Roger Lajoie operates Triumph Sports Communications, a leader in providing editorial, broadcast and public relations services.

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The Rog's Rant

Super Bowl remains the perfect American sports event

MIAMI – The Olympic Games are incredible, the World Cup of Soccer captures the attention of the planet and there are many fantastic one-day sporting events in North America and around the world.            

But there is no sports event anywhere that can compete with the Super Bowl in being a spectacular show that does everything right – none.            

Everything about it is so American – both good and bad. It’s a tremendous show, the structure is superb, they think of everything (hey bringing Billy Joel in just to sing the national anthem!), it’s superbly run and it’s great fun to be at.            

It’s also a tribute to excess and waste, it’s over-hyped beyond belief and it’s far too expensive for most people to ever get a chance to see.            

That’s the Super Bowl, no matter what Roman numeral is after it. It’s America.            

I love the United States, don’t get me wrong. I have always maintained that if you could take American pride and remove the arrogance, and combine it with Canadian humbleness with the lack of self-esteem removed, you’d have the perfect country. But as the terrific saying goes, “It is what it is.”            

Americans are loud and boastful and showy, Canadians are quiet, reserved and more humble. I know that’s a stereotype and there are exceptions on both sides of course (some days my personality is a lot more American than Canadian for instance!), but largely it’s true.              

That’s why the Super Bowl could only be an American event. And what an event it is, honest to God! I have been to 6 World Series, 5 Final Fours, 12 Memorial Cups, 6 Grey Cups, 5 NHL Finals and 4 NBA Finals – the Super Bowl absolutely blows them all away.            

A lot of that has to do with timing. But the time the baseball, hockey and basketball seasons finally end, only the die-hards of the teams left playing care who wins. The NFL season is all done in a compact five months, the playoffs take three weeks and one game then decides the title. That’s perfect.            

Football is by far the most demanding of all major North American sports, so you can’t drag out the games anymore. You can’t play more games for longer periods, it wouldn’t work. And thank God for that.            

Football is America’s game now and the Super Bowl is America’s party (and Canada’s in a way as well of course). It’s the best promoted and run one day sports event in the world.            

You get to the game and even though there’s 3,000 media in the stands, there’s a seat cushion, a clipboard, a program, and a box lunch waiting for you. The facilities are superb, if you have a problem it’s immediately resolved and everyone is willing to help. If three people are needed for something, the NFL uses six just in case.            

Janet Jackson, Justin Timberlake, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, Prince and Billy Joel have performed at the last four Super Bowls I’ve been to. The advertising companies in North America build their campaigns around the 30 second spots in the game. The game is broadcast in 33 languages, seen in 232 countries and watched by hundreds of millions of people.            

Then it’s all over until next September, when everyone starts getting wound up about football again.            

It’s the perfect league and the perfect end to any league…that’s the NFL and the Super Bowl.            

Other sports leagues should try and get to one some time and take some notes.  

Comments on The Rant of January 15 on NHL All-Star Game:

“Absolutely right on that one Rog. All All-Star Games are a waste of time.” – Scott in Bowmanville

“The NFL doesn’t care about its All-Star Game and it’s the best league in the world. Maybe they know something, ya think?” – Brian in Toronto

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