Flight to Dallas? $400. Hotel Room? $179 a night. No seat for you at the Super Bowl, even with a ticket? Pricel... 3 times face value of ticket

February 6, 2011 3:11 PM

Apparently the NFL was looking for a record crowd at Cowboys Stadium, and tried to add temporary seating. 2 hours before kickoff, workers were still installing that seating. That status later changed to 400 fans being denied entry and instead being offered 3 times the face value of their tickets. Fans are not happy, and the screw-up is news, both locally, and in Pittsburgh and Green Bay.
posted by booksherpa (209 comments total)

Borked link: Fans are not happy, -- "Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!"
posted by ericb at 3:13 PM on February 6, 2011

I clicked on the link in the post and the one you pasted in your comment. Both took me to a Twitter search results pages for the hashtag #nflfail . Not sure what problem you're seeing....
posted by booksherpa at 3:15 PM on February 6, 2011

"Those turned away will be given a refund of triple the face value -- however, $2,700 for $900 tickets may not be enough for folks who paid much more to scalpers, not to mention travel and hotel costs."

Ouch!
posted by ericb at 3:16 PM on February 6, 2011

Still getting the Twitter error at the hyperlink: http://twitter.com/search%3Fq=%2523nflfail#.
posted by ericb at 3:18 PM on February 6, 2011

Yeah, there's something wrong with the "fans are not happy" link... I get the same twitter error that ericb is getting. Neither of them resolved to a hashtag search for me.
posted by hippybear at 3:18 PM on February 6, 2011

When you sort it out send a note via contact and one of the mods will likely be happy to correct the error for you.
posted by ericb at 3:20 PM on February 6, 2011

Dammit... how about http://twitter.com/#!/search/%23nflfail ? Or http://twitter.com/#!/search/nflfail ?
posted by booksherpa at 3:21 PM on February 6, 2011

Borked link: Fans are not happy, -- "Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!"

OMG!!! NFL authorities have shut down the internet to prevent the rioting from spreading!
posted by fairmettle at 3:22 PM on February 6, 2011 [13 favorites]

$2,700 for $900 tickets may not be enough for folks who paid much more to scalpers

Based on that "3 times their face value" link, ticket purchasers were being contacted directly as "authorized ticket holders".

I wonder if this means that scalpers will be getting refunds while fans get screwed.
posted by hippybear at 3:22 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Huh. The link is working for me.

(Anyway, I hope whoever did that arrangement of 'America the Beautiful' was turned away.)
posted by trip and a half at 3:24 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Amazing. Christina Aguilera just flubbed her lines in the middle of the national anthem. Reminds me of when Chief Justice Roberts fumbled the presidential oath of office.
posted by haltingproblemsolved at 3:27 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Perhaps they could tune in to BBC1 because, for some reason, they're broadcasting it on there.

I didn't plan to but I've just sat through the first half hour. Judging by the preamble so far, I guess the nukes get paraded soon. Am I right?
posted by run"monty at 3:27 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

Wow, that national anthem was bad, that lady needs to keep her day job.
posted by marxchivist at 3:28 PM on February 6, 2011

Amazing. Christina Aguilera just flubbed her lines in the middle of the national anthem. Reminds me of when Chief Justice Roberts fumbled the presidential oath of office.

And a new field of conspiracy theory studies is born.
posted by 2bucksplus at 3:28 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

So, apparently http://twitter.com/#!/search/nflfail works as a link, but that then is resolved by twitter.com to be http://twitter.com/search/nflfail#search?q=nflfail

Seems like there should be a more consistent way for such links to be shared.
posted by hippybear at 3:30 PM on February 6, 2011

Can we stop discussing the inconsistent link borkage please? I've notified the mods there is an issue for some people.
posted by booksherpa at 3:34 PM on February 6, 2011

The twitter link works for me. Maybe this is related to whether twitter thinks you're a logged in user or cookieless/not-logged-in, and it redirects to a different link?

Also, man, what a sucky thing to happen to the affected fans.
posted by rmd1023 at 3:35 PM on February 6, 2011

Can we stop discussing the inconsistent link borkage please?

I said the same thing to my wife.
posted by The Emperor of Ice Cream at 3:39 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

Can we stop discussing the inconsistent link borkage please?

I said the same thing to my wife.

There are pills for that... but it does bring a whole new level of meaning when referring to MetaFilter as "The Blue".
posted by hippybear at 3:41 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

Wow, that national anthem was bad, that lady needs to keep her day job.

I feel bad for her. She's been singing the national anthem forever. It sucks for anyone to flub their lines like that on a big stage, pro or amateur.
posted by Balonious Assault at 3:46 PM on February 6, 2011

Anyone know how I can get the BBC1 feed as an American? Following the #BBCSuperBowl is pretty funny and I'd love to at least hear how they're explaining this.
posted by geoff. at 3:52 PM on February 6, 2011

I said the same thing to my wife.

