Two Recommendations in the Four Christmas Gift Challenge: Sports and Spirituality Style

Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be behind us, but the sales and attempts to draw our cash or credit cards online or in line at the brick and mortar have not waned one bit. The Christmas Season is code for retail's most wonderful (and important) time of the year. How can we navigate such tempting waters? How should we? 

I believe the "Four Gift Christmas Challenge" is a viable answer; it is a channel in the sea of consumerism. When I first wrote about the Challenge two years ago, the program was gaining ground. People realize that material gifts do not make us happy. Our endless pursuit to find the perfect one is short-sighted of the true meaning of Christmas. Limiting what we receive to just four gifts, may still be a sign of abundance for many people in the world, but for so many others, it's a thoughtful way to frame how, what and why we give. 

Though I appreciate the brilliance of my friend Eileen who told her son, "Jesus received three gifts, so you will too."I would like to make a proposal to keep four. This posting will serve as a reflection and suggestion on two of them.

What to wear: Though every last part of me digs new gear—golf skirt, baseball cap, I would love a San Francisco Giants jersey (for women), the latest in all things ND, when it comes to the "Four Gift Christmas Challenge" one of the more exciting and creative ideas pertains to My Cleats, My Cause.

I want to and plan to write a posting dedicated to this very topic. For now, I will share what I learned thanks to my seniors in Sports and Spirituality. 

If you notice some colorful shoes out on the gridiron on Sunday it's all part of an awareness movement called "My cause, My cleats." 

Some 1,000 NFL players will lace up customized cleats reflecting their charitable endeavors tomorrow as part of the league's "My Cause My Cleats" campaign. 

After the game, the shoes will be auctioned off to raise money for the charities.
Green Bay Packers Defensive End Mike Daniels' shoes are for the "No Bullying Zone" and Running Back Ty Montgomery's are for "Eye Heart World." 

Even number twelve himself is getting in on the fun. Aaron Rodgers posted a pic to Instagram on Saturday saying even though he isn't playing today, he still wants to honor the inspiration he finds in the athletes of the Special Olympics. 

Week 13 is the only weekend that players don't have to worry about the league flagging them for fines over their footwear.

While it would be wonderful to purchase the very cleats that NFL players don this coming Sunday, my sense is that even Santa sets limits. However, a fun and creative gift need not be the shoes, but the supplies to enable any athlete to transform their cleats to a canvas for their own cause. Not artistic? Find a friend. This need not be a project an athlete create alone. Teams can work together to paint, decorate, and design shoes that demonstrate their passion, unique interests, and dreams for a better tomorrow. 

Now that's something to wear!

What to read: Parents, this one is for you. My friend John Acquaviva (one of the best last names ever), who holds a PhD in exercise science is a professor at Wingate University in Charlotte, the father of four children and radio host of Radio Maria's "Faith and Fitness" and the author of "Raising Kids with a Healthy Body Image: A Guide for Catholic Parents." I hope the review I wrote on Amazon offers you more insight into this wonderful resource. 

"Raising Kids with a Healthy Body Image: A Guide for Catholic Parents." is a beautiful text that handles a topic that is more important than most people probably know. As a high school teacher and a coach, I am acutely aware of how much our society is sending messages other than developing a healthy body image. Truly, this quest can feel at times, countercultural. The question that arises is how parents, family members, teachers and others can bring young people safely through these turbulent waters. 

Acquaviva's writing is a ministry of the Catholic Church. His knowledge of the faith is rich, vibrant, pastoral and realistic. He references St. John Paul II's "Theology of the Body" but not exclusively. For those who are familiar with the late Pope's teaching, Acquaviva's information enhances his messages. For those who are unfamiliar, the teaching only enriches the text. And, I appreciate the context he gives for the role of faith in addressing the issue—at its best, to support, inform and guide. 

Each chapter breaks down an important question and topic as related to Body Image. I value the author's usage of Scripture or a quote from a saint to frame the unit. I was left with an increased appreciation for the body, a gift that is indeed sacred and yet at risk, worth protecting and praiseworthy.

One section, in particular, has stayed with me. "The Truth that Heals: Wise words from scripture, saints and scholars" includes the story of Vinicio Riva. You may not recognize the name, but you will remember his face. His story to be the subject of my next posting. 

