By Alexa Ellis, June 6, 2016
Hot wings served with blue cheese, lasagna, salad, dressing and barrels of Blue Moon beer. The usual for my home and only on the nationally revered holiday known as Super Bowl Sunday. This year’s was an even bigger deal because it was the 50th anniversary and quarterback Peyton Manning’s was playing his last game for the Denver Broncos.
Peyton Manning’s Squeaky Clean Image
My brother hosted the party at our house in Springfield, New York. Guests – a bunch of Bronco fans – started to arrive around 5:30 p.m. and claimed their seats on our black couch in the living room. “ I want Manning to win, because he is the best to ever play, and I think he deserves a ring right before he retires,” said Steve Budhan, 23, wearing Nike sweats, black T-shirt red Nikon Roshesan, an Hunter psychology major and Queens native.
Before the game started and because of a news assignment, I did three simple interviews of three Bronco fans in my home. I needed to know whom they were supporting for the game and their opinions of Manning retiring. All eyes were glued to the screen at the kickoff; I was glued to my cell screen. I only cared about the half time show. Beyonce was to perform her new song, Formation.
By now everyone knows it addressed social issues, such as the rising death rate in the African American communities of residents and citizens, many unarmed, killed by police officers. She also addressed the opinions expressed in news media stories about her daughter and husband. “ I like my baby hair with baby hair and Afros. I like Negro nose with Jackson five nostrils” – lyrics sung to express address comments in media about the hair of her 4-year-old daughter, Blue. Media accounts contained harsh comments, like “it’s never combed” and “looks a mess.” There were also sardonic comments attacking Jay Z, about his “camel” nose and his oversized lips. Certain media fed the gossip that these features make him unattractive.
Coldplay and Bruno Mars performed. Mars sung Uptown Funk while his costume was a paid tribute to MC Hammer. Coldplay sung popular songs such as, Viva la Vida, Paradise, Adventure of a Lifetime. They close the showed with their last two songs with visuals of flowers and experssions of world love.
Cold Play would not have been my first choice for the 50th anniversary. I would have enjoyed a bigger headliner like Chris Brown. The Super Bowl half-time show is suppose to be this big deal and this 50th was expected to be different. Beyonce and Chris have adapted to the sound of music every time it has changed, making music that can be replayed for years to come. Coldplay has great songs, but not “classics” that could resonate 20 years from now. The music featured at the Super Bowl 50th anniversary should be classics with lyrics everyone knows.
After the half-time show the game heated up on the field. The Panthers tried to a come back, but the Bronco’s defense fierce, their defensive line kept boxing in quarterback Cam Newton who threw a few incomplete passes. The Panthers managed to tighten up the score at 16-10. But the Broncos scored a touch down after recovering a Newton fumble.
“Once he fumbled the ball, I knew the game was over,” said Jermaine Sagawa, 18, a Hunter computer science major dressed in khaki colored clothing. Broncos won 24-10. Everyone was jumping for joy and spilling beer all over my green carpet. Even though it wasn’t what anyone expected, it still was a “great game,” said Budhan.
Alexa Ellis alexa.ellis90@gmail.com