I have lived away from the United States long enough that I no longer know or care what football team is in the Super Bowl playoffs or which teams may end up going to the 2013 Super Bowl. One of my wife’s cousins, a football junkie who never misses a game, visited us a few years ago and asked me about the latest playoff (since he was visiting during the playoffs) and I was clueless.
The Philippines and NFL Football
Honestly, I can’t tell you if football is even played in the Philippines. When I flip the channels on our TV, all I ever see is basketball unless I’m looking at a news or sports channel from the US or some other country.
In the US, football is such a big deal that Sundays are dedicated to watching the NFL games (and everyone in this household has been watching the Cardinals get slaughtered pretty much every Sunday this year). Super Bowl Sunday is almost an American national holiday. My wife’s cousin was dismayed that I didn’t know what was going on with American football and called me un-American (kidding, of course). I actually had to go to nfl.com and check the date for Super Bowl Sunday. February 3, 2013 is the date this year.
Super Bowl Events
No, I won’t be watching the Super Bowl this year. In fact, I’ll be on plane back to the Philippines on that day, so this will be yet another year, just like each year from 2007 to 2012 where I didn’t watch it. I will, of course, be watching the Super Bowl commercials and half time shows, but only via YouTube.
I’m amazed at how much people are willing to spend in relation to Super Bowl events. When the Super Bowl was being played in Arizona several years ago, I remember the weekend rental prices being charged by local residents. It was outrageous. People will spend hundreds, even thousands, of dollars for Super Bowl packages, with some being full-scale Super Bowl travel packages and some just being last minute Super Bowl tickets.
Having been away from all that for almost seven years, I’m actually kind of glad I don’t get caught up in it anymore.
[Originally published in January, 2010 and updated for January, 2013]
Yeah. I’m not gonna lie, superbowl Sunday is lame. I only youtube the commercials and half time show! :)