SPORTS IN LIFE -- MENTAL ACUITY -- SUPER BOWL

All the hype we hear about the Super Bowl might lead some to think everyone in the U.S. is obsessed with going to the game in Atlanta, Georgia this year or viewing the TV coverage.   The reality is that statistics indicate more people watch the game than any other program – but that’s only approximately one-third plus of our population.   Of that number viewers may only watch part of the game as VOX reported in their analysis a few years ago of rating company Nielsen’s methods: 

“A ratings point — calculated to the 10th decimal place — is a percentage of the number of American households that own at least one television and were tuned to a particular program at a particular time.

It represents 1 percent of the ... American homes that own a television set....   From there, Nielsen estimates viewership based on its demographic samples, which account for age, race, family size, and other things.

One of Nielsen's "homes" could be a family of five, all watching the big game, or it could be a single person, or it could be a big Super Bowl party. The company can't ever know with 100 percent certainty how many people are watching the game in any of these homes (that single person might invite a friend over!), but it has a pretty good guess.”

Predictions by many sports analysts are that this year’s game will attract an increased number of viewers.   I don’t usually watch the game but did see some of the earlier NFL conference championship game that has become controversial, intriguing me. 

I guess this isn’t the first time a team ended up being “the winner!” when possibly their opponent might have been had it not been for a game official’s call or failure to call an offense.  That is what happened in the NFL conference game between the Los Angeles Rams and New Orleans Saints national football teams.

The New England Patriot’s aren’t without some controversies of their own.  One of the most recent has involved some manipulation of the football in the 2015 AFL conference game.  Interestingly, this year a ten-year-old boy won a science fair contest with a project designed to “prove” the team’s quarterback to be a “cheater”, possibly having been given an advantage.  You can view his project at Global News.

Feelings run strong with many avid fans of the teams who were defeated in those Conference playoff games by each of these two teams competing in this year’s Super Bowl.    I’ve thought the Patriot’s quarterback at age 41 defying typical age limitations to continue playing, is to be lauded, though the infamous “deflategate” scandal has colored the views of many football fans.

If I view the Super Bowl to be played this coming Sunday, February 3^rd, the Los Angeles Rams will be my favored team – coincidentally the same name and team colors as my high school’s team.    The offending violation that officials didn’t call was finally acknowledged, a fine imposed, but no game replay granted as some wanted.  

I have had and continue to have reservations about this sport (also boxing, soccer, other sports) with athletes willing to risk damaging their brains in order to play and fans continuing to view.  

Brain-Injury-Research continues to determine any relationship, cause and effect between CTE and sports-related effects.  

“Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a brain condition associated with repeated blows to the head. It is also associated with the development of dementia. Potential signs of CTE are problems with thinking and memory, personality changes, and behavioral changes including aggression and depression.”

We can reflect on some of the centuries earlier colosseum sports we’ve learned about as being violent, or even  considered barbaric that have declined from sport.    Physical damage to the human body was the most obvious aspect in sport then.  Life span was generally shorter than now.

Now that we’re acquiring more knowledge about the much less visible brain and neurological functions, plus having extended life expectancy, perhaps we’ll reconsider our favored sporting events for participation and/or viewing.   We might want to exercise some caution to retain our mental faculties as best we can.  Our brains sometimes outlive our braun.

I wonder if  how the current popular sports are played will, or should change in the future?  Will they diminish in popularity?   What sports might ascend to capture attention?   Will new sports gain prominence?