The NFL could not be happier right now. In the eight playoff games so far the average margin of victory is 18.3 points. Blowouts by the favorites and a little drama to boot the past two weekends. The favorites have continued to dominate with one wild card team (a cinderella) remaining of the bunch, which happens to be from the largest television market in the US. Whether your team is still in it or not, the game of football continues to weed out the best of the best.
Things could not be better in the world of the National Football League right now.
Then why are fans fearing what could come to be one of the greatest Super Bowls in recent memory? There can only be one reason and one reason alone.
Why do fans fear the matchup of
Brett Favre and
Peyton Manning? Inside do we like to
hate the great players of the game's history?
The ideal Super Bowl match up of the remaining four teams from the NFL's perspective would be the
Minnesota Vikings versus the
Indianapolis Colts.
Brett Favre vs.
Peyton Manning. "
The Iron Man" vs. "
R2D2." A blue collar workman-like quarterback vs. the cerebral juggernaut. A match up of a couple of midwestern towns with big market talent.
The NFL would love it along with advertisers, apparel companies, and network television/radio. However I find for some reason that fans are more welcoming to an idea of
anyone but the Vikings and the Colts. Fans want the underdog and the feel good story of surviving Katrina. Fans want the best offense in the NFL against the best defense in the NFL. Fans want the unique characters the Jets and Saints present. Fans want
Rex Ryan and
Mark Sanchez, both rookies in their own craft. Fans want
Reggie Bush and
Drew Brees because of the flashy and exciting brand of offense they bring to the table, plus Bush dates
Kim Kardashian.
What's interesting is that fans are not fearing the actual game of
Favre/Manning, fans just do not like the idea of a
Favre/Manning two week build up to the actual game.
Let's face it. If
Brett Favre makes it to the Super Bowl, it'll be two weeks of non-stop
Brett Favre love from the sports television and radio. It'll be the greatest story in professional sports, the greatest comeback in sports,
blah blah blah.
ESPN will have their nose so far up Favre's behind they will think its the greatest thing since the inception of football.
Same goes for
Peyton "I'm in 20,000 commercials" Manning. The build up will be about how the Manning brothers could be the greatest combo in NFL history.
Tony Dungy will make appearances all over the two weeks, and people will forget that
Jim Caldwell is the head coach of this football team now. The word "
torch" will be used in almost every sentence comparing Manning and Favre because this is the passing of the "
torch."
Sure the build up will be sickening, but that is what the media is supposed to do. The media is supposed to cover every angle/story/emotion at nauseam because that is their job. Even if its the Saints and Jets who make the Super Bowl, it'll be about Hurricane Katrina and
Mark Sanchez leaving USC after only one year and the dream season for the rookie quarterback. They will hype up
Rex Ryan as the son of the 85 Bears defensive coordinator
Buddy Ryan, and
Drew Brees as a great humanitarian off the field.
I know the Bears aren't in the playoff picture but I am not rooting against a team per say because of the hype associated with that team if they do advance. That is like saying I hope the no one goes undefeated in the NFL because
Mercury Morris' tired ass is going to get on the television somehow. For the media, it's all about the story lines or else there is nothing to talk about. The average football game can be broken down only so much. People get bored more with the X's and O's than they do the soap opera angles.
My point is
do not root against a team or player simply because you do not want to hear/see/read the hype about that team/player participating in the biggest game in American sport. Right now through all the bad playoff matches we have witnessed over the past two weeks, the NFL has four teams all with
great stories and great personalities. Fans need to learn that they do not need to hear/see/read the hype and buildup at all if
they choose not to. If its such an issue where the mere mention of
Brett Favre retiring/coming back/retiring/coming back makes you ill, then get away from it.
Sports is all about great stories. More people than not demand them, and it's the media's job to bring them to you.
In an age where fans are finding out more and more that their personal escape is polluted with drugs, greed and scandal...
why not enjoy a good story? What makes the best entertainment in the world is a good story line, a hook if you will. There is plenty in this final four of the NFL to grasp onto, it's just all about if you are willing to sit back, relax and enjoy it for what it is.
The stories are what make the games more than entertainment.
-RoCk
Rock Mamola is the Associate Producer of The Mully And Hanley Morning Show and co-host of The Joe O And Rock Show on WSCR 670AM The Score.
You can follow the Mully And Hanley Morning Show at twitter.com/mullyhanley
You can follow the Joe O And Rock Show at twitter.com/joeoandrockshow
2 Comments
IrishSweetness said:
Passing the torch ? Manning is a 12 year veteran ....
Rock Mamola said:
IrishSweetness,
I think if you look to who's the face of the NFL, it's still Brett Favre. As good as Manning has been over his career, he's still overshadowed by #4.
That's what I meant by passing the torch. If Manning wins, Manning will be the new face of the league.
Thanks for checking out the blog
-RoCk
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