The Cam Newton meltdown was overshadowed by something at halftime . . .

Last night was the Superbowl - an American spectacle - the final game of the season between the American Football Conference and the National Football Conference.  But last night was so much more than that . . .

Some people think it was a game of the old guard defense vs. the new fast-paced offense - it was more than that . . . 

Some tried to make it about the Dab.  The Bronco's defense made that a moot point . . .

There are lots of comments today on social media about the way that Cam Newton threw himself down on the field and then sulked through an interview afterward.

Tempting.

I mean, here is an impressive young man who athletically is able to accomplish so much.  Off the field he is helping to change the lives of young people.  He has so much going for him, but he is inadvertently building the reputation as a showboat and a poor sport.  I know - I have never been in his position.  And yes, I am not a part of his culture - blah, blah, blah.  There is a standard for sportsmanship that we hold athletes to and that is okay to do.  It doesn't mean that I am mean spirited or insensitive for pointing it out.  Next time try to absorb a loss with a little more class.  

Still not the point of the night, however.

Not even Lady Ga-Ga nailing an impressive National Anthem.  Although that was pretty cool - I don't think it bested Whitney's.

It happened in the middle of the Half-Time show, as Coldplay turned their epic "Fix You" into a soppy "We Are The World" (still cringing from this moment - all they needed was a child choir with flowers and flying unicorns from the Beijing Olympic opening ceremonies).  

Nope - the real moment last night was the yawn heard across the country as Beyonce once again made us watch her strut shoulder-heavy into the camera in tights and boots.  I think we may have reached the end of a cycle that I am okay with.  Wind-blown determined looks or sideways bump-n-grind moves that just seemed so blah.  It felt overplayed.  I worried as my 10 year old girl watched, but then I saw in her a kind of shoulder-shrug in response.  I think she figured that is what older ladies do to get attention.

(and this is image is from 3 years ago)

Is it possible that we might eventually move past the unhealthy casting of the male lead fully clothed and in command with women half-naked and needing to demonstrate their worth through attraction?  It looked pretty ho-hum last night.  Maybe it was just the cast that was chosen to play the parts.  The Beyonce thing seemed old.  

I hope it signifies something deeper - that perhaps we are ready for women artists who really sing - not just seduce.