Analytics Aside: Five Lessons from Super Bowl LVIII

I woke up Sunday morning with a spring in my step and a smile on my face. I said to myself, "it's Super Bowl Sunday" and this one is special. Why? It's not every year, that your team is in the NFL Championship game. I loved hearing from friends throughout the country with text messages like "Thinking of you today!" and "Go Niners." I went to Mass in my Niners' gear and took note of how many others in the congregation did too. I found my way to the grocery store and was delighted to see extra staff on hand as people got the goods for the second biggest feast day in the US (Thanksgiving Day is #1). I put on my CMC jersey. I packed my Super Bowl snacks and arrived at a super spirited party, knowing the next four hours plus would not be easy. Sadly, that premonition proved to be true. But not all was lost at Super Bowl LVIII. I gained a few insights and life lessons. They are not about questionable calls. You won't find much by way of analytics. Regardless, I think these are a few worth sharing.  

"Super Bowl" is two words and a proper noun.
As a teacher, you have certain tools in your toolbox. The words of William O'Malley SJ, the author of "Building Your Own Conscience" have served as one of the better ones. He writes,  "The first step toward wisdom is to call a thing by its right name. Then you'll handle it as it deserves." I would like to add that writing and spelling it properly are important too.

Maybe I missed the memo, but it seems that proper nouns and the usage of paragraphs are out of fashion for writers under the age of 18. Though social media cares little for the rules of grammar, I cannot and do not let this bad habit slide in my classroom. I have told my students paragraphs are important because they help you, the writer organize ideas and the reader to understand them. Furthermore, proper nouns indicate importance and mark distinction. The Super Bowl is not "Any Given Sunday." It's the NFL championship game. Thus, its title requires differentiation and discipline.

We all watch in our own way
I attended the friend of a friend's annual Super Bowl party. The hostess happens to be an identical twin. I had no difficulty telling them apart because one twin only came down for the halftime show. A die-hard Niners fan, she couldn't watch the game with others for several reasons—she gets too nervous, the crowd's commentary can be off-putting, and she really wants to watch the game. I came to find out she is not an outlier—I know many people who do the same.

When it comes to watching a sporting event we care about, fans have their preferences. For example, good sound is incredibly important to me. I am an info hound and I want to hear the commentary. I need those around me to remain positive. I can't handle it when others rip on the players and critique with unbridled authority how and why they are messing up. I have a hard time staying calm. If you are telling me a story about something during a key play, I won't listen. Why? During a championship game—the World Series, the Super Bowl, etc. the stakes are just too high.

Over the years, I have come to terms with who I am in these environments. I hope I'm a fun and knowledgable companion—but I know I can be overly emotional, tense and on edge. While I can handle being with others, I live by the principle we all can and should watch in our own way. No apologies required.

Super Sick Monday
I went into work the day after the Super Bowl with my head hung low, licking my wounds and wishing things were different. But at least I went to work. According to the Morning Brew "16.1 million employees are expected to take off work the day after the Super Bowl, according to the UKG Workforce Institute. In all, 14% of US employees plan to miss at least some work on “Super Sick Monday,” 

Perhaps you have heard, but many believe we should observe a national holiday the day after the Super Bowl. I am down with that, and here is my suggestion / solution for how that can happen.

President's Day is observed in the United States on the third Monday in February. Why not move the holiday to the second Monday in the month? The rationale for the current date is because Lincoln was born on February 12 and Washington on February 19. While I understand the goal of honoring a day between the two birth dates, given the larger context of who and what President's Day honors, the distinction is nominal.

One third of the American people watched the Super Bowl—a number that is not decreasing. In short, a lot of spirited gatherings and house parties that involve overeating, drinking, gambling, yelling, jumping, screaming and more make for a work force that is not optimal come Monday. What do we lose by aligning President's Day with Super Bowl Sunday? Maintaining the status quo is a zero sum gain.

Tennyson had it right...
Whether you return to work on Monday or Tuesday after the Super Bowl, those of us on the losing side know it's not easy. As a Niners fan, losing Super Bowl LVIII was especially tough. Sports fans know the window of opportunity is so small. We have gotten close in recent years and this year we got that much closer.

I knew I would have to face my colleagues and recount the loss. One coworker said, "I would rather lose in the playoffs that get all the way to Super Bowl and fall short." I understood what she said. The two weeks between the AFC and NFC championship games are filled with hype. The amount of attention and energy given to your team is astounding. To lose in the playoffs means you are free of the distraction two, three or four weeks sooner.

I asked my students to weigh in on this matter: agree or disagree. They each said it is antithetical to the nature of the game to not go all the way. One student added, it's like that saying, "it is better to have loved and lost, than to have never loved at all." I responded "so Tennyson had it right. I have to agree."

What could be more American?
In Sports and Spirituality, I have a project centered around the Super Bowl called Faith and Football. A minor theme is "What could be more American?" We address what the Super Bowl—positively and negatively— reveals about our culture. Unfortunately the events surrounding the Chiefs' victory parade—an altercation that resulted in gun violence that killed one woman and injured two dozen others reflects one of the darkest truths of our society. Respect for human life is not a given. It is too precarious, and continually under threat. The fact that a public celebration ends in shooting, death and injury is beyond tragic. It is unacceptable. It's hard to say this, but given the number of shootings we have had this year one must conclude: it is American.

In Conclusion
The second that Mahomes connected with Hardman, I stood up, I thanked and hugged the host and I left. I would be lying if I told you I enjoyed the game. As much as I loved the morning and the two weeks building up to the game, once the clock started running, I was a nervous wreck. I did not enjoy the game. I was hoping for a parade on my 50th birthday. You read that right. The city of San Francisco announced—pending a Niners win— that it would host a victory parade on Thursday, February 15, 2024. School would have been canceled (maybe?!) and I could enjoy the milestone with the Gold Rush, etc. The Chiefs had their own plans.

I called my Dad to talk about the loss. He ended the conversation by telling me that he was already hopeful for next year. A number of our starters would return and we had that much more experience to draw from. In fact, the Niners are the betting favorites for next year already. Super Bowl LIX takes place on February 9, 2025. I'll still be 50... no need for a parade, I'll take the sixth Lombardi trophy for the Niners. Gladly. There's always more to learn, question, hope for and discover.

Thank you to the San Francisco Forty-Niners for a great season.

Photo Credits
Prayer Service
Super Bowl LVIII
Brock Hug
Pointed
Super Sick Monday