Spencer Hall's Annual Mulling on College Football
September 2, 2016 1:17 PM Subscribe
Spencer Hall's Annual Mulling on College Football On the eve of the true first Saturday of NCAA football, Spencer Hall of Every Day Should Be Saturday publishes a slightly deeper essay than the rest of the season's football japery. This year touches on Americanism, violence, race, and bison. Yeah, bison.
"Football is the sport that asks you to believe that there is an acceptable and controllable amount of being on fire."
My goodness, this is savagely and beautifully written.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 2:18 PM on September 2, 2016 [6 favorites]
My goodness, this is savagely and beautifully written.
posted by DrAstroZoom at 2:18 PM on September 2, 2016 [6 favorites]
EDSBS is comedy gold during football season. Tuesdays means Hatin' Ass Spurrier for a cold blooded roast of anything worthy in the college football world.
posted by azpenguin at 3:22 PM on September 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by azpenguin at 3:22 PM on September 2, 2016 [1 favorite]
I really enjoyed this, thank you.
posted by the man of twists and turns at 4:37 PM on September 2, 2016
posted by the man of twists and turns at 4:37 PM on September 2, 2016
I enjoyed this very much when I read it earlier. Spencer Hall often writes humorous pieces, but, as this story shows, he's a heck of a writer all-around.
posted by wintermind at 6:02 PM on September 2, 2016
posted by wintermind at 6:02 PM on September 2, 2016
Wow, this is excellent. Every time it starts to settle into a sort of plodding informative pace it jerks me back aware with a gasp.
I will say my newfound awareness of concussion made that video of the bison charging people way less funny than Hall found it - the guy in the white shirt definitely falls into fencing response.
At any rate, this was a tremendous piece to read.
posted by taterpie at 9:54 PM on September 2, 2016
I will say my newfound awareness of concussion made that video of the bison charging people way less funny than Hall found it - the guy in the white shirt definitely falls into fencing response.
At any rate, this was a tremendous piece to read.
posted by taterpie at 9:54 PM on September 2, 2016
"They move like they’re a little ticked-off all the time about something, but not exactly mad enough to do anything about it."
Exactly. A perfect summation of buffalo. Hall's description of Theodore Roosevelt was spot-on, too.
The story of Green Trice was interesting, but the tale about his son was like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Football -- played with or without racist motives -- is a grotesquely stupid reason for a young man to die. This is a belief I've held since I was in my single digits, when the high-school-age son of our church's minister was killed on the field. It's not the only reason I despise football, but it'll do for now.
posted by bryon at 12:50 AM on September 3, 2016
Exactly. A perfect summation of buffalo. Hall's description of Theodore Roosevelt was spot-on, too.
The story of Green Trice was interesting, but the tale about his son was like watching a car wreck in slow motion. Football -- played with or without racist motives -- is a grotesquely stupid reason for a young man to die. This is a belief I've held since I was in my single digits, when the high-school-age son of our church's minister was killed on the field. It's not the only reason I despise football, but it'll do for now.
posted by bryon at 12:50 AM on September 3, 2016
Spencer Hall is one of the greatest American essayists working right now. It's sad that he doesn't get more exposure.
posted by dw at 4:55 PM on September 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by dw at 4:55 PM on September 3, 2016 [1 favorite]
I've loved football since I saw the Bears win the Super Bowl, but it becomes more and more difficult to watch it as the years have gone on. Watching pro football at least gave me the cushion of "they get paid to do this to themselves" up until Dave Duerson shot himself in the heart so as to avoid damaging (further) his brain so it could be used to study the effects of CTE.
Twenty years ago, the hit Hall linked to on YouTube would've been part of a great football hits compilation, scored with aggressive music, and praising the linebacker. At this point, my thoughts are more "when the player went limp like that, how on earth did the play continue."
Great writing, with painful questions to deal with after.
posted by Ghidorah at 9:45 PM on September 3, 2016
Twenty years ago, the hit Hall linked to on YouTube would've been part of a great football hits compilation, scored with aggressive music, and praising the linebacker. At this point, my thoughts are more "when the player went limp like that, how on earth did the play continue."
Great writing, with painful questions to deal with after.
posted by Ghidorah at 9:45 PM on September 3, 2016
That wasn't even the worst play on Saturday, but at least the Iowa player got ejected.
posted by dw at 10:48 AM on September 6, 2016
posted by dw at 10:48 AM on September 6, 2016
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