Sorry I didn't get a chance to post yesterday. I was too busy reeling from the "entertainment" provided by the NFL during yesterday's Super Bowl.
A few weeks ago, when I first heard the pre-game and halftime shows the NFL had planned for the Super Bowl, I was a little confused and surprised. And pissed off. But I held my tongue. I wanted to see the shows before I commented. I didn't want to go on a rant before I actually saw what they put together. Maybe my initial feeling would be wrong. Maybe the shows would be great. Maybe I should just stick to my gut instincts...
The Super Bowl is the most watched sports event of the year, showcasing a brutal collision sport, played by brutal, colossal men. The majority of the people watching it are men. And the majority of products advertised are targeted to men. Men celebrate Super Bowl Sunday as a national holiday. So why am I getting the impression the NFL is more concerned about entertaining women?
Case in point: The pre-game show. Yesterday's pre-game was created by Cirque du Soleil. Ok. I've seen a few Cirque shows. (I enjoy a little culture every now and then.) And they were outstanding. Mind-blowing. But I just couldn't picture how that style of entertainment was going to work for a Super Bowl pre-game show. The pre-game should set the tone for the game. Get the crowd fired-up. Their adrenaline flowing. So can someone please explain to me how little children floating from giant colorful balloons and hundreds of dancing butterflies, gets a crowd of football fans ready to watch 300-pound men try to grind each other into the ground?
Case number two: Halftime. Starring Prince. Five-foot-tall, elaborately coifed, high-pitched, purple-velvet-wearing Prince. What happened to The Rolling Stones? Hank Williams, Jr.? U2? Too masculine? Don't get me wrong. I have nothing against Prince. I know he's a musical genius. (And his music has played a large roll in "setting the mood" on more than one occasion.) But how many men do you know are true Prince fans? How many guys are pumped up, watching a great football game, and around halftime start thinking, "You know, I could use a little Prince music right about now." And you don't see a guy on a loading dock turn to his buddy and say, "Hey, Lou. Ya think we can get a couple of tickets to the Prince concert? That little guy's music just speaks to me..." Of course not. The majority of Prince's fans are women. And you don't think Pepsi and the NFL know that?
Speaking of which... did you notice there was a Pepsi-sponsored giveaway associated with Prince's appearance? One lucky winner received a jewel encrusted Pepsi can. Read that again: Jewel. Encrusted. Pepsi can. Not a trip to the Pro Bowl. Not a signed Super Bowl game ball. A jewel encrusted Pepsi can. Which I'm sure Pepsi figures the winner will proudly display next to his Precious Moments Holiday-of-the-Month Figurines.
Super Bowl Sunday is the one day a year when guys can crack open a beer, grill a big piece of meat, and just be guys. Our wives and girlfriends seem to understand. Why can't the NFL?