If American Football is such a great game, then why during its Championship Game, the Super Bowl (A misnomer if there ever was one), is there more buzz about the commercials that the game itself? What other sport in the world does this happen to? Why is this so?
Well the the answer to question number 2 is none, and the answer to questions number one and three are easy; Because the game itself is boring!
Just as a matter of point, I grew up in Chicago and live in Minnesota. I have been a Bears fan all my life, so forget all those jibs at being a foreigner and “going back to my own country”.
Heck I grew up playing and watching the game all my life.
I do sit (much to my wife’s dismay) and “watch” 2-4 games every Sunday/Monday during the season. But lately my interest in the sport has been waning. In fact all my life I have found that I tend to do other activities (work on my novels, read, write computer programs) while I am “watching” the game.
There just isn’t he flow to the game anymore these days. There are so many stoppages between plays that one starts to lose interest. Think to yourself how many times you have fallen asleep during the Third Quarter of a game? That many times, eh? I thought so, me too. There just isn’t anything to catch interest, especially when the game is a blowout, or just a punting duel.
Also why is it that the players have to stop and pose for the camera after each routine play? I mean that is what you are being overpaid to do, why are you dancing as if it was a major coup for you to catch a ball, or tackle the ball carrier?. Also it seems the NFL is more interested in selling us beer and cars than entertaining us with their sport, so they need extended “TV Timeouts” to do so.
The attention the NFL gets is far greater than the interest it actually deserves. Now they want to extend the season? The vast majority of fans don’t want extra games, neither do the players. Between the regular season and the extended playoffs, the season goes on too long (are you listening MLB?) and the middle of the season becomes even more irrelevant than it already is. I mean there was a furor over a team with a losing record making the playoffs. Do we want more of that mediocrity showing up in the future?
What has grabbed my attention these days is International Association Football, especially the UEFA Championships, the English Premier League and the Spanish La Liga (as well as the World Cup, but that’s only every 4 years). Association Football is of course known as Soccer in this country and is considered a very minor sport by the majority of people.
The biggest thing that gets my attention is the non-stop flowing action in the sport. The payers are forced to play the whole game (each side is only allowed 3 substitutions, and once a player is subbed for, he/she can’t return) and we don’t have all those stoppages (and therefore a noticeable lack of insulting TV Ads) after a change in ball possession.
For Fans like myself, well this is great as we can enjoy the flow of the game, and with each watching one gets into the nuances of the sport and even a 0-0 tie can be an exciting outcome.
I for one am hoping for a strike next season and a lockout so more people will discover this wonderful sport and realize just how boring and overrated American Football, at least at the Professional level, has become.
I say let them go. Good riddance to all of you, and please give us more Soccer.
Mahalo..
