I suppose it would be un-American not to mention the Super Bowl this week, considering it is the premiere and wholly American event in commercial advertising. After all, who cares about the game? It's all about the commercials. Or so I'm told.
Not only that, but Super Bowl 40 (or, XL, as it is referred to formally...but I can't help but read those Roman numerals as "extra large") is actually being hosted in my hometown of Detroit, Michigan. And by "hometown", I really mean the city that I dare not step foot in more than once every few years to see a production of Les Miserables. The city is otherwise a dangerous place to visit, almost annually topping a list no city wishes to be on: Murder capital of the United States.
I don't really live in Detroit. In fact, I've never lived in Detroit. But it seems that if you live within an hour of any major city, it is considered your hometown. Perhaps I can get out of that by saying on a bad day, when there is an accident on the freeway, it can take more than an hour to get there.
Anyway, the Super Bowl is here, and frankly, you'd never know it. Nothing has really changed around the Metropolitan area...although, I'm told they've spruced up the downtown area quite a bit. I wouldn't know. And I won't know. Because I'm one of those weirdos who find watching football games...no, watching practically any professional sporting event...about as boring as watching...well, frankly I can't think of anything as boring.
I've been told by some, "Yeah, well...I only watch it for the commercials."
I suppose I'm not making my point strong enough. Why would anyone put themselves through the torture of watching a bunch of guys knocking each other silly on a field, occasionally making a few yards progress, only to cede to the opponents, and then once again knock each other silly and make a few yards progress in the opposite direction? Just to watch a few commercials that will be played ad nauseum once the game is over?
There is the "water cooler" effect, I suppose. (Although, I've never actually worked anywhere that has a water cooler.) Men and women standing around discussing how hysterical some advertisement for the next best thing in the land of automobiles was that won't actually prompt anyone to buy anything anyhow.
Uh, what was I talking about, anyhow? Oh, right, the Super Bowl. The only good I see out of this is something a local charity does called the Souper Bowl. The idea is to have people drop a few bucks into a bowl at your Super Bowl parties. Then, send that money off to support Grace Centers of Hope, which is a homeless shelter and addiction rehab center. They do good work. I took my kids there a few weeks ago to help out. We got to organize the supply closet!
Anyhow, for all you who enjoy football, I wish you the best of luck on whichever team you are rooting for. Frankly, I have no idea who's playing...just where they're playing. My hometown. Not.
