There were always tense moments for me growing up when it came to sports.. I did not have much of an interest in any, as a matter of fact, throughout my grade school life, I attempted to join on the bandwagon and nod my head in agreement with other children’s swift sports ramblings. Sure, I figured, why not agree with the crowd I was in.. no one would ever ask me.. So I pretended to know players’ names. I even delighted in their analysis of games, ferociously saying “yes” and “I know!” when I had my chance to say something else..
The problem was, I always get caught not knowing anything..
The major problem for my often came with the Superbowl.
I never really knew who was ever playing in the game.. I had so little interest, but as a child I couldn’t wait for the ‘IN LIVING COLOR’ halftime show and the FOX brief comedies that would be played while the ‘big game’ showed off the latest pop culture phenom on the field singing..
It was rough.
I recall at one point I decided to just like whatever team my brother, a sports aficionado, liked. And that worked out for me. He liked, and now I do, the BOSTON RED SOX and the CELTICS. And I love the history of both teams as well.. I grew to appreciate baseball and basketball, and soccer too. And I always loved professional wrestling so that goes without saying..
However…to this day I may be one of the few Americans who really can’t say I like football much.
I have a few friends who coach it and understand the game to be a great diversion. But they get diverted from life just the same. The latest ‘deflate gate’ was ridiculous in all ways, but yet American news stations and major journalist outlets found themselves discussing balls ad naseum for the last two weeks.
Since my childhood of confusion over football, I now at least know teams and some players. And I came to understand that football seems to be the big game that is thrust on Americans to take their eyes away from the important stuff.. Men act like men in bar rooms and living rooms during football season, we are told. We are told…
With all of that said, I still can’t say I like football.
I dislike NFL executives..
I think a lot of games were fixed and fans would never want to believe that..
I think players have an ego the size of Manhattan island and a bank account the size of all of the people on Manhattan island put together..
I think players are taken advantage of and the NFL really does not care much at all about head injuries..
And I think, more than anything, the affinity one has to a ‘team’ can get disturbing..
When Philadelphia Eagles player Michael Vick was convicted of dog fighting abuses, there were lots of people who still wanted him to play on the team. . but on the flipside, when a player is traded, the ‘home’ team abuses and verbally accosts them as they come onto the field in another team’s uniforms. Again, the Eagles are mentionable on this front as they so often have been said to be the worst of the worst when it comes to fans..
Grown people scream and cheer over their teams.. when someone’s team makes the ‘big game,’ all of that person’s co workers knows the person will be happy that ‘their team’ has made it. Equally when the team loses, that person will shudder himself into a dark room and quite literally often cry.. I knew someone who did that, a day of mourning was often taken after a dramatic loss during a game.
It’s quite silly..
Inane..
And a showcase of how we can easily fall prey and jump onto the bandwagon of sports. I think it’s fine to like a game, like a team, but when it comes to a religious-type feeling over someone wearing a certain color of uniform, well then perhaps it’s time to check yourself before you wreck yourself..
And here we are again, the same game and new teams. Kind of. Reporters are following suite, giving endless amounts of their less-than-precious cable news time to football coverage. Already, there is controversy about a Go Daddy Superbowl commercial–what year wouldn’t be complete without that, right? Oh and Katy Perry? She said she will roar on the field with sharks and lions and that the ‘wild’ halftime show will make jaws drop.. Perhaps deflation will not occur while Perry is on stage, but at that point half drunken men’s faces truly may hang near the floor if Perry decides to wear a revealing outfit. And it’s Katy Perry, so what the hell am I saying.. she will wear a revealing outfit and it will creepily involve placing balls in an important place on her body..
That’s the show.
It’s on the way..
The big game,
Just one more day..
The buildup..
The excitement..
The eagerness..
The enlightenment?
NO .. no enlightenment. Just watch the TEE VEE..
Commercials galore,
And Perry’s TEE TEES..
Wear your team’s colors,
And wait for the kick,
The world is on fire,
But..who did you pick?
