We have arrived at the end, that Super Bowl moment when an estimated 8 million pounds of avocadoes are sold and Madonna has been pulled out of wherever Madonna has been for the past decade, and all anyone around here wants to talk about is the Panthers' new logo.
Personally, I'm glad someone pointed out it's a new logo because, otherwise, I probably wouldn't have noticed. Logos apparently need updating, like Demi Moore's Facebook status and parts of the Panthers' secondary.
Like college football's national signing day carnival (a true sign of the apocalypse), I don't get the commotion the logo tweak caused in some people. But I don't get ketchup on hot dogs, video games or planking, either.
By Super Bowl standards, this has been a quiet week. Instead of the Patriots and the Giants, it's been about Cam Newton getting a Gatorade deal (like you couldn't see that one coming), Peyton Manning's future (hint, not in Indianapolis) and why the people eating tacos in that commercial invited Eric since Eric gives them the creeps.
I like tacos.
This has been a Super Bowl week when Bill Belichick made a funny (about how nice they are to him in Indianapolis since that failed fourth-and-two play a few years ago), when the status of Rob Gronkowski's injured ankle has been evaluated like exit polling numbers, and when most people think the Giants are going to win but Vegas is keeping the Patriots a three-point favorite.
Just remember, they didn't build Vegas on their own money.
The football storyline this week has centered on whether Eli Manning will go from being a really, really, really good quarterback to a great one if the Giants win a second Super Bowl with him running the show. We're all about ranking things now - players, coaches, cheeseburgers - but sometimes it's not about the quarterback.
Had David Tyree dropped his famous Super Bowl catch four years ago, Tom Brady would be 4-0 in Super Bowls and be considered by many to be the greatest quarterback ever.
It's not Brady's fault the defense gave up a big play.
So, unless Brady and the Patriots win Sunday, he'll just be one of the greatest quarterbacks ever and certainly the most swooned over man to wear eye black.
All in all, not bad either way.
The Super Bowl is a beautiful thing because for all of its buttoned-up concern about its image, right down to how high players can wear their socks, it's the day when the NFL gets its NASCAR on.
Forget moderation. Pass the Red Bull, the chips and load the confetti.
The pregame show started 12 days ago. Kelly Clarkson's national anthem will be critiqued like she's on "American Idol" again. Halftime will last longer than Fidel Castro.
It's the Super Bowl. It only happens once a year.
Otherwise there wouldn't be enough avocadoes for Cinco de Mayo.
Patriots 27, Giants 24.
