It feels great to have participated with the american people by
watching the superbowl. Making up the cheezeburger dawgs with route
beer on the day was also a nice touch I felt. SO much better then the
usual "soccor" we have here in australia :-( I envy you guys so much.
Anyways done some googling and it showed plenty of proof I was part of
a great thing:

The New Orleans Saints' Super Bowl victory over the Indianapolis Colts
has become the most-watched programme in US TV history, early figures
show.

A record 106.5 million people, watched the game last weekend,
according to Nielsen media.

The figure tops the 1983 finale of medical drama M*A*S*H which drew
105.97 million viewers.

The previous Super Bowl record was last year's game between Pittsburgh
and Arizona, watched by 98.7 million.

There had been much interest in the game between The Colts -
considered the favourites after winning the title just three years ago
- and The Saints who were appearing in their first NFL title game.

The Saints' resurgence had been seen as a mirror of the ongoing
recovery of New Orleans after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in
2005, and the underdogs' story propelled viewership.

Margin of error

The early viewing figures also drew some congratulations from Alan
Alda, the star of M*A*S*H.

"If the *M*A*S*H audience was eclipsed, it was probably due in large
part to the fact that the whole country is rooting for New Orleans to
triumph in every way possible," he said.

"I am, too, and I couldn't be happier for them. I love that city."

However, it may be hard to tell which programme was really watched by
more people because of the margin for error in such numbers.

Nielsen's estimate on Monday was preliminary, and could change with a
more thorough look at more figures due on Tuesday.

Sunday's Super Bowl was viewed by more than double the 48 million
Americans who watched President Barack Obama's State of the Union
address in January.

An average 26.8 million people have tuned in to the latest series of
American Idol, which is currently the most-watched series on US
television.


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SEE ALSO
New Orleans parties after NFL win
08 Feb 10 | Americas
Katrina tragedy 'inspired Saints'
08 Feb 10 | American Football
Super Bowl XLIV as it happened
08 Feb 10 | American Football
Saints upset Colts in Super Bowl
08 Feb 10 | American Football
Saints march to Super Bowl
05 Feb 10 | American Football

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--
Peter Lucas
Brisbane
Australia


We're all scared. You hid in that bed because you think there's still
hope. But soldier, the only hope you have is to accept the fact that
you're already dead. And the sooner you accept that, the sooner
you'll be able to function as a human is supposed to function. Without
brainwashing. Without stupidity. Without subservience. Self respect
depends on it.


Without sense. Without thought. Without dignity.