Who Should Progressives Root for in the Super Bowl?
| Tue Jan. 27, 2009 12:47 PM PST
So you're not a Pittsburgh Steelers fan and you're not an Arizona Cardinals fan, but you've been invited to a Super Bowl party and you need to know who to root for. Before you pick the Cardinals because you're a progressive and you love underdogs, I urge you to consider a few facts.
Dan Rooney, the 76-year-old owner of the Steelers and a lifelong Republican, endorsed Obama and stumped for him not just in Pennsylvania but in the surrounding swing states. He did so despite the fact that Obama's promise of increased taxes on the wealthy forced Rooney's family to restructure the ownership of the team. Head coach Mike Tomlin is a vocal Obama supporter. At a recent press conference he said, "Barack is selling hope. And I'm buying." Steelers players have spoken out about how they hope to win the Super Bowl in part because it would mean they would be the first championship sports team to visit Obama's White House. (Also worth noting: Barack Obama grew up a Steelers fan and is rooting for the Steel Curtain on Sunday.)
The Bidwell family, longtime owners of the Cardinals, are major Republican donors. Their donor history can be found on opensecrets.org, but to save you time, I'll point you to a couple links. The LA Times reports that team President William Bidwell and Vice President Michael Bidwell each gave $50,000 to Republicans this past election season. Politico adds that as fundraisers for McCain, they bundled upwards of $350,000 for the Republican presidential candidate.
Mull that over as you tip back your favorite adult beverage on Sunday evening. I think your choice is clear.
Update: More proof! Arizona's starting quarterback Kurt Warner appeared in an advertisement opposing stem cell research in 2006.
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Comments
More importantly - Pittsburgh is a legitimate city enjoying a renaissance. Phoenix is NOT a city - it is a "suburban development zone" consisting primarily of strip malls, chain stores, and gated tract home sectors. This type of "place" should not be rewarded or supported.
Submitted by Eric Ferguson (not verified) on Tue Jan. 27, 2009 1:43 PM PST.
Sports is about geography. Arizonans should root for the Cardinals. Pennsylvanians can either root for the Steelers, or hope they lose since they aren't the Eagles.
I can't help rooting for the underdog. Go Cardinals!
There are no blue teams, or red teams, ... wait, there is a red team this time. And a black and yellow team. Never mind.
Eric,
Perhaps you would be persuaded if you saw what an adorable old man Dan Rooney is?
http://media.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/photo/2008/04/14/PH200804...
How can you resist??
Don't forget about the Rooney Rule (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rooney_Rule), the NFL's affirmative action-esque policy championed by Dan Rooney. It requires all teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching positions.
Go Steelers!
Gary, you are a horrible person. You should only root for injuries if the Ravens are playing.
As for the Rooney Rule fans out there, also note that the Steelers were the first team in the NFL to hire a black assistant coach, and the first to hire a black coordinator. His name? Tony Dungy.
Also, if you're a natural underdog supporter, consider that the Steelers represent Pittsburgh, a city that is perpetually an underdog. A football franchise that for decades has represented class, character, and stability has anchored that city through good times and bad.
The Cardinals can lay no such claim in Arizona.
Jon,
you know I love you, and you raise good enough points that I ALMOST considered supporting the Steelers (even though you and I know how much I hate them).
That said, to call the Steelers, with their 5 Super Bowl rings and 2:1 odds to win, an underdog.... is a bit of a stretch.
Jon,
I love your political pieces but you've gone too far with your Ravens hating. Rooting for injuries . . . ya won the other week, were the better team, and made it to the Superbowl. Congrats. Let it die now buddy. Don't be a poor sport and a bad winner. Nobody with any conscience liked seeing that McGahee hit or would hope that upon another player. And the Steelers ain't underdogs and ownership's political persuasions should have no impact upon what team you want to win.
Go Cards!
I was all set to root for Arizona, even though I knew the facts about Rooney, Tomlin, PA (blue) vs AZ (red), and of course the media's favorite far right fundamentalist, Kurt Warner. I dunno, just was.
But based on this post and the comments, I'll reconsider. Won't be sure until the game starts.
However, any Super Bowl without a team owned by Jerry Jones, Al Davis, or Dan Snyder will be a joy to watch.
Submitted by Reality (not verified) on Fri Jan. 30, 2009 3:06 PM PST.
You guys can't be serious... Progressives? That's hilarious. thanks MoJoke.
Wow this is asinine....
Relying on a political/talk website to tell you who to root for in the Super Bowl...kinda sad if you actually heed the advice based on them offering it alone.
And all football teams don't contribute to the corporate culture of consumption that the goliath NFL is emblematic of in the American sports arena. Righttttt......
Just watch the game, and root for whoever you want to. Or, if you don't like football o the NFL, don't watch it and/or don't root for anyone.
You could also lend yourself some credibility, Mr. Stein, if you were to spell the name of the Cardinals' owner correctly.
Bill BidWILL. Not BidWELL.
Thank you and the subject
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Fri Sep. 25, 2009 10:20 PM PDT.
Thank you and the subject site's outstanding
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