On the first Sunday in February (February 2), America’s love affair with football springs into full bloom. After 16 hard-fought matches spanning 17 weeks, the two best football teams in the NFL battle their way to a world championship in the grandest TV spectacle in America.
But over the past 51 years, the Super Bowl has evolved into much more than a championship football game. It is a cultural phenomenon that nearly a third of Americans anticipate the whole year round, each for his or her own reasons: the spicy chicken wings, the hearty chili, the ice cold beer, the rowdy friends, the big-budget commercials, the spectacular halftime show, and last but not least, the football. So crack open a cold one, settle down on the couch, and flip on the TV—it’s Super Bowl Sunday!