Not Getting the Game Thing

I know what I'm writing today is bordering on heresy, but, well, sometimes ya just gotta put something out there.

I just Do. Not. Get. the whole football frenzy thing.

Which is truly sad, because I live in Alabama.  Fish outta water, I am.  Counter to the whole state in my apathy, I rebel.

A  friend of mine told me she would never wear black and white plaid, lest she be taken for an Alabama fan; I love houndstooth, and I have some very nice black and white glen plaid in my fabric stash waiting to be made into a jacket that now I will have to convince myself it's ok to wear.  There is no copyright that says only Alabama fans may wear it, and I daresay that in any other part of the country it wouldn't matter. But here, it does.   I rebel.

The coaches trophy from the College Bowl Series made a tour of the state; its local spot for photo ops was the Kroger on the other end of the county.  People went out of their way to look at it.  I was just glad that I didn't have to buy groceries there that day.

I celebrate when football season is OVER. 

But the insanity of Alabama spreads across the whole country for the Stupid, er, Super Bowl.  Work stops.  People skip church.  In an effort to prevent church skipping, some churches have game-watching events.  Let's set aside our worship time and honor the pigskin.

Can you tell I have real problems with that??

Why does everyone in the country stop what they're doing to watch a football game?  Why does it matter that much?   I can see the entertainment value in watching athletes compete, but when those athletes are paid millions of dollars to play, it looses a little bit of the appeal.

Do we as a society really value the ability to run/throw a pointy ball down the field over the ability to teach math and science?  Over the ability to protect our streets and neighborhoods?  Over the ability to enter burning buildings and carry folks to safety?

Over the willingness to serve overseas in hostile environments to find and bring terrorists to justice?

Considering what we pay folks who do those things, apparently we do. 

And I am offended because all the advertising seems to expect me to join the bandwagon, throw a party, prepare fattening gloppy snacks and make a holiday out of game day.

Sorry.  A football game does not a holiday make.  I rebel.


I feel better now.  ;-)