Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?!? It’s that time of the year again. The Super Bowl is nearly here. Football fans across the country are anxiously waiting for that Sunday night when the two best teams in the NFC and the AFC battle it out for the football championship. The Super Bowl has a long history, one that has found a way to appeal to not only the football fans, but also those who enjoy good entertainment (which they can watch during halftime) or creativity and comedy (which are provided by innovative and hilarious commercials). In fact some of the most infamous super bowls are remembered not for who won the game, but rather who performed during halftime and possibly had a wardrobe malfunction or which commercial took top honors for the night. Indeed the Super Bowl is one of the sport’s world most anticipated and most watched events.

Beginning in 1967, over the course of the past 43 years the Super Bowl has changed and improved with each passing year. Super Bowl XLIV is right around the corner, but a trip down memory lane reveals how truly different the Super Bowl is today from the very first Super Bowl in 1967. The first few Super Bowls were played between the two different leagues, the NFL And AFL as a way to establish which league was better. Super Bowls I and II were won by the Green Bay Packers, the third by the New York Jets, and the fourth by the Kansas City Chiefs. After the fourth Super Bowl, the merger between the two leagues, which had been in the works under NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle for approximately 5 years, was completed and thus the Super Bowl became a battle between the AFC and NFC. The winning team receives the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named for the coach of the Green Bay Packers who won the first two Super Bowls.

Where did the name Super Bowl come from? The biggest game in football got its name from a toy called the “super ball.” Lamar Hunt, the Kansas City Chiefs owner jokingly said the championship game between the NFL and AFL should be called the Super Bowl after watching his son play with a toy called the “super ball.” He in no way intended for the name to remain, but rather thought it would be a temporary name until a general consensus was reached as to what to call this huge game. Nonetheless, it stuck. It seemed fitting since college championship/postseason games were referred to as bowl games. What better way to name the ultimate football match by calling it the “Super” Bowl!

Over the years the Super Bowl has also changed dates from when it was first played. Traditionally, January was known as the month of the Super Bowl. However, recently, it has been played in February, due to scheduling changes, which include the later start of the season, extension of the play off period, additional bye week, etc. Despite the February date, January is still a month full of intense play off games leading up to the biggest Sunday of the year. Everything stops on Super Bowl Sunday and football fans and non-football fans alike kick back, host parties and spend quality time with friends and family or complete strangers watching two teams battle it out for the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy! So, who will be in the match up this year? I’m hoping it comes down to the Jets and the Saints with New Orleans walking away with the top honor!! GO SAINTS!!!