Did you at least refund her $60?
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 3:56 PM on February 6, 2011 [11 favorites]

Anyone know how I can get the BBC1 feed as an American?
I've got it over slow VPN connection from China. Video is patchy though.
posted by arcticseal at 4:01 PM on February 6, 2011

I said the same thing to my wife.

Did you at least refund her $60?

(I think) I see what you did there.
posted by The Potate at 4:02 PM on February 6, 2011

The Cowboy's stadium construction had a bit on Science Channel's Build it Bigger. As I recall the seating was designed where all the seats sit in sort of a guide track and can be individually placed. This would allow them to pull seats out and have wide spacing or squeeze seats closer together and bring in more seats. I'd imagine for the UltraMegaBowl your neighbor's knee is about two inches into your thigh.
posted by Babblesort at 4:02 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

So I guess a team just scored? I just heard someone across the courtyard yell "Touchdown fuck yeah, suck it bitches!"
posted by Ad hominem at 4:05 PM on February 6, 2011 [7 favorites]

Is this where I can say that I had some kind of brief disgust-seizure when the camera focused on Aguilera's gaping maw then cut to fighter jets flying over? Because, goddamn.
posted by Burhanistan at 4:08 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

Did the BBC1 coverage include the recitation of the Declaration of Independence?
posted by weebil at 4:14 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

Ad hominem - Packers are up, 14-0.
posted by punchtothehead at 4:15 PM on February 6, 2011

Christina Aguilera just flubbed her lines in the middle of the national anthem.

If that was Jay Cutler singing, he would have quit before the song was over.
posted by phaedon at 4:24 PM on February 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

Does anyone know of good minute-by-minute coverage for someone who knows a little bit about American football? I had my hopes up for The Guardian's, but it's awful. I'm watching it on German channel ARD and though I mostly get what's going on, I wouldn't mind having someone explain the intricacies in a language I understand.
posted by Kattullus at 4:28 PM on February 6, 2011

Can we stop discussing the inconsistent link borkage please?

But what if we happen to find "inconsistent link borkage" to be a much more interesting topic than a football game?
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 4:31 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

Hey, the idiot who posted this bodied the linkage. What a moron.
posted by xmutex at 4:36 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Low quality video of the singing mess-up.

For those of us who would need a TV to have seen it.
posted by 47triple2 at 4:39 PM on February 6, 2011

So, I hear there are some people playing a sport somewhere.
posted by cmoj at 4:40 PM on February 6, 2011

Consistent link borkage is the hobgoblin of little mindsmods.

And I am the emperor of Soft Serve. I keed, I keed
posted by The Emperor of Ice Cream at 4:40 PM on February 6, 2011

Borked it. Stupid autocomplete borked my comment.
posted by xmutex at 4:40 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

I hope aliens descend upon Dallas and deathray the Black Eyes Peas during halftime. That would be awesome.
posted by phaedon at 4:42 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

[SPOILER] the black eyed peas die.
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 4:51 PM on February 6, 2011 [8 favorites]

I have some very important news for ticketed fans that have denied entry:
posted by Stonestock Relentless at 4:52 PM on February 6, 2011

Displaced fans allowed in stadium to watch Super Bowl on monitors
posted by Kattullus at 4:55 PM on February 6, 2011

WRT the headline, only $179 a night for hotel rooms? That's cheaper than Comic-Con; I disbelieve.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 4:57 PM on February 6, 2011

Katallus, I've been following it through this NFL page.
posted by malibustacey9999 at 4:58 PM on February 6, 2011

I don't get it. When does the bowling start?
posted by Hogshead at 4:58 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

Does anyone else have the zombo.com guy start speaking in your head every time Frank Zombo appears on-screen?
posted by Kattullus at 5:00 PM on February 6, 2011 [16 favorites]

What's with the hate for the Black Eyed Peas? They seem to make perfectly serviceable pop music.
posted by humanfont at 5:01 PM on February 6, 2011

Watched the video of the anthem, what was the flub? That she said "watched"?
posted by Partario at 5:02 PM on February 6, 2011

WRT the headline, only $179 a night for hotel rooms?

Yeah, that was a guess. I figured it might be an underestimation.
posted by booksherpa at 5:02 PM on February 6, 2011

I played on a team with Zombo in middle school. I thought he was on injured reserve, but there he goes.
posted by ofthestrait at 5:02 PM on February 6, 2011

what was the flub?

She said "what so proudly we watched." It's "o'er the ramparts we watched." Still, better than Sarah Palin.
posted by phaedon at 5:04 PM on February 6, 2011

In fact, the entire line is incorrect. She repeats "What so proudly we watched at the twilight's last gleaming." The only part of that line that is correct is we watched.
posted by phaedon at 5:07 PM on February 6, 2011

$2,700 for $900 tickets may not be enough for folks who paid much more to scalpers

$900 for a ticket to an overincensed football match?

