This year (2014) Im making a lot of fun of the Super Bowl. So often the game has !

een an anti"lima# (less so in the past $e"a$e I will a$mit% sin"e 200& the games ha'e !een !etter) an$ a few of the stupi$est most !oring sports e'ents in all re"or$e$ history ha'e !een Super Bowls ( Im talking a!out you Super Bowl )))* so !oring you "oul$ hear your gums swell or you Super Bowl *III where no!o$y $i$ nothing ever. +'en famous games su"h as Super Bowl I* were e#"iting more for the surprise of the result than for the rather $ow$y game itself. If I ha'e to root for anyone this year Ill root for Seattle !e"ause I ha'e family in Seattle an$ I woul$ like them to ha'e a ni"e time. ,ay!e Im -ust getting ol$er an$ am $rifting away from things the younger .ohnny use$ to "are a!out. /ertainly I was ne'er a huge 012 fan. 3lso though its way too mu"h hoo4hah o'er way too little a single game that "ant really !ear up un$er all the glit5 an$ sprit5. The three4week layo'er !etween final playoff an$ the Super Bowl is -ust $um!. It has always !een $um!. It has always !een a huge mistake. +'en $iegar$ fans $islike it. 3n$ the game itself is known !y some reporters as The 6uiet Bowl sin"e true sta$iumwi$e "heering is rare most seats !eing fille$ with luminaries $ignitaries an$ ri"h men with no team to root for an$ only a pau"ity of pla"es for a"tual people willing to shell out a"tual earne$ money for seats of ri$i"ulous pri"e. The whole thing stinks. 7et one of my $earest family memories "omes from Super Bowl I 189: playe$ in the /oliseum in 2os 3ngeles. That meant of "ourse that folks where we li'e$ ( ;range /alifornia ( were !la"ke$ out. In the last two $e"a$es the lo"al !la"kout has fa$e$ as a !usiness pra"ti"e. <uge T* "ontra"ts mean that e'en if you $ont sell out the e'ent (whi"h rarely happens anyway) you still fill your po"kets. Ba"k then howe'er e#e"s were afrai$ lo"al 'iewing woul$ $rain off atten$ees so they !la"ke$ most !ig games out lo"ally. +#"eptions su"h as the =orl$ Series in >o$ger Sta$ium were !ig $eals. Super Bowl I though? Bla"k. It was all !roa$"ast remem!er. 2ine of sight. 7ou ha$ to ha'e a T* tower within &04@0 miles of you to get a $e"ent signal. =ith A0B/ an$ A/BS !la"k our "losest !roa$"aster was $own in San >iego whi"h you "oul$nt get. /hannel B. 3h !ut lo"al newspapers starte$ running arti"les showing you how to !uil$ a !ig ol$ antenna out of or$inary househol$ items to $raw in San >iego goo$ enough to wat"h. =e ha$ a "olor T* !y then !ut slightly grainy !Cw woul$ !e ;A !y us. 3ll nine of us ki$s were out an$ a!out !y then. ,om was as !ig a sports nut as anyone in the house. She was -ust as fas"inate$ fi#e$ an$ "ra5y4hea$ e#"ite$ as anyone when >a$ appeare$ with a !roomsti"k a !un"h of hangars a $rill one of those long antenna "a!les e'eryone ha$ "oile$ in the !a"k of the T* in those $ays !ut e#tra4long a !ra"e an$ s"rews. >a$ an o!stetri"ian was home only intermittently on the !est of $ays. <e was han$y though unlike his el$est son .ohn. So he set $own to work with attention an$ stea$y han$ with son num!er two ,i"hael his right4han$ man.

