Even a hundred and fifty years ago, football was popular because it provided a manly spectacle that lots of men needed, after the industrial revolution. We went from a culture that lived out doors and expanded the frontier and fought the Indians to a bunch of guys in offices. So football provided this jolt, a kind of exalted cult of masculinity. And it still does that. Perhaps even more so today.
Steve AlmondJust imagine what would happen if Obama grew a pair and in his last year in office just said, "Forget it. Football is just too violent and too damaging to the economically vulnerable communities in this country. And it normalizes violence and fosters intolerance, etc." I mean: that would be awesome.
Steve AlmondFootball offers us a sanitized spectacle of combat that has a clear resolution, which we need more and more today given our incoherent overseas "wars."
Steve AlmondThe single biggest reason I got my stories taken in various literary magazines - and I want to stress this - is because I refused to give up. Period.
Steve AlmondWhy are people so fascinated by how to eat Valomilks?โ She said, โWell, Dad, theyโre round and theyโre messy. But thatโs what makes them fun. Once we get older weโre not supposed to be messy anymore. But for one moment when youโre eating a Valomilk, itโs okay to be messy again.
Steve Almond