Any Super Bowl Rituals? I'll share mine...

[CashGap]

(Not a terribly productive thread, apologies in advance).

In 2016, I found myself in Vienna, Austria a few days before Super Bowl 50. I was at the Hard Rock Cafe on a Wednesday, and the friendly waitress asked about my plans for the week.

I told her I was going to walk the city for a few days, then tour a manufacturer I can't discuss in Deutch-Wagrem on Friday, the main purpose of my trip. Saturday, I would drive to Berlin to take a selfie at the Brandenburg Gate of the Berlin Wall on Ronaldus Maximus's 105th birthday. Then back to Veinna, to watch Super Bowl 50 on my laptop in my hotel room before returning to the USA.

She said "You should come to our midnight Super Bowl Party". I said "What's that all about?" and she said "It's €99, we have hot dogs, hamburgs, unlimited drafts..." so far she wasn't selling me... "We usually have an American host, but he had to cancel". "What does he do?" I asked. "Just greet the guests, and answers questions about the rules...".

I asked to speak to the manager...

So I ended up hosting a Super Bowl 50 party at the Vienna Hard Rock with 100 of my newest friends. It wasn't difficult... you only need to know more than they do.

"Why did they throw that yellow cloth?" "Icing."

"Why is the striped shirted fellow blowing his whistle?" "Infield fly rule."

I had so much fun, I vowed to never watch the Super Bowl in the United States again.

2017 - Jordan, Rome, Vienna, Praha, Amsterdam, Hong Kong to watch the Game at the HRC, LA, and home. Circumnavigation, going East.

2018 - LA, Seoul, Sydney, Johannesburg to watch the Game at the HRC, London, and home. Circumnavigation, going West.

2019 - LA, Munich, Innsbruck, Zurich, Sao Paulo to watch the Game in my room, Dallas, a conversion from vacation to business mode, JFK, CDG, Riyadh (bought a Datejust!), CDG, JFK, and home. No circumnavigation.

2020 - Vegas for a convention, LA, Tokyo, Vienna for the Game at the HRC, Madrid, London, and home. Circumnavigation going West again.

Any Super Bowl Rituals? Particularly with wrist shots? Looking forward to some DD40 shots this year.

[77T]

The 2018 pic is apropos as you were “down under”

My only Super Bowl story was the 1982 game - and it led to a nearly 40 year ritual.

I had been skiing Tahoe the week before the game, then drove to Reno and lost a good deal while spending a Saturday night there.

Had to fly on Super Bowl Sunday so made several prop bets at the sports book and won them while flying home - enough to offset my Saturday losses. That was a nice flight

Never bet another game and (therefore) never lost a dime on a Super Bowl - so to preserve my record, the ritual is never bet the Super Bowl.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Blansky]

Very cool story.

Not a popular opinion here I'm sure, but my ritual is to line up a bunch of movies to watch while this over-hyped, over-produced moneymaking fiasco plays out.

Told you it wouldn't be popular.

[superdog]

what's the Super Bowl?

[Beo3]

Originally Posted by superdog

what's the Super Bowl?

HAhahah!
I'm with you Seth!

Anyhow, I'm glad that you enjoy yourself on "that" Sunday, Sam. Seems like a whole lot of fun

[Moving Chicane]

Love it!

But maybe a better thread on Flyertalk. ;)

Originally Posted by CashGap

...

So I ended up hosting a Super Bowl 50 party at the Vienna Hard Rock with 100 of my newest friends. It wasn't difficult... you only need to know more than they do.

...

[/B]

[GB-man]

Yes here in buffalo we generally order pizza and wings and root for whoever the patriots are playing on that given year.

[locutus49]

What's this Superbowl you Yanks are on about? lol

PS: No ritual, games are usually boring but I watch periodically.

[SunTzu]

Not as exciting as traveling the globe, but every year my father and I get a platter of these deli sloppy Joe's, some sour pickles, a couple pounds of potato salad and have a feast. I enjoy watching football so go out with a bang for the last game of the season. Not so much a fan of the half time shows. Not my taste in music most of the time.

[Syed117]

I usually get together with friends to watch it. Luckily I don't have the meathead idiot type of friends who yell and scream like some dumb game has an actual effect on their lives.

More about the hangout and gathering than watching 12 minutes of movement and 4 hours of commercials with some usually terrible music thrown in the middle.

I do sometimes enjoy seeing the newest trailers for movies and occasionally video games in real time.

[Brew]

Originally Posted by SunTzu

Not as exciting as traveling the globe, but every year my father and I get a platter of these deli sloppy Joe's, some sour pickles, a couple pounds of potato salad and have a feast. I enjoy watching football so go out with a bang for the last game of the season. Not so much a fan of the half time shows. Not my taste in music most of the time.

Towne Deli or Eppes Essen?

[SunTzu]

Originally Posted by Brew

Towne Deli or Eppes Essen?

Eppes Essen hands down.

Livingston Bagel too is really good

[Chewbacca]

Tums.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by superdog

what's the Super Bowl?

It's a bizarre ritual cooked up by the NFL and corporate America to sell people stuff they don't need and pay 5 million dollars per 30 seconds for the privilege.

It's also highly encouraged by the NFL players association so that retired players and coaches can congregate en mass on every TV channel to dogmatically pontificate about nothing, adding meaningless anecdotes and statistics for the enjoyment of the drunken fans.

The half time show is a delirious mess of a medley of the greatest hits of yesteryear complete with bad sound and the occasional nipple if you're lucky.

And of course you have to throw in the military and the largest flags every produced to add a bizarre form of patriotism to the frenzy.

