The Super Bowl

The+Super+Bowl

Kendall Allen, Co-Sports Editor

Super Bowl LIII – an event that many Americans would argue is the most important sports game of the year – was quite possibly one of the least entertaining Super Bowls that this country has seen in the past decade. Of course, while die-hard New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams fans were anticipating a competitive, highly entertaining game, it seemed as though most of the country was uninterested. Watch parties across the country were riddled with pure and absolute boredom, relieved only momentarily by rare moments such as a missed field goal or occasional sack. The low-scoring game was filled with three-and-outs. By halftime, with a score of 3-0, Super Bowl LIII had become the second lowest scoring first half since Super Bowl IX in 1974. Though one might argue that it was a well-crafted, strategically coached defensive game, the first half left many fans wondering what had been accomplished in the first hour and a half of the event. The battle in Atlanta between youth and experience picked up some momentum in the second half, but not even turnovers, nor the fact that Bill Belichick is twice Sean McVay’s age could change the feeling that few really cared about the game. The final score of 13-3 Patriots, was incredibly anticlimactic, and it surpassed the 14-7 score of Super Bowl VII as the lowest scoring Super Bowl game in history.

Image result for super bowl LIII While spectators were characterized by “those who want the Patriots to win because they hate the Rams,” and those who eat, sleep and breath Patriots football, fans in St. Louis faced a special kind of predicament with this year’s teams. Kansas City Chiefs fans, following their team’s devastating loss to the Patriots, found themselves feeling conflicted, having to weigh their hatred for Tom Brady with their ingrained dislike for the Rams (though they never cared too much about them in the first place.) But for those who had supported the Rams while in St. Louis, it was an easy decision. Many St. Louisans across the city, leading up to the Super Bowl, could be heard saying that they couldn’t care less about who was playing, but that they “just wanted the Rams to lose.” Ex-Rams fans, angry and still very bitter about Stan Kroenke’s choice to move the team to Los Angeles, are still feeling the sting from that decision made back in 2015.

Owners of Rams personal seat licenses (PSLs), were, up until recently, wondering why they had not been reimbursed. These licenses were a one-time paid license that entitled the holder the right to buy season tickets for a certain seat in the Rams stadium. The original PSLs were good for 30 years, or the length of the original St. Louis stadium lease. Yet, the Rams were only here for 21 years, 9 years short of their promised time, making each PSL worth only 70% of its purchase value. They could range anywhere from $250 to thousands per person, depending on the location and perks associated with the chosen seat. Three lawsuits were filed against the franchise on the behalf of PSL holders. Thus, for many of these long-standing St. Louis Rams fans, the breakup between St. Louis and their once loved team left an even worse taste in their mouth. Though the franchise has now begun to address financial compensation for these people, the team not only left them disappointed but upset for legitimate financial reasons.

Fans who simply watched the Rams from their couch every weekend were upset with not only Kroenke, but with the NFL as a whole for the decision to relocate the team. Many have simply shunned the franchise itself, while others took a once deep love and replaced it with a burning hatred. So, when this year’s Super Bowl rolled around, people across the city were disappointed to see that the Rams were part of the largest, most coveted sporting event of the year.  Whether it was spelling out “Kroenke sucks” in pretzels, having anti-Rams parties, or boycotting the game all together, the city showed its true feelings toward their once beloved team. Unfortunately, plenty of St. Louisans also dislike the Patriots, and did not necessarily want to see them in their eighth Super Bowl appearance since 2001. Additionally, the “roughing the passer” call made against the Chiefs in the playoffs seemed to reinforce the idea that the NFL Commissioner kisses up to Brady the same way the Patriots quarterback kisses his kids. This, in conjunction with a long list of scandals in which the Patriots have been involved, have turned off many football fans all together when it comes to the New England franchise. Thus, the 2018 season matchup left two options for the fans of Saint Louis: Cheer for the traitors, or the cheaters. Sophomore Beckett Tasker, a wide receiver for the Burroughs football program, when asked about his Image result for super bowl LIII halftime showthoughts on Super Bowl LIII, replied, “Well, I thought this year’s Super Bowl was considerably less entertaining than the ones we have seen in recent years. The game was between two teams I don’t care about, sorry [Coach] McKeown [a Patriots fan], and it was also the lowest scoring Super Bowl game in history. I’m hoping next year’s game won’t be as much of a disappointment.” Tasker is speaking for the majority our city when he says that he hopes the 2019 season brings a more satisfactory pair of teams together, teams who will provide a competitive game everyone can get behind because Super Bowl LIII failed to do so. Don’t even get St. Louis started on the pitiful halftime show.