Supermarket Sunday

I don't want to offend anyone who watches football. I mean, I like the concept of the Superbowl party - the festive atmosphere, the foods, the excitement of the game. I just wish it revolved around something that I found more interesting. Sports in particular is an activity that I think is better done than spectated, but even then, you could pick a better game - like gymnastics or beach volleyball, or even a cheer comp. Something that's at least visually stimulating, beyond counting points as a ball goes back and forth across the screen.

Watching family and friends follow games on TV for much of my life, I've always disliked the manner in which the viewer pins such intense highs and lows of joy and disappointment upon the performance of a group of athletes with which the only thing they have in common (in most cases) is their general area of residence. It's like a localized form of nationalism. That kind of arbitrary tribal mentality might have served us back when we were primitive hunter-gatherers, but in this global society, it's one of the driving forces behind such things as war, bigotry, and terrorism. One stranger isn't better than another stranger just because he lives closer to you, and maybe he's been to some of the same stores or restaurants, or listens to the same radio programs as you do.

Anyway, the first few years I moved away from home, it was a novelty and a relief being able to get through an entire season without even hearing about football. In some cases, Superbowl Sunday passed me by without me even recognizing that there was a game on. I don't miss it one bit. But one thing I've learned that's fun to do is to go grocery shopping on the day of the big game. All the stores are basically empty, because everybody's at home glued to their couches. It's a pretty cool atmosphere. I think I'll call it Supermarket Sunday.