Blog on Lindquist article

In the “’Locating’ The Nation: Football Game Day and American Dreams in Central Ohio” by Danielle Christensen Lindquist says “In attempting this oddly “American” sport, commentators have read foot ball as a metaphoric expression of territorial, sexual, or economic conquest, thus linking the game to national imperialism and war, gendered dominance, or corporate capitalism.”(448). Before reading the article I really couldn’t see how this could be so. The only thing that was obvious to me is that America is the only country that has Football as a sport, (however other countries have something similar called Rugby). Then as I continued reading I saw that football actually immolates all that America is about.
The first point she makes is that football characterized by an invariant structure and deference to authority. This is much like our government (or the idea of our government). Things are organized according to the constitution and according to what the president and his cabinet says. Just like in Foot ball they have a set of rules that they have to follow or else the game cannot go on. The coach is serves as the president but the referee is his cabinet scolding him when things are wrong. The coach has to obey the grand rule and follow it whether or not he likes it.
Something that I thought was particularly interesting is the point that she made about football linking it war. Wars relationship to football can be viewed in two ways. One way it can be viewed is its relevance to the army. The way that football plays are set up on the field is one way. They are set up so that they can fight anything that the other team is coming with. They are come up with these strategies by studying the other teams’ plays and finding a way to build their defense by breaking down the other teams’ defense and vice versa. Just like America. When going to war we do not just jump into another countries territory with no knowledge. We study the landscape. See what they have done in the past to win wars and we find out what kind of technology they have on hand to them. Any advantage that they may have we prepare ourselves for. No team wants to lose just as no country wants to lose.
The point the link that she made between Football and the Puritans also can be seen this way. When they came to America they came to have their own space and their own land for religious liberty and opportunity. But when they found the Natives when they came to the Americas they made it their duty to convert them and in a sense conquer them. Just like in a football game. Teams travel to other teams’ stadiums in order to conquer them. Lindquist quotes Miller saying that it was the Puritans “errand to the wilderness” (447). Teams travel from long distances to challenge the other team and say that they were the ones who made them humble and they now have stance over them. Before, when there was no one else, they did not have any competition and now that they do it’s like their divine right to go and conqueror. Many football players believe that playing the sport is their God given gift and that this is what they were supposed to do in life.
The other way that one can interpret the link to war in the sport itself. Past both teams studying each other’s past and advantages, during the game they respond to each other’s actions. If they see a certain pattern in their play then they will adjust. Just like in war when one shoot then another is going to come with more force and have to beside whether or not they are going to use the heavy artillery. Coaches don’t send out their best players until when most needed. And don’t throw out randomly.
The last point that I think is interesting is the point about “men raised primarily by women sought out models of public maleness”. This is seen in all forms of Americanism. America is all about being strong and doing things for yourself. Boys trying to be strong and become men is a big thing in America. The man being the head of the household is something that we uphold (even though it does not really workout). We even want our president to be a “family man” and take charge of things. Football is all, in a sense, what a man is supposed to be. A man has to be strong, powerful, ready for war, fearless, proud and ready to take control under any circumstance. That is all football is and what a “man” is.