Super Bowl Insults the Masses

Super Bowl Insults the Masses

nfl.fanhouse.com

Similar to the structure of our great nation, the Super Bowl does not have time to concern itself with the perceived lowest common denominator of society. The haves versus the have nots has been the bane of our social order for centuries, and the NFL's annual "big game" is a yearly reminder of the dynamic.

The true fans of the game are not fiscally able to attend, nor are they really encouraged to attend. Instead they are forced to view the product they fund through a lens that has been carefully manicured to present what is intended to be seen.

(visit the link for the full news article)

More cracks appearing around the edges. This is an article from NFL Fanhouse, written by a former NFL player and linked to from SI.com (a division of CNN owned by TimeWarner).

Seems odd that this kind of rhetoric is getting put out there right in the heart of MSM. I mean, this guy isn't saying anything that shocking by ATS standards. What intrigues me is the forum where he's saying it.

Are TPTB trying to stir up the hornet's nest or wake people up?

Thoughts?

nfl.fanhouse.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

reply to post by RobertAntonWeishaupt


Not everything in the media is controlled by TPTB. Every now and then there's someone that voices their own opinion. However, it might be interesting to see if he continues with articles like this.

I suppose more people are just 'waking up'. Getting tired of the commercialism, or corporatism of it all. I have for several years now not been at all interested in professional sports. I could care less who traded what players to what team and what not.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy sports, I still enjoy HS and College games. But when players are making hundreds of millions of dollars on the backs of fans who are charged insane prices for tickets on top of what they get for advertising money. I just don't get why people continue to support it. And maybe if enough finally got tired of it and it all came crashing down we could have sports with players that actually cared about the game again instead of where they can go play that pays the most money.

I was very happy not to watch one second of the super bowl, personally I feel like my life is better for having not watched it lol

I read an article in Psychology Today this month that states sports watchers come together for the emotional appeal of togetherness and connection. It seems to me every form of emotional appeal and connection these days has to do with fan fare or $$$. I bet thats why the TV advocates the complete opposite views of these two things!

reply to post by warbird03


Good point Warbird. I'm so used to invoking TPTB around these parts that it's almost like a form of paranoid Tourette's. Still, it does not seem like the kind of rhetoric that the NFL or the moneyed elite would like to see served up to your average fan of pro sports.

It's interesting is all.

reply to post by RobertAntonWeishaupt


This is nonsense and a non issue.

Folks who support musicians typically can't afford to go see them live in concert. They also are unlikely to be able to afford to watch a live concert on a pay-per-view basis.

Folks who support politicians and vote for them can not afford the $1K/plate dinner to hear them speak

And yes, folks who support sports teams are in many cases unable to afford to attend the game. Is that surprising when in many cases simply getting to the game costs thousands of dollars? Why are the folks who actually attend considered not as true a fan as those who don't/can't? That too is nonsense

Personally, I would much rather go to my local and watch the game than see it live. Better view, no traffic to and from, cheaper food and drink and I'm with folks I know and like. I'm a die hard football fan and have been one for overr 35 years. I can't see ever paying to go to a Superbowl.

Originally posted by RobertAntonWeishaupt


Are TPTB trying to stir up the hornet's nest or wake people up?

Thoughts?

nfl.fanhouse.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

I think TPTB are trying to whip us up and get us to start an armed rebellion against them. Then, they can come down HARD on us; crush all resistance after the non-brainwashed element comes out in the open, identifies itself and then they can institute a system of slavery on the surviving poplace.

This way, they eliminate the free thinkers and are able to claim that they are our saviors for having put down the domestic terrorists among us and brought order to the world. Plus, they get to kill off millions, thus furthering their population reduction goals.

Interesting article, but could it have been written (by a former player) to pose support of the "real" fans when really it is about the players? The article shows the "true' motive of the owners and corporations and who they really want to appease (celebrities), and thus it is one-sided in its view. The NFL has been said to be on the verge of a lockout several times, and throughout the playoffs, Goodell grabbed the spotlight as if he really cares. From the players' perspective, Goodell was reported to be clueless about the situation when asked questions. Anyway, the article is good but there is an ulterior motive behind it.

Oh, for God's sakes! It's a football game! And it's one that ANYONE can watch for free with the best seats in the house. You set your eyes on that sky cam and you're right in the middle of the huddle rather than seeing it as a distant spec from the nosebleed section.

Oh, the poor huddled masses unable to fly thousands of miles to Dallas, endure wicked winter temperatures, pay outrageous prices for tickest only to be crammed in cold hard seats to see a game with no commentary! Whatever will we do? What discrimination! What corporate greed! What political manipulation! How horrid! What we ought to do is make sure every ethnic/political/aggrieved group is properly represented as promulgated by the Human Rights Commission, the ACLU, and WikiLeaks, and that should said people be unable to afford it, proper subsidies will be provided by the taxpayers.

Actually, it was the most watched TV show of all time. It had some OK commercials, a terrible half-time, Aguilar was a sick joke, but it was a pretty good game. Two Midwest teams fought to within a touchdown by the end. Way to go Packers; good job, Steelers (Gotta fix those pass fumbles, though.) Good luck next year.

reply to post by RobertAntonWeishaupt

Instead they are forced to view the product they fund through a lens that has been carefully manicured to present what is intended to be seen.