Guess who's the buyer in this private exclusive your-eyes-only song recently leaked by Wikileaks, but not picked up by the mainstream media.
posted by elpapacito at 5:08 PM on February 6, 2011

Fuck. The Black Eyed Peas are the aliens.
posted by phaedon at 5:09 PM on February 6, 2011

It's the Black Eyes Peas surrounded by semen. Unbelievable.
posted by phaedon at 5:10 PM on February 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

Their clothes are lighting up!
posted by Joe Beese at 5:12 PM on February 6, 2011

Where's Up With People presenting a salute to Tron when you need it?
posted by box at 5:12 PM on February 6, 2011 [6 favorites]

"Watched the video of the anthem, what was the flub? That she said "watched"?"

You wern't there man, the ramparts of Fort McHenry were intense. Brave local boys able to do nothing but stand there while a technologically superior global power from across the ocean bombarded them with experimental rockets. They should be hailed.
posted by Blasdelb at 5:13 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

I bet Slash hates that song as much as it's possible to hate something that paid for your house.
posted by box at 5:14 PM on February 6, 2011 [14 favorites]

Slash just walked onto stage and Fergie is butchering Sweet Child 'O Mine, complete with bad rendition of the Axle Rose dance from the video.
posted by COD at 5:14 PM on February 6, 2011

What the hellshit is this
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 5:15 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

This is one uninspired half-time show. There is no way "I'm turning it up."
posted by Partario at 5:15 PM on February 6, 2011

complete with bad rendition of the Axle Rose dance from the video

Axl had better legs.
posted by Joe Beese at 5:15 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Who's the guy they just ushered in from the sky?
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:17 PM on February 6, 2011 [6 favorites]

My eyes, ears and soul hate me now. What is this horible shit?
posted by Burhanistan at 5:17 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

As much as I may dislike the Black Eyed Peas, I bet it sounds a million times better in the stadium than it does on tv. What a massive failure getting a decent mix to the tv broadcast.
posted by Balonious Assault at 5:17 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

The ghost of Harry Blackstone just puked up a silk scarf.
posted by mintcake! at 5:18 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Who's the guy they just ushered in from the sky?

Usher.
posted by ZeusHumms at 5:18 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

Tron: The Musical.
posted by phaedon at 5:19 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

What the hellshit is this

Illuminated clothes, TV hair shields, armies of glowing green people, and sunglasses; this is the future. Duh.
posted by quin at 5:19 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

/darn it.
posted by ZeusHumms at 5:19 PM on February 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

The only thing that can redeem this performance is a bold political statement. Preferably an autotuned one.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:20 PM on February 6, 2011

quin: I'm kind of glad I only spent five months on Tron, unlike my coworkers who pulled three-year stints. I'm less culpable somehow.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 5:20 PM on February 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

How could they do this to America? Haven't we suffered enough?
posted by Justinian at 5:20 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

In space no one can hear you dirty dancing.
posted by mintcake! at 5:20 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

Mrs. Beese: "What are those square head things for?"
posted by Joe Beese at 5:21 PM on February 6, 2011

I don't get it. When does the bowling start?

You doofus. This is the Large Football Match. The Bills of Buffalo are the favorites and that is whom my money is place with.
posted by marxchivist at 5:21 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

How awesome would it be to watch zombie lombardi beholding this?
posted by jenkinsEar at 5:21 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

I bet it's more fun to be in the half time show.
posted by ZeusHumms at 5:21 PM on February 6, 2011

I'm intrigued by the milk crates the dancers are wearing on their heads.
posted by weebil at 5:21 PM on February 6, 2011

Could they just not have gotten Prince again? He could alternate years with Springsteen.
posted by Lulu's Pink Converse at 5:21 PM on February 6, 2011 [7 favorites]

It all reminds of me of that Daft Punk video, you know, that song with the good lyrics.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:21 PM on February 6, 2011

W.T.F.

...and what do you mean "That was mega"? What is this? 1992?
posted by Urtylug at 5:21 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

This remake of the Tron sequel is even shittier than the Tron sequel.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 5:22 PM on February 6, 2011

I can't say I'm really enjoying the half-time show, but I can't lie, this is pretty much exactly what I thought concerts in the year 2011 would look like back in 1991, when I was 10.
posted by Kattullus at 5:22 PM on February 6, 2011 [23 favorites]

"What are those square head things for?"

That should be our new uniform for when we are invading other countries.
posted by phaedon at 5:22 PM on February 6, 2011

I just watched that whole thing on mute and it was still terrible.
posted by something something at 5:22 PM on February 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

The only thing that can redeem this performance is a bold political statement.

Well, that guy did call on Obama to create more jobs.
posted by Joe Beese at 5:22 PM on February 6, 2011

And he makes a convincing case for out-of-work dancers with boxes on their head!
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:24 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

The crazy plastic hair was a little Kool Keith-esque. There's that.
posted by mintcake! at 5:24 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

The only thing that can redeem this performance is a bold political statement.

