Today's the end of the NFL season and in a few hours, we'll know who the champion is for 2023. And in about a week, we will hardly remember who that is and most of us won't care.  It's the new way we are about most everything now, the world is a new place over the past number of years and even the mighty NFL can't escape it.

Years ago today was all about football. The men, the game, the game plan, the offense, defense...blah blah..  Man, who cares?  Today has become about - today.  The pageantry, the music, the halftime show, the anthem, the TV, the betting, commercials, the party's and the food!  And this year who's dating Taylor Swift, whose very presence today at the game will more than likely ensure the largest TV audience ever to watch this TV show.  And that's what it is, a TV show.  It's not a game anymore.

Quick, who won the World Series last year?  NBA?  Last year's NFL champ?  Stanley Cup?  Indy 500, Daytona 500? Kentucky Derby?  I thought so, all that stuff is not near as important as it once was to fans or just people.  If the Browns were there today, we would feel differently. But they're not, so we really don't care. And that's the way it works now in sports.  Your team in?  You're in.  Your team out?  You're way out.  And the NFL can't run from it anymore.  If you live in Kansas City or San Francisco you're vested. If not, have you seen the new Doritos commercial? 

When the NFL lost the Lions from the playoffs, they lost the only real interesting football story they had left, as they would have garnered a lot of interest, as would the Browns if they could ever get there.  Do you care if Pat Mahomes wins another title?  Yawn.... Brock Purdy is a nice story as the last guy picked in the draft, but not nice enough. Most fans will tune in today to eat a pile of food, see friends they haven't seen in a while, catch Reba and Usher, and pound a few beers.  Others will run into the room to get a glimpse of Taylor going crazy over a great play her guy makes.

And tomorrow unless the officials totally screw up this game, the only thing we will really be talking about will be the commercials and what Jason Kelce was wearing after his brother scored a TD.  This is the new reality of this day.  People eating, using their phones, and waiting for two things. The halftime show with Usher then Gronk trying to kick a field goal again.  And second, more people checking to see it their wagers and betting parlays are paying off from the office pool or their betting site.

This is 2024. Stadiums everywhere are taking seats out so people can mill and walk around or simply stand at sporting events.  Stadium food and drink is pretty boujee and today it has become far more important to say you were there  - than acutally watching the game.  And that has transcended to your house too.  Our big football parties are simply social events now, and no one by and large really cares who wins today.  The TV's  are just kinda on and hey, everyone hold it down, the commercials are on.

I love football, but I don't care one bit who wins today.  Because when we're out, or when the "story"  is out, I'm out too. I'll just be downing ribs and wings.

Next year Browns / Lions?   Now that's a story.  But I don't think Taylor would fly in for that one.