Final: St. Louis 24, San Francisco 24. There are ties in football and I love them, as we last saw on Nov. 11 last year.
On record, there have been 274 ties in NFL history, but just 18 of them have come since 1974 when overtime was first implemented into the regular season.
The results since have been our opinions drastically changing about how we perceive ties in football.
Although in some sports we see them as customary, the mere thought of neither team winning a football game seems like more of a parody than a reality.
Competing for 75 minutes without a winner has to be frustrating, but of course, a team doesn’t lose either. Evenly competitive teams can leave questions on the field regarding strengths and weaknesses, though players are left without answers and fans are left to question whether their lucky jerseys really are “lucky.”
In contrast, a game like the Rams and 49ers’ match-up last year left St. Louis ecstatic to escape Candlestick Park without losing, but left San Francisco in disarray for allowing what was considered to be an easy divisional win become anything but that.
No matter what your favorite team is, I’ve come to realize that most NFL fans either hate ties or don’t know they exist, and I enjoy hearing the reasons about how they feel.
Rowdy, arrogant players with their touchdown dances and the fans that emulate them have made football considered to be the manliest, most competitive American sport.
Sports like soccer and hockey, where scoring isn’t guaranteed, are more accepting to neutrality, while football ties leave the former high school linebacker screaming at his TV wondering why the game was cut short.
And that’s exactly why I love ties in football, because they’re so unusual fans freak out whenever they see one.
Teams are left undistinguished and people are reminded why the NFL is the most competitive American sports league.
The debate whether a draw should even be a potential result is forgotten within a few weeks because, in the big picture, ties make next-to-no difference. It’s funny how an extra number at the end of a team’s record can leave football fans feeling uneasy.
cy574613@ohiou.edu
