The emptiest of BOWLS

I sit here in front of the TV, with SuperBowl LX on. I sit here with a sense of detachment that I usually reserve for politics, stock news, work.....actually, pretty much anything that isn't sport. I sit here forcing myself to watch the game and see how it works. I sit here watching it only to avoid looking like an idiot the next day at work. And I sit here for 5 mins flat. That's it. I give up. I don't know what it is about this game, but I just dont care for it.

It was easier when I was living within a coterie of fellow FOBs. But now, living all by myself in the corporate world, I can't help but wonder why someone like me, who watches snooker without understanding the points system, who watches golf without completely understanding the technicalities of the game, can't watch this simple sport of throw and catch that unites the US of A. Hell, I even watched Pakistan bat during the two 'snoreathons'!

So, why do I have such indifference towards this sport?

Let's take the makes-me-feel-good excuse first. The absence of skills in the players. From what I gather, plays are typically s-p-e-l-t out by the coach during the indeterminate number of timeouts available. And then the quaterback has the task of throwing the ball to someone that is free. Throw in about 40(?) others running all over the field and Bingo! you have Amercian Football!!! Okay, that was simplistic, but I repeat that the game lacks any special skills among the players. Anyway, that excuse would be the perfect riposte when I find myself fighting against the crowd, only if I was not someone that would watch a well packaged television show showing 2 imbeciles take each other on in a high stakes NFS game !!! I would still use this reason though ;)

Am I totally against all American sports? Let's delve into this. I used to watch a lot of basketball during the Chicago Bulls dynasty. I even used to get up early morn on Sat and Sun during the finals. Over a period of time, I have lost interest in that sport though. My fascination for Ice Hockey begins and ends with THE MIRACLE. Why baseball when there is cricket? :) That leaves AF. Due to the small sample size and the conclusion that that leads to, I decide to widen the horizon and look beyond sports. What about American sitcoms? Friends, Everybody loves Raymond, Home Improvement and now, Becker mean that I have only about 21 hours a day for the other essential activities :). What about American movies that show that they are the saviours of the world? INDEPENDENCE DAY Baby! Need I say more? Okie...What about the American President? hehe...That's got nothing to do with American, does it? So, I honestly don't think that I have any sort of a mental block.

What else can it be....I didn't grow up with this game? It is a possible candidate. But even among the coterie that I mentioned before, we had some avid football fans who kept pace with the Bengals even during their 1-14 season. Not to mention that I did not grow up on snooker or golf (does anyone?). But still let's hold on to this one.

Last, I have worked in a college dorm that housed the Bearcats (who aren't exactly national champions) and have experienced first hand the attitude that they exhibit. Just for clarity, let me state that their behaviour was obnoxious and repulsive (may I add that I am a pretty tolerant person). And these were college kids without a huge pay packet! I do understand that asking individuals who get adored by thousands (count me out) to show identification is akin to waving red in front of a raging bull. Plus, I also believe that working at a dorm that houses the ManU team wouldn't be all that different an experience (I still wish I could I could work there :D). So, I ask players for their playing ability and no more. Hence, this one can't be it either.

Am I any close to a conclusion here? No clear ones for sure. So, maybe it is just a bit of everything that adds up to a sizeable percentage of the apathy. With the rest reserved for the name of the game ;)

Anyway, after all the soul searching, I am happy that I am closer to the first Ind-Pak ODI by an hour. And I fully intend to watch that game with a bowl that means a lot more to me.....a bowl of Lays' Kettle Cooked Jalapeno Peppers!!! Adios.