Super Bowl XXXIX

Television

The game was broadcast in the U.S. by Fox with Joe Buck handling the play-by-play duties and color commentators Cris Collinsworth and Troy Aikman in the broadcast booth. James Brown hosted all the events with help from his fellow FOX NFL Sunday cast members Terry Bradshaw, Howie Long and Jimmy Johnson.

Related Topics:
Fox - Joe Buck - Color commentator - Cris Collinsworth - Troy Aikman - James Brown - FOX NFL Sunday - Terry Bradshaw - Howie Long - Jimmy Johnson

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Pre-game

Before the game, Alicia Keys sang "America the Beautiful," paying tribute to Ray Charles, who died in June 2004. The combined choirs of the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and West Point sang the national anthem, which the U.S. Army Herald Trumpets played at the same time. It had been more than 30 years since all four service academies sang together--the last time was at the second inauguration of President Richard Nixon in 1973.

Related Topics:
Alicia Keys - Ray Charles - U.S. Naval Academy - U.S. Air Force Academy - U.S. Coast Guard Academy - West Point - Inauguration - President - Richard Nixon - 1973

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In a move which proved somewhat controversial after the broadcast, the traditional military missing man formation fly-by was this year performed by a pair of F/A-18 Super Hornets, from VFA-106 at NAS Oceana and a pair of the Air Force's newest fighters, the F/A-22 Raptor, flying from Tyndall AFB, the training base for the Raptor. The aircraft is the subject of many attacks for its great expense.

Related Topics:
Missing man formation - Fly-by - F/A-18 Super Hornet - NAS Oceana - Air Force - F/A-22 Raptor - Tyndall AFB

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The earlier military fly-by, during the veterans' salute, was conducted by 2 T-6 Texan trainers, and a B-25 Bomber.

Related Topics:
T-6 - B-25 Bomber

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Half-time

Sir Paul McCartney performed during the halftime show; his selection by the NFL, the show's producers, Don Mischer Productions and the show's sponsor, Ameriquest Mortgage, was considered to be a "safe" choice, as it avoided the possibility for an incident similar to that which sparked the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy the previous year. Unlike in many previous years, he was the only performer in the entire halftime show. McCartney's set consisted of the Beatles songs "Drive My Car", "Get Back", and "Hey Jude", as well as "Live and Let Die" from his career with Wings. Ironically, 2004 was also the 35th anniversary of Russ Gibb announcing McCartney's supposed death.

Related Topics:
Sir Paul McCartney - Don Mischer Productions - Ameriquest Mortgage - Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show controversy - The Beatles - Drive My Car - Get Back - Hey Jude - Live and Let Die - Wings - McCartney's supposed death

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Theme

Taking the concept a step further, for the first time, a theme was tied to the event: Building Bridges, as symbolized by the theme logo, represented by the Main Street Bridge, one of the seven bridges that crosses over the St. Johns River in the host city, and according to the League, symbolized the bridging of a nation under the NFL football umbrella. The theme was also used by Jacksonville-area nonprofit Fresh Ministries in a major event entitled "Bridges of Peace," featuring city officials asking the people to unite for the Super Bowl and heal the city's troubled racial past.

Related Topics:
Main Street Bridge - St. Johns River - Fresh Ministries - Troubled racial past

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Presidential appearances

Former Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton appeared in support of their bipartisan effort to raise money for relief of the December 26, 2004 tsunami in southeast Asia through the USA Freedom Corps, an action which former President Bush described as "transcending politics."

Related Topics:
George H. W. Bush - Bill Clinton - December 26 - 2004 - Tsunami - USA Freedom Corps

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