Sunday's are the first day of the week to some and the last day of the week to others. However, no matter how you look at it, most American families spend their mornings going to church. It's not a pastime but a devoted and timeless standard. The remaining portion of the day, especially this time of year, is spent watching football surrounded by family, friends and/or fellow fanatics. You know, enjoying some serious down time from the strenuous week to simply relax, gorge yourself on junk food and get lost in the roller coaster of emotions the three hour contest evokes. This is America's pastime. This is how we, sports loving Americans, take our mind off the troubles in our life, the monotony of the 40+ hour week and the general ills of our society. It's a time for us to put our worries on "hold" and let our grid-iron passion overflow in ritualistic "fist pumping" diversion.
For me, what I enjoy about this time between 1-3 pm (actually 1- 11pm), is not just the game itself, but the entire package...even the commercials. At preselected times during the pigskin tug-of-war, we are bombarded with advertisements filled with the accoutrement so necessary for the enjoyment of the game. Food, drink, cars, male enhancement and gym membership usually make up the proprietary blend of what we're forced to tolerate. Rightfully so, considering the audience. However, this past Sunday we were the unfortunate victims of what seems to be a bad joke. There before my eyes, immediately proceeding my favorite truck commercial, I was sucker-punched by an Obama political ad. I know, can you believe the "audacity?" And this doosey wasn't your basic 30 second spot either, it went on for well over a minute. "What was this nonsense!" For a moment my secure, testosterone-filled world of football was turned on it's ear. "Who would let this happen...what kind of bafoon would do such a thing?...Why? Why I ask you!?!" After my brief moment of shock escalated into blinding rage, I reluctantly found the inner peace to calm myself to realize I was watching NBC, which conveniently answered my first question. Then I watched Obama try to appeal to me with his socialistic, "rob from the rich and give to the poor" version of healthcare and I quickly understood what kind of "non-fan" would pull such a stunt.
Look, I understand the election is less than a month away. I get it! I know these candidates are fighting for every last vote. But don't they have any morals? Is nothing sacred to them? If not for the sake of Sunday and a day of rest, then how about for the millions of football loving loyalists that don't want to be harrassed. Leave the political folly for primetime on the "main-stream media." Don't dare taint football Sunday with your disgraceful executive pandering. Trust me, the last thing we want to see is someone like Obama, especially Obama, take our time away from the nostalgic childlike diversion we expect to temporarily sustain us amid the woes of our society. And that goes for the brief and weightless commercials we've grown to expect, as well. Give me male enhancement! Give me SUV's! Give me fast-food! Just don't give me politics, at least not between the hours of 1 and 11pm on Sunday afternoons.