Illuminated square helmets for next season?
posted by phaedon at 5:25 PM on February 6, 2011

The ghost of Harry Blackstone just puked up a silk scarf.

I thought that was when when Elvis Presto did the halftime show.
posted by ActingTheGoat at 5:26 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Whoa, not that bold, you iconoclast. Maybe just some tassels and a dash of lavender.
posted by goodnewsfortheinsane at 5:26 PM on February 6, 2011

Mr. Dr. Zira wisely spared us the humanity by switching over to the puppies. Did Fergie shit on anything?
posted by Dr. Zira at 5:27 PM on February 6, 2011

Reading this thread is far more fun than actually watching the Super Bowl.
posted by ocherdraco at 5:27 PM on February 6, 2011 [6 favorites]

Christina Aguilera just flubbed her lines in the middle of the national anthem.

That cracker who wrote the national anthem knew what he was doing. He set the word 'free' to a note so high nobody can reach it.
posted by octobersurprise at 5:27 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

So they just decided to go with the Michael Bay Super Bowl, huh?
posted by penduluum at 5:28 PM on February 6, 2011

Tell you one thing, 400 fans are unexpectedly relieved they didn't have to sit and watch that shit.
posted by phaedon at 5:29 PM on February 6, 2011 [12 favorites]

I don't know if it would have helped things, but man who the fuck was doing the mixing for that halftime show? They need to be fired yesterday, along with whoever fucked up the seats that should have been ready weeks ago.
posted by kmz at 5:31 PM on February 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

Oh wow, that Elvis Presto link is completely amazing.
posted by mintcake! at 5:34 PM on February 6, 2011

At least Ben Favre isnt alive to see this.
posted by Justinian at 5:34 PM on February 6, 2011

Ozzy AND Bieber!
posted by Dr. Zira at 5:38 PM on February 6, 2011

Well, that guy did call on Obama to create more jobs.

It's a statement, but not a bold one.

As for the poor upper class yahoos who paid that much money for a football ticket, to them, I say, "ha".
posted by IvoShandor at 5:38 PM on February 6, 2011

hippybear: Based on that "3 times their face value" link, ticket purchasers were being contacted directly as "authorized ticket holders".

I wonder if this means that scalpers will be getting refunds while fans get screwed.

Does anybody know if this is actually how it's going to go? Because if so, epic win for the scalpers.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:40 PM on February 6, 2011

Look, Christina Aguilera might have screwed up royally on that song but darn it, she KEPT ON GOING. That, my friends, is how a professional handles a royal screw up. That, at least, I can admire.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 5:41 PM on February 6, 2011 [10 favorites]

Amazing. Christina Aguilera just flubbed her lines in the middle of the national anthem. Reminds me of when Chief Justice Roberts fumbled the presidential oath of office.

Or Frank Drebin
posted by TheShadowKnows at 5:41 PM on February 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

Up with people and the boston pops, 1982.
posted by jenkinsEar at 5:43 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

is the halftime show up on youtube yet? kinda the only part I want to watch...
posted by kittensofthenight at 5:45 PM on February 6, 2011

Can we just cut our losses and see Janet Jackson's boob again?
posted by Mr. Bad Example at 5:46 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

That Test Baby commercial is crass, offensive, and insensitive to all the parents who've suffered the loss of their precious babies who've been inadvertently catapulted into glass windowpanes
posted by Dr. Zira at 5:47 PM on February 6, 2011 [4 favorites]

Wow. Lip-syncing and she still got the lyrics wrong.
posted by dances_with_sneetches at 5:48 PM on February 6, 2011

kittensofthenight: is the halftime show up on youtube yet? kinda the only part I want to watch..

Black Eyed Peas.

I think I'd rather choke on my own vomit for 25 minutes.
posted by paisley henosis at 5:49 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Wow, that Groupon commercial sucked balls.
posted by phaedon at 5:50 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

Wow, that Groupon commercial sucked balls.

Was that the one starring the Ice Man?
posted by Partario at 5:52 PM on February 6, 2011

Wow, that Groupon commercial sucked balls.

Ugh, unfuckingbelievably offensive. Makes me want to not watch Leverage anymore.
posted by kmz at 5:54 PM on February 6, 2011

Groupon gets the Most Insensitive Award.
posted by Burhanistan at 5:55 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Here's the whole set of retarded Groupon commercials.
posted by phaedon at 5:55 PM on February 6, 2011

Were the dancers some sort of Peter Gabriel tribute?
posted by TedW at 5:59 PM on February 6, 2011

worst field goal attempt ever
posted by Justinian at 6:00 PM on February 6, 2011

Some guy is advertising for zombo.com on his jersey!
posted by Burhanistan at 6:00 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

Sack by Zombo.

