My answers to those proposed questions, in respective order, is "What do you mean by 'Why'?" and "No." Simply told, the culture around the entire thing blows my mind, and there isn't a single aspect of the game or culture which drive me too care. I suppose here is the best time to bring forward my case as to why, after all, I'm doing no good simply declaring my distaste.
There is something about tuning into a game where every statistic is being bet on, every advert played worth millions, every player making many a lifetime wage of the common working man, and thousands of American's engrossed in watching the game while engorging on copious amounts of snack foods. In short, it's frankly disgusting on multiple levels. I think of it like this, why are we so busy watching (sometimes even paying to watch) fellow men play a game, why do we spend so much money around the game (in bets, new televisions, food, &c.) and why are we so engrossed into it all. It's our culture, our tradition.
While tradition has its place and cause to exist, there are some traditions that have taken leave as we've slowly moved away from their remembrance. Victory in Europe Day is hardly a thought on people's mind, nor is any celebration to boot. Sure, a day celebrating a victorious end to a war about 70 years old seems like a tradition that dissipates over time, but like all traditions has its place and comes and goes with the times.
The problem with the Superbowl is it is indeed tradition, but not like those defined previous. It's not a celebration of man, victory, country. It's a celebration around one game. A celebration around a relatively new sport--a relatively new championship. This isn't the Olympics or The World Cup, both of which celebrate international competition and strive to, for that moment, bring the world together in competition. It's the American Superbowl the American championship of the professional leagues of American football. It is only about America, and no one else. The international stage could care less about this game, but we care. It's common fact, and believable that more Americans tune into the Superbowl then both the Olympics or the World Cup combined. A fact, that I will never understand.
Still, the Superbowl, like those large American banks is too big to fail. Generating millions (if not billions) of dollars exchanged in bets, revenue in adverts, ticket sales and footage copyrights, Superbowl memorabilia, and all the accessories like televisions and snacks. It's too big a money maker for people to stop promoting or walk away.
If there is anything to say to end this it's this: Go out and play a game of football. Go play. Engage and compete in friendly competition with your neighbors and brothers of man. Take the joys in sport like those you watch who get paid millions to do so. If there is one team I'll support with full pride, it's that of the Olympic team. An event calling on what perhaps a championship should really mean.
Trey Takahashi, from the time writing this to the time posted still does not know the end result of the Superbowl. Perhaps one day, when reading random Wikipedia articles, or some angry acquaintance shouts the end game results he'll know.
Image Source: Wikipedia.org