Lol. Isn't it worth mentioning that no one has ever been forced to watch the superbowl?

What would the author do differently, have the superbowl in a stadium that could hold 100,000,000 people and have it be free? Or not have the superbowl at all because not everyone who wants to go can?

It's "the masses" who have the reigns here, not the corporations. If you don't want to see commercials, stop watching them. If you don't like consumer capitalism, stop buying things you don't need. If you don't like the commercial aspect of entertainment, play cards. Stop buying things if you don't want things to be sold to you.

The stadium in Dallas cost more than a billion dollars to build, professional atheletes are millionaires, and advertisers paid $2.4 million for 30 seconds of airtime during the game. All of that money comes from willing consumers. None of it would exist if people didn't want it. All of it exists because people want it badly enough to pay for it. No one is being insulted here, people are getting exactly what they want. As soon as people decide they don't want it they will stop paying for it, and it will go away.

I think this article is related to the labor dispute between players and owners. They are on the verge of a lockout for next season. 10's of millions per player is apparently not enough, and apparently the billionaire owners are not rich enough either, so the fans ultimately suffer.

I have had this argument about baseball for decades. The stands sit 2/3rds empty, but the ticket prices are still out of reach for a typical family to attend. They play games almost everyday of the week, but who can afford to drop $200 for tickets and snacks more than once or twice a year?

Professional Sports hear this:
The article is correct. If this bickering amongst millionaires continues, you will all find yourselves tossing papertowels at WalMart instead of playing on national television. I haven't watched a single MLB game since the last lockout, although I love TripleA and college ball where a family can still have a good time. If the NFL goes into lockout, this will have been the last Superbowl I ever watched. Period. I hope the rest of the fans feel the same way. Bring the sport from the stratosphere back to the backyard where we can all enjoy it.

I would much rather watch a football game from the comfort of my own home than paying a ridiculous amount of money to be far away from the action while the moron behind me spills his beer on me and screams to the players as if they could hear them.


Call me an idiot...but I'm just fine watching through the lens.

Originally posted by dolphinfan
reply to post by RobertAntonWeishaupt

 

This is nonsense and a non issue.

Folks who support musicians typically can't afford to go see them live in concert. They also are unlikely to be able to afford to watch a live concert on a pay-per-view basis.

Folks who support politicians and vote for them can not afford the $1K/plate dinner to hear them speak

And yes, folks who support sports teams are in many cases unable to afford to attend the game. Is that surprising when in many cases simply getting to the game costs thousands of dollars? Why are the folks who actually attend considered not as true a fan as those who don't/can't? That too is nonsense

Personally, I would much rather go to my local and watch the game than see it live. Better view, no traffic to and from, cheaper food and drink and I'm with folks I know and like. I'm a die hard football fan and have been one for overr 35 years. I can't see ever paying to go to a Superbowl.

Egads. I'm not all that interested in what the guy was saying. The whole haves -vs- have nots is old hat and can easily descend into the typical back and forth between starry-eyed capitalists and pie-in-the-sky socialists with neither understanding that their theoretical systems are impossible in a world filled with vile human beings.

What is interesting is the idea of sticking an article that points out the inequity of our current system (particularly the way he likens the whole spectacle to the overall system in this country) in a forum dedicated to doling out the opiate of vicarious achievement to the masses.

His argument is a bland, but the place it appears in odd.

I'd rather watch the game on my HD TV.

I've been to some NFL games and don't care for it in person.

If the average joe wants to go to the super bowl then they should save their money all year. I could personally think of other things to spend my money on. They jack the price up because they know people will pay for it. Not me.

reply to post by schuyler


I agree completely. I got tickets a few ago to see a big college football game, and despite the good seats, I never imagined just how bland it is. You cant hear the whistles, no commentary, no third down line, and there are really no seats that will give you all the angles and replays that you get on the TV.

The NFL giving away a camaro to the MVP really bothered me. A give away to the well to do ? Seems like a slap in the face to everyone who can't even think of getting a new car these days. As if he can't buy one like you buy a candy bar. If I were what's his azz, I would hold a raflle, open to every american citizen and give it away.
Course upon recieving you would have to show a birth certificate for verification of natural born citizenship.

That way Obama couldn't win.



I flagged and starred your thread for presenting the chance to say that.

reply to post by RobertAntonWeishaupt


well if you look, Nfl Fanhouse is not an official NFL site. The larger entity, Fanhouse.com is owned by Aol and covers all major sports. It is essentially no different from ESPN, CBSsports, DeadSpin, etc. They are entitled to post what ever opinions they want. The NFL may not like it, and might not have allowed it on their official web site, But they cant do anything about it. If the NFL controlled what was written about it, Deadspin would have been shut down a long time ago.

reply to post by RobertAntonWeishaupt


Or we just love football

Some people just love watching the Super Bowl for how important to the sport it is. The ladies in my family watch the Super Bowl just to watch the commercials. God help anyone who is talking during the commercials.

Finally i will say that the last two Super Bowls were the most watched events in tv history. 111.0M this year, 106.5M last year. Both beating the MASH episode that had the record for years. So at least we aren't watching the #$!%@ called reality tv.

The Super Bowl is over?

Who won?