Football & Life
by Rabbi Shoshana Kaminsky
In anticipation of this evening’s sermon, I posed a question on the Facebook page of the 1700 member Central Conference of American Rabbis: How is football like life? The answers ranged from hilarious to reflective to philosophical. Here are a sample:
“The problem is, baseball is like life and Judaism. Much to be said... Baseball is all about exile (2nd base) and the desire to return home. Also, the Odyssey. But football????”
“I understand that in truth Judaism and baseball have a deeper connection, but I am always willing to look for connections between Torah and life. The key numbers in football grow out of Jewish Life; Ten yards=Ten Commandments, 6 points for a touchdown + 1 for the extra point=the six workdays + Shabbat. 3 points for a field goal = the 3 Patriarchs. 4 downs = the 4 Matriarchs. The expression of the officials indicating which will receive the kickoff = We will receive the Torah. The fans of many teams believe that their team is the chosen people. The so-called Touchdown Jesus is actually a depiction of an ancient Jewish priest reciting the priestly benediction. Jacob's blessing of his sons in this week's Torah portion is similar to a coach's halftime speech. Jacob explains to each of his son how they can win one for the Gipper. Each son has an individual destiny, as each player on the football team has a specific task.”
“In football and in life, you always push toward some goal, but sometimes you end up further back.
In football and in life you sometimes fumble the ball but when you get your next chance you go right back at it.
In football and in life, sometimes it's ok to punt and try again next time.
In football and in life it takes a full team, no one can do it alone.”
“The whole notion of first downs… Sometimes we make them the first try… Sometimes we don’t make them… Or we have to try something creative and risky to get them… Do we wait until the fourth with 14 to go to be creative, or do we try sooner?”
“Football requires community and teamwork. No one person can carry a win - it always involves cooperation. Also, you have to know when to carry the ball yourself and when to hand it off. In football, as in life, a bad play need not be the end of the game. It's how we learn to do better next time.”
That is what my wise colleagues have to say about football and life. As for me, I never did actually come up with a brilliant answer for how football is like life. So instead, I’m going to talk about how football, and other spectator sports, are good for life. Having been raised without much appreciation of sports, I owe a great debt of thanks to Waleed Aly for helping me to see things differently. Waleed Aly is an Australian moral philosopher and a passionate fan of the Richmond Tigers Australian rules football team in Melbourne. He is also a devout Muslim and the son of Lebanese migrants. He is a typical Richmond fan, which means that he has almost nothing in common with his fellow Richmond fans. Richmond supporters are Jews, Christians, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and atheists. Some Richmond supporters are Aboriginal Australians with roots going back 60,000 years on the land, some are fifth generation Melbourne residents and some have only lived in the country for a few years. Some Richmond supporters are fabulously wealthy, some are working class, and some have barely two pennies to rub together. Some hold PhDs, some never finished high school. Some Richmond supporters are on the political left, and others are on the political right. In other words, Richmond supporters include everyone. Waleed Aly notes the oversize role that sports play in bringing us together around a shared cause. When we think that we have nothing in common with others who live in our region, we can remind ourselves that we all support the Fighting Irish. And that can be a starting point for conversation and connection.
In South Bend, I’ve learned that it’s almost always possible to talk about the weather, because there’s almost always something to talk about. But it’s also very easy to talk about the Fighting Irish, and it’s wonderful to do so when it brings us together. Especially now, when our nation is bitterly divided, when we are gnawing our fingernails away to nothing worrying about the fires in Los Angeles, when we are so anxious about the future. Anything that can build community rather than dividing us is precious and to be celebrated. How wonderful that we are entering Shabbat together with Fighting Irish fans locally and all around the world as we hopefully look ahead to an underdog victory on January 20.
Shabbat shalom!