Super Bowl week is like Christmas season for the sports media. There is so much media attention for one game. People will argue whether it should get the attention that it gets. With Super Bowl XLVII just coming to a close, we discuss whether it really lived up to all the hype.

Ryan:

There is a lot of hype that comes with playing in the Super Bowl, which is a given because it is one of the biggest games in sports.

There are a lot of stories that arise in the media, good and bad, in the days leading up to the big game. A prime example is the whole resurfacing of the Ray Lewis “Deer Antler Spray” to help him rehab his torn triceps. This story was brought about two years ago and resurfaced again this year. Lewis denied any use of steroids.

Then there is the inspirational story of Colin Kaepernick. Kaepernick was adopted at a young age, battling adversity all his life. Growing up being part of an adopted family can be hard, Kaepernick kept his head straight, grades high and his dream on his mind — football. It is phenomenal to see a young man compete in such a game of this magnitude.

Another big part of the Super Bowl is the halftime show. This gets almost as much recognition as the game itself. With top performers like The Rolling Stones in 2006 and Bruce Springsteen in 2009, the shows can get a lot of hype themselves. This year with Beyonce taking the stage, it sure impressed.

When it comes to the game all the hype goes away for four quarters and the players just play football. This is where all the practice and all the preparation pays off. The players can escape all the media questions and all the stories and just do what they do best; play football. If you ask me the Super Bowl is worth all the hype, it shows how much football actually means to America.

Bryan:

For a non-football fan, the hype that surrounds the Super Bowl seems to be a bit much.

For weeks leading up to the game the teams and the game are broken down by the media to the point of exhaustion. Every part of the game is analyzed and discussed until there is nothing left to talk about, or so we think.

When game day actually comes, all the hype from the previous weeks has built up to this moment. For some one that does not watch football, this event becomes a three hour commercial break and a halftime show with Beyoncé playing songs I have never heard before.

During the game itself, all the hype and predictions really mean nothing once the ball is kicked off.

It is not the reporters and members of the media on the field, but the players. The players on the field have played football their whole lives and know what they have to do in order to win the game.

No matter how many different angles the game can be broken down into, no matter how many players the media put the spotlight on, in the end, it really does not matter. All the hype can be washed away with a dominant performance by one team or a lackadaisical game by both teams.

Stepping back and looking at the event, I see where it can be a major draw for both fans of football and non-fans of the game. The pageantry surrounding the game seems a bit much. In the end, the game is the most important part and is what should be focused on.