The Idolatry of College Football Rivalry Week: Ohio State vs. Michigan

The Ohio State/Michigan rivalry game may be good for ratings but, in many ways, it’s bad for community and worse for morality. Many people won’t like this post, but at least consider the implications and the alternatives.

I really like college football. It’s fun, exciting, and even gladiatorial-esque at times minus the bad stuff. But there are a lot of things that surround college football that bother me and if you think about it, I hope they bother you too.

At the first Ohio State game I ever went too I remember being somewhat shocked at the amount of profanity surrounding the tailgating festivities. Personally, I actually don’t have a problem with people tailgating. I think that there is something community building about hanging out, eating good food, having a beer (if you are of age), and throwing the football around in anticipation of your teams coming performance on the field. That is all fine with me, but what I noticed instead was that the tailgating experience had been infiltrated with a message of hate guised in the spirit of “unity”. This created an atmosphere that I personally don’t feel comfortable taking most people into.

For instance, take the number of “Muck Fichigan” or the “Ann Arbor is a Whore” t-shirts that people were wearing. I saw a bunch of these being worn and I wasn’t even at a rivalry game. I mean think a minute about what is actually being communicated by these shirts. I am pretty sure that we can assume that Michigan doesn’t want the implied statement to happen. So isn’t this tantamount to advocating rape? The two statements together are equivalent to saying it’s permissible, acceptable, or worse yet, that one should rape a whore. That’s beyond, good spirited fun, that’s criminal.

Now don’t get me wrong, the majority of the good fans of Ohio State or Michigan would say: “of course, we don’t mean or want that – that is unacceptable”, but in allowing those shirts to become socially acceptable in the community we are permitting a mentality to arise that such behavior is indeed acceptable. I see more Facebook posts, tweets and You Tube videos with teens, college kids & adults saying “Expletive Michigan” (or the Michigan alternatives toward Ohio State). Maybe they are just expressing their teenage angst – but are those the kind of expressions we want our college, universities and culture to exude? Or let me be even more direct about the issue; In the wake of the Penn State scandal, how could anyone think that these kinds of statements, in any form are acceptable, ethical or moral? They aren’t. It is that simple.

When does free speech, at any level – sports included, cross over into hate speech? There are certainly certain phrases or words that have been made culturally unacceptable in society. These phrases are generally believed to not foster community building. So why then do we tolerate such hatred in the realm of the academy?
What ever happened to: Love one another as I have loved you? (John 13:34-35) I don’t hate Michigan, or Michigan fans, or Michigan football players and coaches for that matter. I am just from Ohio, I like Ohio State football, and I want to see my team and its players and coaches do well. Rivalries are not meant to tear down the other team that you are engaging. Rivalries are meant to help us to respect our opponents in order to inspire a higher caliber of performance. They are to show and challenge us to become better.

The worse years in the Ohio State/Michigan rivalry have been when one team is drastically overmatched. Those games aren’t nearly as fun – Why? Because collectively we must acknowledge that the point of the rivalry has been missed. We have not sought to help our competitor to be better. We have not helped to fashion community on the field or in the stands that can work in cooperation and excellence. We cannot marvel at their (our) accomplishments and achievements and know that, only in the pursuit of excellence, will one team win the game. The victory in such a game comes simply in its playing not in its final score. Those are the games in which everyone wins.

Great football is when we see God’s gifts revealed in miraculous play after play – both on and off the field.

But, that is not what I see happening in recent years in this rivalry. I see a misused concept of rivalry occurring. I see slander, divisiveness, dishonesty and anger. So, again, why then do we tolerate such behavior in the realm of the academy?

I think the answer is: because it is simple easier to look the other way than it is to confront the problems.

So we look away. We look away from the rampant underage use of alcohol; we look away from the rule breaking; we look away from the abuse. And we do so for what? – Financial gain for the university and social loss for the community? – So that we can say that we are the “winners”. Folks, that isn’t winning.

It is easy, in the name of “team spirit” and “unity” to go down routes of abuse and dysfunction, but those are sophomoric understandings of the game.

