Football Fever

Being raised in Kentucky, I have grown into Southern culture. Whether it’s Sunday suppers at Granny’s or Friday Night Lights, my life has been surrounded Southern culture. Ever since I was little, sports have been a vital part of my life. I have always been in love with watching, studying, and playing any and every sport I can. However, being from the South, means that football is paramount to every other sport. From Kentucky all the way down to Florida, football is a significant aspect of Southern culture.

We Kind of Like Football

“On the East Coast, football is a cultural experience. In the Midwest, it’s a form of cannibalism. On the West Coast, it’s a tourist attraction. And in the South, football is a religion, and Saturday is the holy day.” – Hall of Famer, Marino Casem. This quote epitomizes the obsession of football in the South and its ultimate importance in the South. College football is one of the most popular sporting events in the world and the South just so happens to dominate every year. With only 5 of the 32 teams in the NFL located in the South, College dominates the football scene. Most of Southern football fans worship football as a religion. This exemplifies the importance of football in Southern culture.

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Boys of Fall

Kenny Chesney released “The Boys of Fall” in 2010, and ever since it has been the classic football song. This song is extremely emotional and powerful and hits close to all football fans hearts. Born in Knoxville, Tennessee, Chesney is a great example of how football is so important to the lives of Southerners. If someone has had the chance to rush onto the field on a Friday night, they understand the feeling and can connect to Chesney’s song. However, if someone has never felt the thrill of rushing out onto the field on a Friday night, this song helps them understand why football is such an amazing and important aspect of people’s lives.

Football Fandom

This poem describes the absolute obsession Southerners have with football. Every little part that comes with it is special in its own way. The tailgating brings its own experience entirely. Whether it’s right outside the stadium or in your own backyard, tailgating is essential to the sport of football. Especially with the South’s dominance in football, fans aren’t afraid to tell or show you how proud they are of their team. A perfect example of this is the widely known parties and pregames of college students before every game on Saturdays. The way they go all out with their outfits, props, and any other ways they can show their love for their team.

Personal Examples

My hometown of Franklin, Kentucky is known for our Homecoming festivities. We do Homecoming different than anyone around. Of course you have the dress up days, competitions between classes, and pep rally before the game on Friday, but our town has something many others do not. We have a parade like no other, and it has been a staple of our tradition for so many years. Even though all of these events are important, the most important event and purpose of all the previous ones, is the football game on Friday night.

I have grown up playing mostly every sport and have been in love with sports in general since I learned what they were. However, football has always stuck out. Not just my experience with playing it, but also watching and just being around the sport have brought an extra joy into my life. I have been going to games ever since I was little. I have always been obsessed with studying every little part of it and it has been an important aspect of my life.

The importance of football to the South is like no other. Most Southerners treat it as a second religion. Their love for the sport is undefinable. Going to the high school game on Friday night, waking up to College Gameday Saturday morning, then NFL on Sunday; football is a constant cycle for Southerners. The season after Summer is football season to people in the South. Football’s importance to them is like no other.

How Football Affects My Identity

Sports have surrounded my life ever since I was little. However, football has always stuck out and had a bigger impact on my life. It is one of the reasons that I am who I am. Just this past year, it has giving me something that I will keep with me forever, a State Championship.