This week’s feature on football as a kind of secular religion in the South has been a lot of fun. Years ago, back at good ole North Pontotoc, I played football. I was small and fast and I think in the all years I played we won about four games. We had fun, though.
Matt Wyatt, a former Mississippi State quarterback who is quoted in the story, really had a lot of good things to say. He’s deeply religious and there’ s this great old story that he’ll tell, if you press him, about Coach Jackie Sheryl (hope I spelled that right). The story is that coach once said that if Wyatt studied the play book as hard as he studied the Bible, the offense would be a lot better off – or something to that effect. Matt tells it with good humor and spirit. Nice guy, old Matt. Hope I didn’t get him in trouble quoting that he sometimes goes out to The Grove with his new wife’s family. He was good enough to talk with me as he was preparing to leave for Atlanta, last week, to cover a MS State game on the radio.
The Rev. Julian Fagan was a good sport, too. His first words when I called him were, “Do you know what you’re getting into?” Being a serious guy he wanted to make sure this all wasn’t some kind of joke, or some frivolous article poking fun at either religion or football. I assured him and after he warmed to the idea he really had some insightful things to say. Very measured, very articulate man. Very lawyerly, I’d say. That makes sense because he’s a lawyer.
Although some people might be offended by the idea of comparing football to religion, I’m sure that I’m on sound footing, at least from a cultural standpoint. A number of serious books are out there, very respectful, intelligent books, like “Game Day and God: Football, Faith and Politics in the American South” by Dr. Eric Bain Selbo, a professor at Western Kentucky University, not to mention Dr. Charles Reagan Wilson’s book, which I mention in the article. My wife took some classes under Dr. Wilson while we were at Ole Miss. Good man. His comments really helped me structure the whole article. I’m deeply indebted to him.
What wound up on the cutting room floor this time? I did a little segment on the ceremonial or ritual violence of football and how that has religious connotations. Dr. Wilson had some interesting things to say. So did Matt Wyatt, who used to host a segment on the WTVA News titled “The Southern Sportsman” – hunting, fishing, that whole bit. The connection I wanted to make was between the Southern fascination with hunting, a kind of sanctioned, ritual of bloodletting, and the obvious violence in the Christian story and how we reenact that through Easter Passion Plays, etc. Football also has its ritual violence. Like Wyatt told me, its kind of the same reason people go to a NASCAR race. There’s always that potential, although we don’t like to admit it, that somebody’s going to get clobbered. It makes us feel more alive, perhaps, to court that kind of vicarious danger. There’s definitely something religious about that, although not perhaps exactly the way most Christians would think of “religion.” Another subject for another day, perhaps. That’s perhaps too racy for the pages of a newspaper. There just wasn’t room for that extra material. Readers will notice how long this story was in the paper. Also, that would have been opening a kind of Pandora’s Box, I think, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to go there.
For the last couple of days I’ve been trying to pull together comments from people of faith who work in the financial industry about the big crisis. The Rev. Tom Groome, who once worked for the Federal Reserve, has been helpful. Also the Rev. John Rakestraw, a pastor and CPA in New Albany, has helped me. I got a couple of other hooks in the water but if readers know of anyone who might be a good source on this topic, I welcome their recommendations.
Also on my radar screen. I want to get back to my “church profiles” that I started last month. These would be short histories of area churches, with just a few comments interspersed. The blessing of the animals in the liturgical traditions is coming up soon, too. I’m kind of an animal guy.
Ok, the real reporters are busy with the debate tonight. As I write this, Friday evening, the television is playing behind me. Danza and a few others are keeping an eye on the type of coverage the South and Ole Miss are getting in the national media. Sounds like someone is on the phone with Thomas and Todd who are out with their cameras in Oxford. Very exciting. I like sitting here and just watching the newsroom, sometimes. When there’s a big event like this, and the phones are ringing – like on Fridays when football is taking place all around – its just an exciting environment. Feels like I’m right at nerve center, as Hunter Thompson said.
I’d love to go see my wife tonight but I’ve waited too late. Alas. Perhaps in the morning. Tonight, I think I’ll hang in Pontotoc. Grab myself something unhealthy to eat and enjoy sitting still for a while and watching the debate. I’m really looking forward to it.
Be well. Peace,
Galen
