THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 - SUPER BOWL HYPE

 THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2023 - HYPE

Ah yes, the annual Super Bowl is upon us.  Which of the two teams (Kansas City Chiefs or Philadelphia Eagles) will triumph.  

I don’t follow sports the way I used to.  Part of that might be that my television choices are limited (and there are no sports channels).  Part of it might mean that I can’t tell you who played or who won last year (although I can find out instantly on the Internet).  

The winners will have parades in their hometowns and meet the President in Washington DC.  I’m not sure if the MVP (most valuable player) will get a free luxury vacation if he says when asked “What are you going to do now”, and he will answer “I’m going to Disney World” 

I know that the media loves Super Bowl Week - speculation on the health of Patrick Mahomes, or that two brothers will be competing on different teams, or that the Kansas City coach was once a coach for Philadelphia.  (I know this from my Sirius XM stations in my car and from the sports channels on the television stations in the apartment exercise room.).  I’m not sure if I will get to see the game (or part of the game).  Last year, I was working, and after work, I snuck into the movie room at the senior independent living center and watched the conclusion of the game.

HYPE - Hyperbole - extravagant or intensive publicity or promotion; promote or publicize (a product or idea) intensively, often exaggerating its importance or benefits.

“THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOTBALL GAME OF THE YEAR”!!!  

Yeah - so what?  How does this affect the economy?  How does this affect the environment?  How does this affect the love between my brothers and my sisters?  

Let’s be honest - I LOVE FOOTBALL (or American Football, not what the rest of the world calls “futbol”.)  But, the hype that goes with the Super Bowl can be over the top.  

In the last two weeks, I’ve seen the comment that Patrick Mahomes (quarterback for Kansas City) is the next superstar in professional football.  A couple of things here - quarterbacks throw the ball - and others catch it - Mahomes has to have good receivers; he also needs an offense line that lets him have the needed time to throw the ball.  I’ve heard a comment that he gets rid of the ball (that is, throws it) faster than most other quarterbacks.  But, they are talking in tenths of a second difference between him and other quarterbacks.  

He might be the “GOAT” - c’mon - GOAT - Greatest Of All time?  There have been many fantastic quarterbacks - and many superstars.  Let him finish his professional career and we’ll see how it compares to others.  

But, hype sells tickets (I assume the tickets are sold out for the game), and hype sells people to watch the televised version of the game - and that is a reason for the hype.  Sponsors pay millions of dollars to advertise on the Super Bowl televised game. The more eyes on the game, the better “impressions” are made with potential buyers of their goods and services.  

For the next few days, if you want any sports (maybe mostly ESPN), you can’t avoid Super Bowl discussions - and comparisons.

There also is a difficult question going on that is not talked about.  Teams are NOT owned by the city (except for Green Bay).  Owners of professional football games are generally multi-millionaires already.  The owners of these two franchises (Kansas City and Philadelphia) will make money on the game.  If (heaven forbid), the owners of one of the teams decide to move it to San Antonio, they can snub their noses at the old city.  The owners are all (not sure about that) white families or consortiums and the players are a mixed group - with a larger proportion of black players.  I think the only black coach in the NFL got fired a couple of weeks ago.  Equality?  Not there yet.  (No quite slaves - professional athletics can make millions of dollars, but the team owners also make millions of dollars and don’t get tackled or have bruises).

Sure cities make money on professional sports (generally).  People stay in hotels, eat in restaurants, pay for entertainment, and pay for the game (and cities get a percentage of the ticket prices), So, the Oakland Athletics - can move to Los Angeles and become the Los Angeles Athletics, and then can move to Las Vegas and become the Las Vegas Athletics.  Most cities will build the sports team a stadium (free) so they can get the revenue from all the extra stuff. 

So, yes, build up the game, bring on the hype, get millions to watch it on TV, and make it the topic of discussion this week (I heard it starting after the games that lead up to the Super Bowl - who do you think will win?).  

There is also a new factor in recent years - online betting.  I’m going to bet on Kansas City for $500.  If they win, I’ll double my money!!!  (Or … if they lose, I’ll lose my money!!!)

At homes across the nation, neighbors and friends will gather.  Super Bowl Sunday is the biggest day of the year for pizza delivery.  The liquor and grocery stores will sell gallons of beer; chicken wing restaurants will deliver wings across town; chips and queso, and all sorts of snacks will be on plates.  (The diet can return on Monday).

It will fade quickly after the game.  Sure there will be analysts who suggest that if one of the teams did something slightly different the outcome would have been different.  In two months it will be a ho-hum.  And, people like me will remember they watched the Super Bowl last year and can’t remember who played and who won!!!

*****

Are things like that in our lives?  Did you hype up your wedding, your daughter’s wedding? 

Was graduation a big deal  - did it live up to the hype?  Did you hype winning the “employee of the month” (or EOY - “Educator of the Year”? 

But, we need some special memories in our otherwise dull lives.  Why not celebrate the Super Bowl

LOVE WINS

LOVE TRANSFORMS

KAREN ANNE WHITE, ©, FEBRUARY 9, 2023