Foodball

There have been seven football games on TV since last Thursday starting with the College Football Playoffs. Those games were followed by five NFL Wildcard Weekend games. Oh, and there is one more tonight. A football feast, food for the hungriest fan. If you watched any football this year, you’ve seen the Uber Eats commercial showing some believe that football’s goal is to make you eat more. Actor Matthew McConaughey is sitting on a coach watching a game with 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey. McCaffrey is eating fries from Uber Eats. McConaughey makes the argument that football is just a way to make you buy more food. McCaffrey doesn’t believe it. McConaughey points out football even has terms to suggest eating like “turnover” and “pancake blocks”. He mumbles that “Refrigerator Perry” wasn’t his real name. To prove his point Hall Famer Jerry Rice sits down next to him. Asked what he’s eating, Rice, of course, says rice. Proving McConaughey’s point.

I would argue he’s right. We are bombarded with fast food commercials and jingles. Burger King is on every other break with that annoying jingle that ends with “you rule.” When they are really ruling you. Close up shots of over staffed bacon cheeseburgers, something called a “cluckin’ chicken sandwich, boneless chicken wings with dipping sauce, pizza with extra toppings piled on, and of course, if the toppings aren’t enough you can get “stuffed crust” pizza. Apparently, you just can’t enough cheese. And what’s a football game without beer. A bar full of fans watching a game is a staple. Coors takes it one step further. A big screen TV loses its picture. A giant Coors train comes crashing through the walls of the bar, nudges the TV and restores the picture. Luckily, no one in the bar is hurt.

The players are in on it. Wide receiver Davante Adams has a Taco Bell in his house. He pulls up in his golf cart and orders a cantina chicken bowl. The Eagles Saquon Barkley is shown taking questions from reporters in the front of his locker. He’s asked about the “feed me” gesture he makes when he has a successful run. He says we wouldn’t make up the gesture to promote KFC bowls from Uber Eats. Someone then hands him a bowl which he proceeds to eat.

Football is an integral part of life in America. We are obsessed with the games, the gear, the betting and the food. Millions of us watch every week. The fortunes of our teams can affect how we feel about ourselves and how we eat. We are a captive audience. These companies have trained us that the best way to enjoy the games is to eat our way through them. These games lead us to the eating climax of the season. We should pace ourselves for the Super Bowl, the biggest foodball game of the year.