Of Pigskin and Politics

At the time that this article is published, it will be the night before Super Bowl LII, where the New England Patriots and the Philadelphia Eagles will play to decide who hoists the coveted Vince Lombardi Trophy. Multiple companies will spend upwards of $5 million for a thirty second Super Bowl advertisement. More people will watch the Super Bowl than any other program in the calender year. And to be quite honest, I have no interest in the Super Bowl this year.

There's the fact that the fans of the Philadelphia Eagles and The Philadelphia Phillies have a reputation for being boorish assholes. There's the fact that New England is in the Super Bowl, meaning Tom Brady will somehow find a way to pull a rabbit out of his ass and lead his team to victory. However, it's the constant ramrodding of politics that have really killed the interest for me this year, so much so that I can only stand to watch bits and pieces of the game.

When an average person goes to a sporting event, reads a piece of literature, listens to music, plays a video game, or watches a movie, they do it to enjoy themselves and not be constantly browbeaten by someone on a soapbox droning on about the wrongs they believe are out there in the world. Politics has the destructive and negative power to incite fights, end friendships, and basically devolve a civilized conversation down to a tasteless "My dick is bigger than yours" contest.

I can understand why players kneeling to the National Anthem of the United States, "The Star-Spangled Banner", would be deemed so disrespectful. It shows that the players and the National Foorball League are not hesitant to infuse politics with the game. This politival grandstanding reached critical mass on Week 3 of the 2017 eason, with each game during that week having some form of protest in response to Donald Trump's assertion that a player kneeling during the National Anthem should be fired. With Comissioner Roger Goodell in full support of this, and the NFL later setting aside $100 million to socil justice projects, it should come as no shock to see why half-empty stadiums were such a frequent sight during the NFL season

It's astonishing, the degree that the NFL will defend such a stance, even to the degree that their reasonings devolve into hypocriticism. Such was the case with the NFL barring AMVETS (American Veterans) posting a one-page advertisement in the official Super Bowl program, asking for fans to "PLEASE STAND". The NFL's reasoning for not allowing the ad was because they didn't want politics in the Super Bowl program. This statement is at complete odds with NFL's recent policies, and with NBC (who is broadcasting the Super Bowl this year) zealously stating that they'll turn their cameras on any players who kneel during the National Anthem, the blatant truth of the matter is that Roger Goodell has already injected politics into the game - as in only the politics he agrees with.

An interesting caveat that is being thrown into the mix is that the owner of World Wrestling Entertainment, Vincent Kennedy McMahon, announced that he's bringing back the Xtreme Footbal League in 2020. There are those that scoff at the prospect of bringing back a league that has already failed once, but I argue that the current state of the NFL has created a stage for a competitor to potentially thrive. Keep in mind that no one thought that the NFL would be overtaken in ratings, with the 2017 World Series outdrawing Week 8 games.

Perhaps the shrewd businessman in Vince McMahon has also sensed the trouble the NFL is in, and he sees the writing on the wall. The injection of politics that has been a mainstay in the NFL for the past two years, the corporate excess that arrogantly believes that a sport primarily played in Canada and the U.S. has a shot at the global stage, the fans who have had enough with all of the NFL's antics as of late, has set the stage for Vince McMahon to make such a bold gamble. A competing football league should make the National Football League wary, for another misstep could play right in the hands of the XFL.

However the NFL proceeds upon any backlash that might result from what occurs during the Super Bowl is entirely up to them. The public perception of the NFL is on thin ice as it is, and any further miscues will cost them dearly in a way that cannot be undone. Will the NFL decide to play football, or will they continue to play politics?

Only time will tell if the NFL is done in by it's own foolish actions.

So until next time, in the immortal words of Edward R. Murrow, "Good night and good luck".