Baseball is called America’s past time since the early twentieth century; however football is now America’s real favorite pastime. The opening of the football season begins tonight as the Steelers of Pittsburg battle the Titans of Tennessee. Even though I love my beloved Yankees, they still do not compare to my New England Patriots.
The television ratings for tonight’s Steeler versus Titan matchup that will draw about a 15.1 overnight share., each overnight rating point represents about 735,000 TV homes, would beat the opening night game of the baseball season by forty percent. Baseball drew an eight point two share when they opened back in April. Last year’s Super Bowl rating drew a 46 overnight share, while the World Series only averaged an 18 share. It is obvious that more people are watching football than baseball by a wide margin.
I thought deeply about how football is such a wildly popular sport and came up with a few thoughts. If there is a game that ritualizes the American experience it is football. For three hours both men and women can enjoy sanctioned warfare away from decorum, forced politeness, and feminization of everyday life. Two teams defend their territory and violently tackle those who would encroach. Back and forth they struggle towards a goal; but the actual, underlying reason behind the game is to gain territory. In ten-yard increments the scoring team pushes while the scored-upon team gives ground in hopes of a stalemate and punt.
Professional football teams, like aggressive, marauding tribes of history, have their distinctive colors and "totems," usually animals (Bears, Lions, Eagles, Jaguars, etc.). Football "totems" (i.e., NFL licensed clothing, etc.) give our fans a sense of belonging to a unique community and "we" versus "them." The thrilling sight of our big bruisers running from the sidelines at the beginning of the game with overflowing testosterone, aggression, and adulation of screaming fans and buxom, jumping cheerleaders all come together in what has to be one of the best feelings of community and camaraderie ever.
With its relatively short season and only one game per week, fans feel a sense of urgency, knowing that a victory (or, alas, a defeat) must sustain (or discourage them) for the whole of the next week. The football regular season is only 16 weeks. Every game is important, even to winning teams vying for home-field advantage in the post season playoffs.
Football also has a place in the American historical psyche. The story of American expansion through territory defended by Native Americans, French, Spanish, and later Mexicans can be symbolized by our love of football. The annexation of Texas and the subsequent Mexican-
American war was an egregious example of "off sides," which because of the lack of instant replay, Americans won. The annexation of California just before the 1849 gold strike was an example of the "Hail Mary" pass. The U.S. Civil war was an example of the Confederates playing a "prevent" defense in hopes that the clock would run out of the North. The North won with its overwhelming front line strength.
Finally, Americans love football for its constant renewal of hope and optimism. Although this hope ebbs with the ticking of a game clock, it is renewed with each bursting forth of the team from the sideline, even if the team is short on talent during a losing season. Despite the other team's superiority in gaining territory, there is always a chance, a hope, that the underdog can get away with an off-sides or pulling off a "Hail Mary" pass.
Just like in the movie The Little Giants, it only takes just one time to become a hero. A winless team can beat the best team in football and make their whole season for the team and fans alike. You cannot have that experience in baseball as there is so many games bad teams beat good teams all of the time.
Here is my top ten reasons football is better than baseball:
1) Rain delays-followed by rainouts.
2) Football games in September are important for H.S., NCAA, and NFL teams. Baseball games mean nothing in April, May, June, July, and August.
3) Every football field is 100 yards long which means that there's no such thing as a Chinese touchdown. A home run to left field at Fenway would be an out in Yankee Stadium.
4) You can't intentionally walk Tom Brady, Lawrence Taylor or Jim Brown.
5) The Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders compared to Wally The Green Monster
6) Quarterbacks solidify their reputations by how they play in the fourth quarter. Starting pitchers make way for relief pitchers when the going gets tough.
7) Football coaches don't wear uniforms. Can you imagine Bill Belichick or Tom Landry coaching from the sideline while wearing a full uniform with pads, cleats and a helmet?
8) Some people believe that the 1927 Yankees were the best team of all time and that they could even beat some of the best teams in recent history. Could the same argument be made that the 1934 Chicago Bears would beat the 2004 Patriots? No way, never!
9) Baseball players go on the disabled list for minor injuries such as: pulled hamstrings, sore
elbows, and stiff backs. John Elway played his entire career without an MCL, Jack Youngblood played in the 1980 playoffs with a broken leg, and Ronnie Lott cut the tip of his pinkie finger so that he could continue playing the season.
and finally...
10) Our Pop Warner teams would beat the tar out of Taiwan's, Japan's, or any other country's youth football team.
Football, America’s Game
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