I believe I told you that the New England Patriots would win. I didn’t? I’m pretty sure I did. You’ll have to trust me on this. But I never figured that the winning touchdown would come from Brady of the Patriots to Edelman (yes, Julian Edelman) for a beauty of a finish in the most thrilling Super Bowl of all time.

This was the day when America shut out the rest of the world, so thank goodness for football and the biggest day in world sports even if the rest of the world doesn’t give a damn. Who cares what they think in Riyadh, or even London? It’s our world (at the moment) who else you gonna call?

We’re talking Super Bowl XLIX, which means 49, I think.

This was the day America thought about nothing else. We were safe from the suicide bombers and the headhunters. That would have to wait another day.

Radical Islam at our gates? On this day, except for our brave men and women at the front, we were at war against nobody other than Tom Brady. At the end of it America spoke about nothing else except the bone-headed call made by Seahawks coach Pete Carroll when the game was his to win.

This could be the best part. Our lawmakers were also wrapped up in the sport. So we were spared legislation that usually hurts more than it helps. The President did not release any more Islamist terrorists from detention. That is to be celebrated as much as the game. 

Plus, as far as I know, all was quiet in Ferguson, Missouri. There were no riots anywhere in America.

Everybody was at the game one way or another.

Some rooted for the Seattle Seahawks, some for the New England Patriots. Did I say some? We are talking 300 million of us taking sides, seriously but with joy and even patriotism. On this day we gathered as a family, 63,400 in attendance at the stadium in Glendale, Arizona never mind the cost of $9,000 and up for a seat.

The rest of us cheered from the sidelines, meaning TV. Last year’s Super Bowl TV attendance was 112 million. We are sure to top that figure this time around. That’s because of Deflate-gate and if you don’t know what this is, well, this is no time to start explaining.

Here too you will have to trust me. Briefly Tom Brady (or someone on his Patriots team) deflated the game’s footballs at a previous game for the President Obama was busy, like this rest of us, watching the game. Such luck does not come very often.
benefit of Brady, the quarterback. For weeks America talked about nothing else. Brady said he didn’t do it and added something like, “Oh come on. This isn’t ISIS.”

He was right. What’s the big deal? But we are Americans. We love nonsense. It’s what makes us great. I am not kidding. We are like the Israelis on this. We love life and even in the worst of times we do not give in. We do not give in to despair. We will even take up silliness to keep our spirits up.

Now I learn that the game was broadcast in 34 different languages. So what? The Super Bowl is our party. Even half time is a big deal. Katy Perry and Lenny Kravitz performed. Commercials are a big deal. A 30 second spot costs $4.5 thousand. No wait! Make that $4.5 million. Everything in America is a big deal.

Not only were we safe on this day from the rest of the world, but so was the rest of the world safe from us. I speak here specifically of Israel, the only nation in the entire Middle East that shares our values. You have noticed that on this day, Israel did not catch flack from the White House.

President Obama was busy, like this rest of us, watching the game. Such luck does not come very often.

For weeks leading up to the game, no day went by without some form of insult being delivered against Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. It has been absolutely petty, nasty and awful. No way to talk to a friend and our only reliable ally in the region.

When trouble comes from that region, who else are we going to call? Who besides Israel?

Thank goodness for this day, this one day. Obama was diverted. So was the rest of his administration who kept needling the Jewish State.

Give it a rest, we keep thinking, those of us who cherish liberty, the same liberty shared by our two great countries.

So the American Sabbath came in the shape of a football, deflated or otherwise. This was our day to rest ourselves from the world’s troubles.

We also spared Israel. This one day.

Tomorrow, however, is another day.

Jack Engelhard writes a regular column for Arutz Sheva. The new thriller from the New York-based novelist, The Bathsheba Deadline, a heroic editor’s singlehanded war on terror and against media bias. Engelhard wrote the int’l bestseller Indecent Proposal that was translated into more than 22 languages and turned into a Paramount motion picture starring Robert Redford and Demi Moore. Website: www.jackengelhard.com