Peyton, the Seahawks and instant analysis

by. Anthony Demangone

Like many of you, I tuned in to watch the Superbowl on Sunday. It was the classic one-sided blowout. Almost from the start.

Driving into work Monday morning, I could already hear it begin…the instant analysis. 

  • This Seahawks defense should go down as one of the best in football history
  • I think this loss tarnishes Peyton Manning’s career legacy

And on, and on.

There seemed to be some need to take that one game and extrapolate into the future, as if nothing else had preceded it or would follow.

I don’t think football has this market cornered.

  • The national media stresses over the monthly jobs report, although most are revised after the fact. Individual reports are often very misleading.   But the release of the report is data, something to hang a story on.
  • You see it our elections.  During a debate, or on the campaign trail, a candidate put his or her foot in his or her mouth. With cameras on them 24/7, this shouldn’t be a surprise. But the instant analysis kicks up, and his or her ability to run a country is suddenly on the table – all based on 5 seconds of this or that.

I’m guilty as well. A marketing cycle doesn’t start out on track. Or some unexpected hiccup takes place.  I stop and overanalyze. I can let something small cause me to question the big things.

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