"Somehow college football intersects in[to] our everyday American life. For some of us more than others."
me, last post, 19 August 2014.
In the last post about the "Hope and the Promise" I talked about how BYU changed the face of college football based on their 1984 national championship. The Big Boys (about 65 teams) have been reacting ever since, trying to stop "small conferences" and "small programs" from winning too much, or winning glory that they do not properly deserve, according to them. Other university teams have tried to break in with them to get glory and power, like Boise State, which has had some great years and beaten the big guys notably in big bowls, as did Utah. BYU and Utah wanted to join the PAC 10 for years; Utah finally did. I failed to mention that Texas Christian University joined the Big 12, and has therefore left behind the "have-nots" of former smaller conferences.
The former Big East Conference has died, or been transformed/adapted into the American Athletic Conference, but it bears little resemblance of what used to be the Big East. Many of those former Big East teams have been absorbed or adopted into former power conferences like the ACC or Big 12. West Virginia in the Big 12 is quite the geographical stretch. The ACC has expanded by taking strong former Big East schools like Syracuse, Virginia Tech, and Boston College. The Big Ten has expanded with four new schools, including one from the Big 12, one from the Big East, and another from the ACC. They kind of cannibalize to stay in power. Also, there are ever more Football Bowl Series (formally Division 1) programs being elevated, like a couple Texas St and Old Domninion teams, as of last year (2013).
BYU has yet to be invited to the Big 12 or any other major conference, even though it does play everybody and anybody. It seats more and has more tickets purchased than most, including my hometown favorite Indiana Hoosiers. It is better than Kansas in the Big 12, plus Iowa State, better than Duke in the ACC, or Kentucky in the SEC. Most of those teams ride their basketball coffers pretty effectively.
But beyond football, there is the religious and cultural element: BYU has a mission to evangelize. To be a missionary school and program is a goal, but perhaps more importantly, a large part of the overarching goal is legitimize.
Since its inception in 1830, and the years leading up to it, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been either persecuted or relegated as not legitimate.
While this is to be expected of any new movement or religion, the LDS Church has qualified itself as the newest and most legitimate authority of God on the planet. Well, the actual claim is that it is the original authority, going back to Jesus, David, Moses, Abraham, Noah, Adam...
The 12 apostles since then until now (2014) have posited the same stance: they are the true witnesses of Jesus, His Church, His authority (priesthood) and the Kingdom of God begun by the truly elect of God since the beginning.
And this has made a few waves, naturally, sometimes bigger than other times.
The BYU football squad (and other sports and academic endeavors) has been part of the Church's process of legitimization and recognition. After all, what better way to put the Church and its presence on par with such big time faiths as the Roman Catholics than having a team of mostly Mormons who can compete with the all-American team, the Fighting Irish?
Most people probably differentiate the Catholic Church and its claim to authority and status with the University of Notre Dame and its athletics, as well as that of Boston College (the only two Catholic FBS football programs), but as much as Mormons do not subscribe to worldly treasures like wine and paid clergy people, most Latter-day Saints want to be considered normal enough to fit into regular society. To be a good and wholesome part of it, in fact. Hence, the goals and missions of the faith, both stated and implied.
And football does that.
Make sense?
More later...
Blog on, EMC.
But beyond football, there is the religious and cultural element: BYU has a mission to evangelize. To be a missionary school and program is a goal, but perhaps more importantly, a large part of the overarching goal is legitimize.
Since its inception in 1830, and the years leading up to it, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been either persecuted or relegated as not legitimate.
While this is to be expected of any new movement or religion, the LDS Church has qualified itself as the newest and most legitimate authority of God on the planet. Well, the actual claim is that it is the original authority, going back to Jesus, David, Moses, Abraham, Noah, Adam...
The 12 apostles since then until now (2014) have posited the same stance: they are the true witnesses of Jesus, His Church, His authority (priesthood) and the Kingdom of God begun by the truly elect of God since the beginning.
And this has made a few waves, naturally, sometimes bigger than other times.
The BYU football squad (and other sports and academic endeavors) has been part of the Church's process of legitimization and recognition. After all, what better way to put the Church and its presence on par with such big time faiths as the Roman Catholics than having a team of mostly Mormons who can compete with the all-American team, the Fighting Irish?
Most people probably differentiate the Catholic Church and its claim to authority and status with the University of Notre Dame and its athletics, as well as that of Boston College (the only two Catholic FBS football programs), but as much as Mormons do not subscribe to worldly treasures like wine and paid clergy people, most Latter-day Saints want to be considered normal enough to fit into regular society. To be a good and wholesome part of it, in fact. Hence, the goals and missions of the faith, both stated and implied.
And football does that.
Make sense?
More later...
Blog on, EMC.
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