It was a sunny warm $ay as .anuary $ays "an !e in /alifornia. I re"all the normal shut4 up4let4me4$o4this $is"ussions little ki$s running aroun$ trying to see !a!y Shannon e#ploring the house on foot ,om asking how it was going e'ery minute or four. 3t a "ertain moment >a$ was "onne"ting the long "a!le running it through the sli$ing $oor out into the !a"k yar$ an$ ,i"hael was !ran$ishing this tall monstrosity in the air this !ristling pole of hopeful wires ra!!it ears !e"ome $ragon4hea$e$ listening tower hel$ aloft like the 'anguar$ of a puissant army. I ha$ ne'er seen either of them as happy or as e#"ite$ !efore ( with the a$$e$ salsa of $oing something a little other than stri"tly legal sipping off for!i$$en streams stealing what the powerful $enie$. But woul$ it work? San >iego was unwilling at first. >a$ ha$ ,i"hael walk aroun$ the yar$ turning the antenna this way that way almost falling in the pool as the aDueous snowy pi"ture wo!!le$ in an$ out. =e -umpe$ E oo there aw no gone E FTimGH s"reame$ ,om when for a moment there was a sharp image E 'oi"es "ame in an$ out .a"k =hittaker /urt Iow$y 'oi"es we knew E >a$ !arke$ F<ol$ it up ,i"haelGH FI amG Im hol$ing it up as high as I "an hol$ it H sai$ ,i"hael a !ig strong young man an$ he really was almost letting it $rop an$ then the hangars woul$ get !ent an$ $isaster an$ horror E !ut he always sa'e$ the $ay at the last moment. <e an$ >a$ swit"he$ pla"es trie$ e'erything. The pi"ture wasnt that goo$ !ut we$ wat"h anyway. >a$ "hose a pla"e !olte$ the !ra"e to the wall an$ set his pirate antenna in it resigne$ to wat"hing fli"kering ghosts "hase assume$ foot!alls through a !li55ar$ of interferen"e. I "ant re"all when the "hange "ame. ,ay!e it was at a!out the moment I ha$ !een waiting for all the ki$s at s"hool ha$ !een talking a!out it the two guys in the ro"ket suits. 7es% for the pregame show after 3l <irt an$ his !an$ ga'e a pretty great ra"ket of horn these two guys in 03S34like white astronaut suits an$ ro"ket pa"ks took off an$ at a height of may!e &0 feet may!e not e'en &0 feet $i$ gra"eful little fleurs4$e4lys o'er the foot!all fiel$ lan$ing in unison fli"king their off swit"hes an$ shaking han$s. 3h the spa"e age. ,an ha$ set foot nopla"e yet remem!er. ,ost people still sort of assume$ the Jussians woul$ get to the moon first an$ use it as a !attleship to rain nu"lear $eath on us an$ the /onstitution. But in snowy !la"k an$ white with o""asional "ontrailish "olor when the signal surge$ a little we wat"he$ these two guys !last off an$ wheel aroun$. >isneylan$. /ape Aenne$y. ,ay!e it was then or may!e it was -ust !efore the game !egan E !ut the pi"ture stea$ie$ an$ set as if resigne$ to its fate of a"tually !eing re"ei'e$ an$ seen. ,y !rothers "an "orre"t me if they rea$ this !ut I $ont think the pi"ture was in "olor or at least not often in "olor. But you "oul$ see it. ,om a!out fell off the "ou"h in sheer high spirits. >a$ was happily prou$ of himself ,i"hael e'en more so ( he "laime$ he$ foun$ the !est pla"e for the antenna. +'eryone wants to remem!er a time when the whole family was together an$ happy. 3n$

many of us ha'e no su"h memory. 2ife $i$ not allow us to ha'e families 3n$ we were. I $ont remem!er mu"h a!out the game ( e#"ept that first tou"h$own pass from Bart Starr to the $runk4an$4hungo'er (although the worl$ $i$ not know it) ,a# ,"Iee thrown !ehin$ him so he rea"he$ almost non"halantly !a"k snagge$ it elu$e$ a mu"h younger faster $efen$er an$ rum!le$ with surprise into the en$ 5one. It was nifty an$ we were wat"hing San >iego. =e all sai$% FThat was goo$ ( an$ we so it so "learlyGH .ust ha'ing a fourth "hannel in a three4"hannel worl$ was a re'elation an e#pansion of the "osmos an$ ha'ing this little peek 'ia >I7 te"hnology working somehow -ust as the newspapers sai$ it might "onne"ting us with e#oti" faraway San >iego showing us (I remem!er talking a!out this) a pi"ture of e'ents in 2os 3ngeles the freakiest triangle e'er -ust e#alte$ us roof4height. >a$ ha$ four years to li'e. +'erything was approa"hing a hori5on of "hange $ispersal tough times un"ertainty !argains with har$ship. Super Bowl I howe'er ga'e us all a gift ( of lying aroun$ !linking at our group su""ess !oun$ familywise an$ heartwise seeing something new a promise of a !igger worl$ men in the air tou"h$owns homema$e re"eption. ,om was prou$ of her plate of "elery an$ sna"ks.

In Brooklyn 2i'e ( 14 years =hen Im on tour I go where I go. I !een li'ing outsi$e og 3fri"a sin"e 18@B !ut I go !a"k all the time 24B weeks ;0 T<+ J;3> ( I1 7;K ST37 LKT T<+0 you get ol$ Dui"k an$ if I see the path an$ the history of mny people my mother tol$ me if I stop mo'ing aroun$m Ill $ie within a year in 1889 the same week I starte$ the tour for 1ifa. She tol$ me the year !efoerew I tol$ the truth. She $ie$ in her sleep. =hen my gran$mothert passe$ away people "ame home as soon as they knew (p4 thats when we elarne$ she ga'e loans to many people to start !usinesses an$ we ne'er knew a!out it. They wouk$nMt e'en let me "arry the "offin. I was not e'en allowe$ to "arrty the "offin. 3 2I0+ ;1 STJ;0I =;,+0 ( ,y gran$moither was a healer she knows her! me$i"ine like "ra5y. =hen I was a ki$ IM$ followe her half4asleep an$ follow her as she "olle"te$ her!s an$ people woul$ "ome an$ she use$ to sell "iommo$ities an$ frei$ yams frie$ sweet piutatoes an$ !eans an$ yu""a an$ when summertime "ame I spen$ time there an$ she e#plaine$ how to run a !usinesse how yu $o this she taught me how to !argarin she taught me there was mu"h more to husienss she taught me that prin"iple. thatMs what I learne$ from her. She always use$ to say to us F7ou ha'e to know your first hus!an$ has to !e your !usiness. 7our -o! . 7ou "annot !e a weight on

