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Ben2World 
Group: Members
Posts: 23911
Joined: Jun. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 12:38 pm |
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A young traveler I met when visiting Burma sent me this email today:
"Hi Ben, did you enjoy this national holiday? I don't know the football, but the show and commercials are amazing!! How did super bowl become such a big event!!"
I have near-zero interest in spectator sports of most any kind -- so I am really the last person she should ask. But already, you can see there is some misconception about Super Bowl being a 'national holiday'. Sure, I can google the info, but I'd like to give her some 'first hand' replies from 'true football fans' like yourselves!
So, please chime in with how super bowl came to be, how it got this big, and describe what y'all do on super bowl Sunday's -- so we can give her a full picture of this most American of celebrations. 
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The world is a book and those who do not travel read only a page. -- St. Augustine
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| Post Number: 2
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hikerjer
Group: Members
Posts: 9132
Joined: Apr. 2002
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 12:51 pm |
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No organization in the country has perfected the art of "hype" as well as the NFL. I think that largely accounts for the Super Bowl's success, if that's what you want to call it. As for what I do on Super Bowl Sunday, I usually go skiing. When I get home, if the game is in it's second half and looks interesting, I might watch the rest of it. But it has to be close otherwise I'll find a bajillion other things to do. Under those circumstances, it will be the only sports event that I will spend any time watching with the exception of some skiing events during the Winter Olympics. Lots of hype there as well.
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"Too often I have met men who speak only of how many miles they've traveled and not of what they've seen." - Louis L'Amour
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| Post Number: 3
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Marmotstew
Group: Members
Posts: 8683
Joined: May 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 12:53 pm |
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It's an excuse to drink, eat lots of food and party. Kinda like every other holiday.
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I'd rather be Facebooking watching videos of cats licking themselves
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| Post Number: 4
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Tigger
Woods Pouncer
Group: Members
Posts: 10493
Joined: Apr. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 12:55 pm |
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I don't know. I was busy working in the yard all day.
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If I'm going to be lost, in the woods is where I want to be...
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| Post Number: 5
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JRinGeorgia
Group: Members
Posts: 295
Joined: Jul. 2012
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 1:16 pm |
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There used to be two US football leagues, the NFL and the AFL. They agreed to merge into one league, and part of that deal was a championship game at the end of the season between the winners of each league. After they merged, it was one league with two "conferences", the NFC and the AFC.
I think one reason the Super Bowl is such a big deal is that, unlike other major US sports championships (baseball, basketball) it is a single, winner-take-all game (other championships play a series). Football also is, I believe, the overall #1 spectator sport in the US in terms of number of fans. No other major professional sport in the US has the same feel of gladiators battling on the field as football does.
The Super Bowl also is played on a weekend, allowing it to become a huge party. People throw big Super Bowl parties and invite their friends to come watch (as opposed to people watching by themselves at home). The city for the Super Bowl is picked way in advance, so the party in the host city is planned years in advance (as opposed to baseball and basketball championship series, which includes games on weekday nights, and are played in the cities of the two teams so cannot be picked and prepared for way ahead of time).
Another thing that has made the Super Bowl so big is the commercials themselves -- advertisers try to create their "best" work for commercials that will debut during the Super Bowl, and it has evolved to the point that some people watch for the commercials and go to the bathroom during the game. This trend of blockbuster commercials in the Super Bowl started with an ad Apple Computer ran during the 1984 Super Bowl that was created to only run that one time ever. It still is one of the most talked-about TV commercials of all time. Before that, advertisers just ran their regular commercials but after that Apple ad everyone wanted to "one-up" each other, and the audience has come to expect to be wowed by the commercials.
Hope that helps.
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- JRinGeorgia
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| Post Number: 7
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39533
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 1:37 pm |
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(Firedancer @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:32 am)
QUOTE
(JRinGeorgia @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:16 pm)
QUOTE I think one reason the Super Bowl is such a big deal is that, unlike other major US sports championships (baseball, basketball) it is a single, winner-take-all game (other championships play a series). I was also pondering this the other night - why the Super Bowl is so much bigger than the World Series or NBA playoffs and realized it's because it's only 1 game, vs the best of 7 series in baseball and whatever they do for basketball (my least favorite sport to watch) So, why does it take 4 or more games to crown a baseball champion but only 1 game to crown a football champion?
In four or more games the incurred brain and ligament damage would leave too few ambulatory team members to actually field a full squad.
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| Post Number: 8
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JimInMD
Group: Members
Posts: 3112
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 1:38 pm |
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(High_Sierra_Fan @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:37 pm)
QUOTE
(Firedancer @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:32 am)
QUOTE
(JRinGeorgia @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:16 pm)
QUOTE I think one reason the Super Bowl is such a big deal is that, unlike other major US sports championships (baseball, basketball) it is a single, winner-take-all game (other championships play a series). I was also pondering this the other night - why the Super Bowl is so much bigger than the World Series or NBA playoffs and realized it's because it's only 1 game, vs the best of 7 series in baseball and whatever they do for basketball (my least favorite sport to watch) So, why does it take 4 or more games to crown a baseball champion but only 1 game to crown a football champion? In four or more games the incurred brain and ligament damage would leave too few ambulatory team members to actually field a full squad.
