brainwagon

One thing I didn’t mention on today’s podcast was the Super Bowl. I understand it’s supposed to happen sometime today. While listening to some of the ramp up to it on the radio over the past few days, I’m beginning to realize just how pathetic a sporting event it has become. You might as well call it “Advertising Whore Day”, where the excesses of the consumerism piggy back onto an over commercialized sport in the hopes of selling beer to a nation of people who couldn’t think of anything better to do.

Think that’s harsh? Go walk around an ask your average Joe on the street who played in the last Superbowl. I honestly didn’t remember, and I watched the game. Of course, most people couldn’t tell you who played in last years World Series either (Sox and Cardinals, for those of you keeping score), so maybe that isn’t the most telling statistic. But oh, my, god. Everyone seems to remember Janet Jackson’s half-time wardrobe “malfunction”. The most important football game of the year, upstaged by Janet Jackson flashing her boob for three seconds during the halftime show.

How pathetic is that?

Let’s face it, you hear it all the time. “The game will probably be boring, but the ads should be fun.” Advertisements more fun than sports. How pathetic is that?

Don’t get me wrong: I’ll tune in to watch the game, and the ads. The game will almost certainly be boring, the ads promise to be “tamer” than last year in the mad attempt to appease those states where bills against gay marriage passed in the last election, and nevertheless people will get drunk and in one or more cities tonight, someone will torch cars and people will die so that we can watch advertisements.

At least it is an excuse to make some spicy wings.

Lest anyone think I’m being unfair to football in deference to my preferred sport of baseball, the only reason I think baseball suffers from this less is that the entire season boils down to not just one game, but the best of seven. That keeps them from piling all their advertising tackiness into one basket.

And, of course, most people seem to think baseball is less exciting. But most people think digital watches are a really good idea, so there you are. 🙂

Oh, by the way, Happy Birthday Yasmine!