Sarah McCall ’26

by Sarah McCall ’26 on February 12, 2026

Happy February, Friars, and congratulations to the Patriots for losing the Super Bowl! I really enjoy watching the Super Bowl every year because it offers a high-intensity game (usually), an intricate musical performance, and interesting commercials. I also enjoy the Super Bowl because it brings people together. Friends and family gather in living rooms, bars, and basements all around the country for four hours, watching two of the best teams in the National Football League, making friendly bets ranging from who the Super Bowl winner will be to what color the Gatorade poured on the head coach will be. The Super Bowl brings out genuine and authentic community. 

The Olympics bring out this community as well. People come together with intense pride and spirit for their country, watching the best athletes compete in the widest array of sporting events. Especially in a time where everything is divided, an authentic feeling of community is found less and less often. Both the Super Bowl and Winter Olympics happened this past weekend. In theory, it was a wonderful opportunity to feel pride for our country and its athletes. However, the tradition of community surrounding these two events has been overshadowed by the unrest happening in the United States. The selection of Bad Bunny as the halftime performer led to a counter-performance organized by Turning Point USA. A once unifying performance became divisive, limiting the positive impact of the Super Bowl on our community.

Additionally, Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents were sent to Milan along with Team USA. Tension has grown exponentially in the U.S. surrounding ICE’s presence in cities domestically. Therefore, sending these agents abroad has only heightened this tension. It also makes it impossible for many Americans to enjoy the Olympics. 

While I do find issue with blind pride in anything, including the U.S., I also find it dangerous to be extremely dismissive of America and American identity. There are countless aspects of American politics and culture that I find to be harmful. That does not mean that I do not find pride in living in America. The best way to appreciate this country, or any community you are in, is to recognize the flaws and determine how to remedy them. Under normal conditions, I appreciate this aspect of the Olympics and the Super Bowl. I can spend most of the year focused on what needs to change to make this country better, but while I am rooting for Team USA or the Philadelphia Eagles, I am able to be proud of the country I live in. That is the balance that I want again. The divisive and polarizing world we live in now is not a suitable environment for positive change. I am scared for the future, but I hope we will continue to find things that unite us over party lines, even if those things change.