Comedian Jerry Seinfeld, a long suffering New York Mets fan, once famously proclaimed that modern sports fans really are just rooting for laundry. In his mind, due to the proliferation of free agency and the resulting player movement, fans could no longer get a sense of comfort with players. The moment you get a handle on the roster of your favorite team, the offseason hits and countless new players are added. Consequently, when fans are conjuring up images of their favorite teams, it’s often not about the current players. It’s the historic stadiums, the classic looking jerseys and announcers who’ve spent decades broadcasting games. While Seinfeld had free agency in mind when he made this statement, rooting for laundry also helps sports fans reconcile their difficulty in supporting players with checkered pasts and lingering legal issues. The Super Bowl featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers is a perfect example of this trend.
In case you haven’t heard, Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger is no stranger to accusations of sexual assault. Big Ben was not charged in either case, but the details were enough to make anyone cringe. While some Pittsburgh fans were outraged for the shame that Roethlisberger brought upon their beloved franchise, the indignation has seemingly subsided. A few playoff wins and a Super Bowl trip your favorite team tend to do that. For those fans that haven’t resolved their hostility towards Roethlisberger, the rooting for laundry theory probably holds true. While they may not forgive him for his alleged indiscretions, they can hold their nose and still support their team they’ve spent decades cheering for. After all, fandom is generational and the people of Pittsburgh were fans of the franchise before Roethlisberger arrived and they’ll still be there after he’s long retired.
Throughout Super Bowl week, many members of the pen and mic club have been proclaiming that Roethlisberger is a changed man and this game is his shot at redemption. As is often the case, redemption is defined by wins and losses rather than behavior. Will sponsors be as quick to forgive Big Ben? If the Steelers win, will Disney use the star QB in their annual Disneyland Super Bowl commercials? I think it’s fair to say that the sponsors, will be more careful about hitching their wagons to the beleaguered QB than fans and media have been. The endorsement deals probably won’t be coming in for Roesthisberger until the American public, rather than just Steeler nation, buys into the entire redemption angle and I believe we’re still a long way away from that.
No comments:
Post a Comment