Why - unlike almost everyone else in New York - I won't be watching the Super Bowl on Sunday.....
1. I simply don't understand American football. And, frankly, I have no desire to learn about it. Yes, I know the New York Giants are in it, and all that, but frankly, I couldn't name a single player.
2. My husband and children also have no interest. The boys are still confused about why we call 'soccer' football and Americans call the thing they play in helmets 'football'. They haven't mentioned the Super Bowl to me (they're actually more obsessed with Groundhog Day a the moment, bless them). As for The Doctor, asked by the boys to give an example of a 'football team', he mentioned The Mets. (Er, baseball).
3. Despite the fact that I write about advertising for a living, I don't need to watch the actual Super Bowl commercial breaks, because most of the ads have already been released on YouTube this year. (Among the best are the Ferris Bueller Honda ad with Matthew Broderick all grown up, and the new VW ad, The Dog Strikes Back, (although it has to be said, the teaser for this, The Bark Side, was actually better).
4. We can't watch it! We'll be driving back from the Catskills, where we are spending the weekend (hopefully) ski-ing with friends. I say hopefully because it has been about 15 degrees celsius in New York this week - not exactly snow-friendly weather. The boys were playing outside yesterday without coats. But the resort is supposed to have excellent snowmaking facilities, and, according to the New York Times, ski resorts are virtually empty on Super Bowl weekends, so at least there will be no lift queues. (Apparently, it's also a good day to get a bargain plane ticket). And when we do get back, I'll be tuning into Downton Abbey on PBS, rather than ripping open the Doritos and sitting back to watch the game.
5. When everyone is chattering about the Big Game on Monday, I will be able to, once again, come across as the crazy English person who has no interest whatsoever. Or, I can just nod sagely, and say 'what a game!'.
10 comments:
The very idea bores me rigid. And the tail-gating? People in Chicago spend hours in the parking lot before the games, freezing their butts off and eating BBQ'd rubbish?
We are living in the wrong country. Even when we were in Bosnia Dave managed to watch the Super Bowl. The problem of course being that he stays up all night to do so and is useless the next day... (not even the threat of making him do childcare makes him miss the game)
I saw the headline and thought..noooo. you must watch it for the Ferris Bueller ad...but you beat me to the punch! Enjoy the (water) skiing
Five years in the US, and I still didn't understand! Have a great time ski-ing. My in-laws were just here and were telling me about ski resorts in Lebanon - I'm hoping we'll be able to go soon! So much snow apparently, the lifts weren't working and the resort was empty!
I'm with you on number one. Unfortunately my kids love it. Think I'll hit the art galleries for those three hours. I have to say though the cultural stuff (if you can call it that) is fascinating. I can't believe these ads have already been released. And I guess if you stayed home and watched them it would be a total busman's holiday...
Thank God DH grew up overseas like I did and therefore never really developed the football habit (now, the Tour de France is another story, but I at least enjoy watching that.) I have never understood football myself(especially the concept of a 'first down' which I feel is misleading) and our sons (having been raised badly by odd parents)also aren't interested, although Son#2, who was only 7 when we moved to Texas, seems to have the best grasp of all of us and can converse in a knowledgeable manner. Typically, we would go to a Super Bowl party during which we would talk to the other partygoers who don't care about football, drink beer, and watch the commercials. It's actually been delightful being in Seoul this time around, because there's no hype unless you're on the US military base. The game will be played at 7am on Monday morning, Seoul time for those who have the right sort of satellite package or Slingbox. I have also heard through the grapevine that the US military base here has declared Monday to be a 'training' day which - as far as I understand it - means an optional day off for anyone who wishes to watch the game and tie one on at 7am. Blech.
My only interest this year is based on the fact that the New England Patriots are playing and I am a Bostonian by birth. But I'll be at work at the German School that day anyway, and (as far as I'm aware) no one else is much interested. On the other hand, I can't wait to see the next Downton Abbey!
Hope you get lots of snow and enjoy some uncrowded skiing!
Honda sent me that ad already (we have a Honda, we are valued customers), and frankly I thought it was quite boring. Is there a cultural reference that I'm missing.
No, we won't be Super Bowling either.
Iota - the commercial is a take-off on the actor's 1986 pop-culture hit movie, 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' in which a young man skips school for the day and spends the day getting in trouble and nearly getting caught by his high school principal. It was a very iconic movie for those of us growing up in the 80s, and a lot of what you see in the commercial reflects what he did as a teenager in the movie. It's really only funny if you saw the original movie - very much a cultural reference as you say. I think there's a blog post in this for you...
Iota - MsCaroline is right, it wouldn't mean anything if you didn't see Ferris Bueller's Day Off, and particularly if you didn't see it at that particular time in your life. I watched it recently, and didn't find it quite as hilarious as I did as a teenager (although Matthew Broderick is still cute. Even though you were supposed to fancy Charlie Sheen if you were cool, not him).
Postscript - I ended up watching it for about five minutes, because we were back in such good time - no traffic at all in New York City! Couldn't make head or tail of what was going on, so switched over to Downtown as planned.
Ha I posted about why I did watch it, it's the American in me, I can't explain it as anything other :)
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