One need not give a person a material object like a book to read, but I do believe during the season when we celebrate the Incarnation—the Word made flesh, a tangible gift inclusive of the word (lower case "s") is a worthy one. Perhaps that wise man bringing something to read got caught talking to someone along the way....that's what happens when we read. We need to share the word. What a wonderful idea to pray with this Advent and Christmas.

And while you're at it. talk to other parents and people about the "Four (or Three) Gift Christmas Challenge." I have a feeling it can help keep the Christ in Christmas....

Photo Credits
4-Gift Challenge
My Cleats, My Cause

The Spirituality of Sports Fandom: The Business of Caring

I sat back in my seat at War Memorial Gym to watch the University of San Francisco Dons' men's basketball team take on the Gauchos of UCSB and noticed something was different. My vision was uninhibited. My pulse remaining at a resting heart rate. I looked around their "fieldhouse" a throwback as far as gyms go and observed the fans and unique traditions of USF with eyes wide open. Just three days later, I turned on the Pac 12 Championship football game to see the Stanford Cardinal defeated by the men of Troy at Levi's Stadium. Missed tackles by both teams left me unaffected. Penalties given and received—no problem. Incredible catches in the end zone, converting on third and long, field goals, all of the glory of football was on display without a simple cheer, roar or high five from me. I turned to my friend and said: "it's so nice to watch a game and not care about either team." This is what I call the business of not caring. Maybe I should try it more often. Perhaps you agree...

Pac 12 Championship 2017. Who Cares...right?

Being a sports fan comes at a cost. The financial one is not insignificant. For example, traveling to South Bend to see the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame requires a pricey plane ticket, a place to stay and the game ticket is no chump change. I can appreciate that the only people for whom college football is affordable are the student body—that's how it should be. But all parties—students and alumni, parents, friends, and family, subway alums, and the fans of visiting teams offer another investment, one beyond price: time, energy and effort. When I say effort, I mean mental energy, emotion, deliberation, allegiance and more. I leave every Notre Dame football game I attend exhausted—and I'm not even playing the game! I go to a lot of high school basketball games. I'm invested in the outcome and many times that is characterized by two words: high or low, up or down, happy or sad. That's what caring about someone or something demands of us.

I'm not convinced enough has been written about the spirituality of sports fandom. Being faithful to an athlete or a team teaches us much more than knowledge about a sport, a person's story, the history of the game, or even a given school, city or institution. We learn about ourselves. Why are we drawn to certain players? What excites us about this particular team? And for what reason do we detest their rivals? What does the enemy embody? What does that coach promote that is in conflict with my values or beliefs? These are some of the many questions sports fans are asked to consider on a regular basis.

This guy obviously cares...

We know that the word "fan" is derived from fanatic: one who is filled with or expresses excessive zeal. When a sports fan attends a game where they have "no dog in the fight," the energy and effort that zeal requires can be put on reserve...that is...until it isn't.

The sports fan in me, inevitably, finds some connection, some relationship to my team or other allegiances that force me to pick a side. Slowly but surely, I make some sort of forced choice: USF or UCSB....Stanford or USC....Dodgers or Astros. I think of the people in my life who love one team or another. That friendship may be enough to draw me in. Other times, I will think of the athletes involved. USF has a player who went to my high school, an athlete I have always admired. Today he's a D-1 athlete. How could I not root for him?...and therefore his team? Or I've been at games where my own brother will cheer for a team because of how their win or loss will benefit or hurt the San Francisco Giants standings. Or I bring it back to Notre Dame. The Irish crushed USC and lost to Stanford. In this case, I want USC to win....right?!

BIG game for Wisconsin who lost to OSU in the Big 10 Championship

I suppose I shouldn't take for granted the fact that anyone, including me, does care. The baseball poet laureate and writer, Roger Angell wrote

It is foolish and childish, on the face of it, to affiliate ourselves with anything so insignificant and patently contrived and commercially exploitive as a professional sports team, and the amused superiority and icy scorn that the non-fan directs at the sports nut (I know this look -- I know it by heart) is understandable and almost unanswerable. Almost. What is left out of this calculation, it seems to me, is the business of caring -- caring deeply and passionately, really caring -- which is a capacity or an emotion that has almost gone out of our lives. And so it seems possible that we have come to a time when it no longer matters so much what the caring is about, how frail or foolish is the object of that concern, as long as the feeling itself can be saved. Naivete -- the infantile and ignoble joy that sends a grown man or woman to dancing and shouting with joy in the middle of the night over the haphazardous flight of a distant ball -- seems a small price to pay for such a gift.

