First presidential debate or 'Monday Night Football'? The choice is yours, America
They'll put game-plans into action on Monday night, trying to anticipate one another's next move with an important victory at stake but the ultimate finish line still in the unpredictable distance.
Are we talking about the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump on Monday night? Or are we talking about Monday Night Football, Falcons vs. Saints in New Orleans?
We are, in fact, talking about both, which kick off, so to speak, right around the same time. This is indeed the most American of Mondays. So what's an American to do?
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You, like any rational person, have probably gotten your fill of election coverage by now. You might even be at your wits' end. It's only the future of the republic at stake here, and that can be stressful. Simply tuning it all out is very tempting.
But -- to borrow an old coaches' line -- now is the time to suck it up, beloved election-content consumer.
One debate does not an election make, as detailed here. But Monday night's Clinton-Trump tilt is a big, big, big, BIG, BIG deal. The race is currently a dead heat, according to Nate Silver, and the debate at Hofstra University is our first chance to see the candidates go toe-to-toe in what many smart people are saying is the most important election of our lifetimes.
That's all.
On the other hand, we have Saints-Falcons, two teams with a combined record of 1-3 in this NFL season that is still but a fledgling. It's the Mediocrity Bowl, with Nothing on the line.
So, we'll keep this brief: Don't watch that. Watch the debate. Be a citizen on this Monday night, America.
But, if you really can't make up your mind, there's catch: You can do both!
Monday Night Football will be broadcast on ESPN, but you can also stream it via the NFL Sunday Ticket or WatchESPN services. (The former requires a subscription, the latter cable login credentials.)
Meanwhile, the first presidential debate is being shown on virtually every platform known to humankind.
America, baby. Who says we can't have it all?
Sam Laird is Mashable's Senior Sports Reporter. He covers the wide, weird world of sports from all angles -- as well as occasional other topics -- from Mashable's San Francisco bureau. Before joining Mashable in November 2011, his freelance work appeared in publications including the New York Times, New York Times Magazine, Slam, and East Bay Express. Sam is a graduate of UC Berkeley and UC Santa Cruz, and basketball and burritos take up most of his spare time. Follow him on Twitter @samcmlaird.
