The Superbowl: Why Are People so Obsessed?

It seems like once again, the Superbowl has taken the American public by storm, and a new record number of viewers has been announced: 111 million. That's about 20 million more people than those who voted in the 2010 elections, and only slightly less than the number of people who voted in 2008. Again, for the seventh or so year in a row, I find myself dumbfounded.

What is it about throwing a weird-shaped ball back and forth and tackling people that makes over a hundred million people turn on their TVs and gaze at the colorful screen? I've never understood it. Maybe it's because I come from a tennis background, but even there, I don't understand the fascination of watching people hit a fuzzy yellow ball over and over again. 

The way I see it, people can do whatever they want in their free time - I honestly couldn't care less. But when it gets to the point when people care more about a football game than a potentially imminent war with Iran, I get a little bit worried. 

Just recently, I came across a Youtube video that made almost made my hair spike up (if I hadn't been laughing/crying so much at the same time). Take a quick look.

So, we have kids who can't think of a country that begins with the letter U, and yet the seemingly brain dead public (sorry for the harsh language) continues to drown out its surroundings with footage of people throwing a ball and running around in circles. If there isn't something absurd about that I don't know what is,

America is now over 15 trillion dollars in debt, a number that actually surpasses our GDP. Nothing is being done about it. Unfortunately, if the ignorance continues at this rate, our country might just wake up one morning to a harsh reality. 

But don't worry! Just so long as John and Bill get to eat chips, drink some beer, and watch the game, we"ll be OK, right?

That certainly seems to be the mindset these days. What are you're thoughts on the Superbowl? Are the American people smarter than I make them out to be?