The spirituality of sports fandom is characterized by one primary virtue: care.  And care is not passive—it's an active verb. Care means concern, attention, extending emotion and heart, finding delight and joy the victories both big and small. Care also invites disappointment and hurt, love and loss. Care reveals our humanity...maybe the best part about it.

Photo Credits
Fan
OSU
Stanford vs USC

In the Spirit of Thanksgiving: A National Day of Service

I have been noticeably silent on the NFL this fall. The week after President Trump reignited the debate over the national anthem, I wanted to write a post entitled "The NFL is stressing me out." For one, I didn't even know how to name the issue. Second, I couldn't keep up with team responses and reactions, views of the fans, the owners, Republicans, and Democrats, so on and so forth. I have my students to thank for navigating me through those rough waters. We elected to have a class period to openly discuss the issue with some guidance from an article of their choosing. We raised questions, shared different viewpoints, considered nuances and we laughed. Our discussion felt very different than the ones we were hearing on the national stage.

Whether or not my students, their parents, my colleagues, friends, and family are football fans, what Colin Kapernick did—when he decided to sit and not stand during the national anthem—has launched a national conversation about race, patriotism, police brutality, free speech, honor and respect, tradition and much more. I hope conversations such as the one I was privy to in my Sports and Spirituality class are taking place in schools and at home. I'm not sure it has.

Our country is divided, but we have been there before. As bad as it sometimes feels, the Civil War must be the apex. With history as our teacher, I have asked myself: How did the American people respond? Fortunately, one woman, Sarah Josepha Hale found power in the pen. Known as the "Mother of Thanksgiving," Hale wrote to the 16th President of the United States, Mr. Abraham Lincoln and urged him to take action: make Thanksgiving a national holiday.

According to the History Channel's History Stories: 

While at “Godey’s,” Hale often wrote editorials and articles about the holiday and she lobbied state and federal officials to pass legislation creating a fixed, national day of thanks on the last Thursday of November—a unifying measure, she believed that could help ease growing tensions and divisions between the northern and southern parts of the country. Her efforts paid off: By 1854, more than 30 states and U.S. territories had a Thanksgiving celebration on the books, but Hale’s vision of a national holiday remained unfulfilled.  

The outbreak of war in April 1861 did little to stop Sarah Josepha Hale’s efforts to create such a holiday, however. She continued to write editorials on the subject, urging Americans to “put aside sectional feelings and local incidents” and rally around the unifying cause of Thanksgiving. And the holiday had continued, despite hostilities, in both the Union and the Confederacy. In 1861 and 1862, Confederate President Jefferson Davis had issued Thanksgiving Day proclamations following Southern victories. Abraham Lincoln himself called for a day of thanks in April 1862, following Union victories at Fort Donelson, Fort Henry and at Shiloh, and again in the summer of 1863 after the Battle of Gettysburg.

Shortly after Lincoln’s summer proclamation, Hale wrote to both the president and Secretary of State William Seward, once again urging them to declare a national Thanksgiving, stating that only the chief executive had the power to make the holiday, “permanently, an American custom and institution.” Whether Lincoln was already predisposed to issue such a proclamation before receiving Hale’s letter of September 28 remains unclear. What is certain is that within a week, Seward had drafted Lincoln’s official proclamation fixing the national observation of Thanksgiving on the final Thursday in November, a move the two men hoped would help “heal the wounds of the nation.”

Hale's efforts remind me that change is possible and perhaps that much more necessary in times of strife, division, and disharmony. Complaining, worrying, and brooding about the state of the union—literally‚—can only extend so far. Thoughtful action, persistence, and support for a cause or a goal can yield, the horn of plenty.

Today, many people and organizations have taken action. Glory be. I told my students that I need to do the same. Here is my plea: I believe steps should be taken by both the President and the NFL to do what Sarah Hale once did in creating Thanksgiving. Today, I believe that the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday should be a national day of service. This federal holiday, observed on the third January of the month, should not be a day off, but rather, a day on. A day for justice, for service for outreach to our local communities. I believe the President should declare this initiative and I think every NFL team across the country should model and lead efforts to serve. The timing is perfect, as all but two teams have completed their seasons. As fans await the Super Bowl, why not gather one more time, in service to one another?!

