Bill Simmons spends the whole of his most recent column praising Miami and the NFL’s return to sunny, fun destinations for the players (and sports writers) of Super Bowl week. I think he’s officially lost whatever remaining shreds of street cred might have been lingering on his person. He’s still a great read as always, though.
Lost his street cred? He has been arguing that the Super Bowl should rotate between three cities (Miami, San Diego, and New Orleans) for years now. Who wants to go to Detriot for a vacation? He has a very vaild point in that fans who go see their team finally reach the big game have to go to a shitty cold weather city they wouldnt otherwise visit? Jacksonville was a bust as it was an undersized venue for one of the largest sport spectacles the world has to offer. The city only had 300 taxis to ferry people around. If you are going to have a world class event, have it on a world class stage. It only makes sense.
I wasn’t busting him for his point, which is valid. C’mon, the guy was thanking the NFL for putting the Super Bowl in a nice, warm city. Given that football is supposed to be this macho sport (and sports fans in general having a certain macho stereotype), I think I’m allowed to make a jest about “going soft” or some such (though he already moved from Boston to LA…).
I mean, he is the Boston Sports Guy. We New Englanders are supposed to pride ourselves on our ability to withstand the cold.
Actually I think you both have a point here. Some of the greatest Super Bowl’s of all time were played in the elements. Although you have to take into consideration that a lot of those were the early, AFL-NFL years. Given the modern era Super-Bowls, (say last 25 years) I think Bill’s idea certainly has merit, especially if you’re going to be throwing in the occasional Jacksonville. But who are we kidding? This is and always-will-be about making money, and if that’s the point than you might as well go to a location that is warm, glamorous and a vacation spot. I think as a football fan it would be nice to see a big game in the elements again but as long as the NFL is involved, it would have to be a money-making prop.
As far as being the Boston Sports Guy, I’m afraid he gave up that title when he moved to L.A.
Not to take anything away from him, Bill is probably my favorite writer, (I know that’s not saying much). But honestly, I’m not sure what street cred is, or if he had any to beging with…
I use the phrase “street cred” as if it means something but I don’t buy into the idea at all.
I find it funny to toss around, because it’s one of those expressions that’s completely phony and worthless and yet some people really take offense when you say they don’t have it. Yeah, I’m saying I’m just being provocative.
And by using the phrase “street cred” I immediately remove any possibility of my having it.
For the record, I love Simmons too, and he and Salon“‘s King Kaufman are the only sports writers I read.