Perhaps the ads weren't so good, but Super Bowl XLIV on CBS sure was! The viewership number more than proved that.
I actually have Super Bowl XXI (1987) to Super Bowl XLIV (2010) in my collection, whether dubbed onto a DVD from an older VHS tape or recorded live onto a DVD directly (the last two years). I have many of the commercials from the last few. However, I have none of the ads from the first couple I recorded. I cut out halftime on any of the tapes that had them (except for the clip of Janet Jackson from Super Bowl XXXVIII in 2004 of course!).
If I am home for the game, I plan to record most everything from kickoff to game's end, but will not record halftime. I usually record the anthem and the coin toss stuff, but I don't keep the commercials before the kickoff.
Luckily for me, the transmitter of WTIC-DT (FOX) channel 61 of Hartford is within 5 miles and is always 85 to 90% on the signal meter here. Nice to have that as a backup, should the cable screw up.