And then there was "The Catch". Surprised that wasn't mentioned.

Football epitomizes the US. A little thing like weather does not stop a game. What is frostbite compared to trouncing your opponent and scoring six big ones? Rules? Sure, we got rules and we follow them religiously, unless we can get away with breaking a few of them here and there to accomplish or goals. But hey, if we get caught, we will pay the price. Fifteen yards or what ever. Through all the mayhem there is a sort of honor, pride and poise (yeah Raiders!)* that comes shining through it all. In the end it's just for the glory or the chance at it next year!

* That would be the Oakland Raiders of Daryl Lamonica through Ken Stabler period. The mess Al Davis has in there now is a far cry from those original miracle boys and their coach, John Madden.