The noted columnist and commentator, George Will, once stated that “Football combines the two worst things about America: it is violence punctuated by committee meetings.” In one aspect, he is correct. Football bares a tiny passing similarity to ancient gladiator games only in the sense that audience picks sides to cheer on as they bring violence to the opposing team. For some, this desire for mauling is lubricated with personal choices of alcoholic beverages. 

However, in its larger sense, George Will misses the entire point of football. Violence is an inescapable fact of life. Short periods of peace are punctuated by our many wars. Crime is increasing as our economic vitality withers. To smother us in protective padding does all of us a disservice, as future generations will learn from our current nanny-statism. Football, in its current incarnation, is violence regulated and controlled. We, as the audience, do not sit in our coliseums gleefully waiting for the chance to point our thumbs up or down, signaling death or continued life for an injured participant. Only the idiotic cheer at the injury of an opposing player. Believing that it is a bloody business, as some do, dishonors the sport – and it is a sport – as well as the efforts of the players. Football is about measuring yourself and your team against another person and team equally motivated and trained. For those of us who are LSU fans, it also provides yearly doses of one-upmanship over the rest of the South. To be quite honest, SEC football is the only football that matters.

This does not even delve into the many metaphors that football contributes towards. My own personal favorite is that football is like life. Each day we get up, either moving the ball forward or backward. Sometimes we score and sometimes others score at our expense. In the end, we either win or lose, going on to enjoy the after party.

Now on to Saturday’s LSU-Oregon game. I was quite pleased that Jarred Lee was going to start the game due to Jefferson’s legal issues. Not that I feel animosity towards Jefferson, but I have always favored Lee. To many, he is only remembered as the quarterback that threw so many pick-6’s during his Freshman year. When you take an inexperienced rookie and throw him to the wolves, you should not be surprised at the result.  He played well in this game and, I believe, has partially vindicated himself. Many of his passes were on the money and a good many of his incomplete passes were due to some of the receivers having seemingly coated their hands with butter before the game. The two RB’s, Ware and Ford, give the team a strong running attack.

On the defensive side of the ball, the Ducks had a difficult time moving the ball. LSU’s defense is just damn scary. I cannot wait to see how they do against some of the stronger SEC offenses. Oregon had a little play in the first half, but when I thought LSU’s D would be worn down in the second, they ate it up. I am very pleased.

Because I am a devoted Tiger fan, I want to alert everyone to this film, Ole War Skule, and leave the trailer here for your viewing pleasure. It can be found for purchase at www.olewarskulemovie.com.