Tag Super Bowl

But It’s Just One Day Off

Michael 2 Comments

Somebody figured out that 17 million people did not go to work today (Monday, Feb. 4) in the US specifically because of the Super Bowl. Maybe they had over-celebrated the winners. Perhaps they were overcome with despair for the losers. Maybe they were replaying their favorite commercials on YouTube. Or they were just big immature babies and felt they needed a day off because of the killer hangover from a 9 hour tailgate party.

Seventeen million people are a lot of people to call off at one time. The current American workforce stands at about 154 million. That means 11% of that group just blew off their responsibilities for a football game. Not to play in one. Not to go to one. Not to watch their children in one. But to recover from one. No, not to recover from playing in one. To “recover” from watching one.

That’s dedication. (Sarcasm!) I hope they remember today three months from now when their request for extra days off to extend their upcoming vacation is denied. Or six months from now when they try to turn a Tuesday Fourth of July into a five day weekend and are docked for having already used up all their sick days for the year. Or ten months from now when their Christmas bonus is light, or non-existent. Or next week when the bosses figure out they did just fine with 11% fewer people.

BWings“You mad?” you say? Sort of. More disappointed about what people have come to think is important enough to put their welfare at risk and not just by taking an extra day off. The average super bowl party host will spend as much as the average American family spends on Thanksgiving but mostly on chicken wings and beer. About 1.3 billion chicken wings were consumed Sunday, washed down with 325 million gallons of beer. Some of that beer found its way into people with a history of bad judgement around alcohol. Drinking violations by repeat drunk drivers ordered to stay sober jumps an average of 22% on Super Bowl Sunday, compared to usual Sunday violation rates. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) puts Super Bowl Sunday among the deadliest traffic accident days with other “holidays” like Cinco de Mayo and St. Patrick’s Day.

Super Sunday? Sorry. I don’t see it. But I almost took today off. Fortunately I had a good talk with myself and convinced me to post today anyway. Now everybody go on and get back to work. The other 89% can’t keep it up without you forever.

 

One For The Ages

Michael Leave a comment

Yesterday was a big day in the sports world. In America’s sports world. They played a football game. There were no unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, nobody left the game concussed, no spectator was arrested, nobody was caught cheating, and no player was charged with abuse. It was a remarkable game. We’re talking about Puppy Bowl XII!

For the past several years the Puppy Bowl has been the top rated non-sports broadcast on Super Bowl Sunday. (Super Bowl Sunday – I wonder how many people say that with as much, or even more, reverence as Easter Sunday.)

Back to the Puppy Bowl. What started as a diversion to keep the little ones out of the big ones hair when prepping for THE big game has now become an event of its own. Last year, over 10.4 million people watched Puppy Bowl XI. Over 110 million folk watched last year’s Super Bowl but that’s still a bunch of people, not much less than how many watch Big Bang Theory every week, watching what is basically a two hour infomercial for adopting rescue animals.

I think it’s become successful because it’s so cute. I bet more people want to go out an adopt a pet after seeing the Puppy Bowl than after seeing one of those depressing humane society ads. Who wouldn’t want a new best friend who loves running around in packs, playing with toys, and giving big sloppy kisses and just asks for a daily bowl of kibble in return? (Yes, there is a catch but that’s an easy enough one to deal with.)

Now, about that other game that was played yesterday, can’t we just have the commercials without all that other hoopla going on?

That’s what I think. Really. How ‘bout you?