ammanMs shoul$er. =hy shoul$ men !enthe only one to pay for e'erything. Both of my hra$mothers !e"ame wi$ows ea"h one refuse$ to remarry an$ wante$ to ha'e her own life. I sai$ to muyself ;A thats what you $o. 7ou ha'e no more so"ial support ( you ha'e to fin$ yourself some support an$ raise your "hil$ren. They reali5e$ the importan"e of I ne'er knew it woul$ !e a "on"ept al!um ( on a trip to Aenya I starte$ writing songs a!out womenMs issues. I ha$ -ust finishe$ 'isiting a 'illage. 3t one I was tou"he$ I was angry I was in pain one mother ha$ sons who "oul$nt walk !e"ause of malnutrition !e"ause the mother is stunete$ from ina$eDuate nutrition the woman was again pregnant. Joller4"oaster emotions struggling to fin$ solutions sa'e the mother an$ "hil$ an$ the pregnan"y. 3n$ you go to the ne#t 'illage !ut those women were part of a K0I/+1 program to fin$ nutrition in their own ha!its. It was so !eautiful so positi'e m so strong . I sai$ %HTJhis is what 3fri"a is a!out up an$ then $own. +'ery woman is a pri'ilege to know -ust $i'e into it.H /hoirs ( most re"or$e$ in Benin with a !oom!o# an$ a Jolan$ re"or$er. I $i$nt want them to !e in a stu$io I wante$ them to !e in what they $o e'ery$ay. Leople were wat"hing it as if it were a mo'ie. F3ngeliDue is here.H I want the women to tell their story. +'erytime I go they thank me so won$erfulluy. I tol$f them what I was trying to $o an$ they looke$ at me like Thank you an$ I sai$ I thank them they taught me these songs growing up. I knew their mothers this is a new generation . ,y generation my mom was going aroun$ to "olle"t songs. I !rought the musi" I re"or$e$ !efore ( I$ alrea$y re"or$e$ the musi" with Ste'e .or$an /hristian ,"Bri$e in Aenya an$ I took the nmusi" an$ playe$ it to them an$ they say F3re you ki$$ing us? <ell no H an$ I taught them shut the musi" off an$ then theyM$ take it o'er ha$ so mu"h $an"ing to it an$ I "oul$nt get them to stop. I ha$ so mu"h stuff I'e put a "ouple of them into interlu$es to ha'e the moment. It was !eyon$ musi" we talke$ a!out their $iffi"ulties in !usiness how to fin$ a trustworthy $entist we talke$ women talk a!out se# a!out money. Interesting% younger an$ ol$er women together. The younger ones are passing on !y singing to me ( thats how they $o it. 3 strong woman laying a !ig $rum an$ a younger woman learningh from her thats how you pass it up. Some young people want to some $ont. ;ur history ghas always !een oral. If you $ont ha'e storyteller an$ singers you $ont know who you are. =ere all linke$ we ha'e to reali5e that how $o we "reate a glo!al "iti5enship oriente$ in fairness the $ignity work eDual work for eDual $iploma. If we "ontinue on the path we are manipulating num!ers thinking that "an sol'e e'ery pro!lem no we still ha'e time to "hange. Im not against "apit im against the '"apit that thinks money an$ marketys are enough. If we "an think for a few minutes e'ery $ay FTiomorrow what "an I make !etter.H =e $ont gi'e oursel'es time. If we get our !utts from the T* we $so more stuff from "ell phone all the time shoot I $ont answer my "ell phone any more. I $ont li'e in my phone. I li'e

an$ lo'e the te"hnology worl$ ( it has allowe$ me to $o this !eautiful al!um. In 0ew 7ork stu$io L<I2IL I23SS ( Itw as magi"al. I ne'er knew I ha$ that in me. So "hallenging . It took me two months working hours e'ery $ay. I wrote theree poems !ase$ on 7oru!a "reation mythology an$ Lhilip Ilass wrote the musi" for it. =hat he $oes he wrote "ompletely phoneti"ally an$ then wrote the musi". <e learne$ phoneti"s when he was $oing musi". I sent him a file of the poem of me re"iting the poem an$ he !roke it $owmn phoneti"ally. N S37 0I; ,;J+G It was won$erful E he wrote the song for my 'oi"e "ompletely so !eautiful I "ant e'en $es"ri!e it to you.