In the end, it was a great game

Super Bowl LIV, 49ers vs. Chiefs, lived up to what little hype had been generated in the two weeks prior.

As fans, we were happy to see a game devoid of any sort of controversy. Kansas City & San Francisco put on a show, as expected.

But, to get this party started, because the game was in Miami, this guy showed up.......



Yes, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson appeared on videotape, but you can thank Fox's deal with WWE just as much as the game being in Miami for Johnson even being there. The intros were vintage Rock, circa 20 years ago.

And he wasn't the only wrestling personality appearing, even in ads.

Ric Flair was shilling for Sabra hummus. Apparently, he can only do commercials wearing his wrestling robe. John Cena paired with Jimmy Fallon to do a spot for Michelob. Whodathunk? Well, it was better than Cena, as the voice of Ernie the elephant, shilling for Wonderful Pistachios a few years back. He joins Johnson in the "Fast & The Furious" movie franchise this year. WWE got its usual promotional spots in for Smackdown, and, supposedly now unrelated, the returning XFL, including one spot for the latter with Fox studio anchor Curt Menefee.

Speaking of ads, there were the usual hits & misses. The biggest hit was the league's self-congratulatory bit, a coda on its centennial season with a young boy running a ball all the way to the game site. Former Niners QB's Steve Young & Joe Montana were among the luminaries, leading to a funny bit in the middle.

Critics are split on a bit for Genesis (a relatively new automobile brand) with the husband & wife team of singer-songwriter John Legend and model Chrissy Teigen. It was, admittedly, disjointed. So was a bit where halftime performer Jennifer Lopez had to chase down a thief, and there was a Scooby-Doo moment here, plus a cameo by Lopez's squeeze, Alex Rodriguez. Tide's collaboration with Bud Light in a couple of their spots was way too cheesy.

Back to the game. Kansas City, down 3-0 in the first quarter, took its first lead as Patrick Mahomes ran it in himself. However, the Niner defense was as advertised, and the Chiefs weren't running away and hiding. Yet.

Down 20-10 in the third quarter, Mahomes & the Chiefs went to work, and scored the last 21 points. San Francisco had one last chance, but Kendall Hunter picked off Jimmy Garoppolo with under a minute to go. Ballgame. Kansas City defeats San Francisco, 31-20.

With apologies to Sesame Street, this game was about the numbers 15, 25, & 50.

It had taken Kansas City coach Andy Reid 15 years to get back to the big game, after the first Eagles-Patriots Super Bowl ended in defeat.

It had been 25 years since San Francisco last won the big game, beating the then-San Diego Chargers. They've now lost their last two Super Bowls (Baltimore & Kansas City).

It had been 50 years since the late Hank Stram delivered the first Super Bowl championship to Kansas City. I don't think anyone will be surprised if Reid decides that he has emptied his bucket list, if ya will, and decides to retire after winning. The coming days & weeks will tell the tale.

Hail, then, to the Chiefs.