Columnist Shiela Moss puts it this way: “The Super Bowl hype starts weeks early so that everyone can have an opportunity to stock up on beer, snacks, and T-shirts with the name of their favorite team or player. A few people actually watch to see the football game, but most people watch primarily to see the newly produced commercials.

“The Super Bowl is a prime time sporting event. It is considered family entertainment. People complain actively when they think prime time programming is not suitable for children, which make sponsors nervous. People do not complain about violence in football, however, especially if a member of the opposing team is being sacked.

“The reason that people like to watch the Super Bowl on television is because they cannot get tickets to the game. Tickets are distributed by a lottery method and not through regular ticket agents. However, tailgate parties are not allowed on Super Bowl parking lots, and that's the main reason for going to an actual game anyhow."

On the other front, Alan Ackerman take the position that there really is no other perspective regarding the Super Bowl than the man's perspective. It is, according to Ackerman, the celebration once each year of all things MAN. You see it especially in the commercials (which both columnists agree are the main attractions to the game); they are addressed to the men. They are not selling jewelry, household items or minivans. The emphasis is on pickup trucks, atrociously expensive flat screen TV sets, beer, cell phones and electronic toys. All based on the assumption that the American male spends his day thinking to himself, “If I could just get myself a big TV, a pickup truck, some beer, a Blackberry and a GPS, I would be all set.”

My own perspective can be summed up as, since the Cowboys aren't playing, who cares? After all, good bad or indifferent, the Cowboys have been my team since the beginning of my interest in football. I have little patience with the fair weather fan who gives up on their team when it doesn't go all the way. There is a sadness that comes with the Super Bowl. No football until September. There is, however, some theological content in the game of football. The assistant coaches are like the associate pastor and church staff. The coach, of course, is the pastor. Bench warmers are the inactive church members, blocking is standing in the door confessing to the pastor the things you should have confessed at the altar call. An extra point is your reward when you tell the preacher his or her sermon was too short. A draw play is what the children do during the message.

Whatever your perspective about football, start the big day in the church of your choice. Give at least a part of it to the Lord.