More than 90 million people will watch the Super Bowl — give or take a few. Among these few will be Juliet Hope who intends to cook dinner and watch Netflix, and Regina Lynch-Hudson and her husband, Courtland Bivens, who will spend the evening working on their home’s “renovation/refresh.” She will also work while Bivens will be tasked with his usual Sunday night “honey-do list,” she says.
And, there are others, such as Alisha Henderson, who would watch the game — but only if the Falcons were playing. “Truthfully, I would be getting into the hype if it were the Falcons,” she says. “I don’t even know who’s in it and I’m not even going to think about it this year. If the Falcons were playing, I’d be in all my gear and going to a party. I’m a Falcon fanatic!”
Peachtree City resident Jessica Hunter, and her husband, Scott, have a split household, but it’s not as stressful as a Bulldog-Yellow Jacket one. “My husband loves sports and is very competitive. He likes to watch, focus and concentrate on the game,” she says. While he’s watching the game, Hunter will be “riding my Peloton, doing laundry, just things I would normally do on a Sunday. I’m leaving him alone. I have no interest in it.”
Another split household where a compromise was reached was with Georgia football fan Steve Burnett of Roswell. “I didn’t really care much about watching until former Georgia Bulldog Matthew Stafford’s team won,” he says. “Luckily my wife is happy going to brunch at Little Alley (Steak) on Sunday. Champagne for her, and I get to watch the game Sunday night. It’s a win-win.” There must be others who made a similar deal as General Manager Youssef Chakrani says that they have “more reservations than usual” for Super Bowl Sunday at the Buckhead location of the upscale eatery.
Becky Vaughan, a history teacher, says being a football fan is “not my jam at all and I pretty much am going to avoid the game at all costs,” she says. It’s not that she’s against football or sports, but “I think there are other things out there that deserve that level of attention and intensity. It’s a game, and it’s a game that you’re not even playing.”
Bivens, a director of aerospace engineering for a research institution, has a philosophical issue with the game. “Modern football… distracts citizens from their lots in life and provides a societal tool to ease the human capacity for blood lust,” he says. “The sport creates wealth for a selected few — the NFL owners.”
His wife says she wouldn’t have married a “sports guy.” She also believes there are “more important, more inspiring things to do with my time. I’m not going to be held captive sitting for any period of time doing something that doesn’t inspire or improve my life at the end of the day.”
Riverdale resident Hep Wilson, a retired owner of a heating and air conditioning company, also is not watching the game, nor any NFL game, and hasn’t since the Colin Kaepernick situation. He’s not officially boycotting it, just not watching. “I’ll probably watch Netflix instead of the Super Bowl because I think the whole system and culture of the NFL is racially biased and culturally insensitive.”
So, if you’re not watching Netflix or going about your regular routine, what can you do to not watch the Super Bowl?
A Room Less Crowded
There are many restaurants where getting a reservation can sometimes be difficult or just too crowded, but there may be a little more availability on Super Bowl Sunday as some of the usual customers are otherwise occupied. It’s the same with popular food halls — such as Chattahoochee Food Works, Krog Street Market and Ponce City Market — where even though some of the restaurants will have the game on, they might be a little less crowded.
Play your own game
There are lots of sporting activities where you can be your own champion. Try bowling at Midtown Bowl or navigate crazy tech-infused mini golf courses at Puttshack, located in the Interlock community in the West End. Although they have plenty of televisions, you can stay, play golf and eat the night away; they’re open until midnight.
Credit: Jay Thomas
Credit: Jay Thomas
Not far from Puttshack is Topgolf Atlanta-Midtown where you can perfect your golf game in climate-controlled hitting bays with different challenges. The Super Bowl may be a bit hard to escape because Topgolf has more than 200 HDTVs, but you can still enjoy the restaurant and sitting around the fire pit. Midtown Bowl, 1936 Piedmont Circle NE, Atlanta. 404-874-5703, midtownbowl.com; Puttshack, 1115 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta. puttshack.com/atlanta; Topgolf Atlanta-Midtown, 1600 Ellsworth Industrial Blvd. NW, Atlanta. 404-475-4000, topgolf.com.
See a play, a concert or have some laughs
Several local theaters companies will have performances that Sunday. Although some end early, but stop for an after-performance bite and you’ll still miss a big chunk of the game.
Credit: Greg Mooney
Credit: Greg Mooney
The Horizon Theatre has two performances of “Every Brilliant Thing,” on Super Bowl Sunday, at 1 and 5 p.m. Directed by co-artistic director Jeff Adler, the play features three actors who deal with chronic depression only to find life’s small joys. $32-$35. 183 Austin Ave. NE, Atlanta. 404-584-7450, horizontheatre.com.
The classic “Romeo and Juliet,” will be performed at 2:30 Feb. 13 at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse. $20-$40. 499 Peachtree St. Atlanta. 404-874-5299, shakespearetavern.com.
The Atlanta Ballet has a 2 p.m. performance of the Russian classic, “Firebird.” In addition, the production will feature a world premiere from Atlanta Ballet’s choreographer-in-residence Claudia Schreier. $25-$139. Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. 770-916-2800, atlantaballet.com.
Fireboy DML, a Nigerian singer who describes his sound as “Afro-Life,” will perform at 8 p.m. at the Buckhead Theatre. $101.50-$147. 3110 Roswell Road, Atlanta. 404-843-2825, thebuckheadtheatreatl.com.
The Best of Atlanta Comedy Showcase will take place at 5 p.m. at the Laughing Skull Lounge in Midtown. Eight comedians will each take 10 minutes to elicit everything from giggles to belly laughs. $25-$45. 878 Peachtree St., Atlanta. 678-701-6114. laughingskulllounge.com.
Singer-songwriter Andrew James and special guest star indie folk artist Logan Pilcher will perform at Decatur’s Eddie’s Attic from 6-8:30 p.m. $15. 515 N. McDonough St., Decatur. 404-377-4976, eddiesattic.com.
Credit: John Spink
Credit: John Spink
The Great Atlanta Coin Show will be at the Hilton Atlanta/Marietta Hotel & Conference Center from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. for collections to browse, buy, sell and trade with dealers. There will be more than 35 tables with collectible and investment coins, currency and bullion (gold, silver and platinum) along with jewelry and collecting supplies. Free. 500 Powder Springs St., Marietta. 770-772-4359, atlcoin.com.
Petr Janda will bring his Czech and Slovak rock music to the Sweetwater Bar and Grill in Duluth with the doors opening at 6 p.m. Janda will perform 7-11:30 p.m. Although he will perform solo, Janda and his band, Olympic, are well known in Europe and even opened for the Rolling Stones in Prague. $30. 2920 Old Norcross Road, Duluth. 770-921-5566, sweetwaterbarandgrill.com.
Sweet Baby James, a tribute concert to James Taylor, will take place 3-4:45 p.m. at the Earl and Rachel Smith Strand Theatre in Marietta. $30-$60. 117 N. Park Square, Marietta. 770-293-0080, earlsmithstrand.org.
`
About the Author
