Crafting An Interesting Story From A Boring Game

Good morning! Did you watch the Super Bowl Sunday night? While the pundits predicted it would be a close game, they didn’t predict a defensive struggle between two high-powered offenses. Translation? The game was “meh” – the lowest scoring Super Bowl in NFL history. How do you craft a good story out of a boring game? My suggestion is to think about the person or audience you are speaking to and choose a topic they would appreciate.

Perhaps they are passionate about the lousy officiating that has plagued the playoffs. Then talk about the penalty on a Los Angeles Ram who made a terrific tackle. Instead of a big loss for the New England Patriots, the penalty gave them a first down. The rest of the game featured a striking absence of penalty calls. Now there’s a topic worth exploring.

Or, maybe your audience is into the statistical minutia of the game. Talk about how the game featured the longest punt in Super Bowl history by the Rams. The average kick broke the record with a tremendous roll. This came on their eighth consecutive possession ending with a punt. The Rams’ offense was stuck in neutral until some life showed in the fourth quarter, but their defense was good.

Sadly, even the ads were “meh,” weirdly featuring a lot of robots across many product lines. But if your friend likes robots, there’s your angle.

Audiences like food. Tell a story about any new additions to your Super Bowl feast. I shared with my boss, who is not a sports fan, that our family made Cauliflower Buffalo Wings – a vegetarian alternative using the florets as faux drumsticks, coated with Franks’ Red Hot (really tasty). That story led to him sharing that a family member is on a gluten free diet and would love to know the recipe. Score!

“There are no boring stories, only boring storytellers.” The way not to bore your audience is to tell stories they are interested in. Show your interest in them, share the memories that resonate, and create connections that last. And better luck to all of us for a more exciting game next year!