Yet the Stanley Cup goes on! 
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Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
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| Post Number: 9
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39533
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 1:43 pm |
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(JimInMD @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:38 am)
QUOTE
(High_Sierra_Fan @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:37 pm)
QUOTE
(Firedancer @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:32 am)
QUOTE
(JRinGeorgia @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:16 pm)
QUOTE I think one reason the Super Bowl is such a big deal is that, unlike other major US sports championships (baseball, basketball) it is a single, winner-take-all game (other championships play a series). I was also pondering this the other night - why the Super Bowl is so much bigger than the World Series or NBA playoffs and realized it's because it's only 1 game, vs the best of 7 series in baseball and whatever they do for basketball (my least favorite sport to watch) So, why does it take 4 or more games to crown a baseball champion but only 1 game to crown a football champion? In four or more games the incurred brain and ligament damage would leave too few ambulatory team members to actually field a full squad. Yet the Stanley Cup goes on!
And on, and on, and on......
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| Post Number: 10
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JimInMD
Group: Members
Posts: 3112
Joined: Feb. 2011
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 1:46 pm |
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(High_Sierra_Fan @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:43 pm)
QUOTE
(JimInMD @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:38 am)
QUOTE
(High_Sierra_Fan @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:37 pm)
QUOTE
(Firedancer @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:32 am)
QUOTE
(JRinGeorgia @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:16 pm)
QUOTE I think one reason the Super Bowl is such a big deal is that, unlike other major US sports championships (baseball, basketball) it is a single, winner-take-all game (other championships play a series). I was also pondering this the other night - why the Super Bowl is so much bigger than the World Series or NBA playoffs and realized it's because it's only 1 game, vs the best of 7 series in baseball and whatever they do for basketball (my least favorite sport to watch) So, why does it take 4 or more games to crown a baseball champion but only 1 game to crown a football champion? In four or more games the incurred brain and ligament damage would leave too few ambulatory team members to actually field a full squad. Yet the Stanley Cup goes on! And on, and on, and on......
Not if your a Caps fan it doesn't... 
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Checking out for a while, find me on FB.
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| Post Number: 11
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39533
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 1:47 pm |
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(JimInMD @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:46 am)
QUOTE
(High_Sierra_Fan @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:43 pm)
QUOTE
(JimInMD @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:38 am)
QUOTE
(High_Sierra_Fan @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:37 pm)
QUOTE
(Firedancer @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:32 am)
QUOTE
(JRinGeorgia @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:16 pm)
QUOTE I think one reason the Super Bowl is such a big deal is that, unlike other major US sports championships (baseball, basketball) it is a single, winner-take-all game (other championships play a series). I was also pondering this the other night - why the Super Bowl is so much bigger than the World Series or NBA playoffs and realized it's because it's only 1 game, vs the best of 7 series in baseball and whatever they do for basketball (my least favorite sport to watch) So, why does it take 4 or more games to crown a baseball champion but only 1 game to crown a football champion? In four or more games the incurred brain and ligament damage would leave too few ambulatory team members to actually field a full squad. Yet the Stanley Cup goes on! And on, and on, and on...... Not if your a Caps fan it doesn't...
#SilverLiningTime
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| Post Number: 12
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| Post Number: 13
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SW Mtn backpacker
Born to hike, forced to work ...
Group: Members
Posts: 6715
Joined: Jul. 2006
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 2:22 pm |
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(Ben2World @ Feb. 05 2013, 10:38 am)
QUOTE ..So, please chime in with how super bowl came to be, how it got this big, and describe what y'all do on super bowl Sunday's -- so we can give her a full picture of this most American of celebrations.
It and the NFL got to where they are due to marketing (it's where Americans can unload some hostility) and (gasp!!) revenue sharing. While some teams are stronger than others, each can buy enough talent, due to revenue sharing, to pull an underdog victory ("any given Sunday"). ESPN had a special on the business side of the NFL last month, found it interesting.
Superbowl usually a culmination of winter party season. Whatever booze is left over ...
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Usually Southwest and then some.
In wildness is the preservation of the world. - Henry Thoreau
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toejam
the high road is hard to find
Group: Members
Posts: 1461
Joined: Mar. 2002
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 2:28 pm |
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It's a gladiator sport. It's better suited for watching on t.v. than other sports (more action than baseball, easier to follow than hockey, more replays than basketball). They only play once a week so the average guy can keep up with it.
The college football championship would be nearly as big if they had playoffs.
