kazu googoo

I love this game!

Ah, the NFL. Some call it the No Fun League, others refer to it as the league of No-life Fantasy Losers, others see it as Not For Long based on the average NFL player's career expectancy being slightly under 3 years. To me though the NFL should stand for Nice F-in Language. That's right the league that brought you the 'wardrobe malfunction'that introduced prepubescent boys the world over to Janet Jackson's right breast is also providing those same boys with a weekly dose of obscene language that they can put into use on the playground.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not one to judge when it comes to language. On any given second of any given day, there are probably a few choice words held in my mouth only by my teeth. In any case, the NFL regularly gets away with on screen imagery that would make both live sensors and Mike Myers-with-Kanye-West-in-the-room nervous. It seems that each game I watch features at least one occurance of a player, coach or fan dropping an f-bomb on camera. Take for instance Laveraneous Coles' touchdown in the ESPN night game a few moments ago. The play was called a touchdown, then reviewed and taken away. Almost on cue, ESPN cut to a few Jets fans (the game was played at home in New Jersey) one of whom was flipping off the officials on camera, the other, a girl who was classic jersey girl in both style and function, could be seen in the same shot yelling "you effing suck" at the officials. I probably wouldn't even say anything if it didn't happen every week. After each bad Seahawks call, the camera always cuts to the firey Holmgren who obliges with a tirade of obscenities. I don't blame Mike either, it's the TV producers who know what they are going to get when the cut to the explosive coach on the verge of erruption. Yet after each questionable call there they go for the reaction shot. A few weeks ago, Holmgren even got his voice over the airwaves with his challenge for the officials to "make the effing call."

What I find humorous besides the obvious naughty language broadcast over reception television is that it is coming from the prudest of sports leagues. NASCAR is the fastest growing sport nationally, and its base fans are generally Bible-belt conservatives, yet it has allowed hard liquor sponsorships. Compare this to the NFL, the league that cancelled a successful cable series Playmakers due to the 'bad rap' that it gave the league. The NFL also will never allow expansion into Vegas for fear of gambling's influence (yet they cater to fantasy football players with their mandatory injury updates and point spreads). From this prude league you can count on a weekly dose of bad words that to me seem far worse than the completely natural body part that Mz. Jackson shared with the world.

Well, halftime's over so I'm back to watching the game. Who knows what words and gestures I'll see. Regardless, I'll keep my finger on the TiVo rewind button so that I can watch it again in slo-mo.

posted by kazuhank @ 6:53 PM