“Carl’s Jr. $6 Burger Scoring Drive”

I’m watching the Oregon Ducks blow out the Utah State Aggies. It’s early in the second quarter, and the Ducks already have four touchdowns. Lots of scoring means lots of opportunities to reflect on the increasing commercialism of sports.

So, okay, it’s too bad that stadiums and bowl games have to be named for their sponsors now. It’s too bad that the Sugar Bowl can’t just be the Sugar Bowl, it has to be the Nokia Sugar Bowl, but I understand that. Stadiums and big events are expensive, and taxpayers may have better things to do with their money.

But a Carl’s Jr. $6 Burger Scoring Drive? In what way did Carl’s Jr. make the scoring drive possible? I am certain the players are not entirely fueled by such burgers. Maybe it’s just a way to say that Carl’s Jr. is underwriting some of the ordinary costs of televising the game, but it strikes me as very silly.*

And what is it with $6 burgers anyway? Why would a fast-food place want to advertise that it charges as much for burgers as a restaurant does? I am not grokking the concept.

* Like the new GSN show, Catch 21, in which some of the game pieces are sponsored by Best Foods mayonnaise and others by Burger King.

Last day of the pool

We spent extra time in the pool today, the last it's open 'til next June. Although it was fairly crowded, I did manage to spend some time just floating on my back, staring up at the pure blue sky. Restful. After: