What to Watch: Here Come the Irish

Although we have entered into 55 straight days of football, Notre Dame fans have a two week drought. With an bye for the October 5 weekend, I found myself with a free Saturday—a fall day full of opportunities and at minimum four hours—usually accounted for by the Irish. However, as true fans know, that freedom also creates a void. Looking to mind the gap, I found an answer in Here Come the Irish. It scratched the itch, offering new talking points and input on both sports and spirituality. 

"Here Come the Irish" is a seven-episode Peacock Original docuseries that follows the legendary Fighting Irish football team as they make their way through the 2024 college football season. In their marketing genius, only the first two episodes are available before the season. This means that a loyal Irish patron will keep the subscription throughout the season and after. And I will.

Episode One: Choose Hard begins with a wonderful example of the symbiosis of Sport and Spirituality. The season has yet to begin and so does this particular day. The silence that surrounds Notre Dame stadium is interrupted by the rhythm of Cicadas, hidden from sight, nestled in the trees on the Library Quad. 

The distinctive voice of Marcus Freeman speaks to something so spiritual. He says

I try to get my workouts in the morning. Sometimes I will run, sometimes I will walk—depending on what day it is, but I love it empty. I love being here and reflecting on the work that has to get done. You look for a place where you can get a bit of solitude. This is holy ground, man. What better place that being in the stadium at this time in the morning.

Few Fightin' Irish fans would disagree. It is holy ground. While we don't have that opportunity to get inside the stadium, alone, early in the morning to find the time and space to reflect, pray meditate AND exercise, I'm glad we have a coach that can and does.

My sense is this spiritual practice is what prompts Coach Free to give inspiring, important messages. Moreover it yields an authenticity that gets his players and fans to actually believe him. In his opening speech, he proclaims the goal for the preseason. He says, "our focus as a football team, as a football program—as players, coaches and staff— is to chase the best version of you. Don't worry about anything else. If we can get 100+ people in the Notre Dame football program to be the best version of themselves—then watch out! That's called reaching your full potential."

The program flashes iconic images and popular rhetoric—tradition, legendary players and coaches, values and principles, the personal and team goals. It captures who we are and who we want to be. Coach Holtz himself says, “for those who know Notre Dame, no explanation’s necessary. Those who don’t, no explanation will suffice.” That is the spirituality of Notre Dame football. 

In 2024, the program is led by a man who is telling his athletes to undertake an endeavor that is truly countercultural: Choose Hard. I would argue that true Christianity asks the same. 

Football and other sports might be one of the few arenas where we welcome the invitation and opportunity to take on challenges and face difficulty head on. Athletics demands that we do this to grow, succeed and win. We do it alone and with others, guided by leaders—many who are good and some who are not. And still, we carry on, endure and persevere. 

Coach Freeman isn't the only person who has ever said this. I should think in his own life and as a Catholic, he has listened to many voices. I hope on those early morning runs, inside Notre Dame Stadium—a beautiful one is that of Our Lady, Notre Dame. She speaks to us all...it's just that at a place like ND we have lots of reminders to listen to her...and her Son.

Photo Credits
Here come the Irish
Coach Free

Inside Bay Bridge Baseball: The Pen Remains Mighty

When was the last time you put a pen to paper and wrote a letter? And when is the last time you received a missive in the mail? in print? Although letter writing might feel like a practice of the past, two recent events in Bay Area sports have reminded how and why writing a letter is important. 

History reveals this truth. Go to any Presidential museum in this country and you will find countless letters on display. By one estimate, Teddy Roosevelt penned 150,000 letters. Furthermore, letters serve as primary sources. The book All the Best, George Bush: My Life in Letters and Other Writings taught me a great deal about American history, culture, art and more. Who knew that saving all those cards and handwritten notes could and would prove invaluable? Letters are passed down and passed on. They are both personal and private, sometimes public, often revelatory.

