lines!
Bud continued its trend of funny, yet repetitive, commercials with their ad placing a country Joe at a bar with eight macho regulars. When each offered the greeting, "How ya doin'?" the cowboy would launch into a long and friendly response. What I want to know is, whatever happened to the "Wassup" guys?
My pick for the 2002 "Waterworld" award for worst movie (hands down) goes to "The Scorpion King," starring, who else, but The Rock. The new trailer for the movie, slated to hit theaters early this summer, debuted during the Super Bowl. Some alternative title suggestions: "The Scorpion Crud," "The Cockroach King," "Prehistoric Smackdown" and "A Waste of $9.50."
The winner of the "What the Hell Was That" award, which was the question I was asking my friends after seeing these spots, were the multiple commercials for AT&T's new wireless contraption mLife. I had, and still have, no idea what mLife is, but I can say one thing about it: "Lock Box."
The anti-tobacco Truth campaign continued its trend of powerful commercials on Super Bowl Sunday. One ad featured a giant rat lying dead on the street with a sign saying that Cyanide, the same compound used in rat poison, is also in cigarettes. It was certainly a profound and intelligent twist on Joe Camel.
The anti-drug drive continued with a commercial that told viewers that if you buy drugs, terrorists get some of their money from you. Although I don't know how true it is, the ad certainly made me think.
Visa weighed in with a clever ad of its own for its Check Card, with a virtual game of Seven Degrees of Kevin Bacon. The actor appeared trying to buy something and verified his identity by grabbing five people connected to him. Look on the bright side: at least they didn't try to incorporate "Hollow Man."
Cadillac, the "Official Car of the Super Bowl," debuted its new fleet of atrocious cars amid Led Zeppelin's "Rock and Roll," the first Zep song featured in a commercial. Jimmy Page, I would just like to congratulate you; you are officially no better than Aerosmith.
Dockers' always-enticing ads did not disappoint on Sunday as it debuted a commercial featuring fat hairy men in black skirts watching another guy in pants dancing at a party. The punch line was not short on cheese: "Dockers: Man's answer to the little black dress."
Levis created a gem with their commercial featuring a wife-beater-clad guy in jeans walking down the street with headphones on. His computer enhanced dancing moves were nothing short of hilarious, as he flailed his legs more than a Bill Clinton intern.
The Ford Motor Company confirmed on Sunday something some of may have taken for granted -- farts are still funny. The company really let one rip with its commercial for the 2002 Focus that featured four friends in a car demonstrating the advantages of power windows.
Overall, Sunday night was a Super Bowl to remember. It had great action, great commercials and was not short on patriotism. But before closing, I would just like to recognize U2 for their electrifying halftime performance in front of a banner reading all the names of the victims of Sept. 11. I truly felt proud to be an American on Sunday.
