Now that Barack Obama is President, I think it’s time that push our commander-in-chief to make Superbowl Monday a national holiday (it would have been better if the Chicago Bears were playing, though).  That’s right, Superbowl Monday, the day after the biggest athletic event in the world. America needs to make it a nationally recognized day of observation.

Think about it.  Superbowl Monday is more of a family, friend and national event, than any other – including the Olympics.

Should it be a day off? Sure, instead of giving employees two floating holidays, remove one and replace it with Superbowl Monday, call it All American Day!

Now, I’m talking tongue in cheek here, but I was looking online and found a website that is actively petitioning for Superbowl Monday to be a national holiday.  There goal was to have 20,000 signatures by the end of 2008 (I think they got over 16,000) and to have the Superbowl Monday part of the U.S. calendar by 2010.

The truth of the matter is Superbowl Monday is probably the least productive day of the year.  People are hung over or tired or come to work and chat around the water cooler all day.  Then you have to listen to that guy who won the office Superbowl pool, the one who knows nothing about football. And then you get pissed off because they have no idea of football pool etiquete- no  clue that he’s obligated to bring in donuts for everyone on All American Day -  Superbowl Monday!

The truth of the matter is Superbowl Monday is probably the least productive day of the year.  People are hung over or tired or come to work and chat around the water cooler all day.  Then you have to listen to that guy who won the office Superbowl pool, the one who knows nothing about football. And then you get pissed off because they have no idea of football pool etiquette and their obligation to bring in donuts for everyone in the office. 

Anyway,  Superbowl Monday should be a national holiday.  And  I don’t want to hear whining of those who are soccer fans, or cricket fans, or those of you against competitive sports all together.  It should be almost as big as the fourth of July!

Superbowl Monday should be almost as big as the fourth of July!

The much anticipated SuperBowl is arguably the biggest holiday in America.  People will travel and huddle around their high-def TVs and basically tailgame in the home.  The 2009 Superbowl will be played on Sunday, February 1, 2009. Game time is set for 6:20 pm Eastern Time.  NBC will televise the forty-third Superbowl live from Raymond James Stadium, in Tampa, Florida.

Superbowl XLIII will feature the NFC Conference Champions, the Arizona Cardinals and the AFC Champions, the Pittsburgh Steelers. It will be a contest between the number one defense of the Pittsburgh Steelers versus the high flying offense of the Arizona Cardinals led by quarterback Kurt Warner.  Expect it be an exciting, hard hitting game.

NBC looks to score big with a day full of Super Bowl coverage, and the hope that the ratings will turn out to be huge not only for the big game, but the commercial breaks that tend to also draw large audiences. Joining the game will be pop-singer Jennifer Hudson, who will perform The Star-Spangled Banner before the first kick-off, in what will be here first public performance since the tragic death of her family members. For the halftime show sponsored by Bridgestone, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform live at a Super Bowl for the very first time.

Due to the economic times, NBC has been forced to drop pregame ad rates for advertisers.  Sales of ads for next Sunday’s Super Bowl are holding up fairly well though, even at $3 million (U.S.) for 30 seconds. But commercial spots that will run in the pregame hours? That’s a different ball game.

Depending on the number of ads bought or the hour of the day, pregame ads can cost about half the price of an in-game commercial, ad buyers said. That would mean some of this year’s pregame ads could cost more than $1 million for 30 seconds.

The NBC television listing for Superbowl Sunday is:

12 p.m. – 1 p.m.
“THE ROAD TO THE SUPER BOWL”

1 p.m. – 6 p.m.
SUPER BOWL XLIII PRE-GAME SHOW
Commentators:  Bob Costas, Cris Collinsworth, Keith Olbermann, Dan Patrick, Jerome Bettis, Tiki Barber, Peter King, Matt Millen

6 p.m. – 10:30 p.m.
SUPERBOWL XLIII
Commentators:  Al Michaels, John Madden, Andrea Kremer, Alex Flanagan

Herm Edwards is now the former head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.  Coach Edward had a very disappointing three years in s City, with a regular season record of 15-33.  Herm Edwards headed to Kansas City after coaching the New York Jets from 2001 to 2005.  He had a disappointment stint there as well, going 39-41 and 2-3 in the post season.

Edwards firing follows the abrupt resignation of general manager Carl Peterson on December 15, 2008.  The decision was unanimous with the team’s owner Clark Hunt and the new GM, Scott Pioli.

As a true professional, Edwards took the news in stride and praised the Hunt family and the entire Kansas City Chief club.

The fall of Edwards was part due to the team’s decision to rebuild in 2008 and injuries took its tool. But Edwards’ most costly mistake may have been overlooking Brodie Croyle’s history of injuries and designating him as the foundation quarterback. A third-round pick out of Alabama in 2006, Croyle could never stay healthy and was 0-8 as a starter when he went down for the season with a knee injury.

Edwards’ first year in Kansas City was a success. The Chiefs went 9-7 and captured the last wild-card playoff spot. He became only the fifth man to take two different teams to the postseason in his first year as head coach; the Jets went to the playoffs three times in his five seasons there.

He wanted to begin dismantling an aging team and start rebuilding in 2007. But he ran into opposition from a front office that felt there was enough left for another playoff run. After an encouraging 4-3 start, age and ineffectiveness at several key positions created problems and Kansas City ended 2007 on a nine-game losing streak.

Herm Edwards will forever be immortalized for “the Miracle at the Meadowlands”. The Miracle at the Meadowlands is the term used by sportscasters and Philadelphia Eagles fans for a fumble recovery by cornerback Herman Edwards that he returned for a touchdown at the end of a November 19, 1978 NFL game against the New York Giants in Giants Stadium. It was seen as miraculous because it occurred at a point in the game when the Giants were easily capable of running out the game’s final seconds. The Giants had the ball, and the Eagles had no timeouts left. Everyone watching expected quarterback Joe Pisarcik to take one more snap and kneel with the ball, thus running out the clock and preserving a 17-12 Giant upset. Instead, he attempted to hand it off to fullback Larry Csonka and botched it, allowing Edwards to pick up the ball and run 26 yards for the winning score.