The Unofficial American Holiday

Tomorrow is the Super Bowl. It is basically America's unofficial holiday. It is the single most watched televised event each year, and for good reason. The whole event is an experience, and not just for the action on the field.

I was recently talking to a co-worker about the fact that a company spent $3.5 million on its Super Bowl ad. On the surface, that seems like a great deal of money. But consider the cost of advertising and the captive audience at the Super Bowl, and that begins to make more sense.

I love the pageantry of the whole event, not just the game. And I look forward to the Super Bowl no matter who is playing. I love watching the commercials and looking for the funny ones, the spectacle of the half time show, the pre and post-game reports, and of course the action on the field.

Usually networks seed their best and brightest shows right after the Super Bowl too (this year it's "Glee"). That's always fun too, seeing what's going to be on. So it's more than just a game, it's an all-encompassing event.

This year, we also happened to have a couple great teams playing. I watched all the playoff games for the Packers and Steelers, and it's interesting how similar both teams are in their approach and personnel. It should be a competitive game. Both the Steelers previous appearances in the last few years have come down to the end, and this should be no different.

With one exception — I think this game will belong to the Packers. Aaron Rodgers has plenty to prove, and that defense is stout. Clay Matthews, BJ Raji, and Charles Woodson form the core of a talented, tough group. After watching what the Packers did in Atlanta, I became a believer.

This won't be a blowout, but I still think the Packers have too much talent. My prediction, Packers 31, Steelers 24.

Hope everyone enjoys the big game!