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JIM SHARPE

Sharper Point: Does NFL stand for Not Freakin’ Likely (my kids will watch)?

It was a great Super Bowl on Sunday. But what was not so great was what took place on the field midway through the game, when the NFL completely fumbled.

Shakira, left, and Jennifer Lopez perform during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game be...

Shakira, left, and Jennifer Lopez perform during halftime of the NFL Super Bowl 54 football game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers Sunday, Feb. 2, 2020, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

(AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)

It was a great Super Bowl game Sunday. But what was not so great was what took place on the field midway through the game, when the NFL completely fumbled any chance at a coherent message about a woman’s place in this world.

First, the Kansas City Chiefs (of Missouri – not Kansas, like Donald Trump tweeted) beat the San Francisco 49ers (of California) in exciting style, 31-20.

The Chiefs’ quarterback, Patrick Mahomes, was every bit as good as he was supposed to be and pulled his team back from a fourth-quarter, 10-point deficit to beat the Niners.

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And there were some fun commercials to watch to go along with the fun game.

Bill Murray recreated scenes from his famous 1990s movie, “Groundhog Day,” for Jeep. And the spot was made satisfyingly complete with a Ned Ryerson appearance.

Our household favorite was Hyundai’s “Smaht Pahk” commercial starring John Krasinski, Chris Evans and Rachel Dratch. 

Our girls were fascinated with that spot because their mom is from Massachusetts, yet somehow doesn’t possess the Smaht Pahk accent – although my wife does say a couple of words weirdly. (I have to translate so they’ll understand that their mom is asking them if they’d like a certain citrus fruit when she offers them an “Ah-ringe.”)

Anyway, back to the game. As the time approached where I would normally get up to grab more chips, I realized that I had already eaten a year’s worth of carbohydrates and remained seated through the “Pepsi Super Bowl Halftime Show.”

The twice-as-long-as-normal, half-hour halftime. 

Boy, was I glad that my little girls had already lost interest and were playing upstairs.

Even though it meant missing Patrick Mahomes’ comeback, it meant they also missed Shakira and Jennifer Lopez shaking their moneymakers. And JLo’s scantily-clad crotch close-up where half of America got to judge her bikini wax job.

Hey, NFL, I’m no Bible-clutching prude … but c’mon! 

After you highlighted women empowered by their talent, hard work and intelligence (including the NFL’s first-ever female coach) you almost completely rubbed out that positive message by highlighting women who use their talent, hard work and a ton of sexuality to get ahead in this world. 

It’s already impossible to take my girls to games (compliments of all the drunk idiots in your stands) – but now I can’t even share my love of the game with my kids on TV because of NFL-sanctioned, nearly naked, rhythmic rumps and stripper-pole routines. 

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Thanks, guys.

Jim Sharpe Host of Arizona's Morning News

Jim Sharpe has worked in and around the media since he was an Arizona high school student. He’s been a talk show host; a program director; a media liaison and consultant for political campaigns; and an award-winning journalist (including being… Read more

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