Morning Brew: Football in the South

Column photo

By Joel Petterson

Monday, November 30, 2009

You probably wouldn’t immediately peg my sister-in-law, Laura, for a college football fan. She drives a lime green Volkswagen Beetle, spent just one semester at a major university, and she usually prefers to spend an afternoon shopping rather than playing sports — although she wouldn’t be afraid to jump in an intense family football game if necessary.

But the thing is, Laura’s from Mississippi. College football is in her DNA.

Thus, when Mississippi State played Ole Miss Saturday in the annual “Egg Bowl,” my brother was required to watch the game online and give her play-by-play over the phone during the fourth quarter while she happened to be out of the house. When Mississippi State pulled off the upset against the Rebels, it was like a second holiday for her and the rest of the Bulldog faithful, even though it only meant a 5-7 record for the school.

Growing up in the South, she didn’t really have a choice whether to love college football or not. Even she admits she probably wouldn’t care for it if she grew up here instead. But she comes from a place where tailgating starts on Friday night, not Saturday morning. Where learning school fight songs is just as important as learning the ABCs. Where school pride is as much a part of one’s blood as family pride.

It’s a culture the Midwest — or any other part of the country — can’t compete with. Sure, we have some great college football — the Border Showdown alone easily proved that. But it doesn’t match the atmosphere you’ll find in Gator, Bulldog or Crimson Tide country every Saturday.

Part of it is the tradition. Part of it is the national championships. Part of it is simply the geography. The majority of the best high school recruits come from the South because the football culture applies just as much to Friday night lights as it does to Saturday afternoon. According to ESPN, 42 of Rivals’ top 100 recruits came from south of the Mason-Dixon Line in 2008, with 15 more coming from Texas. It’s simply easier to attract a Florida-Texas-Georgia senior to a campus that won’t be covered in ice come December.

It’s no reason to be bitter, though. In the lingering spirit of Thanksgiving, it’s important to be grateful for what we do have in the glorious Great Plains. We haven’t, and probably never will break into the upper echelon of college football, but we have something better: variety.

We’ve got an NFL, MLB, and MLS team, the Kansas Speedway, a half-decent college basketball team, minor-league baseball, Arena Football (though the AFL may never return), even professional tennis and apparently minor-league hockey — all within about an hour’s drive. And I probably failed to mention other sports. So we might not have the NBA or NHL yet, but, as we re-learn at the Thanksgiving table every year, sometimes it’s just better not to have everything.

Kansas’ location allows it to bring in basketball talent from the Northeast and snag the occasional quality football recruit from the South — like ones named Reesing or Briscoe.

It might be quite awhile before Kansas is mentioned in a discussion of college football’s elite. It might not ever happen again. But that’s nothing to get down about. If it ever does start to depress you, however, just remember to repeat the official Kansas post-football season refrain: “There’s always basketball season!”

— Edited by Alicia Banister

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Comments

jayschool (anonymous) says...

Joel:

Run, don't walk, to Lincoln, Neb., for any home Nebraska football game next fall. It will stack up to any place in a state that once seceded from the U.S., without the vitriol for the other team.

What Allen Fieldhouse is to college basketball, Nebraska's Memorial Stadium is to college football.

November 30, 2009 at 3:02 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

misplacedvol (anonymous) says...

Jay, it is not even close. Southern football is a way of life. Period. It dominates everything else. Lincoln is a great place to see a game. As is Michigan, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, and many others BUT the passion that carries over in the South cannot be duplicated. To many, their respective teams are an extension of family. Is the best football played in the South? That is debatable. Are they the most passionate. Absolutely.

And please refrain from the secession remarks. It is out of line.

November 30, 2009 at 11:07 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayschool (anonymous) says...

Mr. Tennessee-in-Kansas:

I have lived in Lincoln and Gainesville, and I have covered games in every SEC stadium.

My opinion: the passion for football in Lincoln is equal to those places in the South (now very much a part of the U.S.).

Just because we're quieter in the middle of the country and have fewer people doesn't mean we're less passionate.

Do 304 consecutive sellouts not qualify as passion?

December 1, 2009 at 8:09 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayschool (anonymous) says...

If you're unconvinced, hear what these observers have to say about Nebraska fans' passion:

“I think Nebraska fans are the greatest fans in all of college football. No question in my mind. I’ve coached here three times, and I’ve been here for television four times. The enthusiasm here is as good as any place, but the integrity here - of the fans - is the best in America.” - Lee Corso

"I have been coaching college football the past 28 years and have played before some great crowds in this country. I have never seen people with more class than I saw at Nebraska last week. The Nebraska fans, players, cheerleaders, band, officials, coaches, etc., gave me a living testimony of what college football should be all about.

"I actually had the feeling that when we upset the Nebraska team, that instead of hate and spite the Nebraska fans thanked us for coming to Lincoln and putting on a good show. This is nearly unheard of in today’s society. Nebraska, you are a great example for Americans to copy. I hope we show half the class your people do.

