my superbowl prediction

So it occurs to me that there is a big game today. And this big game celebrates, with beer and food and more beer, the wonders of working together, no man for themselves, putting your ego in check and making sure you all do your job for everyone on your team to succeed. And the two teams playing today? One has no OwnER. It is owned by the fans, the citizenry, the true die-hards dedicated to making the team great, not making more money. The other team? One of the few success stories coming out of a once-super-important town, with the blueest collars around, the team NAMED after the people who made the town great.

It also occurs to me that this game is the biggest thing happening in the United States of America today. The America which supposedly idolizes capitalism, has banks that are too-big-to-fail whilst people can't pay their mortgage TO those banks because capitalism said their jobs would be better somewhere else. The America which announces the gambling profits of a few people every day on TV, radio and Internet at 4pm as "the bell" rings because someone decided that a three-block-avenue in Downtown Manhattan was the most important three blocks in the world. The America which allows segments of its population to think that the only way "out" is to kill - whether it's over drugs in inner-city housing somewhere or over [redacted] in some foreign country that their education failed to teach them how to pronounce.

So, which of these two IS America?

I'd like to think that the second is merely a highjacking (terrorist action?) of a few who will fade away, either from their own doing or because the voting populace will pull the wool off their eyes.

There is a reason the greatest Super Bowl of all time was won with the announcement "requesting to be announced as a team, your AFC Champion New England Patriots" (I may have just gotten chills typing that). Because in February 2002, America needed more than anything to be American. To celebrate being pulled together, to make sure that everyone knew that it was one for all and all for one, no matter who you were, how much money you made or where you came from. Teammates got each other's back, everyone did their job, and everyone enjoyed success.

Here's to a good 24-21 game. Won by a field goal.