Since I write sports (among other things) on a very local level, you may wonder whether I feel some regret that I'm not in Detroit, at Ford Field, among the hordes of media types covering the big game.
Well, in fact, I was in Detroit, at Ford Field, a few months ago, covering the high school football state finals. I was there only because one of the teams I cover made it all the way to the finals. It was an OK experience, I guess. But, to answer the question directly, no, I'm not jealous or regretful that I'm not there, at "the biggest sporting event of the year."
It is the biggest, if you're myopic enough to regard the NFL's championship game as the central pivot of the universe. As for me, well, the Winter Olympics start in Italy in less than a week, and the World Cup takes place in Germany this summer. Those aren't exactly tiny, unimportant events, you know.
I suppose, yeah, it might be fun to go there and see what it's like. Once. But I'm a person who really doesn't care for the mass of humanity at such events, watching the same game as everybody else and trying to come up with coverage that is totally unique. I think much of sports writing--and broadcasting--is just a the Department of Redundancy Department. You have your celebrity "journalists" from the big papers, the major networks and, of course, ESPN. All with their own spin on the same game and--naturally--trying to fan the fires of controversy and second-guessing.
Hey, it's just a game. Fun for the wealthy, who can afford the highly inflated tickets, and for the well-connected, who don't have to worry about costs. An item to check off their "life list." I have as much of a place there as I do at a Republican fund-raiser.
The game itself will be fun, as long as it stays competitive. Often, in the Super Bowl, it isn't. Personally, I feel more excitement and intensity in the Stanley Cup playoffs or the World Series. The World Cup, when it takes place this summer, is going to be so complex, with so many subplots and side stories. I have no idea how it's going to come out. (Plus, it takes place in a country that is seven hours ahead of me, so I have to be real creative in being able to watch the games.)
The games are the fun part. When you shake all the hoopla out of it, all the millions of dollars of media hype, all the media types, has-beens and wanna-bes, it comes down to the game and the satisfaction it delivers.
I'm very satisfied to watch it at home on TV. I have absolutely no desire to be there in person. At home, it's warm. My wife will make us a pizza, and we'll have some snackies. We'll examine the ballyhooed commercials and laugh or groan at them. Maybe she'll snuggle up and doze off--she was going to do that this afternoon but never quite did.
After the game, I have to finish an important article: about how our local girls high school volleyball team suffered its first regular season loss in years. Balance the disappointment with the lessons learned about being ready and respecting every opponent. Realizing that it is all just a game, after all, and in the end who wins and loses doesn't matter.
I also have to finish an article about a weight-lifting competition at my other high school. The football team there has been on the fringes of success for years but hasn't quite gotten there, and part of the reason is that the kids aren't lifting weights enough during the summer to get their bodies strong enough for the demands of the season. But now a weight program is in place, and the kids are working on it hard and enjoying it. They had a little tournament last Friday afternoon. I was there, camera in hand. So you can forgive the excitement in the coach's voice as he looks ahead to next fall. This is a major story here.
Outside of our county of about 13,000 people, nobody will care. Doesn't matter. These stories are important here. It's what I am writing about this week. The Super Bowl won't merit even the tiniest mention in my pages. I've got more important stuff to write about.
*****
I'm watching the pre-game show now. Geez, look at the herds of media there with their huge cameras! When I cover a high school football game, I'm usually the only media person there, with my little pop-gun of a camera. No, that doesn't matter, either.
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