Watching the American Sport, the American Way

Feb. 1, 2013 - PRLog -- When people outside the U.S. are asked what they think of when they hear the phrase “American sport,” many tend to think of baseball. And why shouldn’t they? After all, baseball’s been called “America’s Pastime” for as long as anyone can remember. In the annals of history, it is as American as apple pie, muscle cars, and Superman.

The thing is, maybe that’s precisely where its American identity should belong: In the annals of history. Nowadays, the MLB is populated more and more by (amazing) players from the international scene, primarily Asia and Latin America. And while baseball may have been the activity that Americans used to “pass the time” in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, in this day and age of television and video games, only one of the four major sports still manages to capture the undivided attention of the whole nation: Football.

Beyond Americana

You can ask just about any regular Joe what they think the most popular sport in the country is, and chances are they’ll say “football.” Heck, even NBA stars admit to playing lots of pick-up pigskin and/or NFL video games during their downtime; and that’s saying a lot, considering basketball is probably the only other major “American” sport, what with it being invented here and all.

Football may technically be an offshoot of the European rugby, but the game as we know it today is as American as they come. Action-packed, loud, and always exciting, games are as “rock ‘n’ roll” as they get.

Football is also a very strategic game aside from being brawny; no on-the-fly playcalling here as every possession is a well-thought-out battle. The NFL also structures its season games in such a way that teams rarely play against each other more than once, making every game count. It is this impeccable strategizing and heightened sense of urgency for every game, along with the aforementioned physical intensity and Michael Bay-esque showtime atmosphere (and of course the huge profit-generating marketing surrounding the NFL), that gives football a taste so distinctly “modern America.”

The Battle Draws Near

What better way to celebrate this game of games than to watch its game of games, the annual Super Bowl. Super Bowl XLVII is a mere few days away, culminating a season’s worth of edge-of-your-seat encounters and behind-the-scenes drama, not the least of which is the fact that both competing teams – the Ravens and the 49ers – are coached respectively by brothers John and Jim Harbaugh (hence the monikers “SuperBaugh” and “HarBowl”). Both teams are on the hunt, with the Ravens looking to establish a dynasty, and the 49ers seeking to reclaim their bygone championship glories. The stakes couldn’t be higher this Sunday.

Watching (From) the Home Front

Not everyone can afford tickets to Super Bowl XLVII, though. Thankfully, modern technology has made it so that you can watch the game right in the comfort of your own home without diminishing its intensity.

Big screen TVs around the neighborhood of 50 inches are becoming more and more affordable, with models like Panasonic’s TC-P50U50 and Samsung’s PN51E450 going for way below the $1,000 mark. Top-caliber sound bars like the Vizio VHT215 ($290) or 7.1 surround sound systems like the Onkyo HT-S9400THX ($400) also ensure that every bone-crunching sound can be heard all over your house; and probably your neighbors’, too.

And then there’s this nifty little gadget called the Slingbox 350 which, for just $180, connects to your cable set-top box or satellite receiver to allow you to watch the game from anywhere in your house by connecting in turn to other TVs, laptops, tablets, and even smartphones.

So what’re you waiting for? Break out the chips and dip, bring in the booze, and invite your friends and family over. With the gadgets mentioned above, watching the “Modern American Pastime” has never felt closer!

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Hathem Brand (https://plus.google.com/u/1/111244820555894853306?rel=author) has been writing about technology both professionally and freelance, dabbling in everything from laptops to e-recycling to future tech. He currently writes blogs, sales copies, and more for LaptopAid.com (https://www.laptopaid.com/blog/). A Creative Writing graduate, he has a special affinity for anything involving pop culture.