Can you imagine a singular day, or perhaps the entire 3-day weekend dedicated to service? All of America would serve as the labor force, as volunteers, for the needs of their local communities. Even those running the programs would offer their time and energy for free. People would be free to choose where and how to serve. Some might be joined by NFL players, others by their coaching staff, and still others by their cheerleaders or best of all, their fellow fans. For those folks who live in places without a home NFL team or those who do not like football, no problem. The goal is to change a national conversation from what to do? to what CAN we do.

Dr. King said "Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." This Thanksgiving, I gave thanks for our freedoms and our challenges—after all, they have shaped who we are. Let's see what more we can become.

Dear Mr. Trump....

Photo Credits
Pats on T-giving
Cowboy Service
Denver

The Fan Experience: Worth Considering

I take fandom seriously. If fans could take vows, I would probably offer mine to Notre Dame athletics: in good times and in bad, in sickness (or injury) and in health. You get the point.

I realize that being a fan means different things to different people, but I demonstrate mine by showing up when the Irish come to town. Hence, I am always a little surprised when people ask me if I am going to see the football team play when they come to town every other Thanksgiving weekend. I live 2500 miles from campus and 25 from Stanford's; I can't imagine not going to the game. On one level, the question is a non-question; my answer never varies. Yes, I will be there. For the first time in my 20+ year loyalty, I'm not so sure. 

The Stanford Cardinal defeated Notre Dame 38-20 on Saturday, November 25  in what was the final regular season game of the 2017 season. I left upset about the loss, but probably, even more disappointed? troubled? disturbed by the fan experience inside Stanford stadium. I can't say what I experienced was offensive, disrespectful or rude. In fact, nothing a Stanford fan or the Univesity did was inconsiderate or inappropriate (which, given the history of their band has not always been true). No, it's what Stanford didn't do that raised questions, has given me pause for consideration of how to express my loyalty to the Irish in the future.

In his book "The Joy of Sports" Michael Novak has described football as one of the three great American public liturgies (baseball and basketball are the other two). Liturgy in a religious sense gathers a community for the purpose of public worship that invokes participation, call and response, watching, listening, making time for silence, praise, worship, and song. Liturgy is framed by ritual and tradition; it is a celebration and it is timely. It's not difficult to understand how this concept applies to sport. 

Finishing the season 9-3, fans continue to raise questions about Coach Kelly

Collegiate and professional sports are orchestrated by ritual and traditions, too. Many are shared throughout the country and others are unique to each institution and organization. This is one reason that fans love to travel to see their team on the road. I have loved seeing Notre Dame play at Texas, LSU, University of Washington and even Rutgers. Nothing beats winning in enemy territory. It's fun interacting with the enemy and taking in the many ways they reveal their allegiance by donning certain colors, participating in their own unique calls and responses i.e. cheers and more. This notion of the liturgy, however, was vacant at Stanford.

Within the first ten minutes of the game (not on the official game clock), I turned to my friend and asked if we were at a pop concert. Would a football game break out? I have never been to a sporting event with so much music inundating the airwaves. It was incessant and prevented me from hearing anything on the field. I have written about the importance of silence on this blog many times and I found the total lack of it offensive. I had difficulty focusing on football because the music, totally unrelated to the game was so loud. Football is not a silent game. There is the sound of hitting, tackling, whistles blowing, fans reacting, clapping, and yelling. I want to hear the masses cheering and jeering. Please, no more Meghan Trainor.

I hate this band...but, damn it if I don't respect them.

I have never totally understood Stanford's infamous marching band. They delight in being different, but their impact is anemic. I can't stand USC's fight song— it's hard for me to like much about USC—but I recognize their band is impressive. They accomplish what they aim to do, set the tone for the men who are going to war on the gridiron. They entertain their fans during halftime and during the game itself, their music carries a cadence that increases fan engagement. Cheerleaders work in concert with the band, as they should. I might be wrong, but Stanford's cheerleaders seemed divorced from the Dancing Tree et al.

The pageantry and the rituals of college football are simply the icings on the cake of a great American liturgy, but the real "work of the people" is the game itself. Stanford beat us. They capitalized on every one of our mistakes. They stopped the run and covered our receivers. They deserve congratulations for converting, for being up when we were down. But honestly, this is something I could easily watch and experience on television. I could probably hear the actual game better, I could have saved $160 which is the face value of the ticket (more expensive than my USC at ND ticket). Call me an unsavvy shopper—I enjoyed sitting in a group with my friends—but that much for the fan experience I had is imprudent.