Football is a great game. I believe that is can be very community building. But when we “look away”… well that isn’t college Football anymore – that’s simply idolatry.

8 Comments

Kevin

Let me say to you Christopher, well done!
I have been a Michigan fan for 40 years now (went to 1st game vs. Illinois with my little league baseball team). I have watched some of the best football of my life played in this rivalry game.
I can remember watching the 10-10 tie and crying when the Big Ten voted Ohio State the opportunity to go to the Rose Bowl after Dennis Franklin broke his collarbone.

Other losses hurt too. After starting a family and LIVING for our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, the losses though have had a considerably diminished affect on me! But I love this game! My oldest daughter is my biggest Michigan fan among my 8 kids (4 boys/4 girls) and we have learned together to respect the Ohio State program. So much so, that we root for them on almost every weekend – except that last game of the Big Ten season!

Please forgive me for rambling. I stumbled upon your blog while reading a related article and noticed your reference to Luke 12:48 and had to stop by and comment.
Keep up the good work!

26 Nov 2011 03:11 am (@Twitter)
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29 Nov 2011 05:11 pm (@Twitter)
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Christine

Hello! I realize this is kind of off-topic however I needed to ask. Does operating a well-established website like yours require a massive amount work? I am completely new to blogging but I do write in my diary every day. I’d like to start a blog so I will be able to share my experience and feelings online. Please let me know if you have any kind of suggestions or tips for new aspiring blog owners. Appreciate it!

02 Dec 2011 01:12 am (@Twitter)
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- Christopher Benek
  
  Hi Christine - I will email you directly on this :) Thx.
  
  ~ Blessings
  
  07 Dec 2011 01:12 am (@benekcj)
Eric M Miller

I recently bought a house from a couple and the husband is a Ohio fan! The first time we met he had his hat on and i had my UM gear on! During the process he and his wife were so helping and giving that i told him i was thankful for him and his wife and that he was the “coolest Ohio fan i knew”. Christopher, you have for a few moments left me Typeless (i would say speechless but i am on the computer, haha lol)!
Either way i have been intensely passionate for both playing and sports fandom my from my earliest comprehensions of life. God has taken me continually through the refining fire to mold me into the vessel that He has called me to be. Passion to play and watch sports being a part of that, although Not the whole. That whole is my Abba! He is greater than anything i can hope or imagine for especially as it pertains to sports!
I follow mgoblog for all things Michigan sports related and i am appalled most times by the profane language and saddened by the lost souls that are literally walking dead! I need more of Jesus each and every day, the individuals of this country (ultimately the whole earth) need Jesus! He has become greater than my desire for my teams to do well!
I know that there are Christian men and women out there that Love Christ as i do, probably more so, and Love Ohio football! However, i have never heard anybody or read something from your side of the sports realm bear so much good fruit (i mean that in the biblical sense not the Buckeye sense lol). Like Tebow, through your website i believe that God has chosen you as a vessel to spread His good news of Love, Hope and Eternity!
I pray in our risen Savior’s name Jesus Christ that His Holy Spirit continues to hold you and your family up! I look forward to one day joining you in heaven to dance and praise around our Great God’s throne of grace! Blessings to you and your family!

05 Dec 2011 04:12 pm (@bigcat1408)
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Brian Moseley

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06 Dec 2011 08:12 pm (@Twitter)
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Glenn

Interesting article. I do have one comment, however. The display of profanity and as you put it, idolatry, are expressed, I would assume, by those who are not people of faith. In other words, those who don’t follow Jesus Christ. And, as the Scripture teaches, those who don’t follow Jesus don’t have the Holy Spirit of God in their lives.

Since they don’t have the Holy Spirit, Who is the only reason Christ followers act godly (and unfortunately, many who DO have the Holy Spirit choose not to let Him have control of their lives), then what is happening is that they are merely acting normal. So, what does one expect? I cannot expect a non Christian to act moral, but I can expect my fellow Christ follower to act godly.

07 Dec 2011 03:12 am (@Twitter)
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07 Dec 2011 08:12 pm (@Twitter)
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