Recently my friends at ESPN decided to start World War IV by dredging up the subject of who is America's team? The only choices provided were the Green Bay Packers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Dallas Cowboys and the New England Patriots. The first two nano-seconds of the debate were civil but like most online debates between rabid fan bases it became so twisted that ESPN eventually took the discussion away.
My first question was who didn't see how that flying train wreck was gonna end? Prior to being yanked by ESPN I inserted a fifth option that no one (at least to my knowledge) brought up. My solution was to save the title of America's Team for groups/teams that actually represent America in international competitions like Olympic teams, World Cup teams and other international competitors. Unlike the National Football League, these international competitors actually fit the bill of America's team and unlike the NFL they have the majority of Americans.
The problem with choosing an NFL team as America's team is quite simple. That team only represents one out of thirty teams so no one football team can represent all of America. The other two ton gorilla in the room is the fact that the NFL does not compete internationally. One gentlemen trying to defend his selection of his home town favorite Pittsburgh Steelers asked If we had to send a team to compete internationally wouldn't we send the current world Champion? His was a very compelling point but the fact is if American football grew to the point where America were ever challenged we would likely send an all-pro team much like the NBA dream team.
The last question I posed was if your favorite team was not selected as America's team would you call the winner America's team? Of course most responded no because the Dallas Cowboys bestowed the title upon themselves for decades but no one outside of the media and Cowboys fans ever calls them America's team. That is proof positive that it really doesn't matter. Why argue over something no one will ever accept anyway?
When Michael Phelps and the US Swim team was kicking butt I was not screaming Baltimore! Baltimore! because Phelps is a local boy. I was screaming USA! USA! USA! because some things are much bigger than my local flavor. Even though they fell short I was rooting like heck for the USA Soccer team because they represent my country (America's team). Football is a great game but it fails in comparison to the nationalistic fervor that comes with international competition. The bottom line is when anyone is competing with USA on their jersey they are by definition America's team and that is bigger than the NFL.