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As an avid NFL fan I was more than disappointed to read what can only be loosely described as an article written for the Sunday Telegraph by Phil Rothfield last week.
Buzz, as he is commonly known as, was sent to cover Super Bowl XLIX (that’s 49 for those unfamiliar with roman numerals) in Phoenix Arizona for ESPN Australia-New Zealand.
As someone who produces NFL content on a weekly basis I found Rothfield’s Super Bowl wrap-up deplorable. The article was an embarrassment to Australian NFL fans. The media outlets that funded the trip should feel ripped off in that Buzz failed to capitalise on what was phenomenal game and encourage a new era of fans.
The article had 11 paragraphs dedicated to the game itself, which doesn’t sound too bad, except for the fact that eight of those paragraphs were one sentence long. Five of these paragraphs were devoid of any analysis on the game itself and he summarises the key plays in the game in one single breath.
The game itself has been described as one of the greatest Super Bowls in NFL history by many analysts, but according to Buzz the half-time show was better than the game itself. Yes Phil, Katy Perry riding a giant futuristic robotic lion and dancing with sharks was better than the nail biter between two of the best franchises in recent NFL history.
Rothfield compares the NFL to a bad rugby union game: “There are more stoppages than a bad rugby union game but it’s just that Americans are used to it.”
I have no words for that statement; it is Skip Bayless-esque. I find it strange that an Australian sports journalist complains about the stoppages in one particular code, when cricket is still charging through and tennis has just finished up its season.
In another one of his minuscule paragraphs Phil says, “The Patriots touchdown again 30 seconds before half-time.”
I was never aware that they actually took off. Are the New England Patriots a spy plane? But what should we expect from someone who admits he knows “little about the NFL”.
Buzz also admits that an experienced journalist from The Sun newspaper was “more than happy to share his knowledge and explain anything I inquire about”. He either asked this Englishmen about the food and beverages, the security or the half-time show because of the 1178 words in his piece only 302 of them are dedicated to the actual game play.
Buzz dedicates entire sections of his article to the food and drink, telling us the prices of beverages. “About 15 Aussie dollars for a draft bear (sic)” he writes.
He dedicates another section to security telling us “Sniffer dogs check our backpacks”, well thanks for the exclusive on that one scoop. All of this information can be found by a simple Google search, or by following ESPN business analyst Darren Rovell on Twitter who posts this futile information to us on a daily basis.
It is evident that Phil did not prepare well for the trip. He left Sydney to head to Phoenix on Super Bowl media day so he missed out on interviewing players. Thankfully Eddie McGuire was there for Triple M, which does a fabulous job every year in sending someone to cover the event. Buzz then calls the biggest scandal of the NFL season ‘DeflateAGate’ instead of ‘DeflateGate’ which could have been avoided by a simple Google search.
I understand and appreciate Rothfield’s passion for the NRL, but to constantly mention it in an article about the Super Bowl is completely unnecessary. You are at an event that tens of thousands of Australians would kill to be at, you could at least leave your Cronulla Sharks jersey at home and not think about rugby league for five maybe six hours. It is not too much to ask of a journalist with your experience.
Australian NFL fans deserve better, they are passionate bunch. I know this because I am one and I was lucky enough to be at a pub in Darling Harbour to watch the game with hundreds of like-minded fans in an array of unique jerseys. During that day I spoke with a Patriots supporter who moved to Sydney from the United States seven years ago. He told me never in his time here in Australia had he experienced such a great atmosphere, “it felt like I was at a bar in Boston”.
So Buzz, if you’re lucky enough to go back to the Bay Area for Super Bowl 50 could you please at the very least do some research and give the game the respect it deserves. It’s more than a sideshow to satiate your curiosity. Your lack of care was more evident than your lack of knowledge.
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