Here is my bold, true-self confession: I could not care less about football or, for that matter, most any team sport. It’s heresy, I know. Utterly un-American. You’re probably reconsidering your association with me this very minute.
Hahaha! Good for you. I def hv to look up THAT source! Great fun article E. Super Bowl parties are like crab feasts for me — a social event, (interesting social phenomena to enjoy, watch and consider) … not cause I care much abt football or for picking crabs. Lol!
Oops, started a comment and then accidentally closed it! We are attending a Super Bowl Party for which I am grateful, as I will be able to squirrel myself away with other like-minded peeps who enjoy the social aspect more than the tackles and touchdowns. I do appreciate Mahomes and Kelcie though, and look forward to watching the Chiefs play again. You are not alone, my friend. I am not wired for the game of football either, and admit a fondness for soccer based upon Luke’s sporting days prior to college...but even that is waning. I’d much rather take a hike in nature/walk the neighborhood than see grown men smash each other’s bodies into the ground! Another insightful article...thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I'd rather [fill in the blank} than see grown men smash each other's bodies into the ground..." There is a very long list of things I could use to fill in that blank. Hah! Thanks, Roomie!
Add me to the list, despite having gone to every football game in high school and college. The amount of $ spent on the Super Bowl is obscene and could be used for so many worthwhile purposes, just as the $ spent on political campaigns, but don't get me started.
I realize there are lots of things we call entertainment (I'm thinking feature films, for example) that cost a lot of money to produce. But, somehow they feel far more worthy to me, too. Thanks for the comment, Marcia. I hear you!
Impressive, as always, starting with this. I could never conceive of a piece about the Super Bowl that includes a reference to Noam Chomsky. Nice! Thinking it through though, one reason I watch the annual contest is to see if any company’s commercial could create the global impact approaching that of the 1984 ad by a small computer company that changed the world over time, even though it was never used again. It went viral anyway. I suggest that no commercial since has reached the same iconic plateau. There’s a Chomsky theory imbedded there somewhere. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtvjbmoDx-I. (Remotely relevant footnote: Years later your nephew and his now wife worked at that ad’s creative agency, where they first met.) Like you, I’m somewhat indifferent about Super Bowl outcomes unless I have some personal connection to a team, as we do this year. Occasionally I watch mostly for the halftime show. Recently I’m almost always disappointed. Prince topped them all, not only because of his persona, but also his guitar. Eric Clapton once said “Prince is like Jimi Hendrix, Little Richard and James Brown, all in one.” Imagine that halftime show!
Prince topped them all in so many ways. As did the Apple commercial. The creative genius in all the ads across the years almost makes up for what they had to pay to air them. Almost. Appreciate the thoughtful comments, Rob.
I'm part of the 27% of 65+ who are "Not a fan at all." Frankly, I didn't know the percentage was that respectable! I've always believed that NOT being a sports fan frees up enormous amounts of mental capacity (and time!) to devote to other data, such as your X for LVII, which I can now easily commit to memory. Thanks!
A not-so-small but mighty group! To think, Chicken Scratch might not exist at all if I'd gone down a different path. Do let me know how the recitation of X for LVII lands. You are going to try it out at your next musical soiree, yes? Thanks for the thoughts, Stew.
The “little fan” YouTube is sweet and very funny. I’m pretty much that kind of fan. Watching sporting events IS a kind of opiate for me. When I’m too tired to start another project, or read a good book, or even listen to stimulating music, I mostly just want to veg out. Sporting events are useful in that way. One benefit is that while “watching”, I can fold laundry, slice onions, do a crossword puzzle, etc, etc I basically have a love/hate relationship with it. The Salon article touched on that. The community of other fans is appealing. Gratefully I find that sort of community in other settings that don’t leave me feeling a winning high, or a losing low. And puts sporting events in a manageable context.
I'm tracking on all the multi-tasking options you mentioned, except for the onions. I wouldn't be able to see the tv around the tears! All of your remarks are thoughtful, Darrell - thank you. I read this as I was researching but opted not to include it. You might enjoy: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/fashion/mens-style/sports-fans-men-identity.html
Great info that I'm not sure I know where to use it... Let me know when you find out why Super Bowl needs 120 footballs.. I could be on Jeopardy one day...NOT!
Ha!! Those facts are bound to get you out of a tight conversational spot at some point! But, you have to promise to let me know when it happens.
I don't know for sure the reasoning behind the extravagant number of balls, but my guess is that it has to do with fan souvenirs. Thanks for the comments, Barry
I like the NYT article. We lived in Europe for a few years, and it didn't take long to lose interest in US sports. Of course it was easy there to get caught up in European soccer and ski races.