Not often you get to say that.
posted by Kattullus at 6:01 PM on February 6, 2011

Yay, Detroit!
posted by box at 6:03 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Did Eminem just try to sell me a PT Cruiser?
posted by phaedon at 6:04 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

I like Detroit. Eminem and box told me to.
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:04 PM on February 6, 2011

Tired of US automakers telling us that nobody buys their cars because of some bias against Detroit.


It's the cars, stupid.
posted by kiltedtaco at 6:04 PM on February 6, 2011 [7 favorites]

Okay, the Eminem/Detroit ad caught me by surprise.
posted by Navelgazer at 6:06 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Okay, the Chrysler ad gave me chills.

Have I missed the GoDaddy spot yet? I hope so -- they piss me off every year.
posted by Toothless Willy at 6:07 PM on February 6, 2011

Really liked the Detroit ad. I'm from a railroad town, so I feel for places where the whole town is dominated by the rise and fall of one industry.
posted by bizzyb at 6:07 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

Or Frank Drebin

Are you stupid? I was at that game, and Enrico Pallazzo sang the national anthem.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 6:08 PM on February 6, 2011 [7 favorites]

The GoDaddy spot featured boobs and CGI.
posted by Burhanistan at 6:08 PM on February 6, 2011

Tooth.. yes, you missed it. It teased you with a "hot" (and by that I mean kinda thick blonde chick with a big ass and huge cleavage) and then they reveal it to be Joan Rivers.
posted by ReeMonster at 6:08 PM on February 6, 2011

I've got to ask, though: I've seen so many photos of that Detroit theatre fallen into disrepair... has someone actually refurbished it?
posted by Navelgazer at 6:09 PM on February 6, 2011

Yeah, that's the Fox. It's in really nice shape. Beautiful theatre.
posted by penduluum at 6:12 PM on February 6, 2011

Navelgazer: Okay, the Eminem/Detroit ad caught me by surprise.

Amusingly, there were TWO Eminem commercials, the first a cheezy clayanimation thing of Eminem as the BadAss who turns down commercials because the pitches and products suck, but hey, this tea is pretty good! The second was the more subtle one, selling cars.

And: The Fox Theatre, Detroit (wikipedia link).
posted by filthy light thief at 6:15 PM on February 6, 2011

Let's get Mike Perieira in here to tell us about his "bang bang" theory.
posted by phaedon at 6:16 PM on February 6, 2011

Navelgazer is talking about the Michigan theater. Still a parking lot, I believe.
posted by ofthestrait at 6:17 PM on February 6, 2011

Michigan Theater
posted by ofthestrait at 6:21 PM on February 6, 2011

So what was the deal with that pass that was challenged?
posted by Kattullus at 6:21 PM on February 6, 2011

Thank you Jesus. I really don't want an alleged rapist to win this game and end up in the Hall of Fame.
posted by phaedon at 6:26 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

I'm glad I wasn't the only person to find the Groupon commercial offensive.
posted by pemberkins at 6:27 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Damn you wikipedia. You made xina look like a idiot!
posted by Ad hominem at 6:28 PM on February 6, 2011

I don't know if I'd call that offensive, but it was certainly ridiculous and terrible.
posted by kafziel at 6:28 PM on February 6, 2011

Here's the whole set of retarded Groupon commercials.

Wow. Which one was actually aired?
posted by naoko at 6:28 PM on February 6, 2011

Man, I was just about to say, can a Packers receiver actually hold on to a pass, then Jordy Nelson goes and redeems himself.
posted by kmz at 6:29 PM on February 6, 2011

naoko: Wow. Which one was actually aired?

All of them.
posted by filthy light thief at 6:30 PM on February 6, 2011

A. I love that the original link just became a Let's LiveBlog the SuperBowl

B. Apparently, there was a Doritos commerical that referenced sexual assault, or something? So says my Twitter stream. I am reluctant to search for it.
posted by emjaybee at 6:33 PM on February 6, 2011

So what was the deal with that pass that was challenged?

Each team gets a couple of challenges per game. There was a slight chance that the replay official might have ruled that the receiver had established possession before the ball was stripped, in which case it would have been a completed pass, the Packers would have gotten a first down, and they wouldn't have had to punt the ball back to the Steelers. It wasn't very likely, but at that point in the game, deep in their own end of the field, it was worth a try.

On another note, what a sloppy game.
posted by Balonious Assault at 6:34 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

emjaybee, there was a strange commercial where a guy was eating Doritos in the office, and the strange other guy was looking at him and then sucked his fingers to get the cheesy goodness from them. Then at the end of the commercial he tears the pants off of someone who wiped cheese powder on them. Way to play on sexual harassment and homophobia in one deliciously cheese-tastic commercial.
posted by ReeMonster at 6:38 PM on February 6, 2011

So what was the deal with that pass that was challenged?

