Live Super Bowl blogging: Halftime/Third quarter
Curt Menafee says coming out of the commercial leading into halftime: "I don't know what people expected, but we got us a football game, guys."
I think people were, in general, expecing a football game. Did Curt think they'd be disappointed that there wasn't a golf tournament instead?
"We kicked off at 4:31 local time, Tom Brady took his first snap at 4:52," Howie Long chimes in.
And Gisele Bundchen was shown on TV at 5:07. What's the point? There's always someone who's clockwatching, isn't there. Don't worry, you'll get the first plane out of Phoenix and back to Virginia ASAP.
"I look for them to be more defending in the second half," says Jimmy Johnson, trying to make sense.
Bradshaw reads the first-half highlights as if he's just come back from hurling in the bathroom. Stumbling. Scratch voice. Read it like a third-grade book report. Did he just take the shotsheet off the AP wire service?
==So as your enjoying the Bridgestone Halftime Show, here's something to know about the labor practices of the Bridgestone/Firestone company, thanks to David Zirin, at his EdgeofSports.com link.
==Halftime playlist from T.Petty: "American Girl" (remember it being on the "Silence of the Lambs" soundtrack); "I Won't Back Down," "Free Fallin'" (with references to Jesus and Elvis; not as updated as Petros Papadakis singing "Free Ballin'") and "Runnin' Down A Dream." That's it? Where are the rest of the Traveling Wilburys? That was over faster than the first half.
==Third quarter:
==5:33 p.m.: Shaq, as a horse jockey, in a VitaminWater ad. Should be in the top 3 of any list after this game (without even seeing what else is there). Could be the closest thing to cruelty to an equine since "Blazing Saddles."
==5:35 p.m.: New England puts up a challenge to too many men on the field just before the snap on a Patriots' punt. Fox's camera, one from what apepars to be the roof, shows that he has an argument. Now maybe we need a shot of Chase Blackburn (a backup linebacker) with a closer look. After a review, the penalty is called, first down Pats at Giants 39 yard line. With 11 minutes left in the third quarter, the Pats get new life, by penalty. "So mark this time down in your diary," says Buck.
Who carries around diaries?
"Belichick doesn't miss a trick," says Troy Aikman.
As we soon find out, the penalty didn't hurt the Giants. So it must be OK to erase it from your diary.