The entire city is watching TV right now (9:09 pm Monday, Central Time) Why? Monday Night Football is on the tube. Madden and Michaels.
I just came from a workout in the exercise room at this hotel and on all three televisions was the game. There were five of us there, getting sweaty, running on treadmills, lifting weights, doing the stair thingy. Everyone else was glued to (I think…) Washington Foreskins vs. Philadelphia Eagles (?) I probably have the teams wrong as I don’t follow stick and ball sports, but the other four were so intent on the broadcast that I was sure they were going to televise an execution later.
Texas is football mad. High School, Pop Warner, College, Pro…don’t matter. There may be more people who watch baseball, or soccer, or badminton, or Formula 1, or NASCAR, but here, near the Redneck Riviera and the Gulf of Mexico, Football is King, Queen, Jack and Ten.
It is probably the gladiatorial image of the sport. The “effort”. “Giving 110%” “Accomplishment” “Sacrifice” “Team” and “Winning” These are all manly clichés. Many of which stem from warriors going back to the Romans. Is it a metaphor for our warrior-within? Who gives a shit?
Football players are steroid crazed giantized freaks who delight in hitting each other. If they were true warriors, they would dispense with the helmets and pads and guards and wear not much more than a cup and a pair of shorts.
So, football is a simulacrum metaphor for warrior-nation-state. It is American and America. We want to fight, but with protection. We want the glory of battle, without the gore.
Look at the historical battles of great import: Culloden comes to mind. A few thousand Celts, going toe to toe, with axes, spears, maces and swords. Dead, decapitated, dissected humans laid four deep on the battlefield from the most grievous of wounds. That is battle.
Football is a game.
RoadDave 