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Sunday, February 6, 2011

Why Tonight Could be the Longest game in Super Bowl History

Super Bowl XLV has it all. 

As far as history goes,  one would be hard pressed to find two other more storied teams in the National Football League. Green Bay has long been associated with the start of the NFL and has three Super Bowl titles to its credit; no one has more rings than the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have six.

Then there is the location of tonight's game.  Despite the fact that it is the house that Jerry Jones, who in some people's eyes is the satan of the NFL himself, built(not literally, of course, but it was his hundreds of millions that allowed the new Dallas stadium to be built), there is something about Dallas as host of tonight's game that only adds to the mystique.  'Everything is bigger and better in Texas,' as the saying goes, and while I can't necessarily agree to the last part of that statement, having been in both Austin and San Antonio myself, maybe Texans can say things are bigger there.  Certainly Super Bowl XLV should break records, not only in viewing audience but also people who will watch it in person.

Tonight's game, however, could end up being one of the more drawn out affairs for a different reason altogether: the prospect of no professional football next season.   League officials have to be ready for this proposition, despite the fact that publicly they claim a deal will get done before the current CBA expires this march.   And while the jobs of thousands of US Steel workers, who were told not to miss work tonight without a valid excuse(US Steel International is based in Pittsburgh, btw), could hang in the balance, the prospect of no professional football next season could affect the lives of hundreds more Americans in the coming year.  So they will watch this game with intensity, not knowing if they will get to work next season.
Corporate sponsors will shell out millions more in even more ridiculous adds, knowing that come February of 2012, they may not get the chance.  And even Jerry Jones himself, all public statements aside, is trying to get in on this:  $900 for a parking spot seems a bit much.  Even for a game that could last more than four hours.

So sports fans, get ready for an exciting night of football.  Good luck to both teams and may the best (cough Green Bay cough) win.  For those of you who have to get up early tomorrow, you might not want to watch however, cause it's gonna be a long one.

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