Special Event: Super Bowl LIX

February 9, 2025 3:30 PM

Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs, architecting what could be the NFL's next great dynasty, face an Eagles team that's spent two years building back to Super Bowl contention after falling short against Kansas City in 2023 (apologies to any Last Man stragglers). Now Jalen Hurts (roll tide) leads Philadelphia's redemption tour against a rival that's grown from upstart to powerhouse. The NFL's second Vegas Super Bowl streams free on Tubi this Sunday at 6:30 PM ET (though not necessarily with the same commercials). This year's halftime show: Kendrick Lamar.
posted by Rhaomi (55 comments total)

Play the Canadian anthem, cowards
posted by Rumple at 3:32 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

Correction: Tubi will carry the same commercials! It's a Big Game Day miracle
posted by Rhaomi at 3:36 PM on February 9

The anthem was a cheerful delight
posted by donnagirl at 4:00 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

I don't know who to root for, KC eliminates the Bills all the time, but...

Philly has the worst fans in the US, riots guaranteed regardless of win or loss.
posted by Marky at 4:23 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

KC probably would have got better field position there from batting the ball down and forcing the punt?
posted by Urtylug at 4:27 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

Holmes sacked twice! Eagles ahead 17-0! 2 minutes to halftime, so another 10 minutes?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:01 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

as a football game, this has become very funny. cut to taylor swift emotionless in the stands, cut to a brutal possibly back-breaking chiefs INT? that's art buddy

the commercials are absolutely dire
posted by Kybard at 5:07 PM on February 9 [3 favorites]

the commercials are absolutely dire

I just tuned in for K Dot's show, during a commercial break. Was heartened to learn that breast cancer is no longer essentially pink but sad to see that it remains, in the football-verse, essentially sexy.
posted by kensington314 at 5:22 PM on February 9 [3 favorites]

Travis Kelce is looking extremely dejected.
posted by kensington314 at 5:23 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

This GNX that Kendrick is standing on is going to end up next to the Mothership in the Smithsonian Museum of African American History.
posted by kensington314 at 5:27 PM on February 9 [8 favorites]

That is my uncle Sam now and forever
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:28 PM on February 9 [12 favorites]

I could have never imagined at any prior point in history that Debbie Deb would be celebrated at the Superbowl halftime. Also he's finding ways to use words that white people aren't allowed to use, I appreciate that.
posted by kensington314 at 5:29 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

I wish I could enjoy the halftime show but Tubi has completely melted down and it's buffering every 2 seconds for me. Rage.
posted by TwoStride at 5:31 PM on February 9

It's extremely pleasing to know the entire history of rap music was leading toward this man, I imagine it must be like what it was like to experience Berlin-era Bowie contemporaneously.
posted by kensington314 at 5:33 PM on February 9 [10 favorites]

Sorta sad that SZA isn't dressed like an alien.
posted by kensington314 at 5:35 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

oh shit he's talking about a cultural divide and 40 acres and a mule.

OH SHIT NOT LIKE US WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
posted by kensington314 at 5:37 PM on February 9 [5 favorites]

I love that all the dancers are dressed like they're in the jjimjilbiang at the k spa.

aaaaand Kendrick went full pedophilia reference followed by crip walking dancer.

Really really hope he does Blacker the Berry.

aaawwwww look at DJ Mustard. I gave an audible WHOO. I hope YG sees some sales of this.
posted by kensington314 at 5:39 PM on February 9 [5 favorites]

closest drake gets to performing at a super bowl halftime is having his ashes blown across that stage, holy shit
posted by Kybard at 5:39 PM on February 9 [8 favorites]

really wish that had gone on longer.
posted by kensington314 at 5:39 PM on February 9 [2 favorites]

That "crip walking dancer" was Serena Williams.
posted by TwoStride at 5:42 PM on February 9 [16 favorites]

I have never understood how the official tie-knot of NFL color commentary became this unholy gardening trowel at the neck.
posted by kensington314 at 5:43 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

So, girls can't play real football?
Is that the message we're sending here?

Wow.
posted by madajb at 5:45 PM on February 9

Oh shit! I didn't even notice that was Serena. Incredible.
posted by kensington314 at 5:48 PM on February 9

So, girls can't play real football?
Is that the message we're sending here?

