(Photos: Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images; Jeff Fusco/Getty Images)

By Calvin Stovall -

Ever since the Janet Jackson debacle in 2004, the folks who plan Super Bowl halftime have let their fear of another nipple gate scare them away from making the halftime show everything it could be.

In the years since Janet shocked the world when she had a wardrobe malfunction during her performance with Justin Timberlake (does anyone even remember the name of the song they performed), we’ve had to sit through nearly a decade’s worth of washed up acts who fail to match the intensity of the big moment. Last year’s decision to pick the Black Eyed Peas was an obvious reach for a younger audience, but instead of choosing cookie-cutter pop acts that err on the side of caution, the committee needs to be bold and create a halftime experience worthy of the 100 million viewers that tune in.

For this year’s festivities- they dragged Madonna out of oblivion and teamed her up with Nicki Minaj and M.I.A to give the allusion of newness. Nice try, but that won’t cut it for next year’s big game. For 2013, which will mark the Super Bowl’s first return to the city of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, they better go hard or go home.

If you’re trying to keep in tune with the Bayou theme, you could easily organize an N.O.-only medley featuring everyone from Lil Wayne and Aaron Neville to Wynton Marsalis— why not celebrate the city’s rich culture?

If that’s not accessible enough for the massive audience, how’s this for 2014? New York City will be hosting (well, the Meadowlands of New Jersey will be hosting) and the lights may be brighter than any Super Bowl we’ve ever seen. No one person could handle that, but what about a couple? A power couple to be specific.

By February 2014, Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s parental hiatus from the spotlight should be over. With Blue Ivy celebrating her second B-day, Hov and Bey will be able to leave their princess with a babysitter in order to bless the world with a comeback performance worthy of their star power. Think of it as a massive date night for the super couple. Adding Kanye West, their unpredictable heir to throne, would probably give organizers pause, but I’m sure he could find a way to sneak onto the stage and make the FCC thank God for the five-second delay.

Come on guys, let’s take a chance and give the people what they really want. While we are looking forward to seeing Nicki do her thing, you guys should be reminded that we the fans have been on timeout for far too long.

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