No, it is not that Oregonians have decided that Deepavali (Diwali) should be celebrated like how we do Thanksgiving, when families drive and fly from all around and gather for a few hours before they start fighting about the issues that keeps them apart for a good part of the year.
The reason is a lot bigger than religion. The excitement can be seen among many of the faithful and among many irreligious, atheist, people too.
It is a big day in college football!
The local team is ranked in the top ten, and so is the visiting team, which is why even the sports broadcaster is all pumped up.
I, for one, couldn't give a fuck! Well, ok, I have plenty to give, which is why I am blogging about it.
In a number of posts in this blog, for more than a decade, I have quoted Katha Pollitt over and over again:
In no other country’s university system, after all, does sports play anything like the central role it does in American academic life. Men do not go to Oxford to play cricket; the Sorbonne does not field a nationally celebrated soccer team. Even in the most sports-mad countries, sports is sports and education is education. That’s a better system.
College football is yet another American exceptionalism at play (yes, pun intended.)
Football maniacs do not seem to understand that the economic future of the state and its peoples depend not on whatever happens with the football team, but on the employment conditions in economic activities from machine shops to semiconductor factories. Academic quality and reputation of our universities—public and private—is an important ingredient to this effort. Relegating academics--the very reason for the existence of universities--to the dark background will certainly not be a winning formula for the future of Oregonians.
But, neither the rabidly MAGA Republican in an economically depressed area like Coos Bay nor a rabidly Berniac in Eugene could be bothered with that logic. Polarized they are on political issues, but they come together for communion before the football gods.
I have been complaining about these issues for a long, long time. After I restarted this blog in 2008, one of the earliest posts was about college football. An anonymous person left a comment that says it all about how much this religion shall not be insulted. The comment also reflects the average intelligence of these maniacs. Anonymous wrote: "You are a dumb dyke"
For a couple of years I had fun comparing the ranking of the football powerhouses with their academic ranking, like in this post from 2008. I could use the same method even now.
The local and visiting football teams are ranked 9 and 10 (or 10 and 9) in the polls. Let's compare their academic ranks, shall we?
The local team is ranked 105 by US News. The visiting university is the 20th best in the country. Not even a close contest, right?
(The university where I earned my PhD, which has a long history as a football team, is ranked as the 25th best university in the country.)
The local team is bankrolled by the founder of Nike. Yes, just do it! The founder, pHil kNight, is also opposed to progressive policies.
Foaming-in-the-mouth, so to speak, kNight funds candidates on the right in order to defeat Democratic candidates. This November, he will celebrate success if the Democratic Party's candidate loses in the gubernatorial race.
#pHilKnight, #Oregon’s richest man, bought himself a university #football team. He is now buying a #governor. https://t.co/Fvrs2nDWzc
— Sriram K (@congoboy) October 15, 2022
The Republican candidate for governor is thrilled to be such a close contender in a blue state. She has promised to use her veto powers in order to stop progressive policies. I expect the MAGA football fan to be ecstatic at this divine intersection of football and politics. How about the football nutcases who call themselves progressives?
The reality is that football-crazy progressives couldn't care a shit. As long as they are entertained by football, and as long as "their" team keeps winning, progressive politics be damned!
Will all those #liberals who are passionate about @oregonfootball and cheer #GoDucks even pause to consider the damage that #pHilKnight has done to #Oregon, and boycott the team?
— Sriram K (@congoboy) October 15, 2022
I think not. After all, football is bigger than religion!
To quote from Gladiator, "Are you not entertained?"
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