The late Michael Novak helped me understand the liturgy of football a little more. In the introduction, he spoke about the voice of Monday Night Football's Howard Cosell. He wrote, 

Howard challenged me to prove football is more than just mere entertainment, means more to us than entertainment, elates or depresses us more than entertainment, affects us more deeply. Entertainment is what occurs at halftime when you get up to go to the bathroom or to buy a hotdog. Entertainment is what you see on a television above the bar in a hotel far from home when no one is paying attention. Football is what makes the people are around the same bar silent, reverent, elated or despondent as the last quarter brings on the game's climactic moments. —Joy of Sports

Call me sour grapes for letting the entertainment get in the way of the football. And if I was Stanford fan, I might see things differently. But the liturgy isn't to be underestimated. It frames the source of the reason we gather, and well, some do it much better than others. I invite any Stanford fan to come to Notre Dame to compare and contrast.

Will I show up two years from now? Given my vows, I think the answer is probably "yes." However, when people ask me that question in the future: Are you going to see the Irish play this weekend? My answer isn't necessarily a given "yes." Staying committed to someone or something is a choice we are always making, affirming and doing. The fan experience at Stanford helped me appreciate that a little more. 

Photo Credits
USC band
EQ

The Two Faces of Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving, a wonderful American tradition and national holiday since 1863 has two faces. Contrary to what you might think those faces are not stuffed and more stuffed, turkey and pumpkin pie or even Pilgrims and Amercian Indians. No the faces of Thanksgiving are beautiful to see, perfect in their goodness; they are gratitude and generosity.

So fun to have faculty, alumni, family & friends at the 2017 Turkey Trot. Much warmer than Boston ;-)

Many of the Gospel readings of late have focused on these faces, revealing their importance and yet how challenging they might be. Generosity isn't always easy. Sometimes, we give with the hope (or expectation) of getting something in return. True generosity is able to give without counting the cost. And gratitude—thank God my mom emphasized the importance of writing that seemingly innocuous thank you notes when I was young; making time to give, write and say thanks is a spiritual discipline. I have often wondered if Jesus, in His humanity, walked away disappointed that only one out of ten lepers who were cured returned to say thanks. And yet, even one face of gratitude is worth seeing. Thanksgiving is a time to look for both.

The faces of Thanksgiving show up in unexpected people and places, which makes them worthy of seeking. For example, for the past 20 years, nearly 200 students, faculty, alumni, parents, and friends have come to the circle at Lake Merced to walk, run, jog or stroll our Turkey Trot. All of the proceeds go to St. Anthony's Dining Room, a place that loves all and serves all (ala Hard Rock Cafe) in the Tenderloin district of San Francisco. We ask for a $10 donation from every participant, And, as the organizer, I see the faces of every one of them. I can't tell you how many are excited to give much more than the suggested donation. Others thanked us for not only organizing the race but for supporting St. Anthony's. We are grateful and want our community to know that. 

We say "thank you" for attending—the fact that anyone even shows up is a grace. We give t-shirts to the first 100 registrants, something I always have fun in creating. During the years when the Giants won a World Series (2010, 2012, 2014...2018??!!), the Turkey Trot t-shirt was either orange with black lettering or black with orange lettering. Hard not to be grateful for three championships in five years. This year's shirt, however, was navy and orange, the colors of no Bay Area sports teams. So what gives, right? This year's shirt was my way of thanking the Houston Astros for defeating our rivals—the Los Angeles Dodgers. Happy Thanksgiving LA! Giving thanks can be fun.

So grateful for my ND Family, gathered for a pre-game meal

Indeed, there is so much to be grateful for. Every other year, I get to see the faces of my other family, one that I love very much. Later today, the Fighting Irish will take on the Stanford Cardinal down on the Farm. This pigskin classic brings alumni, family, and friends from far and wide. We come together for tailgating, football and Fireball and much more. The ND family is inclusive of faces old and young. They have been my classmates, teammates, mentors, prayer partners and friends. Always thankful for this family...and of course, a good victory. Go Irish!

At the Friday Morning Liturgy before the Thanksgiving holiday, in the homily, Father Steigeler said that gratitude is a reactionary virtue. We express gratitude because someone has been generous. He challenged us to practice both. This Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect time to begin.

I would never ask a high school student to be two-faced, but considering what these two look like....maybe I would.

Read about the SI Turkey Trot in 2010!