The annual Super Bowl unites the nation The annual Super Bowl unites the nation
BY JULIA WENGIER On Sunday, February 4, the nation came together as one to witness the victory of the Philadelphia Eagles, and the defeat... The annual Super Bowl unites the nation

BY JULIA WENGIER

On Sunday, February 4, the nation came together as one to witness the victory of the Philadelphia Eagles, and the defeat of the New England Patriots. Hundreds of millions of Americans got in the true spirit of this country as they sat with family and friends in front of their TV’s watching funny commercials, the national anthem sung by P!nk, Justin Timberlake performing at Pepsi’s halftime show and, of course, football.

In a time of great political discourse between American citizens everywhere, it was rather unique when a most of the country wanted the same thing: for the Patriots to lose. A map based off of Twitter data that had been geotagged shows that all but four states were rooting for the Eagles, creating an almost utopian sense of unity throughout the country.

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No other day brings the nation together quite like Super Bowl Sunday; even the Fourth of July’s BBQ and pool traditions don’t catch the attention of every American. The Super Bowl, however, has something for everyone.

…Most of the country wanted the same thing: for the Patriots to lose.

For those who enjoy popular music, there’s Pepsi’s Super Bowl Halftime Show, which is usually a widely-discussed performance that never fails to impress. For instance, Katy Perry gave a stunning performance in 2015 that will never be forgotten – both because of her talents and because of “Left Shark,” a backup dancer who had only a short amount of preparation time before the show. Lady Gaga also had an iconic show, right after diving into the stadium.

For those who enjoy simple humour, which does encompass a majority of people, there are the highly-anticipated commercials that some enjoy more than the actual game. A famous one aired during Super Bowl L for Mountain Dew, featuring a “puppy-monkey-baby.”

Popular from this year, Tide’s ads mimicked those of well-known ads like Old Spice or Mr. Clean to fake out the viewers and soon reveal that they were actually watching a Tide ad. Many times a preview or teaser trailer for a movie or show will air during the Super Bowl, as well.

Some Americans enjoy staying connected with popular culture such as big events like the Super Bowl. Thanks to social media, reactions to the Super Bowl have been revolutionized so that anyone can discuss anything with people from all over the country through Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

A prime example of this exciting kind of communication is the humour circulating the boy who took a selfie with Justin Timberlake during the halftime show. His lack of excitement for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity was discussed in a comical manner by social media.

Obviously, for sports fans there’s the actual game between two professional NFL teams. The championship game isn’t just for hardcore football fans, though.

Photo courtesy of the National Football League