By Guest, Bob Chianese aka Mr. Wonderful

The Super Bowl has become a singular, once a year spectacle that celebrates what has become our Country’s national past-time sport, the game of football.

When Super Bowl I was played in 1967, it was truly a game for the real football fan.  More importantly, it was a public relations event designed by the National Football League to recognize its merger with the newly formed American Football League.

The Green Bay Packers won Super Bowl I and II against the upstart American Conference Kansas City Chiefs and Oakland Raiders respectively.  The Packers winning of those two games, in rather convincing fashion, denied the legitimacy of the newly formed American Football Conference as well as the Super Bowl itself.

Everything changed however, in 1969, when “Broadway Joe Willy Namath” led the New York Jets to victory over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III. The turning point signaling that the American Conference had arrived and the Super Bowl was now a big deal.

There have been 45 Super Bowls played since 1967, and interestingly the National Football Conference has won 24 times and the American Football Conference has won 21 times, almost even. Over the years, some games have been great and some stinkers, nonetheless the event itself has grown in popularity by leaps and bounds.

The Super Bowl is now a spectacular national and international event, a reason to party, put our everyday lives aside, and have some fun. Today, people watch the Super Bowl not as much for the game, but instead to watch and laugh at the newest and exorbitantly expensive television commercials by companies such as Budweiser, Pepsi, and General Motors.  Most certainly, we want to view the grandiose halftime shows by pop stars such as Paul McCartney, Janet Jackson, and Madonna.

People gather in Pubs and homes to party, eat nachos, pigs in blankets, Swedish meatballs, and all kinds of goodies.

Betting pools, part of the standard fare, have nothing to do with who actually wins the game, but rather the random number you pick that hopefully will match each teams score at different times during the game.

The Super Bowl is now a national day of celebration centered on a football game.  It says a lot about the American Culture.

Super Bowl XLVI (the number 46 doesn’t suggest enough pomp and circumstance) pits the New England Patriots (AFL)  against the New York Giants (NFL) Does anyone really care who is playing or actually wins the game? It is really just a big party, a day to revel in good food, eye-popping ear splitting entertainment, create memories, and share in the fun with friends. One of the greats, Vincent Lombardi said, “Winning isn’t everything.”

There are no losers.  The teams playing have already achieved immeasurable success. It doesn’t matter who wins the game. They have already won the hearts of their fans, demonstrated their athletic prowess, and earned the accolades bestowed on them.

Oh, I forgot to finish Lombardi’s thought, “Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”

So,” I’m not gonna fugget-about-it. Winning is the only thing.  I’m a diehard Giants fan who bleeds blue – Repeat 2008!!! Go Big Blue!”