I propose we, the Metroplex, stop wringing our hands worrying about the impression we made on the NFL last weekend and spend just a bit of time thinking about the impression the NFL made on us.
First, I think the Metroplex did a great job with the Super Bowl. Sure, it snowed twice and it was as cold as it’s been in 15 years. Yes, our “let it melt” strategy for the highways may have taken longer than normal. It’s true that the rolling blackouts weren’t ideal. It was definitely unfortunate that all that ice clobbered those guys working at the stadium. And maybe we should have known Christina Aguilera was going to be a disaster. Perhaps the Cowboys or the NFL could have, over the course of the four years the region spent planning for the game, spent more time preparing those temporary seats. And we acknowledge that having one of Dallas’ city councilmen give Michael Vick the key to the city might have been poor judgment.
What was I talking about?
“Scaia, you easily distracted Adonis,” I can hear you yelling at your computer screen. “You were about to say that the Metroplex did its part but was ultimately derailed by the NFL’s own greed and hubris!”
I believe we did do well, and I’ll tell you why: all of the normal people I talked to over the course of the week had a good time. These are the season ticket holders who mortgaged their house to afford game tickets. They shrugged their shoulders, said they were here for the game, not the over-the-top parties and overpriced fan events, and told me their adventures trying to navigate our snow-covered interstates would give them a great story to tell back home.
It was the visiting media who seemed to do most of the complaining.
“Oh, why don’t you have snow plows?”
“Oh, why is everything 50 miles away from everything else?”
This is an event that has grown to celebrate excess. Should north Texas feel guilty that it didn’t put on the exact same show as Phoenix or Miami? Should we feel bad that all these “VIPs” deigned to grace us with their presence, and we didn’t deliver exactly what they expected? Did they even try their fancy steaks dipped in batter, deep fried and served with cream gravy?!
Everyone loved us during the World Series. You know why? Because the World Series isn’t pretentious and neither is north Texas.
During the World Series, everyone was invited to the party. During the Super Bowl, the parties were all “exclusive.” I was invited to several but was told to “dress to impress.” I’m not sure what that means, but I wore pants just to be safe.
During the World Series, Rangers and Giants fans enjoyed gentlemanly camaraderie after the game at a sports bar near the ballpark. After the Super Bowl, I watched some Steelers fans and Packers fans get into a fight at the same bar.