Sincerely,
Bobby Bowden
Head football coach
Florida State University"

And from Jay Walker, a native Louisianan who attended his first game in Lincoln this year:

"This is my 18th season covering Cajuns football. And, for eight years before that, I had the opportunity to broadcast selected games on TV as well.

"I've been to nine SEC stadiums. (I'll go to a tenth next season at Georgia.) I've seen the grove at Ole Miss, experienced the Gator Chomp, the Mississippi State cowbells, been a part of Alabama football in both Birmingham and Tuscaloosa. I've been called "Tigerbait" in Baton Rouge and experienced some pretty good hospitality in South Carolina.

"I've said hello to the folks at Illinois and Minnesota. Felt September heat in Tempe, AZ.

"Been to Manhattan, Lubbock, Austin, Stillwater and College Station. College Station was probably the best. Folks say 'Howdy' when they see you. And they say 'welcome.'

"Haven't been to the Horseshoe, the Big House or Happy Valley. Nor have I seen Touchdown Jesus.

"But I've been to College Football Nirvana.

"It's located in Lincoln, Nebraska."

Read the rest here: http://www.espn1420.com/SportsBlogs/t...

Data to support that Nebraskans are just as passionate about football as Southerners:

In 2008-2009, the National Federation of High Schools reported that 22,875 Tennessee students played football. Tennessee's population is 6.2 million, so that's 0.38 percent of the population. Tennessee's under 18 population is 23.8 percent of its total.

In 08-09, the NFHS reported that 14,102 Neb. students played high school football. Nebraska's total population is 1.78 million, so the same percentage is 0.79 percent, or more than double the participation rate than in Tenn. Nebraska's under 18 population is 24.9 percent of its total.

Here's the link:

http://www.nfhs.org/Participation/

December 1, 2009 at 10 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

Hawkdoc82 (anonymous) says...

Joel:

You've hit the nail squarely on the head. Taking nothing away from 'Husker fans, in Lincoln or else where, football in the south is different.
I am a Jayhawk to the core, bleed Crimson and Blue, and I've seen football in the Midwest, born and raised there. But for the last 20 years I have lived in the south and here football is a religion, and on Saturday if you can't get yourself to 'church' you are in front of the TV.
'Fandom' is indeed in the DNA as it is often inherited, even in family's that have never seen a college graduate in their ranks (tho there are the occasional mutations).
There is a pageantry here that exceeds mere tradition. Chief Osceola, the flight of War Eagle, UGA VII (R.I.P.) to name just a few.
It's not better, but it IS different.

Rock Chalk!

December 1, 2009 at 3:25 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

jayschool (anonymous) says...

Hawkdoc:

In your statement, switch "south" to "Nebraska" and it's just as true a statement. Just because Kansans don't live and die for college football, don't broadbrush the entire Midwest.

Here's my edited version of your post:

I lived in Nebraska for 22 years, and there football is a religion, and on Saturday if you can't get yourself to 'church' you are in front of the TV.
'Fandom' is indeed in the DNA as it is often inherited, even in families that have never seen a college graduate in their ranks (though there are the occasional mutations).

There is a pageantry here that exceeds mere tradition. Radio broadcasts in every store, every tractor cab, every diner across the state; the Tunnel Walk; the band at Misty's the night before the game; saluting the other team's fans with their fight song before the game and applauding their players after; to name just a few.

It's not better, but it IS different.

Rock Chalk in the Winter! Go Big Red in the Fall!

I love Kansas and Kansans, but it's becoming very clear that you've mistaken Nebraskans' Midwestern stoicism for a lack of passion.

December 3, 2009 at 10:25 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

bobsaget (anonymous) says...

. . . and it's becoming clear, jayschool, that you're mistaking Nebraska for a Division I Conference.

To even argue the column's point, the same would need to be said of KU, K-State, MU, ISU, CU, A&M, UT, OU, OSU, Baylor and Tech that can be said for Nebraska. So congrats, Huskers, on success, a championship game and die-hard fans hoping for another title, but you are one school in a conference of 11 others... at least half of which would never hold their breath over their football programs.

I hope Huskers do not go from humbling themselves by reaching out to opponents to making their school and state subject to the interchangeability of Texas ego puns.

oddly, I just read these in the magazine this last Saturday:
http://www.sportingnews.com/college-f...

http://www.sportingnews.com/college-f...

December 3, 2009 at 2:43 p.m. ( | suggest removal )

sofifriend (anonymous) says...

I hope Huskers do not go from humbling themselves by reaching out to opponents to making their school and state subject to the interchangeability of Texas ego puns. http://www.ugg-boots.me

December 30, 2009 at 3:39 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

sofifriend (anonymous) says...

I have lived in Lincoln and Gainesville, and I have covered games in every SEC stadium.
http://www.ghd-hair-straighteners.net

December 31, 2009 at 6:34 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

sofifriend (anonymous) says...

ugg.allofshoes.com

December 31, 2009 at 6:35 a.m. ( | suggest removal )

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