It was ruled an incomplete pass because he didn't maintain control of the ball while making a "football move." If the pass isn't complete the receiver can't fumble. Green Bay challenged because they believed (1) the pass was complete and (2) the receiver was down by contact before the ball came out.
posted by weebil at 6:42 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Wow this thread has been a trip! I'm kind of glad now that my stupid USB TV made my stupid video card overheat my laptop so I couldn't watch.
posted by trip and a half at 6:42 PM on February 6, 2011

Wow, looks like we have ourselves a ball game.
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:43 PM on February 6, 2011

Ah, ReeMonster, that would explain all the male FB friends going AAAHHHHH when that aired.

(I was watching PBS costume drame at the time).

Re the ripped-off SuperFans, my husband was downtown in Ft. Worth yesterday and verified that ALL food and drink prices were hideously jacked up. So basically, the bumped fans paid out the ass for tickets and drinks and probably rental cars/transit, to visit Greater DFW. A place w/ no mountains, oceans, forests, or other natural beauty, but that DOES have every chain restaurant ever, plus lots of smog and long-ass drives to get everywhere, and this week, icy roads of death and bitter cold.

The only thing that would make their trip worse is maybe a tornado. Lucky them it's not spring yet.
posted by emjaybee at 6:43 PM on February 6, 2011

Goddamnit, Packers. Don't let Roethlisberger win.
posted by kmz at 6:43 PM on February 6, 2011

Wow. Which one was actually aired?

All of them.

Oh. Oh wow. Ok then.
posted by naoko at 6:47 PM on February 6, 2011

Okay, that House commercial was full of win.
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:48 PM on February 6, 2011

A place w/ no mountains, oceans, forests, or other natural beauty, but that DOES have every chain restaurant ever, plus lots of smog and long-ass drives to get everywhere, and this week, icy roads of death and bitter cold.

Well, if they were smart they'd hit up a place like Fort Worth Hole in the Wall and find great local places. And then not be able to go to them because of the icy roads of death. But still. And man, I know we're Texas and everything, but Fort Worth did a terrible job with the roads this week. We were driving downtown on Friday and there was ice everywhere. Even around Sundance Square. Horrid.
posted by kmz at 6:49 PM on February 6, 2011

Anthony Madison just used his jazz hands in an unsportsmanlike fashion.
posted by Dr. Zira at 6:57 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

Shoe-in!
posted by Burhanistan at 7:04 PM on February 6, 2011

I love that the original link just became a Let's LiveBlog the SuperBowl

I don't. But 2 hours ago I figured that that ship had sailed, and gave up on the comments actually having much to do with any of the content of my actual post. I am pleased that people have moved on beyond being stupid and snarky ("People like the Super Bowl? How silly. I shall comment about my disdain for such things in a thread related to ... the Super Bowl! Tra la!") to talking about something actually sort of related to my post. Probably my own damn fault for thinking that any post related to the Super Bowl would become anything other than the live blogging thread when posted that close to game time.
posted by booksherpa at 7:05 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Yes! Go Pack! Haha, fuck you Roethlisberger!
posted by kmz at 7:06 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

There's another Brisk commercial out there, but I wonder if they showed it earlier in the evening.
posted by ZeusHumms at 7:06 PM on February 6, 2011

Definitely.
posted by Burhanistan at 7:06 PM on February 6, 2011

Big Ben has a sad.
posted by Dr. Zira at 7:07 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

2 hours ago I figured that that ship had sailed, and gave up on the comments actually having much to do with any of the content of my actual post.

Well, the faulty twitter link probably didn't help, for starters. But really, what do you want people to be saying about the content of your post? GRAR outrage about the stupidity of people who can't plan their sporting events properly? Mocking or sympathy directed at people who pay more than a month's salary for some people living in the same country to attend a sporting event? Shadenfreude?
posted by hippybear at 7:09 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

WHOO!
posted by Navelgazer at 7:10 PM on February 6, 2011

Pittsburgh played with a lot of heart. Just not enough skill.

You can't give Green Bay three turnovers and expect to win.
posted by Joe Beese at 7:12 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Spotted online: Super.Bowl.XLV.Halftime.Show.Black.Eyed.Peas.720p.HDTV.x264-2HD
posted by paisley henosis at 7:13 PM on February 6, 2011

Yeah. Posting about something when it's happening will almost guarantee it will be a liveblog thread.
posted by Burhanistan at 7:13 PM on February 6, 2011

I don't. But 2 hours ago I figured that that ship had sailed, and gave up on the comments actually having much to do with any of the content of my actual post.

