Before a big SEC matchup, the mindset of some fans might be expressed this way: \u201cthe outcome of this game is not a matter of life and death; it\u2019s more important than that.\u201d It\u2019s as if a win or a loss could determine our destiny in the afterlife.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Many of us still pray for a Rebel <\/strong>win, even though there\u2019s no evidence God favors one team over another, unless you count the \u201cImmaculate Deflection\u201d in the 1983 Egg Bowl<\/strong>, played in Jackson<\/strong>. During the fourth quarter, the wind was blowing like a hurricane about to make landfall. At one point I heard the tornado warning siren go off. I must have been out of my mind to sit up in those stands in that kind of weather. As Mississippi State\u2019s kicker attempted the game-winning field goal, I lost track of the ball when a strong gust caught it and shot it spinning upward into the darkness, only to send it harmlessly back down onto the playing field seconds later. That evening I told my Daddy that the wind gave Ole Miss the victory by pushing the ball backwards, but he said, \u201cIt was the hand of God.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Because football and religion in the South are inseparably linked we need to ask ourselves: do we worship the gods of the gridiron more than the Almighty? Monday through Friday during the season Saturday\u2019s match up is a topic of endless discussion. On the big day family and friends will spend 12\u201315 hours in The Grove and the stadium. Following Sunday church services, conversations inevitably turn to a recap of the key plays and coaching decisions. Is football more important than faith? Are we breaking the first Commandment? It\u2019s definitely something to think about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Church has its liturgical seasons and holy days of obligation. Likewise, college football has its sacred time in the fall, followed by bowl games and national signing day in the winter. Then there\u2019s spring practice. And let\u2019s not forget recruiting, which goes on year round. There\u2019s no end to football. Like the Church calendar, it just starts all over again. What\u2019s the most grandiose structure on the Ole Miss<\/strong> campus? It\u2019s clearly Vaught-Hemingway Stadium<\/strong>. The games played there generate big bucks not only for the university but also for the city of Oxford<\/strong>. And because of the \u201choly\u201d nature of Saturdays in the fall, the Grove and the stadium become sacred precincts within which one can observe profane ritualistic behavior that to some degree mimics religious practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like worshippers attending church services, ticket holders make their way up the ramp into the stadium, many of them dressed in their \u201cSunday best.\u201d They come to watch the game, but they\u2019re also there to witness specific rituals such as the band\u2019s performance, the Alma Mater and national anthem, the coin toss, and the team\u2019s entrance onto the field. And throughout the contest they profess their faith in their team with Creed-like responsorial chants such as \u201cHotty Toddy!\u201d and \u201cWe are Ole Miss!\u201d So, even football has it\u2019s own liturgy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Worship practices undergo modifications with the passage of time. The same holds true for sports traditions. The pregame prayer over the PA system is now a thing of the past, as are Colonel Reb<\/strong>, the Rebel flag, \u201cDixie,\u201d and \u201cFrom Dixie with Love.\u201d Times change for better or worse. The rites of autumn evolve. But dogma is fixed and unalterable, so please don\u2019t tamper with our uniforms! We should not have to guess which is our team! Pants should be gray, with a red and blue stripe down the side. And powder blue is for helmets, not jerseys. This is not hard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite these and other breaks with the past, the almost religious fervor of the faithful remains as intense as ever. The end zone is Glory, the Promised Land. When the Rebels score a touchdown, the crowd erupts in what may be likened to charismatic shouts of joy. And because our arch-nemesis is always lurking somewhere on the schedule, spirit-filled cries of \u201cGO TO HELL, LSU, GO TO HELL!\u201d will ring out across the stadium, even when we\u2019re playing some other opponent. Holy smoke!<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.thelocalvoice.net\/oxford\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/football-prayer.jpg\")
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In The Power of Myth<\/em><\/strong>, Joseph Campbell<\/strong> remarked that you could look at the architecture of a particular place at a specific moment in time and tell what principles were informing society, with the tallest building being the most obvious indicator of what a culture valued most. In Medieval times the largest edifices were cathedrals because faith played such an important role in the people\u2019s lives. During subsequent centuries, huge palaces, symbolizing the ruler\u2019s political power, came to dominate urban skylines. Not surprisingly, in our modern age the most imposing structures are skyscrapers dedicated to commerce and finance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n