Whether or not Beyonce’s elaborate half-time show caused the subsequent power outage in New Orleans’ Superdome on Sunday night, the Baltimore Ravens’ second Super Bowl title was achieved in an electrifying manner that confirms this current era as a golden one for the sport.

As dawn broke over the ravaged Gulf of Mexico coastline today, rescuers in boats and helicopters furiously searched for survivors of Hurricane Katrina, with fears the death toll could reach 80.