I find myself using the phrase “Strangely compelling” a lot lately. Today, it’s in reference to the World Poker Championships that NBC showed yesterday during the Superbowl pregame. As we were getting ready to go to my brother’s future in-laws’ place for the big game itself, I had the poker championships on. Had you told me that I’d be riveted, I’d have called you a liar. Turns out I’d have been wrong. I really enjoyed it. I guess it’s the popular thing in the states now, for whatever reason. I didn’t understand it until I sat down and watched it for myself though.

There was more entertainment in that hour than there was for the first hour of the superbowl. I find American football to be frustrating to watch, because interspersed with the hundreds of boring plays, there will be one or two athletic gems. It doesn’t compare to the CFL though. I think the difference is as simple as the difference between playing to win, and playing to make the other team lose. The NFL is very conservative in their play calling, preferring to wait patiently for the other team to make a mistake. The CFL style is to force the issue, and make your own players make plays. Part of it is the bigger field, and part of it is the other differences in the rules.

Simpson’s quote of the day: “D’oh, D’oh, D’oh, I mean, Woohoo!” - Homer