The first chapter of On the Eighth Day:A Catholic Theology of Sport —the required text for Sports and Spirituality—is entitled "From Saint Paul to Pope Francis." Saint Paul is important in this course because he "invokes the motif of running as a metaphor for discipleship on multiple occasions" through his letters to different communities. His wrote to inform, persuade and encourage others (of the love of Christ). These letters are recorded in the New Testament. Though they were written nearly 2,000 years ago, we write letters for similar reasons today. Such is the thought that came to mind when I saw that the Oakland Athletics' owner, John Fisher wrote a letter to A's baseball fans. I knew it was something I needed to share.

I posted Fisher's missive in my presentation but offered to read it to the class. I reminded my students that in the past athletes have written letters to their fan base when they retire or move on. Others, like Kobe Bryant have written letters to a game. Though you might not be an A's fan, I'm curious to know what you think.

Fisher notes the franchise's 123 year history. It has moved before and it is moving again. The list of accomplishments is so impressive. The characters who contributed and colored their story are legion. I got to the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake, the Bay Bridge Series and the 20 game win streak and I got so choked up, I paused. I told my students, "I'm sorry, this is harder than I thought it would be." I finished reading the letter and let them unpack its meaning, their reactions and responses. Many sat in silence. Others noted how hard that might be for those fans. I told them I had no idea I would feel this way. 

Although I grew up in Walnut Creek, California—the East Bay—I am not an A's fan. People who have met me away from my home want to know how or why I am Giants fan instead. Easy. The Giants had a Triple-A farm team in Tacoma, WA, so my dad saw the genesis of some Giant legends. My mom grew up in San Francisco, which is where I have lived for the past 20+ years. No further explanation needed. 

That being said, I grew up with and among A's fans. Several of my dear friends from high school donned the green and gold. I can still recall getting into an argument during my freshman year over who was the better franchise: the Giants or the A's. We were sitting in the back of the bus. One girl couldn't let it go. She defended the orange and black. I respect her to this day for that.

It was so moving to see many of those friends return to the ballpark for the final games. A's fans are both angry and sad. I don't think it would be too much for John Fisher to acknowledge this. Instead he wrote what a local announcer, Larry Beil deemed a "great work of fiction." His pronouncement went viral.Watch and you will see why.

One announcer said "that statement does nothing for any A's fan." Beil responds, "you sort of have to release a statement but what would be nice would be a news conference where you take questions, but we haven't seen that. Why start now? It's only been 18 years." A good friend Dan, added

I believe that no fan needed or wanted to hear from Fisher. It’s amazing that the hearts of an entire fanbase and city are in the hands of one human being. And it’s unfathomable that he could not make it work in one of the country’s largest media markets.  Its all so disappointing.  I enjoyed my farewell on Saturday vs the mighty Yanks.  You could feel the love in the building and the respect for what that franchise accomplished in Oakland.  The titles, the characters and legends, the grit, inspiring a major motion picture, the fan support throughout…I feel fortunate to have grown up with A’s and grateful to my family for getting to so many games.

Dan's words remind me—for the fans, baseball is so much more than a business. It's just not entertainment. I knew what this loss would mean to him and his family. A team binds friends and family, our community and makes a place home. It affects our lives and livelihoods in ways big and small. My brother was a paper boy for the Contra Costa Times—a news source that proudly featured the A's.  He threw out the first pitch of an A's-White Sox game on Saturday, June 16, 1984, a nationally televised game on NBC. He said, "I was among a group of seven or eight paper boys who sold the most subscriptions and was picked to throw out the first pitch after winning a contest." Great job, Mark! In sixth grade, I got free tickets to an A's game because I read ten books in the summer. Incentives do work! I wrote a letter to my Great Aunt, my Aunt Dottie. In our regular USPS exchanges, I told her about that prize!

Personally, I think it's important that Fisher wrote this open letter. Yes, his director of communications likely wrote it. Yes, it feels more fiction than fact but the written word gives all of us a place to stand. It is from this message we can respond and react, retort and reply. It could have been different. It should have been different. Silence in this instance would be deafening and damaging....and furthered the defeat so many people already feel. A meeting, a question and answer session, a press conference with the fans and for the fans isn't too much to ask. They deserve so much more. They got an open letter and lost a team. This story is a sad one.