I see that perspective but sort of feel like the long-term feel-good story here is all football becoming a version of flag football, which is a cool sport!
posted by kensington314 at 5:49 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

Fun fact to further rub it in: Serena briefly dated Drake back in the day!
posted by TwoStride at 5:53 PM on February 9 [6 favorites]

yuuup and Drake is formally banned from ever talking about Serena.
posted by kensington314 at 5:54 PM on February 9 [6 favorites]

Oh cool, a NE Patriots-funded, AIPAC-associated "anti-hate" commercial featuring two Trump-affiliated celebrities, Snoop and Tom Brady. Okayyyyyyyy
posted by kensington314 at 5:58 PM on February 9 [5 favorites]

Honestly sorta do wish Lil Wayne had got the halftime show after all, as much as I love Kendrick.
posted by kensington314 at 5:59 PM on February 9

I’ve been saying for years that all football would be better as flag football, so I’m glad to let them have my idea.
posted by caviar2d2 at 6:17 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

Brutal touchdown.

I haven't clocked the semiotics of Super Bowl LIV. Is an Eagles win a MAGA win?
posted by kensington314 at 6:20 PM on February 9

Will there be a Philly left by morning?!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:20 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

No, the Chiefs are the mega-MAGA team.
posted by TwoStride at 6:21 PM on February 9 [7 favorites]

The Eagles refused to go to the White House the last time because they are anti-MAGA.
posted by TwoStride at 6:22 PM on February 9 [25 favorites]

oh that's right! Thanks. I only remembered the like, "Kelce is gay for dating Taylor Swift" thing.
posted by kensington314 at 6:22 PM on February 9 [2 favorites]

I suspect we can call it for the Eagles, cause damn what a sac.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 6:44 PM on February 9 [2 favorites]

Last year's game was such an amazing football game, this has been bad though I do enjoy the Pats getting buried like Drake. I do wish someone would that Brady out of the booth.
posted by Carillon at 6:54 PM on February 9

I would have liked to see a shutout just for icing on the cake, but no three-peat is fine by me.
posted by madajb at 7:34 PM on February 9 [1 favorite]

Man, I don't need all this Jesus-ing in my gladiator-ing.
posted by wenestvedt at 7:34 PM on February 9 [3 favorites]

I see that perspective but sort of feel like the long-term feel-good story here is all football becoming a version of flag football, which is a cool sport!

Sure, where I am we have varsity ultimate frisbee, why not flag football?
posted by madajb at 8:35 PM on February 9

FUCK FASCISM. FUCK TRUMP. FUCK MUSK. PUNCH NAZIS. GO BIRDS.
posted by Diskeater at 11:05 PM on February 9 [9 favorites]

Philly has the worst fans in the US, riots guaranteed regardless of win or loss.
posted by Marky at 4:23 PM on February 9 [1 favorite +] [⚑]

last time Eagles played new orleans, it was fine. seemed like fine people. probably the rougher folks stay in Philly i guess?
posted by eustatic at 1:02 AM on February 10

oh wait, talk is that there was no pyro due to POTUS? makes sense
posted by eustatic at 1:07 AM on February 10

So, no 3-28, 2:12 left in 3rd period comeback for Mahomes? What a shame.

bwahahaha
posted by TWinbrook8 at 7:27 AM on February 10

I personally enjoyed Tom Brady's commentary on his SuperBowl loss - you can see he wanted to rate it higher than his divorce, (and potentially access to his children) but he was media-coached to not go there. But he wanted to. Subtext. LOL.

KC's defense was terrible, with the inopportune penalites, getting burned deep, and inability to cover the QB runs . Even the interception was a bad play. Good job pinning your own offense on the 3 yard line. They said they game planned to stop the run which it's 2025 - who does that? Even if the guy is the #1 rusher?

Also talking subtext, Kedrick Lamar's feud with Drake is lame as hell, and using a halftime performance for that is hilarious.
posted by The_Vegetables at 7:40 AM on February 10

Kedrick Lamar's feud with Drake is lame as hell

how so? just trying to gauge the lame metric here
posted by ginger.beef at 8:09 AM on February 10

Kedrick Lamar's feud with Drake is lame as hell

Yo Kdot, just want to make it clear that I'm not with person who wrote this, don't even know who they are, alright? Me and you, we cool, I got no beef with you buddy!
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 8:24 AM on February 10 [5 favorites]

Fine it's the coolest musical beef, with the following competition:

Guns N Roses vs rock magazines
Dandy Warhols vs Brian Jonestown Massacre, which was so worthy a movie was made about I'm sure everyone has seen.
Taylor Swift vs Kanye West.
posted by The_Vegetables at 8:57 AM on February 10

Things I enjoyed: Mahomes sacked over and over; Tom Brady saying "you never get over that loss" and then exploring his own loss at length; the hilarity of the first half (sorry there was no shut-out! I was giddy at the possibility!); the single shot of TSwift in the box; not having to see the president (I missed most of the leadup); the nachos we ate; Mahomes' sour little sad faces on camera. The delight of the Eagles d-corps.

