TheIronColonel
Hall of Fame
It's a cool, brisk Saturday morning here in Columbus (it got into the 50's last night!). As usual I woke up at 5:00 AM, because I am a man of particular habits. My body told me that it was a fall Saturday - it could feel the change in the weather slowly rolling in as I took the dogs for their morning walk. I came home to a kitchen smelling of coffee, and took the time to do the dishes.
On Saturdays in the fall, football is my religion. I mean this in a very literal sense; a man needs rituals. Some people find comfort in the trappings of a church, synagogue, or mosque. I find it in college football. It is a transcendent religious experience; it lasts only a few short weeks, but it reliably returns the same time every year. It gives a sense of belonging. Regardless of our alma mater or favorite team, we're all in this for the same reason. We all watch to see the spectacle, to experience the same highs and lows. Our differences are small and sectarian, but our similarities are strong and deeply ingrained. We all embrace the autumn because it marks the return of a joyous tradition worthy of celebration.
I spend the entire offseason looking forward to the fall, but not just because I need a fix of football. If that were the case, I would just record games and watch those. No, I need the fall. I need the weather to turn cold, so that I can cook all day for my guests. I need the leaves to change, so I can smell the must and see the color.
The fall means family. Growing up, my father worked too much. We didn't really get to interact as much as I would have liked. Now that he's retired, the fall is our time together. We can watch football all day, regardless of who is playing. It simply doesn't matter. It's our time together, and it's even better if the Bucks are on TV (or his alma mater, Wisconsin...or both!). Our dogs love this time, too, because they can sunbathe on the living room floor. Some might call such passive engagement slothful and lazy, that it is ill-conceived bonding. They miss the meaning, though: it's not about winning or losing or high definition TVs. It's about finding an excuse to do the things together that everyday life conspires to prevent. How many of us can find the time to talk and enjoy the company of friends and family for 6-8 hours each week?
College football marks the return of food, too. The summer brings a wonderful bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, but the fall harvest and slaughter bring a new pallet of flavors: tomatoes, potatoes, and squash for hardy stews. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. Getting up at 5 to start smoking a brisket or dicing a roast for chili extends the joy of college football into the wee hours of the morning. New brews arrive, too: traditionally, in the autumn the heavy weight lagers begin to roll out from their summer caves. It's still that way in my home.
More than anything, college football is about tradition and ritual. It IS the autumn. In modern society, many rituals and holidays have lost their meaning. This is the way of things: they change over time. Christmas now is not Christmas from 100 years ago. College football, however, is our tradition now. It gives added significance to the season and added reasons to be with our families and friends. It may not always be this way, but it is now. And my body says its autumn, and my calendar says its Saturday.
So, where is my college football?
On Saturdays in the fall, football is my religion. I mean this in a very literal sense; a man needs rituals. Some people find comfort in the trappings of a church, synagogue, or mosque. I find it in college football. It is a transcendent religious experience; it lasts only a few short weeks, but it reliably returns the same time every year. It gives a sense of belonging. Regardless of our alma mater or favorite team, we're all in this for the same reason. We all watch to see the spectacle, to experience the same highs and lows. Our differences are small and sectarian, but our similarities are strong and deeply ingrained. We all embrace the autumn because it marks the return of a joyous tradition worthy of celebration.
I spend the entire offseason looking forward to the fall, but not just because I need a fix of football. If that were the case, I would just record games and watch those. No, I need the fall. I need the weather to turn cold, so that I can cook all day for my guests. I need the leaves to change, so I can smell the must and see the color.
The fall means family. Growing up, my father worked too much. We didn't really get to interact as much as I would have liked. Now that he's retired, the fall is our time together. We can watch football all day, regardless of who is playing. It simply doesn't matter. It's our time together, and it's even better if the Bucks are on TV (or his alma mater, Wisconsin...or both!). Our dogs love this time, too, because they can sunbathe on the living room floor. Some might call such passive engagement slothful and lazy, that it is ill-conceived bonding. They miss the meaning, though: it's not about winning or losing or high definition TVs. It's about finding an excuse to do the things together that everyday life conspires to prevent. How many of us can find the time to talk and enjoy the company of friends and family for 6-8 hours each week?
College football marks the return of food, too. The summer brings a wonderful bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, but the fall harvest and slaughter bring a new pallet of flavors: tomatoes, potatoes, and squash for hardy stews. It brings a smile to my face just thinking about it. Getting up at 5 to start smoking a brisket or dicing a roast for chili extends the joy of college football into the wee hours of the morning. New brews arrive, too: traditionally, in the autumn the heavy weight lagers begin to roll out from their summer caves. It's still that way in my home.
More than anything, college football is about tradition and ritual. It IS the autumn. In modern society, many rituals and holidays have lost their meaning. This is the way of things: they change over time. Christmas now is not Christmas from 100 years ago. College football, however, is our tradition now. It gives added significance to the season and added reasons to be with our families and friends. It may not always be this way, but it is now. And my body says its autumn, and my calendar says its Saturday.
So, where is my college football?
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