Sensei Talks  

It’s hard not to hear about football this time of year. This used to annoy me, but I just found out that quarterback’s are sexy. Now I say, it’s hard not to think about football! Evidently football is all about the quarterback. Allen Salkin of the New York Times asked the question…Why is the quarterback the sex symbol and what is it that makes him appeal to men and women alike?

Pepper Schwartz, “sociologist, professor, and author of books about sexuality” says “All quarterbacks have the potential to be sex symbols…the quarterback is a thinking athlete…that mixture of descriptions has sexual connotations...highly different qualities that produce an explosive punch of eroticism.” Wow! This is great stuff! You even get to pick your favorite! Do you like the steady rock/athlete who marries his high school sweetheart or the playboy/athlete whose love life we can follow in the gossip columns?

Evidently it all started with Joe Namath. “Sonny Werblin, former television executive and co-owner of the Jets in the late 1960’s promoted Mr. Namath as a sex symbol and the era of the quarterback as celebrity was born.” Back in the day, his predecessor was Johnny Unitas. Then Roger Staubach, Joe Montana and John Elway [Oops I thought he was a golfer].

Eli Manning and Tom Brady are the current flavors. Who would you guess will lead his team to victory this year? I just found out lots of people try to guess! I’m paying careful attention from now on. What gives these guys their power? Is it something they have always had, or is it recognition that turns it on and enhances it? Can you guess which quality [steady or studly] they possess by watching them play …on the field …? I will be watching from now on, won’t you?

- Nancy