Super Bored: The Week Before the Game

In a strange way, I pity the writers and broadcasters that have been given the Super Bowl beat.

It’s weird to write that as a struggling journalist, but still, I feel for the men and women who are covering the biggest sporting event of the year.

Even the biggest NFL fan has to tire of the Super Bowl coverage. In the first week of Super Bowl hype, the poor writers were already stretching. Apparently the Steelers have chosen to wear white for the game, despite being the designated home team. This is controversial because the Steelers have always worn black at home.

But Steelers coach Bill Cowher said that since the game wasn’t at Heinz Field, he opted to go with the road whites.

If my description of these events makes it sound like a hot news story, I apologize. That was not my intention.

And here’s the good news: There is still another week left before the Seahawks and Steelers run through the tunnel.

Perhaps next week we can look forward to stories on Shaun Alexander’s tooth brushing habits, or columns on Bill Cowher’s shaving methods.

The week break before the Super Bowl has always struck me as unnecessary. I felt that way in January of 1987, when my mother informed a football-ready son the big game was still seven days away, and I feel that way now.

Only now it’s worse. Back in 1987, there wasn’t as much noise. Now we not only have 24-hour sports channels, but we have 24-hour sports-news channels. We have style-over-substance screamers who actually debate the Steelers jerseys as though they have anything to do with, well, anything.

But most of all, we have a week of nothing, and thousands of reporters to report this to us. If there was ever a time to long for the days of old, this is it.

But hey, there’s always hope for an exciting story to emerge. Apparently Texas A&M is upset that the Seahawks have taken to calling their fans their “12th man.” Apparently the Aggies have legal rights to the name.

And somewhere, somebody is writing about whether this will distract the Seahawks from the game. If Seattle gets distracted by this, then they deserve to lose.

Still, there will be a game next week to decide the NFL championship for the 2005 season. In that game is a team that hasn’t made the Super Bowl in 10 years, and another that has never been there. Even for a cynic like me, there is reason to be intrigued.

I’d advise you not to miss it, but if you do, you can just switch to any news broadcast, where every play and decision will be analyzed.

I just hope Cowher takes extra time when picking out his wardrobe for the sidelines.

Article Author: Zach Baker

Visit Zach Baker's author page — Zach Baker's Blog