Over the years I’ve generally been much more impressed by the quality of the Super Bowl spots than the quality of the game itself. I remember the Super Bowl pioneers, such as Master Lock’s famous Super Bowl spot, which was said to absorb the company’s entire TV budget for the year. But I don’t remember the game. I do remember the game when the E-Trade Baby first ran, because that was Super Bowl XLII, the first Giants-Patriots game. And then there was this, which said it all.

But I do remember Sunday’s game, and not just because I’m a Giants fan (I actually grew up with the Jets). No, I remember Sunday’s game because it was one of the most exciting football games I’ve ever seen. Even my non-fan teenager was watching.

And with few exceptions, I don’t really remember the ads. I remember Matthew Broderick for Honda, a spot I really dislike (Ferris grew up to drive a Honda?) despite its 14 million YouTube views. I remember the Fiat Abarth spot, because it shows that good execution can sometimes overcome a predictable strategy. I remember a couple of others, including the user-created Chevy spot. But mostly, I remember the game.

And isn’t that how it should be?