Super Bowl

Nielsen reports that Super Bowl 2014 was the most watched game ever with 111.5 million viewers. This record edges out the former record set by the 2011 game (Packers beat the Steelers 31-25) that reached 111.3 million viewers. It’s argued that these figures are low as many viewers gather with friends to watch, nosh, and complete betting grids in hope of winning a quarter or two (football periods, not coins!).

Apparently, Peyton and Russell paled in comparison to Bruno who managed 115.3 million viewers for his halftime extravaganza. Go figure.

I gathered with friends to watch the big game and, to be honest, we had less interest in the contest’s outcome than we had in our menu. Much over thinking finally spawned a spread that included “build-your-own” shrimp cocktail with four choices of sauces and four available mix-ins (40,312 possible combinations – if I did my math right), two options of bleu cheese served on sliced apple, homemade mac-n-cheese, edamame hummus, a couple of caviar options and a spiral-sliced ham with assorted rolls. If that seems like too much food for the few of us gathered, you are absolutely correct – especially as more snacks arrived as others joined the fun.

Don't be too impressed, $6.59 caviar, egg, onion, cream cheese - but tasty!

We amazed at the Bronco meltdown, bemoaned what were deemed less creative commercials than usual (but did cheer an enunciating Bob Dillon pitching Chrysler), and laughed at the generational gap made oh-so-clear by the halftime entertainment. A good evening.

Tonight offered a second good evening. I dropped in on my pal Howard and found him in a happy mood and with more of a confident step. Conversation included our current reads, his most recent visits with his pastor, my latest activities and, for some unknown reason, the growth of technology during our lives.

I admitted that though born in the age of technology, I was still old enough that color television’s arrival was a big deal. Howard recalled a childhood at the movie theaters and huddled around the radio. I asked him when he first encountered television. “I arrived back from Germany (Howard served two enlistments in the United States Air Force – entering the European Theater only after the cessation of hostilities on the Continent) and got leave in New York City,” he began. “Four of us went to the bar and there was the first television any of us ever saw – sometime around 1948 – it was probably an eight-inch screen and the four of us were cheek-to-cheek in awe of this miracle.”

He couldn’t recall what the programming was that evening, but did recount how his father-in-law gave him and his new bride the father-in-law’s television (“A six-inch screen,” laughed Howard) upon their marriage. He also noted that his wife’s dad bought a new one for himself that day!

We talked of my involvement with the University of Michigan’s Men’s Glee Club and my recent hosting of the men for brunch. I told him the menu and that the clubbers did the final assembly of the egg casserole. This sparked Howard into sharing his egg casserole recipe that he makes annually for his church – he’s a gem.

Howard had lentil soup on the stove and offered me a bowl with a slice of bread. We shared dinner, some more stories and I thanked him for his hospitality. He thanked me for sharing a meal with him and again bade me welcome for future visits.

He seemed well and that makes me happy.

Super Bowl viewership statistics thanks to:

http://www.eonline.com/news/506614/super-bowl-2014-ratings-how-many-people-tuned-in-to-see-the-seahawks-broncos-blowout