Often in today's world of football, most fans and analysts are consumed with numbers, statistics and highlight films of their favorite players. Talking heads on ESPN or Fox Sports spend hours breaking down every minute of a game.
Questions such as, "How many touchdowns did this player score?" or "How many yards did this player gain today?" are more important than who won or lost a game. The world of fantasy football has only added to this craze.
But for the casual fan whose teams or players will not be playing in Sunday in Super Bowl XLI in Miami, there are many other reason to tune in and watch America's favorite pastime.
The first and most obvious motivation is for the food. Next to Thanksgiving, Super Bowl Sunday is the largest food holiday in the United States.
Consumers routinely spend $55 million a year on munchies such as chicken wings, chili and cocktail wieners. Bags of potato chips and bottles of soda will also be consumed during the game, most before the ball is kicked off to start the game.
Of course, one cannot leave to get more food during a pause in the action for fear of missing those infamous Super Bowl commercials.
Come on now, who can forget that Pepsi commercial featuring Britney Spears, or the "Bud-weis-er" frogs from years past? (They even killed off those frogs during a later game. It was a sad day in American history.)
As the price of those commercials has increased to currently over $2.5 million for a 30-second spot, the idea becomes less about promoting a product and more about providing entertainment for the fans.
Commercials keep the interest of all fans young and old. If the game is boring, we can start cheering for a break in the action just to see what product will be promoted next.
As good as the food and entertainment is, nothing is better during Super Bowl Sunday than family time. Sitting together on the couch, watching the game on the big screen makes the day a special part of American culture.
Families and friends even make wagers on all the little nuances during the game, such as who will win the coin flip or what the first commercial will be during a timeout. It may have nothing to actually do with the game being played on the field, but at least it keeps us entertained (and gets money from those younger siblings that don't know any better.)
At halftime, tossing the pigskin around with your brothers or Uncle Fred shows just how important the game is to us.
We try to emulate our heroes that we see on television, throwing that perfect pass or making that game-winning field goal that brings about Super Bowl glory.
Just remember, the Manning brothers went from playing in their own yard to performing on the world's biggest stage.
So even if your team is not playing on Super Bowl Sunday, watch the game for the pure spectacle of it. Eat plenty of food, watch funny advertisements and enjoy the company of those around you. Like Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July, this slice of Americana is a holiday that only comes about once a year.
