It was a good college football weekend in our household. Friday night, we joined friends and tailgated before the 8:00 SU football game. It was a blast. We ended up watching the game at home, however, because it became apparent that our six year old was not going to make it through the whole game. Did we want to spend all of that money only to have to leave halfway through? Or spend the game in misery. We were not going to have seats by our friends, and the family with Anna's buddy decided to skip watching in the Dome too. So we watched SU whoop up on WV from our couch.
Saturday night, we had a brownie sundae party in front of the MSU/WI game. The kids went to bed before halftime, and Mom fell asleep somewhere in the 4th quarter. I know, when a lot of the action was. Controversial ending - but in favor of the Rozelle's Spartans.
I did catch a commercial that caught my attention. Often times, football commercials are not exactly friendly to women, at least not those of the feminist variety. The whole idea of something being blatantly marketed "not for women" will of course snag my interest.
My husband, after viewing it commented,"That is so dumb. I don't think men, at least in my generation, have any hang-ups about drinking diet soda."
What jumps out at me is the desperation to corner something "manly." Men protecting something that is "theirs." This seems innocuous on the surface. Why can men not have their own things? Women have some of their own things, right? True.
I would like to raise one point. It seems that often men fight to the teeth to protect something of theirs when it is a thing of power and privilege. It bothers me when the thing being guarded is a bastion of male dominance. Like football.
What sport pulls down the most money? The NFL makes money hand over fist. Superbowl ad slots cost an unbelievable amount. A college protects their football program because it is their biggest moneymaker. Maybe men's basketball is a distant second. But football programs are the golden calf. SU's football coach is more highly paid than any other SU employee. And SU is not exactly the best football team around. Football translates to power.
Now I happen to enjoy a good football game. I don't want to ruin all of your fun. Just something to think about.
It might not be a fun pregame thought, but its the truth. Just hearing them say ESPN Radio during the World Series is making me cringe.
ReplyDeleteI still can't believe the football coach is the highest paid employee.
I know the commercial you are talking about. And I think they are dumb, automatically turning off half of their potential market.
ReplyDeleteI would like to add to this, after this Penn State scandal is breaking. Or broken. Football has been a sacred cow in our society. I think that's why there was so much looking away when something truly awful was going on. Innocents paying the price for a program protecting its prestige. Just my thoughts. Not trying to be a hater; I do like football a lot. But when vulnerable populations are exploited, it's time to get out the flashlight and magnifying glass.
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