Would you like to hear my opinion on the Super Bowl?

Probably not... but here it is. Read it or not.
I love football. Daughter of a football coach - in the first 24 years of my life I missed only 2 games. There is nothing like the sound of cleats on cement, or the joy in a high school kid running on the field for the first time. I've sat through rain, sleet, heat and snow accumulation on my blanket as the game progressed. And it was worth it.
But I hate the Super Bowl - well really I hate all Professional Football (I can hear Belinda's blood boiling -we're all entitled to our own opinions.)
Football is a sport driven from childhood by the love of the game. Kids who work hard get scholarships and continue to play in college. Or work even harder and walk on, only to spend months on the bench - but still sitting there waiting patiently for their turn. They play because they love the game. I'm sure there are plenty of kids who play to pay for school, and many who play because parents encouraged them all along. But they play for the sport - not for the paycheck.

The average salary of a NFL player is 1.9 million dollars.

That's 11 times the average salary of a nurse.
12 times the average salary of a cop.
And over 13 times the average salary of a teacher.
To PLAY A GAME!!!!

They go to work and a personal trainer helps them get a daily exercise regimen. Then maybe a team meeting where they talk strategy. Perhaps some practice time, run some drills, polish some plays. Maybe back to the team room for a little more time in the gym and then settling down to watch some films.
Sounds rough.

I'm not an NFL expert, but I'm guessing that after the Super Bowl and an all-expense paid trip to Disneyland they take a few months off, not worrying about much but maybe a little exercise. Maybe do a few commercials, talk contracts for the next year, and just chill.
Sounds real rough.

Ok, yeah I'm a teacher. These boys make 13 times what I do playing a game they love. They'll definitely have more injuries than me but what exactly are they doing for humanity? Causing us to overeat for a day? Causing us to spend ridiculous amount of money the day before? Causing companies to spend an average of $3.5 million dollars for a commercial?
I don't know about you - but that's wrong to me.

If they want to play football - great, but pay them a realistic comparable salary. It's a GAME! And don't give me the crap about how they are role models - outside of a few players - I see tattoos, multiple women, lack of educational drive, bad language - is this really the role model you want for your kids? Not to mention the number of kids who tell me they don't need to go to college because they're going to become pro football players.
Steven told me last week that learning math wasn't important as long as he could count to 11 to get the right number of guys on the field. He's a 5th grader.

So yes I am sitting here by my husband as he watches the game. I'm casually watching a commercial here or there, but mostly I'm irritated that this is the day our society celebrates. The day when boys get paid ridiculous amounts of money to play a game they love while hardworking nurses, cops, teachers (and many others) go to work only to scrape by.
I'm sorry to those of you who just got back from a great SuperBowl party and had a great time watching the Big Game... it's not you I'm mad at, it's the NFL.
And THAT is my opinion on the Super Bowl.