Preparing for Professional Sport’s Biggest Day

A national holiday is approaching.

It’s one that’s not recognized on the calendar but is recognized across millions of households in the US.

It’s a day where thousands of pizzas are purchased, thousands of chicken wings are consumed and loads of dip are placed on chips. One city begins to prepare for the increase in traffic, media attention and weekend residents. Sports fans rejoice as the day gets closer while the rest of us groan at the thought of the holiday rearing its head once more.

By now, you’ve probably figured out what day I’m referring to but just in case you haven’t, I’m talking about Super Bowl Sunday, of course.

Now let me give you a heads up.

I’m not like a lot of women I know.

I love football.

Looooooove football.

Pee Wee. Little League. Pop Warner. Middle School. High School. College. Professional.

Well the latter when I’m not boycotting.

I understand all the hype of this once a year occurrence. It’s the culmination of a goal that many players set when they were children playing in their hometown recreation leagues. As a fan of the game, I understand the excitement of watching players competing for a once in a lifetime opportunity, for some.

On the other hand, I understand the eye rolls that many folks dish out at the thought of having to sit through another football game for three or more hours. With the performances and additional fanfare, the Super Bowl wraps up close to four hours after beginning.

So, what’s a person who isn’t into football, but is still going to have to be an active participant in the festivities to do? Prepare, of course!

To help you with this, I’m going to offer a few tidbits that will help you survive this year’s game:

1. If you’re not knowledgeable about the game, the time to learn it isn’t during the Super Bowl. All questions about what’s happening on the field should be at a minimum. If you notice your significant other or other folks in the room giving you a subtle but strong side eye, you’ve gone too far.
2. Do a little research before the game begins. Find out which teams are playing and what cities/areas they represent. Learn the quarterback’s and star players names. Google and find out what’s at stake. Will one of the team’s break a record if they win? Will a win for a certain player cement his legacy? Who’s vying for their first Super Bowl ring? These little tidbits can be dropped into conversation throughout the evening.
3. Don’t try and interject yourself into conversations you aren’t familiar with. If you know nothing about the topic, just sit and listen. You might learn a little something.
4. Pick a team to cheer for and stick with them or remain neutral. No one likes a flip flopper.
5. Conversations about anything not pertaining to the game should be reserved until the conclusion of the game. Yes, this includes commercial breaks and halftime.
6. Speaking of commercials, there’s always one or two that stand out above the rest. Pay attention to the one(s) that receive the most feedback. That is the one that may come up again in conversation and will be talked about at work the next day.
7. Lastly, just embrace the atmosphere. It’s loud, animated and tense but it’s fun. Enjoy!

Happy Super Bowl Sunday!