BY BOB HOLT

NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

IMHO, the use of Roman numerals to designate which Super Bowl is being played causes a number of technology savvy young people to say "OMG!"

High school students have touched on Roman numerals during Latin classes, but they are not emphasized in elementary schools. ROFL may be easy to understand for many of them, but apparently translating Super Bowl XLVI is not.

Myfoxdc.com reports that former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle began using Roman numerals well before the age of computers; back in 1971, for Super Bowl V. NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy says the Roman numerals are "part of the mystique of the Super Bowl."

But the league is already aware of possible letter concerns for 2016, the year of Super Bowl L. The Wall Street Journal reports that a 2003 book defined the "loser gesture" by forming a letter L on your forehead with your index finger and thumb. The signal has been around since at least the 1990s, and has been featured in promotional materials for Fox hit series "Glee."

In 2003, the Children's Internet Protection Act was upheld by the Supreme Court. The law censored parts of the Web for children in schools and libraries, but also blocked searches for Super Bowl XXX.

Eileen Wolter of Summit, N.J. said, according to an Associated Press report on the Winnipeg Free Press, "My son is in first grade and this came up when we were clock shopping. He couldn't believe they were real numbers. They only ever get used for things like copyrights or sporting events.”

According to stltoday.com, the Associated Press stylebook says to use Roman numerals on these occasions: 1.) For wars 2.) For sequence for people: King George V 3.) For some legislative acts: Title IX 4.) For Super Bowls.

Gerald Michon of Numericana.com got 15,278 hits on his site on Super Bowl XLV day, and over 90 percent were questioning the usage of XLV.