Hahaha! Good for you. I def hv to look up THAT source! Great fun article E. Super Bowl parties are like crab feasts for me — a social event, (interesting social phenomena to enjoy, watch and consider) … not cause I care much abt football or for picking crabs. Lol!
I'll take a crab feast over a SB party any day! Because, crab. Thanks for the comment, Margaret. Appreciate you. :)
LOVE this.
Oops, started a comment and then accidentally closed it! We are attending a Super Bowl Party for which I am grateful, as I will be able to squirrel myself away with other like-minded peeps who enjoy the social aspect more than the tackles and touchdowns. I do appreciate Mahomes and Kelcie though, and look forward to watching the Chiefs play again. You are not alone, my friend. I am not wired for the game of football either, and admit a fondness for soccer based upon Luke’s sporting days prior to college...but even that is waning. I’d much rather take a hike in nature/walk the neighborhood than see grown men smash each other’s bodies into the ground! Another insightful article...thanks for sharing your thoughts!
I'd rather [fill in the blank} than see grown men smash each other's bodies into the ground..." There is a very long list of things I could use to fill in that blank. Hah! Thanks, Roomie!
Add me to the list, despite having gone to every football game in high school and college. The amount of $ spent on the Super Bowl is obscene and could be used for so many worthwhile purposes, just as the $ spent on political campaigns, but don't get me started.
I realize there are lots of things we call entertainment (I'm thinking feature films, for example) that cost a lot of money to produce. But, somehow they feel far more worthy to me, too. Thanks for the comment, Marcia. I hear you!
Impressive, as always, starting with this. I could never conceive of a piece about the Super Bowl that includes a reference to Noam Chomsky. Nice! Thinking it through though, one reason I watch the annual contest is to see if any company’s commercial could create the global impact approaching that of the 1984 ad by a small computer company that changed the world over time, even though it was never used again. It went viral anyway. I suggest that no commercial since has reached the same iconic plateau. There’s a Chomsky theory imbedded there somewhere. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VtvjbmoDx-I. (Remotely relevant footnote: Years later your nephew and his now wife worked at that ad’s creative agency, where they first met.) Like you, I’m somewhat indifferent about Super Bowl outcomes unless I have some personal connection to a team, as we do this year. Occasionally I watch mostly for the halftime show. Recently I’m almost always disappointed. Prince topped them all, not only because of his persona, but also his guitar. Eric Clapton once said “Prince is like Jimi Hendrix, Little Richard and James Brown, all in one.” Imagine that halftime show!
Prince topped them all in so many ways. As did the Apple commercial. The creative genius in all the ads across the years almost makes up for what they had to pay to air them. Almost. Appreciate the thoughtful comments, Rob.
I'm part of the 27% of 65+ who are "Not a fan at all." Frankly, I didn't know the percentage was that respectable! I've always believed that NOT being a sports fan frees up enormous amounts of mental capacity (and time!) to devote to other data, such as your X for LVII, which I can now easily commit to memory. Thanks!
A not-so-small but mighty group! To think, Chicken Scratch might not exist at all if I'd gone down a different path. Do let me know how the recitation of X for LVII lands. You are going to try it out at your next musical soiree, yes? Thanks for the thoughts, Stew.
The “little fan” YouTube is sweet and very funny. I’m pretty much that kind of fan. Watching sporting events IS a kind of opiate for me. When I’m too tired to start another project, or read a good book, or even listen to stimulating music, I mostly just want to veg out. Sporting events are useful in that way. One benefit is that while “watching”, I can fold laundry, slice onions, do a crossword puzzle, etc, etc I basically have a love/hate relationship with it. The Salon article touched on that. The community of other fans is appealing. Gratefully I find that sort of community in other settings that don’t leave me feeling a winning high, or a losing low. And puts sporting events in a manageable context.
I'm tracking on all the multi-tasking options you mentioned, except for the onions. I wouldn't be able to see the tv around the tears! All of your remarks are thoughtful, Darrell - thank you. I read this as I was researching but opted not to include it. You might enjoy: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/11/fashion/mens-style/sports-fans-men-identity.html
Great info that I'm not sure I know where to use it... Let me know when you find out why Super Bowl needs 120 footballs.. I could be on Jeopardy one day...NOT!
Ha!! Those facts are bound to get you out of a tight conversational spot at some point! But, you have to promise to let me know when it happens.
I don't know for sure the reasoning behind the extravagant number of balls, but my guess is that it has to do with fan souvenirs. Thanks for the comments, Barry
I like the NYT article. We lived in Europe for a few years, and it didn't take long to lose interest in US sports. Of course it was easy there to get caught up in European soccer and ski races.
I also lived in KC before MD, so I'll have the Super Bowl on mute!
Ha - good one! I'll consider myself sufficiently informed if I find out who won after it's over. :)