"The National Foodball League" Project Continues

by Mike Lunsford, GGR Editor-in-Chief

Before I get started with Miami on my American history and food journey known as the “National Foodball League,” bear with me as I go off on a tangent for a bit.

This is the first “Foodball” article of 2021! “New year, new Mike?” Nope. Same ol’ me. The articles have evolved as the series continues, so I wanted to take the opportunity to reset expectations.

The whole reason I started this project was because the Washington Football Team had a racist name and their organization treated women who worked for them like scum. I tried a “serious” logo change but it was hard to put a noble face on racism, mistreatment of the Native American culture and disrespect of women. So what is something everyone likes? Food. Not only that, I could do something very few teams in football actually do: have the team logo and nickname actually have something to do with the city’s history. I could talk about two of my favorite things: food and history.

The first few articles were pretty light though. A mention here and there when talking about D.C. and the racist name their football team used to have. When I delved into Philly and New York, I didn’t really discuss any racial history or the way the original inhabitants were cast off their own land to make way for white settlers. After that though, I have made a point to not ignore the racism, mistreatment of the original inhabitants of this land, or any of the other ugly bits that this country was built on, in fact I’ve made sure to point them out. That was not a passing craze, I intend to do it every time I run across it. This is what these articles will be because these sorts of things should not be glossed over. That being said, it doesn’t mean that I can’t still write about some incredible stories about amazing food. Look at Tampa for example! There was an entire city, founded by immigrants there that created some amazing food. Same with Jacksonville! An immigrant population has thrived in the city and built a chain of restaurants that are recognized by the New York Times as the signature dish of the city.

So what can you expect from these articles going forward? I will acknowledge the truth about our country’s history but also find the amazing wins that this diverse country has created. And on top of that? I’ll talk about amazing, unique food. And to wrap it all together, I’ll have some fun making football team logos based on those foods and that city’s sports history.

Initially, I had planned to take a good bit of a break after the Tampa article and start fresh with Miami a week or two into January. But here we are, two days into the month, two days into a new year and I’m banging away at my keyboard. What inspired me? Anthony Bourdain.

I’m a big believer that sometimes the universe nudges you into action, reminding you that what you’re doing is the right thing. Last night as I was flipping through my various streaming services hoping to find something to watch, I ran across Parts Unknown. If you’re unfamiliar with the show, it was hosted by Anthony Bourdain on CNN and it’s easily one of my favorite shows of all time. He unfortunately died in 2018 (I wrote an editorial about it if you want to read it). His death hit me in the gut as I idolized the dude. When something irks me, I try to write or speak with the type of acerbic wit and unabashed truth that flowed so easily from him. I said it in one of the first “What to Watch” articles on this site:

…More importantly, the guy actually gives a damn about his fellow man, which doesn't come through in many of his contemporaries' shows.

His current project, Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown is more than the simple "here's tasty food and where you can eat it." Bourdain takes a simple concept of finding great food all over the world and turns it into a master's class in history, geography and social commentary. You learn about culture, religion, and current events all while seeing Bourdain crush meal after meal of awe-inspiring food. On top of that, he makes a point of showing you why the place he's visiting matters.

Because it was so raw and painful, I stopped watching the show. I couldn’t bear it. I felt that if I did start watching it again, eventually I would watch all the episodes and somehow that would make his death real. He isn’t gone if I don’t finish the series. But last night, when Parts Unknown popped up, you know what episode was ready to play? Miami. Alright universe. Point made. You inspired this venture in the first place, Mr. Bourdain. The least I can do to honor your memory is get off my ass and keep writing. Have the balls to not shy away from the dirty parts of our history just like you would’ve. No reservations.

RIP Chef.

Thank you for taking the time to read this “resetting of expectations.” Will these articles be serious at times? Yeah. I think we all need to know the dirty deeds often swept under the rug when it comes to our country’s history. Knowledge is power and we can ensure that those sorts of deeds are left in the past, never to be repeated again but first we have to accept they happened. It will be a learning venture for us all. You’ll learn about these great cities across our nation, the awesome food that’s distinctive to those areas, and get to see my mediocre digital art skills continue to improve.

Let’s talk about Miami. Click on the pic to proceed.