The only thing missing is car chases and multiple explosions.

[Ruddiger]

Howdy,

I cut myself in the corner and ask why God has forsaken us....

Take care,

Ruddiger

[wantonebad]

You mean the New England invitational... We sit back, relax and wait for the 4th quarter magic to happen. Giants not withstanding.

[AzPaul]

A close friend and his wife used to host a yearly party for the game.
It was always fun, getting to see a lot of familiar faces.
Sometimes, it was the only time I'd see some of them all year.
Then, a few years ago, they stopped doing it.
I miss the party, and the people, and the food.
To me though, the game itself is no big deal.

[avidflyer]

Yacht club use to have a private party...100 people $100 each, after the game we had a drawing for all the money. Winner got the money and the bar tab to include food...Was always a great time

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by Blansky

It's a bizarre ritual cooked up by the NFL and corporate America to sell people stuff they don't need and pay 5 million dollars per 30 seconds for the privilege.

OMG! American corporate sponsorship/advertizing going on in the NFL? Yikes.

This sort of thing must be stopped before spreads like a virus to other professional sports around the world.

Why, there could even come a day where the likes of Rolex and Adidas and Emirates or Qatari Airlines cook-up sponsorships or advertize at Wimbeldon, golf tournaments, car and yacht races. Heavens, perhaps even FIFA World Cup soccer wouldn't be immune.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by CRM114

OMG! American corporate sponsorship/advertizing going on in the NFL? Yikes.

This sort of thing must be stopped before spreads like a virus to other professional sports around the world.

Why, there could even come a day where the likes of Rolex and Adidas and Emirates or Qatari Airlines cook-up sponsorships or advertize at Wimbeldon, golf tournaments, car and yacht races. Heavens, perhaps even FIFA World Cup soccer wouldn't be immune.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by CRM114

OMG! American corporate sponsorship/advertizing going on in the NFL? Yikes.

This sort of thing must be stopped before spreads like a virus to other professional sports around the world.

I agree. The bloodbath has to stop before someone dies.

In 2018, 86 commercials were shown during the Super Bowl broadcast, amounting to a total ad time of 51 minutes and 20 seconds.

People are being manipulated to death, posing a sport. There is more real action during Bingo night at the old folks home.

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by Blansky

I agree. The bloodbath has to stop.

In 2018, 86 commercials were shown during the Super Bowl broadcast, amounting to a total ad time of 51 minutes and 20 seconds.

What was that expression I've heard around here a time or two re Rolexes? Oh yeah..

"what the market will bear"

Seems to me if the time takes too long or price rises too high or the flags fly too big, people will stop watching and buying.

Vote with your On/Off button. That's what I do. After all, it's only a game.

[wantonebad]

Originally Posted by Blansky

I agree. The bloodbath has to stop before someone dies.

In 2018, 86 commercials were shown during the Super Bowl broadcast, amounting to a total ad time of 51 minutes and 20 seconds.

People are being manipulated to death, posing a sport. There is more real action during Bingo night at the old folks home.

I really don't think it's that dire, I watch as much for the commercials as I do the game, I find all of it entertaining. JMHO

[SunTzu]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

I really don't think it's that dire, I watch as much for the commercials as I do the game, I find all of it entertaining. JMHO

How plebeian of you. I'll be sitting around miserable, watching the artsiest Netflix film feeling super cultured, sipping my petite sirah, triggered by a large American flag.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

I really don't think it's that dire, I watch as much for the commercials as I do the game, I find all of it entertaining. JMHO

Yeah, not to get too carried away on this but the networks are finding the increase in commercials ARE driving people away.

My post was more sarcasm than reality although I stopped watching over- produced stuff a while ago but that's also partly due to getting older and the whole been there done that thing. It's just become ho-hum, more of the same hype.

Some stuff on commercials:

https://time.com/96303/tv-commercials-increasing/

https://www.marketplace.org/2018/04/...y-commercials/

https://www.fastcompany.com/90429836...ly-performance

[CRM114]

Originally Posted by Blansky

People are being manipulated to death, posing a sport. There is more real action during Bingo night at the old folks home.

Of course there's manipulation. Professional sports are a business. The entertainment business that depends on spectators.

The rules of pro games/competitions/races themselves are tweaked and changed over time in order to provide more entertainment and draw more viewership. Salary caps are instituted to level competion. Equipment rules enacted/standardized. The list goes on an on, all done in order to manipulate the game's attraction.

The SB isn't any different from any other spectacle. If it's not your thing, just don't watch. Personally, I believe the only championship in sports worth watching is the Stanley Cup but others may not think so. Believe it or not, some would rather watch bass fishing, cricket, or even soccer.

[Blansky]

Originally Posted by SunTzu

How plebeian of you. I'll be sitting around miserable, watching the artsiest Netflix film feeling super cultured, sipping my petite sirah, triggered by a large American flag.

I've searched Netflix and can't seem to find ANY super cultured stuff on it. You must have Netflix High-Brow Supreme at your house.

I only have Basic.

[brandrea]

Originally Posted by wantonebad

You mean the New England invitational... We sit back, relax and wait for the 4th quarter magic to happen. Giants not withstanding.

[goin camping]

While I have not watched the NFL for some years now.

Wife and I gather with friends and our purpose is enjoying each others company. But all talking, joking and goofing off stops when the commercials come on. Best part of the entire event.

[CashGap]

It’s OK. I only look forward to this trip/event all year...

Won’t be posting about my Daytona 500/Indy 500/CFP rituals ��