Football

     The title of this post is probably confusing to those who know me.  There is little in this world I care less about than football.  However, it's on my mind lately because I have heard people talking about it all day.
     Why do we love football so much?  When I was younger, I was struck by how Neanderthalistic it was for men to bash their heads together over a ball.  Gathering in a stadium to watch the event is disturbingly similar to the Roman Gladiator fights.  The area of sports in general seems to be the only place where it is socially acceptable for grown men (and women) to behave like children.  For example, fighting, crying, etc. over a GAME!  Really, in what other context can you yell at an inanimate object (TV) repeatedly and not have people think you're crazy?
     I suppose we humans have a need for this sort of thing.  I once met a sociology major who had a hypothesis that when football teams from the south play football teams from the north, it's an emotional rehashing of the Civil War.  Fascinating if you think about it.  And why do people feel as if they personally have won when the team that they support has won?  As Bill Maher says, "You didn't win anything!  Some guys, who would HATE you if they knew you, won."
      One of my favorite lines from the TV show "Frasier" is when Niles sarcastically says (about sports), "Oh, you know my day is not complete until I know which spherical object went through which apparatus!"  (My thoughts exactly!)  If you say you don't like football in my town, you might as well say you're from Mars for the way people treat you.  I suspect that a lot of people don't really like it as much as they say they do.  I once took a self-improvement course which pointed out that what we want most in life is to look good.  It's not nice to think that this is our main motivation, but it deserves to be considered.  Anyway, I suspect that when a lot of people proudly proclaim their love of the event, that's their way of trying to look good.  By that same token however, I guess my way of looking good is to say I don't like it.  Hmmmm.
     I have to say though, that I did see the value of football recently when I was on an airplane.  There were 6 guys sitting near me who happily talked about football for the entire flight.  These guys had never met each other, but they had an instant connection.  Football provided hours of conversation (and a way of connecting) to people who might otherwise have nothing to say to each other.  Now that's one reason to get into football!  Should I give in, buy a football jersey, host a superbowl party, and shout myself silly at the TV?  On second thought, maybe I'll just go and watch a movie instead.