Honestly, I assumed your post was just a clever pretext to get around Mefi's absurd restriction on live-blogging events we're all watching.
posted by orthogonality at 7:14 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

TOUCH THE IDOL AND BE PURIFIED
posted by Burhanistan at 7:16 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

TOUCH THE IDOL AND BE PURIFIED
Roger Staubach's tears cure cancer.
posted by Dr. Zira at 7:17 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

That was weird. Also, Mr. Announcer Guy, FYI Roger Staubach was MVP for Super Bowl VI. Since apparently you forgot.
posted by kmz at 7:17 PM on February 6, 2011

Bitchin' Camaro?
posted by Burhanistan at 7:21 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

As a fan of communally owned non-profit driven co-operatives, I'm pleased.
posted by Kattullus at 7:23 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

And as a sworn blood-enemy of capitalism, I'm doubly pleased.
posted by Kattullus at 7:24 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

One thing that makes me like Aaron Rodgers... He's been sneaking into ever team captain picture the team has taken since he was drafted.
posted by drezdn at 7:25 PM on February 6, 2011 [26 favorites]

hippybear, the link worked for me, my husband and Jessamyn, who responded to me. She suggested maybe Twitter was overloaded and that's the problem you encountered. But the early discussion was about the "bad" link, and not the post, and once people realized there was "a Super Bowl thread", it went completely off the rails. I'm really okay that it became the live blog thread. I don't know what I was expecting from the thread - maybe just a whole bunch of "Damn, NFL, you really suck! What bad planning on your part!" with a side of "Look at how social media has changed how we view live events and problems at them."

Really, the only thing that made me shake my head was the person whose response to me asking people to move on from the borked link discussion was "what if we don't want to talk about football?" In a Super Bowl thread. I really don't get the people who enter threads on topics they find boring to comment on how they're bored by the topic.

I think there might be a discussion to be had about declaring "official" live blogging threads for certain events, but since that topic is probably a non-starter with the mods, I'm just gonna let it go.

So, did anyone else catch the hidden Angry Birds in the Rio ad?
posted by booksherpa at 7:26 PM on February 6, 2011

Tron: The Musical.

Starlight Express?
posted by obiwanwasabi at 7:29 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

As a fan of football, I'm pleased. That was a good game.
posted by jonmc at 7:30 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

Honestly, I assumed your post was just a clever pretext to get around Mefi's absurd restriction on live-blogging events we're all watching.

Nope. I treated it like any other FPP I've done and found related links, corroborating links, and tried to construct an interesting post. But, like I've said, I shoulda known better. I've been around here long enough.

The official position has always seemed to be that MeFi is not a chat site, and so we don't do chatty threads, but there's unofficial exceptions. That's probably for the best. If the mods make official live blog threads, where does it stop? If we do it for the Super Bowl, do we also do it for the World Cup? The Olympic marathon? What about other Olympic finals? The British Open? French Open?
posted by booksherpa at 7:35 PM on February 6, 2011

A little late to this, but yeah, the Chrysler ad I would imagine is less about the car itself to be frank.


WHAT UP DETROIT!!!
posted by JoeXIII007 at 7:36 PM on February 6, 2011

The Olympic marathon?
posted by box at 7:37 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

That's probably for the best. If the mods make official live blog threads, where does it stop?

Yes, think of the millions who would be forced at gunpoint to read and comment in those threads.
posted by orthogonality at 7:39 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

Also, Mr. Announcer Guy, FYI Roger Staubach was MVP for Super Bowl VI. Since apparently you forgot.

My guess is that the announcer's copy (stupidly) read "Super Bowl VI" instead of "6" and he froze up in the moment, not wanting to fuck up the Roman numeral thing. Which leads me to wonder when the NFL is going to finally drop that ridiculous numbering convention and switch to the much more user-friendly (if less "classy") Arabic system. I'm thinking it'll happen a year or so before Super Bowl L.
posted by Atom Eyes at 7:40 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Booksherpa, I feel like you take this to Meta, 20 minutes before the NBA Finals.
posted by phaedon at 7:41 PM on February 6, 2011

Which leads me to wonder when the NFL is going to finally drop that ridiculous numbering convention and switch to the much more user-friendly (if less "classy") Arabic system. I'm thinking it'll happen a year or so before Super Bowl L.

Probably a year or so before Super Bowl XXX. No way will Fox want to be subjected to those jokes.

Big Ben has a sad.

Hopefully his date for tonight won't.
posted by fuse theorem at 7:46 PM on February 6, 2011 [2 favorites]

The Black-Eyed Peas made me want to see the return of Up With People. That's how bad they were.
posted by Ber at 7:49 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

>Which leads me to wonder when the NFL is going to finally drop that ridiculous numbering convention and switch to the much more user-friendly (if less "classy") Arabic system.

Probably a year or so before Super Bowl XXX. No way will Fox want to be subjected to those jokes.

Already happened - 15 years ago.

XLV = 45, XXX = 30
posted by booksherpa at 7:51 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

XLV = 45, XXX = 30

The other Super Bowl lost by the Steelers.

*sigh*
posted by dirigibleman at 7:52 PM on February 6, 2011

Super Bowl XXX happened 15 years ago.