No one is sure of what is to come for sports in and around Oakland the larger Bay Area. I can however report this week, my students were privy to letter with a different tenor. Speaking about the San Francisco Giants ten years ago felt a whole lot different. Loyal fans like me are hopeful that the words from our All-Star and three time World Series champion, Gerald "Buster" Posey will deliver the promise he offers. 

The fact of the matter is feelings, hopes and desires, dreams and dreams deferred need to be written and shared. A letter is an important place to make a record of that. The pen is mighty... Shakespeare said so himself.

Photo Credits
Buster Posey—is he getting better looking or what
A's in Line
Double Trouble

The Juice Box: Featuring Fred Warner

A colleague recently told me about a new podcast. I like it so much I almost feel like I have a new friend. I want the people I care about to "meet" my new show. So for you, Sports and Spirituality readers, I'm excited to make the introduction. Meet Pod Quad. 

Hosted by two Holy Cross priests, Fathers Pete McCormick, C.S.C. and Nate Wills, C.S.C. are real friends "having curiosity conversations with interesting people. Talking about life.” The title is a nod to where that happens at a place like Notre Dame: on the Quad. I want the creators and any new listeners to know, although I am over 2000 miles from campus and live amidst the urban sprawl of San Francisco, their message resonates with me. In other words, the quad is not required. Furthermore, I'm so invested in their show, I have  found myself answering the final question for myself. I would like the hosts to know I get a whole lot of juice from Sports and Spirituality.. And juice this week has come from the Niners win over the New England Patriots on Sunday, September 29. I'll give the squeeze in a bit. 

The format works. Although Pod Quad is but a few episodes in, it is a delight to listen to and learn from their guests. They conclude each interview with the question “What's one piece of wisdom that you've received that you think would be awesome just to share with Pod Quad Nation?” While those nuggets are always meaningful, what leaves me hanging is their final question. 

Father Nate says,

And so now this segment, we close out the Pod Quad here with a little segment we like to call the Juice Box, which is where we talk about what gave us juice from that conversation.

Pete, how would you define juice?

Man, juice is, you can look this up in the dictionary. Juice ultimately is a vigor for life, a passion, a new insight, perspective that just gets amped up. And so what we're doing is honoring that in this way with some very tasty apple juice.

But at the same time, to be able to remind us all, like, yo, what are the things in your conversations, in your lives that are ultimately bringing you juice and how can you bring that into your world more broadly?”

I've never been partial to juice.I don't start my day with an OJ in hand. I don't own a juicer. A day without coffee is criminal, but a day without juice? No problem...and yet, I love this metaphor. This question gets me fired up—What gives you juice? 

Juice has flavor—lots of it! Juice makes things sweeter. The Juice Box has given me a way to understand and appreciate events, ideas, insights and sharing that fits their description.

Sitting in the Boston airport, I relished watching the Niners in enemy territory. In what appeared to be a beautiful day at Levi's Stadium, I couldn't help but cheer when I saw that once again Niners linebacker Fred Warner was the main squeeze. He was outstanding in Game two against the Vikings (some fans said he was the only Niner who played well that day) and his pick-six in the second quarter of this game made me wonder: Do I need to get a jersey with #54 on it?! But what made this play so memorable was not only his feat, but the reaction from the fans. Kendall Baker of Yahoo Sports, featured Warner's interception for a TD in his Baker's Dozen as one of the "Top Plays of the Weekend." Watch his clip here.

I love his defensive genius. I love Warner's vision, speed and his heart. But I also love what the camera reveals: the viewer gets confirmation of the TD and then a panorama of the response from fans in the stands. In this sea of gold are two men in their turbans next to others in a baseball caps. Women, men and even children are standing and clapping. Football is flawed, but it's also one of the greatest games. It's emotional, it's heart, it's thrilling.  There's just so much juice to squeeze. Even thinking about it now gets the juices flowing.

So give to others what Father Pete and Father Nick have given us—a place and a space for a curiosity conversation. Talk to someone you admire or respect. Ask them for their best piece of advice. Reflect upon what you have learn. You might walk away with a juice box in hand. 

Photo Credits
Fist bump
Pod Quad convo
Icon
Pick-Six