Things I enjoyed less: all the fucking awful cgi commercials (is Seal ok? why would he participate in the seal commercial???); seeing my kid sad (she is a TSwift fan and thus, I guess, interested in the Chiefs). I admit I am a hater when it comes to sports, but there is a real limit to the time I want to spend on actively hating, so I was overstuffed by the end.

Football is weirdly slow to me now that I am invested in hockey, which is so fast and which visibly exhausts the players to such an extreme extent. Everyone looked so un-sweaty to me! Wild since I think football is still overall more dangerous for the players.

I am a Kendrick fan but have never really found live hiphop or halftime shows compelling. I enjoyed the show to the extent that it made me think "oh I like this track!" but that means I was enjoying it as a referent to the things I actually like. Also, although I respect his commitment to the bit, I am bored with beeves in general.
posted by Lawn Beaver at 9:09 AM on February 10 [8 favorites]

Fine it's the coolest musical beef, with the following competition

I have no idea if something is lame or cool, I was just asking to get a sense if this was more of a pox on all houses kind of thing or if you meant it was a lame beef to your tastes.

I'm out of just about any loop you care to mention, so for a hiphop beef to hit my radar it is a minor feat in itself, and I guess I can thank MetaFilter for that
posted by ginger.beef at 9:43 AM on February 10 [2 favorites]

Football is weirdly slow to me now that I am invested in hockey, which is so fast
posted by ginger.beef at 9:52 AM on February 10 [2 favorites]

you are bored with beeves, but beeves ain't done with you, USA 2025

"Not Like Us" is going so far beyond Drake at this point. It's specific to this man, but Drake is 1) a HUGE Industry creation and thus 2) unspecific to his own person, and so the song refers to multiple things at once. We know Drake has been a poser. It's always been more about Why Do We Have an Industry That Creates Drakes and Hank Williamses and Elvises, that appropriates and exploits Black people's work? And how do you create a song ( but also a series of songs, and a series of releases ) that destroys the Fake?

Some people hear "Us" as "us" and some people hear "Us" as "them." And then the song declares the 'not us' group as predators.
At the Grammy awards, Not Like Us was a declaration for a new kind of Music Industry. Then this is the fucking Superbowl, so it's Nation Time.

The Superbowl always re-creates the idea of America, as the Sam Jackson bits outline. The Sam Jackson bits outline America as a "game." It's a game that Black people play, have always played, and have always been made to lose, and have always continued playing. Also, NFL much.
(Apparently, the stage was a Playstation controller? I missed that completely)

And then Trump's goofy stepford ass showed up, so it was effectively talking shots at the President (also a predator). I don't even think that was planned, but Lamar's ad lib first lines were for some "wrong guy." It's ambiguous, but if someone complains, they identify themselves. Amazing to watch, and watch others watch.

It's one level of poetry to write a song that creates an "In Group" and "Out Group", textually and sub-textually, when you play it in a crowd. It's like what conservatism is doing with talk radio and Fox News on the daily, creating shibboleths. Fox News is re-creating america through the TV president. Then take the song and perform it at larger and larger venues, the group building it is doing gets bigger and bigger.

that song is actively creating the in group and out group during certain key performances-- in Los Angeles, at the Grammy Awards, then the Superbowl, and then at the Superbowl with the President in attendance? damn.

And how different would this performance of Nation building have been with Harris as president? With Batiste, and the Black National Anthem? damn.

I mean, the genius is that you can still pretend this is all about Drake...if you actively ignore a lot of details that we here at the Fanfare were created to talk about.
posted by eustatic at 1:36 PM on February 10 [22 favorites]

I am susceptible to thinking eutastic's comment is fantastic but I do believe it's objectively fantastic also
posted by ginger.beef at 3:28 PM on February 10 [3 favorites]

Didn’t watch the game. But, I just need to say that Puppy Bowl has, sadly, become utterly unfun and unwatchable. It’s nothing but lame gimmicks and big-dollar sponsor tie-ins. Marketing ruins everything.
posted by Thorzdad at 4:56 AM on February 11

The Puppy Bowl wasn't that bad. I loved the three-legged Boston Terrier. Bostons always try to actually play the game, no matter what the other dogs are doing.

Serena Williams was worth the whole thing for me. From where I sat, she occupied a small part of the screen, and my vision isn't what it used to be, but the way she moves is unmistakeable. I knew it was her and not some kid cosplaying.
posted by BibiRose at 7:18 AM on February 11 [1 favorite]

Hmmm...

Fanfare: A lame beef to your tastes

Or

Fanfare: A hiphop beef to hit my radar

Can't decide.
posted by under_petticoat_rule at 5:11 PM on February 11