It’s Super Bowl Weekend, an American sporting tradition that you’d think is a National Holiday.
The question is, as Canadians, how can we allow ourselves to be swept up by this American hype festival every year? We don’t even make this big of a deal out of our own sports league championships. When was the last time you went to a Grey Cup party? Hockey is practically a religion in Canada yet the Stanley cup is often awarded moments before midnight on a school night for heaven’s sake!!! In fact, the final game in a Stanley cup championship series usually goes down without much more fanfare than the average mid-season game except that maybe we’ll bring out some big guns to sing the national anthems, like say the Barenaked Ladies. Yet when it comes to the Superbowl even non-football fans like myself get excited about it, not so much for the game but for the sheer spectacle of the halftime show and extra special, extended versions of the least boring commercials you’ll see all year!
So why do we do it? What is so compelling about this game? The answer is nothing. It’s not even about the game anymore. It’s all about timing. The Super Bowl is always at the end of January or beginning of February, historically, the most boring/depressing time of year, when cabin fever is at its peek. We’re just looking for an excuse to get out of the house and celebrate anything. If there were no Super Bowl, you could throw a biathlon party and people would still show up as long as it meant and evening with good friends, good beer, bottomless nachos and the promise of a potential wardrobe malfunction.
So go out, get your gang together, enjoy the Super Bowl and celebrate the conquering of the midwinter blahs even if it’s just for one night.
Happy Super Bowl All and to All a Good Night!
P.S. If you’re still looking for a Super Bowl Party go to the Rooster/Second Floor lounge on Simcoe for The first annual Kinsmen Minor Football Super Sunday Super Fundrasier Super Bowl Party. You can watch the Super Bowl game on ten screens. Tickets are fifty dollars per person. That price includes an all-you-can-eat buffet, snacks, desert and soft drinks. There will be door prizes, special draws and contests all in support of Kinsmen Minor Football. You can call Bruce Fitzpatrick at 742-1674 for more details and to purchase tickets.