The Other Super Bowl: Twitter vs. Facebook

Levi Sumagaysay

Siliconvalley.com's interesting reporter Levi Sumagaysay recently wrote about the "other" Super Bowl. This contest involves social media, with the world championship of the"Second Screen" at stake. The opposing squads are none other than Twitter and Facebook. Each has commanded an enormous number of participants during prior Super Bowls; this year will not be an exception to this trend. The two firms collect vast amounts of data during the contest, much of which is as thoughtful as "Whazzup." Selling into that revealing comment would challenge Don Draper, or, more likely, drive him to a pitcher of martinis.

This year's Super Bowl happens to correspond with Chinese New Year. That gives me an excuse to enjoy Chinese food and beer. So, during the "big game," I'll raise my glass to the Year of the Horse, dig into some fried dumplings, and root for the Seattle Seahawks. Gam Bei Fat Choy!

Fixing Sports "Fixes" Proves Vexing

This year's Super Bowl was marked by a blackout whose cause remains unstated. One of the funnier conspiracy theories about the incident is that it was caused by disgruntled San Francisco 49er fans based in Silicon Valley. I'm skeptical about that particular interpretation of events, but it makes more sense than the NFL's retreat into the Cone of Silence.

Meanwhile, the day after the Super Bowl provided us with the dreaded shadow all who enjoy professional and collegiate sports fear most -- the "fix." It's happened before in the United States, when college basketball was tainted for years, thanks to a point shaving scandal. The current iteration of the "fix" involves international soccer.

The BBC reported that European police identified a massive fixing campaign, orchestrated by certain Asian gambling interests, had essentially corrupted big-time, global soccer. Some major matches, the equivalent of a Super Bowl or World Series, were rigged. The fixing went beyond players and referees and included front offices.

It was a shocking report, especially in light of Italy's two recent soccer fixing scandals. What the police discovered was that the corruption was far deeper, and far more extensive, than investigators initially suspected. The news also takes some heart out of the sport's entertainment value and degrades the concept of fair play, sport's essential dramatic value.

That soccer, the world's leading sport, could be so thoroughly compromised, should give Americans pause. (Of course, Americans are familiar with financial corruption from the housing crisis.) The NFL, NBA, and MLB are far from immune to the siren song of easy money or the darker rhythms of blackmail. There's tremendous amounts of money at stake, from corporate interests to mom and pop gamblers. If the NFL, and especially its Super Bowl, is perceived as "dirty," the sport is finished. People will have to find some other opportunity to lose money in exciting ways.

Super Bowl Winners and Losers

OK, the Big Game is over. The globe is still spinning on its axis, the sun rose this morning, and Barack Obama remains president of the United States. With those issues firmly settled, we can indulge ourselves in a game of Super Bowl winners and losers.

Super Bowl 2013, in partial darkness
(photo: Denver Post)

Winner -- me. I didn't go crazy buying expensive booze and vittles. I did enjoy a pork chop, some black bean and roasted corn salsa, and Victory Pilsner. I also stayed home, which meant I really didn't care what happened to the Superdome's lighting.

Winner -- Twitter. Over 24 million tweets during the game, according to an AP story in today's siliconvalley.com. "Lights out" turned out to be a boon for the Twitterati.

Winner -- referees. Zebras let the players play. That was a big plus for the older, slower, but street-wiser Ravens.

Winner -- Baltimore fans, whose team defeated the Colts (a team all Charm City residents thoroughly despise), defeated Peyton Manning (former Colt), and won the World Championship.

Winner -- Dodge, for the old school Paul Harvey commercial that really held one's attention.

Loser -- NFL, for its mismanagement of "lights out at the Superdome." League is still not talking about why the juice vanished. Even Con Edison during a New York blackout does better than that. There's something very fishy about this incident, as Super Bowls, among the world's highest profile events, get rigorous security checks. Hard to believe NFL doesn't have a clue it can share with the public. NFL almost hit the loser's daily double when the Lombardi Trophy temporarily vanished after the game. Can't blame that one on the lights, can you?

Loser -- Jim Harbaugh. He didn't deign to be interviewed by CBS immediately after the game. League will not forget this snub at its showcase event. San Francisco coach rapidly getting a bad rep with the media.

Loser -- CBS. Ratings down a little. Small market teams, such as the Ravens, are ratings poison. I hate to write that, as I happen to like Baltimore's feel and history.

Loser -- All those who put their cash on the 49ers.