If you’re between the ages of 10 and 100, or have a pulse, then I’d guess you probably tuned in to the Super Bowl at some point last Sunday. Indeed, Super Bowl Sunday is one of those generic all-American days that we have essentially turned into one of our country’s most celebrated holidays.
Families gathered together around the TV to bring in this year’s national football championship. There’s no question that Americans also love it because it is one of the few days during the year where eating everything in sight is at least somewhat appropriate and acceptable.
The male gender starts preparing early. Most boys begin their passions for the game of football by age ten, playing for the hometown team and becoming a religious viewer of SportsCenter. By age 14, most boys have begun to resent any girl who claims to actually enjoy sports.
Though most girls would rather turn on the TV and see something like Sex and the City or The OC, we can still like sports and root just as hard for our hometown team.
As one of my best guy friends complained every time a Boston team was about to go to a major tournament, “Girls are never legit fans of the team. Once any of our teams makes it into the post-season, they suddenly become fans.” Though this may be true – ‘Cheering on my boys!’ and ‘Watching my boys kick some ass – Super Bowl Champs baby!’ are the expected away messages of these girls around post-season time – I think it’s fair to say we girls show more love for a team in one game than boys do in an entire season.
Fans are not the only ones preparing though. The commercials are hilarious, the halftime show is a guaranteed first-class group or singer – as demonstrated this year by the seemingly age-defying Rolling Stones – and the teams are the best of each conference, though many a city’s fans, Indianapolis included, would disagree with that last part.
Super Bowl Sunday is a championship day far different than any other sport’s post-season finals. While sports like baseball and basketball come down to the best of seven games, keeping us on our toes in suspense for what can be up to a two week period, football all comes down to one night where all of the suspense and on-your-toes excitement culminates in one all-telling game. Everything from the coin toss, to the national anthem, to the halftime show is exciting – especially for those pizza and beer companies whose sales skyrocket throughout the country.
It’s a new year now. Teams get to start with a clean slate, and I think it’s fair to say that some of the greats – Tom Brady, to be specific in naming the absolute best – will not be all right sitting back this year and merely tossing a coin for Super Bowl XLI.
Lewis can be reached at slewis@campustimes.org.
