The Bay Area officially took the handoff for Super Bowl LX from the Super Bowl LIX host committee Monday in New Orleans, starting the clock of anticipation for the 60th edition of the NFL finale.

New Orleans is known for hosting Mardi Gras parades and other major events, and the Super Bowl is back in the city for the first time in 12 years. Many NFL media members have enjoyed their stay in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX and made social media posts calling for the city to host the big game more frequently.

Grammy Award-winning singer Ledisi preformed “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which is also known as the “Black National Anthem,” prior to kickoff.

Best of all, Super Bowl LIX sent a resounding message. It showed the world that New Orleans can still get it done and established definitively that no one does Super Bowls like we do.

A massive security force is taking shape in New Orleans ahead of Super Bowl LIX. Shortsighted actions can have big-time consequences for retired workers. Irish super-featherweight boxer John Cooney dies after suffering a brain injury in last Saturday's defeat by Welshman Nathan Howells in Belfast.

Never a city short on color, New Orleans has been looking positively brightly adorned in recent days, as the city undergoes its makeover for Super Bowl LIX.