Living in Wales, in the UK complicates matters a little when it comes to following US sports, due to a combination of the limited coverage and the time differences. Nevertheless, I particularly like the NFL and I have been a Green Bay Packers fan since I was a boy.
My habit during the regular season is to record the games that are aired overnight and I then watch them at my leisure and at a more civilized time.
When it comes to the play-offs, it is often something of an anti-climax as the TV coverage lessens and live games become scarce. There is always the “pièce de résistance” at the end of it all in the form of the Superbowl, but the quality of the game rarely lives up to the billing and inevitably fails to compete with the glitz, glamour and razzmatazz that engulf the occasion.
Each Superbowl Sunday, I face the same annual dilemma: Do I stay up into the early hours or do I keep to my normal routine, record the game, wait and watch it the next day?
Staying up is a feat if there is the likelihood of work on the Monday. However, whereas general UK apathy to the NFL makes hearing of the result during the regular season a non-issue, people have an unerring tendency to 'break the news' for a major sporting event and so the whole occasion can be spoilt.
Nevertheless, generally, I record the game and take my chances. I have done the 'night vigil' but I find I spend the whole time fighting to stay awake, so it all becomes too much of a chore.
Last night was different and it was due in no small part to my Twitter buddies. The fact that I generally follow people on Twitter based on my interests in sport and music and that most of those people are based in the United States meant that it was like being at some sort of party.
Everything revolved around the game, with comments and observations coming from all sorts of angles. Some were serious, some were humorous and others were just plain daft. I know that I certainly threw in a few ludicrous tweets just to stir things up a bit.
By the end, I had barely seen much of the game, having spent so much time engaged with and laughing at my Timeline. I was also playing around with the guitar and had enjoyed a few drinks earlier on, meaning that time flew by. Before I knew it, it was 03:30 AM and the Giants were World Champions.
On reflection, I hope nobody took any of my contribution the wrong way. It is never my intention to cause any ill-feeling. It is always difficult to be absolutely sure when communicating in 140 characters or less. I equally trust that my fellow Twitterers appreciate the efforts and interest of a Welshman stationed the other side of the 'Big Lake.'
It was not long before 04:00 AM when I got to bed and I was up again at 06:00 AM to get ready for work. I actually feel alright when all is considered. Admittedly, my reactions are definitely a little slow and I have forgotten to bring my wallet with me, but it was worth it.
Congratulations to the New York Giants – “Superbowl XLVI Winners” and “2012 World Champions!”
Roll on 2013 – #GoPackGo!
No comments:
Post a Comment