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| Post Number: 15
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Lamebeaver
trail? I don't need no stinkin trail!
Group: Members
Posts: 16212
Joined: Aug. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 2:40 pm |
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I would argue that the Superbowl is NOT a big deal.
I went hiking Sunday afternoon and there were plenty of people on the trail. I missed the first quarter, and yes I did watch the rest of the game, but that was more a social event. I could have cared less who won the game, and quite frankly, I would have been happier watching a good movie or a nature documentary.....especially if there weren't any commercials.
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| Post Number: 16
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JRinGeorgia
Group: Members
Posts: 295
Joined: Jul. 2012
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 3:09 pm |
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(JimInMD @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:38 pm)
QUOTE Yet the Stanley Cup goes on! 
(big_load @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:49 pm)
QUOTE 1. The difference between good and bad is narrower in baseball. It takes more games to accurately measure who is better, especially when you're measuring across an array of starting pitchers.
2. Apart from the starting pitchers, the wear and tear in baseball is enough less that taking an accurate measurement through multiple games is actually feasible. Agree, and...
3. Baseball and basketball are played such that in any given game one team has home field advantage, so would be "unfair" to play only one game. The Super Bowl is designed such that neither team should have home field advantage (unless the team from the host city happens to get into the Super Bowl).
(Lamebeaver @ Feb. 05 2013, 2:40 pm)
QUOTE I would argue that the Superbowl is NOT a big deal.
I went hiking Sunday afternoon and there were plenty of people on the trail. Hmmm, true it's not a big deal to literally everybody, but it is a big deal. If the Super Bowl isn't a big deal then what is?
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- JRinGeorgia
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| Post Number: 17
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| Post Number: 18
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Burner973
Walk it off
Group: Members
Posts: 1687
Joined: May 2009
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 5:47 pm |
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Yeah the most watched sporting event every year in America definitely is not a big deal....... says people on LSD.
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"A map is the greatest of all epic poems. Its lines and colors show the realization of great dreams." Gilbert H. Grosvenor
New Jersey, the people who tell it like it is.
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| Post Number: 19
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| Post Number: 20
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High_Sierra_Fan
Group: Members
Posts: 39533
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 11:12 pm |
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(no_granola @ Feb. 05 2013, 6:21 pm)
QUOTE
(Firedancer @ Feb. 05 2013, 1:32 pm)
QUOTE So, why does it take 4 or more games to crown a baseball champion but only 1 game to crown a football champion? Because you can't play 7 football games in two weeks. Both teams would run out of players. If the NFL could play more games they would.
Yes the maneuvers to exchange meaningless exhibition games in the preseason for additional season or playoff games in recent talks speaks to the awareness they e pretty much reached the boundary of what their personnel rosters can withstand damage-wise.
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| Post Number: 21
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big_load
Group: Members
Posts: 21825
Joined: Jun. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 05 2013, 11:29 pm |
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And yet they came within an eyelash of extending the regular season to 18 games this year.
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| Post Number: 24
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trailweaver
Group: Members
Posts: 508
Joined: Apr. 2004
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Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 1:54 am |
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You mean it's not a national holiday???!!!
It really is an excuse to party - I know people who have no interest in foodball all season long who watch the Super Bowl - and bet on it, too!
I just look forward to the commercials. I wonder where the creative ad writers hang out the rest to the year?
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| Post Number: 25
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Lorax
Cultured hillbilly swine
Group: Members
Posts: 4925
Joined: Dec. 2003
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Posted on: Feb. 06 2013, 7:40 am |
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You must explain the entire Superbowl process and ritual for him to fully understand it.
-We talk about the game for days beforehand and get all set up by running to the stores to buy up all the liquor and nacho chips.
-We wait in wild anticipation and sit in front of the TV's on game day with our friends to hear a bunch of people talk for 5 hours before the event about who's going to win, who's going to lose, who is in prison, who has imaginary girlfriends and who is pissed off because they are not there.
-We then sit and watch a total of an average of 11 minutes of actual action, fake canned performances while hoping to catch sight of a nipple and three hours of commercials that would, on any other day just piss us off to sit through if we were watching anything else.
-We then sit for another four hours after the event listening to people tell us what we just saw like we didn't just spend all day focused on the actual event where we were already told exactly what happened after every play.
-We then rush out into the streets and turn a few cars over and beat up, shoot or stab people wearing different team jerseys
What's not to understand?
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| Post Number: 26
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| Post Number: 27
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Reminiscence
Group: Members
Posts: 3532
Joined: Sep. 2007
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Posted on: Feb. 08 2013, 8:04 pm |
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Like others, I was doing far more important things.
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When you are out West
Please, at my behest
Since you are Nature's guest
Do something to help the rest:
Dismantle a fire ring;
Take a stone and give a swing.
You may find that it will bring
A lift of goodness 'neath your wing.
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Survival Skills 101 • Eat Better
