231 years after Massachusetts delegate John Hancock placed the first and largest signature on the Declaration of Independence, hence declaring our founding fathers commitment to freedom, patriotism, and the protection of our civil liberties, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is taking monumental steps to destroy the spirit and tradition this magnificent nation was built upon.
Alright, Goodell may not be Benedict Arnold but his recent exploration of possibly hosting a Super Bowl outside the borders of the United States (London, Toronto, or Mexico City) is preposterous, absurd, and downright un-American.
Goodell, who took the commissioner reigns following Paul Tagliabue’s retirement after the 2006-2007 season, is attempting to follow the NBA’s widely successful movement to “globalize” the league. Unfortunately the NFL does not have the worldwide appeal of the NBA, which showcases foreign superstars such as China’s Yao Ming and Germany’s Dirk Nowitzki.
The game of football is an art in this country. The weekly tradition of watching our favorite players risk body, mind, and soul in an attempt to get an odd shaped ball into a 10 yard, colorfully painted end zone, has little to no competition, unless you count Sunday mass… and even then the only Hail Mary most of us know was a 48 yard pass by the Reverend Doug Flutie in 1984.
The NFL Europe was a failure of epic proportions. There is no longer a team in Spain, Italy, or anywhere besides Germany. Playing in the leagues foreign sect is as productive for a player, as a horse’s career decision to take a practice run to the glue factory. The game has no foreign appeal. The values and aspects of the game are uniquely American. From the hard hits, to the big plays, and the scantily clad cheerleaders, football has become a showcase of American society, a three hour celebration of the perks of living in freedom, freedom to tailgate, freedom to drink, and freedom to hate Terrell Owens
If Goodell makes the mistake of moving the Super Bowl, the one day of the year the many legions of American culture put aside their differences to sit together over wings, beer and Britney Spears, to another country, the heart and soul of our nation will be displaced. To start a Super Bowl at 11 pm (The Untied States and London have a five hour time difference) is something I never though I would have to comprehend and hope I never have to witness.
The league will inevitably try to tell us that hosting America’s proudest moment within the borders of a country that wouldn’t mind seeing us blown off the globe, will help spread the culture, demeanor, and passion of the American people. If I want to spread our culture I’ll grab a pack of hamburgers, travel to Iraq, and host a BBQ for the Iraqi “citizens” over the flames of a road-side bomb. That’s spreading culture; keep my football on home soil.
The reality is the rest of the world doesn’t care about football. In fact most disagree with the name of the sport as much as they loathe American’s foreign policy. Hell we were arrogant enough to take the world’s most popular game, invented in 1863, and say “Fuck football, we are going to call it soccer. Why? Because we have a better game, you might not use your foot but we are going to call it football anyway.”
So Mr. Goodell I beg of you, move exhibition games overseas, take a regular season game if you must, but leave us the one holiday American’s hold most sacred, Super Bowl Sunday. If the great patriot Patrick Henry were alive today he would put it a bit more poetically…
“Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me football or give me death!”
If you’re confused why such an atrocity would even be considered, remember we do these things because we are Americans. Over 150 nations signed the environmentally friendly Kyoto Treaty. We didn’t. Why? Because we are proud Americans, and we want our fucking football.
Originally posted at ChewThemOut.com by Andrew Minucci
No comments:
Post a Comment