- Sep 22, 2013
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Why do we Americans love sports-films and sports in general (e.g., Jerry Maguire, Super Bowl, etc.)?
Is there something in the 'American genome' that makes us more fascinated by derring-do?
Here's a 'Viking-tale' about Fran Tarkenton and American spirit.
What do you think (I didn't post it in the Writing section, since it's a media-imagination vignette really)?
Cheers (signing off),
====
A band of Norsemen, conquering seamen/explorers called the Vikings were busy landing on the shores of a new land they sought to conquer, and this land was way east of Europe. Yes folks, it was the Americas, but this was long before Columbus's discovery of the 'New World.' The Vikings boarded-off their boats/ships and headed into British Columbia with daydreams of plunder and the kidnapping of beautiful women on their minds. Suddenly, one Viking named Erik had the strange 'premonition' that someday, in the distant future, the Americas would be host to a new kind of peaceful competitive 'game' activity called football and a special team called the Vikings(!) would rise to great heights but never with the 'ultimate title.' Erik decided to order his Viking men to not plunder/loot/kidnap but instead just trade some arts and crafts and sail back home. Erik was depressed about this premonition of Vikings-football losing!
Erik was right. In the 19th Century, well after the fall of Rome and the passing of Erik's Vikings, the United States of America celebrated and loved NFL football. One 'special' NFL QB, the great Fran Tarkenton, would lead his magical Minnesota Vikings team to three Super Bowl games...but never win. Tarkenton would join the short list of NFL QBs who reached multiple Super Bowls but never won a title. Fran's Vikings were not unlike Erik's Vikings who decided to refrain that day from looting/plundering/kidnapping in what is now called British Columbia in North America. Frank and Erik were humbled 'Vikings' who became 'legends' in the catalog of 'viking-oriented' folklore. A 'viking' incidentally is simply a daring explorer-conqueror but of Norse-heritage and not Spanish or Oriental heritage.
Fran retired from the NFL, depressed he never brought a Super Bowl ring for his Vikings. However, he started having a nightly dream in which a beautiful maiden dressed in a lovely old-world European pink-dress would wait for him at some enchanting cafe in Paris. Her name was Madison, and she would comfort Fran and assure him that even though he never won a title, he'd always be special to her. Fran realized he was headed to heaven to either reunite with his wife or unite with Madison (or both!). Either way, Madison became Fran's 'secret-dream' angel, and this helped Fran get over those devastating Super Bowl losses. It was a strangely enchanting Viking folk-tale.
TRUMP: Jim Kelly and Fran Tarkenton are losers...
CARTER: Yes, they both lost multiple Super Bowls!
TRUMP: Well, Americans crave champions like Tom Brady.
CARTER: Not everyone can be a title-bearer, Mr. President.
TRUMP: I know, and humanity caters to empathy and altruism.
CARTER: It sounds counter-productive to capitalism, but it isn't.
TRUMP: No, and Democrats are not the 'party of pity.'
CARTER: Of course; Republicans care about social welfare too!
TRUMP: Lincoln and FDR are not completely different from Reagan and Bush.
CARTER: No; Americans celebrate all Presidents...as if they were 'gods.'
TRUMP: America is a Christian country; we're not vikings or conquistadors.
CARTER: No; we're factory-men, dreamers, celebrities, and soldiers.
TRUMP: There will always be room for more 'viking folklore.'
CARTER: Yes, and that's because everyone loves magical drama.
====
Is there something in the 'American genome' that makes us more fascinated by derring-do?
Here's a 'Viking-tale' about Fran Tarkenton and American spirit.
What do you think (I didn't post it in the Writing section, since it's a media-imagination vignette really)?
Cheers (signing off),
====
A band of Norsemen, conquering seamen/explorers called the Vikings were busy landing on the shores of a new land they sought to conquer, and this land was way east of Europe. Yes folks, it was the Americas, but this was long before Columbus's discovery of the 'New World.' The Vikings boarded-off their boats/ships and headed into British Columbia with daydreams of plunder and the kidnapping of beautiful women on their minds. Suddenly, one Viking named Erik had the strange 'premonition' that someday, in the distant future, the Americas would be host to a new kind of peaceful competitive 'game' activity called football and a special team called the Vikings(!) would rise to great heights but never with the 'ultimate title.' Erik decided to order his Viking men to not plunder/loot/kidnap but instead just trade some arts and crafts and sail back home. Erik was depressed about this premonition of Vikings-football losing!
Erik was right. In the 19th Century, well after the fall of Rome and the passing of Erik's Vikings, the United States of America celebrated and loved NFL football. One 'special' NFL QB, the great Fran Tarkenton, would lead his magical Minnesota Vikings team to three Super Bowl games...but never win. Tarkenton would join the short list of NFL QBs who reached multiple Super Bowls but never won a title. Fran's Vikings were not unlike Erik's Vikings who decided to refrain that day from looting/plundering/kidnapping in what is now called British Columbia in North America. Frank and Erik were humbled 'Vikings' who became 'legends' in the catalog of 'viking-oriented' folklore. A 'viking' incidentally is simply a daring explorer-conqueror but of Norse-heritage and not Spanish or Oriental heritage.
Fran retired from the NFL, depressed he never brought a Super Bowl ring for his Vikings. However, he started having a nightly dream in which a beautiful maiden dressed in a lovely old-world European pink-dress would wait for him at some enchanting cafe in Paris. Her name was Madison, and she would comfort Fran and assure him that even though he never won a title, he'd always be special to her. Fran realized he was headed to heaven to either reunite with his wife or unite with Madison (or both!). Either way, Madison became Fran's 'secret-dream' angel, and this helped Fran get over those devastating Super Bowl losses. It was a strangely enchanting Viking folk-tale.
TRUMP: Jim Kelly and Fran Tarkenton are losers...
CARTER: Yes, they both lost multiple Super Bowls!
TRUMP: Well, Americans crave champions like Tom Brady.
CARTER: Not everyone can be a title-bearer, Mr. President.
TRUMP: I know, and humanity caters to empathy and altruism.
CARTER: It sounds counter-productive to capitalism, but it isn't.
TRUMP: No, and Democrats are not the 'party of pity.'
CARTER: Of course; Republicans care about social welfare too!
TRUMP: Lincoln and FDR are not completely different from Reagan and Bush.
CARTER: No; Americans celebrate all Presidents...as if they were 'gods.'
TRUMP: America is a Christian country; we're not vikings or conquistadors.
CARTER: No; we're factory-men, dreamers, celebrities, and soldiers.
TRUMP: There will always be room for more 'viking folklore.'
CARTER: Yes, and that's because everyone loves magical drama.
====
