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Whitney Houston stands regal in a white tracksuit with red and blue accents. On January 27, 1991, the New York Giants face the Buffalo Bills in the Super Bowl. Overseas, American troops face their tenth day in Iraq since entering the Persian Gulf War. Houston’s performance of the national anthem marks more than another rendition by the nation’s beloved star; it seems to symbolize patriotism in a time of fear and uncertainty for the United States.
Years later, on February 9th, 2025, the U.S. finds itself in a different type of conflict; this time, an internal one. Just before the announcement of the most recent presidential election results, 80% of American adults report that the country is “divided on the most important values.” And, when prompted by Pew Research to describe U.S. politics in one word, Americans most frequently say “divisive.” We might not need statistics to feel the weight of polarization in this country.
Even so, as I watched this year’s Super Bowl (admittedly with the comprehension of a ballerina watching break dancers), I noticed a togetherness that this country increasingly believes itself incapable of.
On Sunday at Von Elrod’s in Nashville, the occasion joined men, women, college students, grandparents, bartenders, liberals, conservatives, natives, and transplants alike sitting under heaters and celebrating on a cold Tennessee night. I am certain that Miami sports bars– like my favorite, Fritz and Franz– hosted crowds as cramped and lively as ever.
Year by year I am struck by the unfaltering excitement for the Super Bowl. From Whitney Houston to this year’s Jon Batiste for the national anthem, Rihanna to Kendrick Lamar for the halftime show, and Taylor Swift to your neighbor in the stands, Super Bowl Sunday is for everyone.
There is power in sports’ ability to bring broken communities together; the Super Bowl shows us what healing and reunion is possible. In part because, as Samuel L. Jackson announced to viewers in the stadium and at home, “this is the great American game.” But, also, because the ethos of a unified America–though buried under soil of disagreement and animosity–remains alive.
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This family-owned media company publishes more than a dozen neighborhood publications, magazines, special sections on their websites, newsletters, as well as distributing them in print throughout Miami Dade County from Aventura, Sunny Isles Beach, Miami Beach, Coral Gables, Brickell, Coconut Grove, Pinecrest, South Miami, Kendall, Palmetto Bay, Cutler Bay and Homestead. Each online publication and print editions provide comprehensive coverage of local news, events, business updates, lifestyle features, and local initiatives within its respective community.
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