By Kevin Murphy ’12
Each week Kevin Murphy ‘12 will take a look at what’s going on in the wide world of sports. Murphy is an English major and member of the Lafayette Rugby Club.
It’s that time again folks. The biggest day of the year approaches. Family and friends will come together in celebration across America and the world. Feasts will be prepared, drinks consumed. And no I’m not referrinag to Labor Day, and certainly not Christmas. C’mon guys, it’s the Super Bowl
This Sunday, the New York Giants will square off against the New England Patriots in a rematch of the 2007 game, in which the Giants were the underdog victors, spoiling what would have been an undefeated season for the Patriots.
In an American culture that, in this day in age, revolves around consuming media, TV in particular, the Super Bowl has emerged as the ultimate spectacle. It is the pinnacle of modern Americana. In 2010, the Super Bowl set an all time American record for TV viewers with an estimated 106.5 million. Last year, it upped that number to an estimated 111 million, and there is no indication that the number will not rise again this year.
If the pattern holds, more than a third of all Americans will watch the Super Bowl this weekend. This is a staggering number, and seems to indicate that the game is more of a unifying super media event than just a sports game. Obviously, people living outside of the New York and New England areas are unlikely to have a strong rooting interest, yet still a great many of us will show up via the TV-waves to watch Eli trot onto the field to attempt to out-sling Brady.
Presumably, some watchers care little about the actual game at all. Some may be there for the new commercials, of which, thanks to football’s ideal for TV format, there will be many. One is guaranteed an early look at the some of the ads that will dominate TV for the next year.
In my experience, you can usually count on some hilarious beer ads, and maybe a new and amusing car insurance commercial involving a certain British (Australian?) lizard. Still others may be watching for the halftime show and the chance to witness the next trend setting wardrobe malfunction (i.e. Janet Jackson).
No matter why we watch, we’re all watching it together. And in a country where we rarely agree on anything, it’s refreshing to know we can at least still come together to spend a Sunday night watching some good old tube. Here’s to America.