I do not care what anyone else says, this day should be a national holiday.

Super Bowl Sunday is one of the most intense days on the calendar. I know it is not as important as the Fourth the July and it does not have the religious implications of Christmakkah or Passover. But Super Bowl Sunday is as much an American holiday as Columbus Day. Actually, Super Bowl Sunday is more of an American holiday than Columbus Day, because millions of people will not be killed. Millions of people may lose money, but not their lives.

Now, I may be a little bit biased, being the sports editor, but I believe sports is one of the best ways to bond with friends and family.

After the holiday season, friends and family do not gather very often until spring. Super Bowl Sunday gives families the opportunity to see each other more and gives friends a chance to see each other outside of a restaurant, in a committable environment. Kids gather to play with one another and parents get the chance to relax with other parents and talk about their kids. It is basically a holiday environment.

I know that good food and drinks will be served. I am a healthy person; ask others in the newsroom. But Super Bowl Sunday is one of the few days a year when I allow myself to pig out. To me, it is my second Thanksgiving, which is my favorite “legit” holiday.

But what matters the most to people is the Super Bowl itself. Lately, we have been lucky to have great games. In the last two Super Bowls, the New England Patriots have won by a combined six points, and let us not forget the Rams beat the Titans by one yard in Super Bowl XXXIV, or John Elway and the Denver Broncos finally getting their first ring by beating the heavily favored Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XXXII. No matter who wins Super Bowl XL, it will not be a waste of a Sunday.

Another thing that makes the Super Bowl great is the commercials. Companies spend two million dollars each for just one ad, so we all know they will be good. In fact, a majority of the tine, the commercials are more talked about then the game. Who could forget last season’s Bud Light commercial in which a skydiving instructor could not get his subject to jump out of the plane? In a last attempt, the instructors threw a six-pack of Bud Light out of the plane, only to have the pilot jump out after it. That was my personal favorite.

One thing that I do not like about the Super Bowl is the halftime show. I know it is the big game, and I know the network has to put on a good show. But to put a concert on at halftime is ridiculous, especially the Rolling Stones. I am not here to say Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake should be welcomed back, but there has to be a better choice than the Stones. Don’t get me wrong, the Stones were good in their day, but I think it is time to move on. If the Super Bowl committee has to put on a music show, they should book someone that everyone can relate to, not just my father.

Super Bowl XL had something in it that most other Super Bowls never had: this game was played in Detroit, which is a cold city, weather-wise. Most Super Bowls are played in warm-weather cities like Miami and Phoenix. I still think the Super Bowl should be in Los Anegeles. every year since we cannot get a team. However, Ford Field is a dome, so it isn’t like Seattle and Pittsburgh are playing in the snow. The players have said it makes no difference, but to the fans I am sure it does.

The worst part about the Super Bowl is that it means the last football game of the season. The Pro Bowl is not a real game, it is an all-star game, and a bad one at that. Now we all have to wait till September to see football again. But in the meantime, we can see Kobe score 50 points per game while the Lakers lose. Or, we could watch the Dodgers upgrade Dodger Stadium but not the team. There is hockey, but no one watches that.

The only thing I have to look forward to is March Madness, which, thankfully is only a month away.

Justin Satzman can be reached sports_sundial@csun.edu.