A confident Tom Brady pokes Roger Goodell in an ad, great game but only good numbers, what happens when millions of non-fans watch football and more…
For all the talk of Super Bowl ads, one of the best aired after the game and only in New England.
Tom Brady for Shields MRI. 5 Rings #Rogerthat
Tom Brady for Shields MRI. 5 Rings #Rogerthat. (YouTube)
Tom Brady for Shields MRI. 5 Rings #Rogerthat. (YouTube)
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It featured Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, a nod to his just-earned fifth championship and a poke at NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
The spot for Shields Health Care was an update on one that began airing regionally in October about the time Brady returned to action from his Goodell-mandated four-game suspension tied to the NFL’s investigation into the so-called Deflategate incident two years ago.
Directed by Bobby Farrelly ("Something About Mary," "Fever Pitch," "Dumb and Dumber"), that first ad had Brady asked to put his jewelry in a locker and handing over four Super Bowl rings. The woman helping him asks if that is all and Brady says, "For now."
The updated version, obviously filmed before Brady’s Super Bowl MVP heroics Sunday, has him responding to the woman instead reaching into his pocket.
"Actually no," Brady says, pulling out a fifth ring. "I forgot this one. Its kind of new."
Echoing a line from the original commercial, the woman says, "We’re going to need to get you a bigger locker."
But this time, Brady says "Roger that" with a smile, delivering a jab no Patriots fan or NFL official could miss.
Shields Healthcare is the Patriots’ official MRI provider and for Brady, who has done national ads before, it reportedly was the first time in 18 season with New England that he has done local ads.
By the numbers: Preliminary overnight ratings for the overtime thriller showed the Patriots and Falcons were watched, on average, in 48.8 percent of the nation’s TV households.
That’s down from last year’s 49 percent for the Broncos and Panthers and the 49.7 percent for Patriots’ squeaker over the Seahawks in 2015. The Falcons’ big early lead may have cost some viewers who didn’t anticipate the biggest comeback in Super Bowl history.
Some users reported the Fox Sports Go live Super Bowl stream apparently crashed briefly during the second half, according to Sports Illustrated. The English-language version, that is. The Spanish stream had no problem. But like the Patriots, Fox Sports Go bounced back from the setback.
It’s easy to underestimate and not fully appreciate the challenge Fox Super Bowl announcers Joe Buck and Troy Aikman faced in calling Super Bowl LI on Sunday.
They’re expected to call the action, as usual, and offer insights for the armchair quarterbacks who are with them every Sunday of the NFL season.
But with that many millions of viewers — some tuning in just for the ads, some tuning for Lady Gaga, some tuning in just to be sociable — there are a lot of people who have no idea what they’re seeing or hearing.
This is generally understood, but it’s particularly clear when you see what Google Trends said were the top trending questions during the first half.
1. What is a pick 6?
2. What does flag down mean?
3. How many quarters are in a football game?
4. How many minutes are in a football game?
5. How is football scored?
OK, No. 3 is sort of dumb. Quarters? Four? Didn’t you take math in grade school? Ever make change for a dollar?
But when you wonder why announcers (and their networks) craft and hew to simple storylines such as Tom Brady vs. Matt Ryan, Falcons vs. expectations or Patriots vs. Super Bowl history, it’s because they’re trying to make things as accessible as possible to people who don’t know a safety from a sack or a penalty from a punt.
Country music singer and songwriter Luke Bryan performs the national anthem, Lady Gaga performs during the halftime show of Super Bowl 51.
True fact: "Not a tougher man in this stadium tonight." — Joe Buck on former President George H.W. Bush.
Fake news: Raise your hand if you took the bait on stain on Terry Bradshaw’s shirt, a setup for a subsequent detergent ad.
Dead or alive: That AMC "Walking Dead" promo that ran right after the Patriots missed an extra point to remain down by 19 late in the third quarter almost came across as commentary.
A football got the air pounded out of it, followed by the tag line: "Football Season is Over."
No (bleep): Buck acknowledged he left out the expletive everyone saw the Patriots coach mouth when he said, "You can see Bill Belichick saying, ‘He’s not over the center, he’s over the guard.’"
Trivia for the nonfootball fan: The post-Super Bowl slot is going to the debut of "24: Legacy."
Using the slot to launch a show occasionally works — "The Wonder Years" and "Family Guy" — but more often doesn’t. Busts are "MacGruder and Loud," "The Last Precinct," "Grand Slam" and "The Good Life" and "Extreme."
Anyone know? Why do referees treat the coin toss like they’re going to do a magic trick?
Why do they have military flyovers for games in domed stadiums?
Is the mascot in the new Google Home ad related to the mascot in the Amazon Alexa ad who couldn’t pick up his keys?
Fuzz buster: By now we should be used to seeing Fox Super Bowl play-by-play man Buck with a few days’ growth of facial hair. And yet we wonder: Did Joe oversleep?
Is Joe depressed?
Is Joe trying to grow a full beard?
How long would it take for Joe to grow a full beard?
Would Joe be up for a live razor ad during the game?
Lesson learned: Bad news for all those who skip the Super Bowl pregame shows because they believe it’s nothing but promos and filler. They missed an interview with movie producer Jon Landau talking up a new Florida theme park ride under construction. So there.
Steve Johnson’s Super Bowl Ads 2017
A look at some of Tribune columnist Steve Johnson’s best and worst 2017 Super Bowl ads.
A look at some of Tribune columnist Steve Johnson’s best and worst 2017 Super Bowl ads.
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