CCJC Audio Podcast Episode 00036
Here at Cajun Chronicles Podcast Corporation, many of our staff and team members are enjoying this year’s annual football season and the fact that the Super Bowl will be held in New Orleans, Louisiana this year. There’s great debate among some of us about football in general. It’s all good natured, after all we are a team and all about the historical preservation of our beloved Big Easy. Here’s a snippet of today’s lunch discussion on both Caesars Superdome and the obsession we have in Louisiana and across the entire United States.
The topic started out innocent enough when someone asked:
“Does football unite us or is it another thing dividing us at this perilous time in history?
Analyzing The Social & Cultural Impact Of The NFL On American Society
This Super Bowl finale at the Caesar’s Superdome is dripping in the sugarcane syrupy “let’s not mention this” of the sticky history of who built the Superdome and why. After all, these were important men who helped make NOLA what it is today. They were among the super giants of their time, and without one of them the Louisiana Purchase might not have happened.
The land upon which the Superdome lies has a past, like the murky bayou swamp waters, concealing truths that are inconvenient to acknowledge in the lens of today’s world. Just as swamp water stillness hides the lurking dangers beneath, so too does the comfortable narrative of Louisiana's history mask the suffering and exploitation that built this stadium’s foundations.
The legacy of slavery, with its brutal system of forced labor and dehumanization, is a dark stain on the state's and the properties of the past, one that modern history and some football fans would rather ignore.
Still the echoes of this history reverberate in the present, continuing to manifest in systemic inequalities and racial tensions. Acknowledging these uncomfortable truths is not about dwelling on the past. It’s not about erasing what happened but about understanding the present. Ignoring the past's murky depths only allows the same injustices to fester and resurface in new forms.
Now, don’t hate me for saying this, because I actually don’t hate footfall, despite once-upon-a-time being a bonafided “football widow” – I just annually somewhat dread football season. Sure, it’s been the religion of the fall every year since forever it seems. Used to be just every Sunday, but now there’s NFL Sundays, Mondays, and some Thursdays or Saturdays. Add to that College Football mostly on Saturdays, and a few Thursdays and Fridays.
Lest we forget, culturally football season begins long before fall in childhood. We’ve got High School football on Fridays (and occasional Thursdays), Middle School football typically Tuesdays and Thursdays, and even Pee Wee football on Saturdays and Sundays.
Taken in context all that adds up to a collective obsession with a game every day of the week except Wednesdays! That’s 18 weeks of regular football season games and then 4 rounds of playoffs to the Superbowl means 22 weeks of our lives probably include football. That’s a whopping over 42 percent of our attention being given to a game. We are a nation that collectively groans, cheers, and argues over the merits of 22 grown men chasing an oblong ball.
We dissect every play, analyze every refereeing decision, and spend hours debating the merits of different quarterback throwing styles. But I question if this is a unifying force? Absolutely, for the duration of the game. But let's be honest, our fervent love affair with football might be more revealing than we think.
It speaks to our primal human need for competition, for the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. It taps into our collective desire for simple narratives, Good versus evil, the underdog triumphing over the giant. We project our own hopes and dreams onto these teams, vicariously experiencing their triumphs and failures mostly from the comfort of our living room couches or tailgates.
But beneath the surface, football also reflects some less flattering aspects of our national character. The emphasis on physical dominance, the glorification of aggression, and the sometimes disturbingly nationalistic fervor that surrounds the sport all raise questions about our societal values.
Ultimately, our love of football is a complex and multifaceted phenomenon. It's a source of joy, frustration, and national identity, all rolled into one. Perhaps, like the game itself, it's a messy, imperfect reflection of ourselves, both the good and the bad.
So What Does Football Have To Do With Louisiana History And Culture?
This year’s Super Bowl LVIII one has to wonder if any of the approximately 53% of NFL players know that where they may kneel and pray pre-game is historically land that was stained by slavery? Will they have any knowledge as the National Anthem is played, how our display of patriotism and respect is one that still tries to bury the past to suit those who stand to profit from the love of a game.
Over 20 billion dollars and still counting when you consider indirect sale of licensed merchandise, including jerseys, hats, t-shirts, and countless other items featuring team logos and player names. Nor does that include indirect Fanatics Partnership or state run lotteries and Fantasy Football. Hmm.
Let’s also not neglect to understand that the Superdome is owned by Caesars Entertainment now, which is primarily known for its casinos and gambling operations. Nor should we whitewash the fact that the Superdome was originally and deeply MLB fifty-seven years ago. Certainly not about football.
There’s nothing wrong with loving football or watching it, rooting for your team, and loving the party atmosphere of joining friends and family during football season. But I wonder what does football really say about our values as a nation? Have we entered into a toxic or unhealthy relationship with a game? Who profits most in the end? Is it something we can no longer afford to focus our energies on?
The roar of the crowd, the clash of helmets, the thrill of victory – these are the hallmarks of America's love affair with football. But beneath the pageantry lies a complex history and reality.
On February 9th as the players take the field, many on and off the field may be unaware of the historical weight of the land they stand on. The echoes of slavery, a brutal stain on our nation's past, may remain unheard beneath the cheers. The patriotic display, a symbol of unity in a time when so many of us are clearly and bitterly divided, can also serve as a veil, obscuring the lingering cultural injustices that continue to plague our society.
The NFL, a multi-billion dollar behemoth, thrives on this spectacle. The players, many of whom are African American, toil on the field, their bodies pushed to the limit and future health at risk, while the league and its stakeholders reap immense profits. While we, the fans, are swept up in the fervor, and we may not fully grasp the economic and social dynamics at play.
Is this a sustainable model? Can we continue to indulge in this annual spectacle without acknowledging the complexities that lie beneath? Perhaps, this February 9th, we should pause for a moment, beyond the cheers and the touchdowns, to reflect on the deeper meaning of this game, its impact on our society, and our own role in perpetuating the cycle.
Yet, most importantly this doesn't diminish the joy of the game. Football, at its core, can be a beautiful expression of athleticism, strategy, and teamwork. The camaraderie on the field, the shared experience of victory and defeat, the sense of community it fosters – these are all valuable aspects of the sport.
Could with Super Bowl LVIII we pause for a moment, beyond the cheers and the touchdowns, to reflect on the deeper meaning of this game, its impact on our society, and our own role in shaping its future? We can continue to love the game while striving for a more just and equitable system, one that honors the contributions of all, one that unites us and doesn’t divide us both on and off the field.
A Word of Wisdom:
PS: Stay tuned! You’ll be hearing a lot more about the history of this football field and the multiple roles it has played in Louisiana history.
As you read the posts at Cajun Chronicles Audio Podcast, remember history and real life is a complex mix of joy, sorrow, triumph, and tragedy. While we’ve sometimes added a bit of fiction to some stories, the core message remains the same: The human spirit's power to endure, adapt, and overcome is within all of us.
© Jerilee Wei 2024 All Rights Reserved.
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