I love the Steelers - I bleed black and gold, despite the current QB, and I'm terribly disappointed that they lost (especially on my birthday). But the Packers played the hell out of that game, and deserved the win.
posted by Lulu's Pink Converse at 7:53 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Booksherpa, I feel like you take this to Meta, 20 minutes before the NBA Finals.

I'm a Nets fan, so I never watch the NBA Finals. :)
posted by booksherpa at 7:53 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

Already happened - 15 years ago.

XLV = 45, XXX = 30

Oops, I didn't remember there'd been that many Super Bowls already. So why the big deal for a guy that won VI? Hometown boy?

maybe they could cheat and call it XXXXX or X⁵
posted by fuse theorem at 8:08 PM on February 6, 2011

For halftime, I switched over PBS and watched an episode of Nature about monkeys. The first thing I saw was a monkey eating what looked like a giant snot. It sounds like that was still better than the halftime show.
posted by dirigibleman at 8:11 PM on February 6, 2011

Re: those Groupon commercials.

It's a sad condition we're in if market research has found Americans to be so comfortable with their own selfishness, rampant consumerism and general disregard of anybody that isn't them that addressing it explicitly in a superbowl commercial can be expected to increase revenue.
posted by triceryclops at 8:11 PM on February 6, 2011 [1 favorite]

Oops, I didn't remember there'd been that many Super Bowls already. So why the big deal for a guy that won VI? Hometown boy?

Yeah, Staubach played for the Cowboys.
posted by kmz at 8:18 PM on February 6, 2011

The Groupon "Tibet" ad may have been the douchiest thing I've ever seen on TV -- and I live in a house that's "Jersey Shore" friendly.
posted by milquetoast at 8:44 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

Aw that Detroit theater... I got engaged there. Watched that commercial twice.
posted by Unicorn on the cob at 9:38 PM on February 6, 2011

Apparently they determined that a merely discounted Tibet was a more realistic goal than a free Tibet.
posted by sourwookie at 9:39 PM on February 6, 2011 [5 favorites]

That guy not only was MVP of SB VI he was the starting quarterback of 4 Superbowls (winning 2).

He's in the Hall of Fame.
posted by Bonzai at 10:10 PM on February 6, 2011

Apparently they determined that a merely discounted Tibet was a more realistic goal than a free Tibet.

To paraphrase Robin Williams, "Free Tibet! Yes, but with how many box tops?"
posted by hippybear at 10:39 PM on February 6, 2011

bonzai said what i was gonna say in response to I really don't want an alleged rapist to win this game and end up in the Hall of Fame. - he will be a first year ballot entry. there is zero doubt about this.
posted by nadawi at 10:42 PM on February 6, 2011

maybe they could cheat and call it XXXXX or X⁵

XXXXX = X+X+X+X+X = L = 50
X⁵ = X×X×X×X×X = ↂ = 10 000
posted by Sys Rq at 11:38 PM on February 6, 2011 [3 favorites]

or, um, 100 000...
posted by Sys Rq at 11:41 PM on February 6, 2011

Nation Celebrates Defeat of Ben Roethlisberger, Whispers Surreptitious Apologies to Troy Palomalu that it Had to Go Down This Way.
posted by Navelgazer at 11:52 PM on February 6, 2011 [10 favorites]

or, um, 100 000...

Yeah, and in case it wasn't clear, I sarcastically was pointing at the future Super Bowl watchers who presumably can't read roman numerals or don't know how to raise a number to a power. Probably some of the same people who didn't get the nonsense of this.
posted by fuse theorem at 3:20 AM on February 7, 2011

I adore this thread. That is all.
posted by EatTheWeak at 3:22 AM on February 7, 2011

That guy not only was MVP of SB VI he was the starting quarterback of 4 Superbowls (winning 2).

He also dated my mom (back in Jr. High).
posted by Mick at 8:40 AM on February 7, 2011

bonzai said what i was gonna say in response to I really don't want an alleged rapist to win this game and end up in the Hall of Fame. - he will be a first year ballot entry. there is zero doubt about this.

I'm not so sure about that. Based only on his record he's going to be a nominee but I like to hold out some hope that the selection committee black balls him.

Even with his record I'm not sure he's a first year of eligibility inductee.

Then again, I was sure the Steelers would trade or cut him so I obviously feel more strongly about what he did than the Rooney family does.
posted by Bonzai at 9:02 AM on February 7, 2011

The NFL is giving tickets for next year's Superbowl to the unseated fans.
posted by punchtothehead at 10:41 AM on February 7, 2011

Seriously? If I was a fan of one of the two teams, especially Green Bay, I don't think tickets to next year's game would come close to making up for it unless my team made it. Watching San Diego play New Orleans wouldn't be nearly the same thing.
posted by IanMorr at 11:27 AM on February 7, 2011 [1 favorite]