Post-Super Bowl Monday: The Next Great American Holiday

In our society, we crave days off. We're overworked, overweight, under appreciated and underpaid. More than ever, we are becoming a fractured culture here in the good ol' US of A, due to the economy, values and the amount of porn on the Internet. (On second thought, maybe we're not that fractured due to porn, but it takes up a lot of time...or doesn't if you really think about it. Ok, I'll stop.)

But if there is one event that brings everyone back together, no matter the age, race, ethnicity or social stature. It unifies our country and makes getting together with family and friends actually looked forward to. It's the NFL's annual orgy of color, flashing lights and violence: the Super Bowl. In case you didn't notice, it's become the greatest day in America that isn't officially recognized as a holiday.

Not since Christmas has such a single event brought together so many people in one unifying act. Between the food, the commercials, the bets and that little thing called the game, the NFL has created something that has struck a chord with the world in some respect no matter what teams are involved. Sunday, it was the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Arizona Cardinals and the game still drew a 42.1 overnight rating and a 65 share, just a few points down from last year's New England Patriots vs. New York Giants match-up.

(In case you forgot, the 2008 version of the big game had the drama of the Patriots going for a perfect record with an MVP quarterback and record setting offense at the helm. Yes, that would be the same Super Bowl we're trying to forget. Who won again?)

A team from Montana vs. a team from Guam could play and you'd still get interest and people watching. It's the Super Bowl...that's just what we do. Everyone knows it and understands what's at stake, even if they don't care about the outcome. It's like New Year's Eve in a lot of ways: everyone has some sort of plan and is doing something, even if that something is cracking a single PBR and eating some Beer Nuts.

The mainstream appeal is undeniable as the commercials and putting on the best party has turned into 'the game' for those that don't care about football. The economic impact is undeniable as anyone walking through a grocery store on the morning of the game can attest to. Finally, the game happening every year in undeniable. Rain or shine, the game has been played every year since 1967. That's 42 years straight—the definition of a tradition.

It is Super Bowl Sunday and that's why the Monday after should be the recognized day off for the people of America: a day of relaxation for those who celebrated too hard, a day of recovery for those fans who watched their team go down in defeat and a day of celebration for those who watched their team go onto victory.

It's been far too long since the federal government declared a new national holiday and this would be a great time to pick up the slack. For every Presidents Day or Columbus Day that are more about car sales than anything else, why not celebrate everything that the Super Bowl has become? It's right in front of our faces and you know it just like I do: the next great national holiday is here.

All that's left now is for the U.S. to make it happen. Until then, back to the porn.

Josh Nason - josh [at] smallwhiteball [com] - is the publisher and main writer of Small White Ball, an all-encompassing sports blog that began in 2007. If you're using any part of this post, please link back to www.smallwhiteball.com. Thank you!