- Jan 17, 2000
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An American's experience watching the Super Bowl in England.
This year's Super Bowl was on public television in London. Several of my American friends came over to my apartment for a very hurriedly organized Super Bowl party. With the game having an 11:18 PM kickoff, we didn't get too many people. The hard core fans had already called in sick for this morning. Aside from Tampa doing what everyone knew they were capable of, there were a few things missing or different from the typical American Super Bowl Party. While my friends in Tallahassee were deep frying turkeys and cooking burgers and dogs, my friend Karl and I walked to a pizza joint to pick up 4 pizzas. In our previous experiences 4 pizzas would have been good enough, but because the game was so late, we only finished 2?among 7 of us. I was so embarrassed. While my friends were pounding down weak American beer, we were drinking Strongbow, a very delicious cider that's cheap and gets you really messed up.
During the actual game, we didn't have the US commentators. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually missed John Madden. The play caller (not sure who he was, but he was American) was speaking to the British audience who really didn't have a clue about what was going on, so he was explaining most of the obvious rules and penalties. Well, actually I guess that's what John Madden does too.. If that was the only thing, it would be ok, but it wasn't. Instead of the guys from Fox doing the half-time show, they had one American guy using 1980's green screen technology examining plays, a young English guy who didn't know a thing about football (other than he enjoyed it) and Seal. Yes, Kiss From a Rose Seal. He's a Raiders fan and they somehow got him on the show. During breaks in the game they would also speak to another English guy who actually at the Super Bowl and was interviewing celebrities. This guy interviewed MC Hammer, Eric Idle and Jane Seymour, whopee!
Because TV over here is gov't supported, the TV stations don't need to run as many ads. When they watch their football (soccer) matches here, there are no commercials at all during the first half and only some during half time, even during the World Cup (which unbeknwonst to most Americans is probably the most exciting sports tournament in the world). Keeping this in mind, it wasn't a shock that there were no BIG commercials. No commercials premiered over here during the game. In fact we saw the same 5 or 6 commercials repeatedly.
I didn't search before posting this thread but would love to know how other Americans not living in America did for the Super Bowl.
Mark
This year's Super Bowl was on public television in London. Several of my American friends came over to my apartment for a very hurriedly organized Super Bowl party. With the game having an 11:18 PM kickoff, we didn't get too many people. The hard core fans had already called in sick for this morning. Aside from Tampa doing what everyone knew they were capable of, there were a few things missing or different from the typical American Super Bowl Party. While my friends in Tallahassee were deep frying turkeys and cooking burgers and dogs, my friend Karl and I walked to a pizza joint to pick up 4 pizzas. In our previous experiences 4 pizzas would have been good enough, but because the game was so late, we only finished 2?among 7 of us. I was so embarrassed. While my friends were pounding down weak American beer, we were drinking Strongbow, a very delicious cider that's cheap and gets you really messed up.
During the actual game, we didn't have the US commentators. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I actually missed John Madden. The play caller (not sure who he was, but he was American) was speaking to the British audience who really didn't have a clue about what was going on, so he was explaining most of the obvious rules and penalties. Well, actually I guess that's what John Madden does too.. If that was the only thing, it would be ok, but it wasn't. Instead of the guys from Fox doing the half-time show, they had one American guy using 1980's green screen technology examining plays, a young English guy who didn't know a thing about football (other than he enjoyed it) and Seal. Yes, Kiss From a Rose Seal. He's a Raiders fan and they somehow got him on the show. During breaks in the game they would also speak to another English guy who actually at the Super Bowl and was interviewing celebrities. This guy interviewed MC Hammer, Eric Idle and Jane Seymour, whopee!
Because TV over here is gov't supported, the TV stations don't need to run as many ads. When they watch their football (soccer) matches here, there are no commercials at all during the first half and only some during half time, even during the World Cup (which unbeknwonst to most Americans is probably the most exciting sports tournament in the world). Keeping this in mind, it wasn't a shock that there were no BIG commercials. No commercials premiered over here during the game. In fact we saw the same 5 or 6 commercials repeatedly.
I didn't search before posting this thread but would love to know how other Americans not living in America did for the Super Bowl.
Mark