The Sports View

By Sun Advocate

Well, I’ve said it before and I guess I’ll say it again. Maybe next year.
After watching my Raiders play in the first ever Superbowl in my recent memory, I found myself disappointed to say the least.
It has taken the Raiders 19 years to return to the big game. I don’t know about the rest of the Oakland fans out there, but I sure don’t want to wait another 19 years. That would put me at 43 years of age. I’m still young and I would savor the moment when my team claimed a championship ring. I don’t want to wait until my mid life to witness this. Call me impatient, but gees let’s get it done.
For those who sat on the sofa this past Sunday stuffing themselves full of chips and pizza, they all saw the embarassment which occured in San Diego.
Therefor, I am not going to waste my time recapping the pathetic showing from Oakland. Rather, I decided to explore the idea of the possiblilty of lengthening the final showdown of the season in the NFL.
Now some may say that I only bring this idea up because my beloved team lost the biggest game of the year. That is incorrect. I bring this up because too much football just isn’t enough.
It seems somewhat silly that almost every professional sport in existence has a final showdown which spans over the course of at least five days.
The NBA has a lengthened playoff season as teams from each division compete in several games to determine which two teams will advance to the finals. Then, once the two teams have been selected, the title comes down to the best team who wins three out of five games.
The World Series is structured quite similarly as teams battle it out over the course of several days before a true winner is determined.
Now, I am not saying that the NFL needs to lengthen the playoff schedule by five games in each round.
Rather, why not lengthen the Superbowl to three games. Not only will this give Americans the chance to pig out three separate days a year without feeling the least bit guilty, but it will also allow football fans the opportunity to watch their favorite sport for an extra two weeks.
I think that the Raiders proved this week that any team can have a bad day. A bad day, this was more like a disaster for the men in black. Anyway, a three day final tournament of sorts would make for an interesting series.
It seems as if each year, the same scenerio plays out during the Superbowl. One team enters the match up with an outstanding record. The numbers from the regular season speak for itself. But as the ball is kicked and action begins, things just seem to go down the drain.
With a best of three games series, each team would be able to perform at their best and if one team has an off night, well there is still hope for them to win the ring. Boy, how nice would that be?
It just seems funny that almost every sport in existence has come to rely on a series format championship.
Why doesn’t the NFL jump on board and do the same. After all, August is a long ways away and I’m already having withdrawls.
Now it seems highly unlikely that the NFL will change the championship format on account of this editorial, but hey, it sure feels good to let out some frustration in a delicate fashion.
All I can say is maybe next year. After all, I’m bound to be right sometime. I hope.