Chad Gibbs came up with an excellent idea in his book "God and Football: Faith and Fanatacism in the SEC." To wit, college football fans are some of the most rabid in the world -- and they rely on faith as much as anything else to get them through the ups and downs of their chosen team's season. And more people spend time watching college football than they do in church, no matter how upright and Christian they may appear -- so aren't there lessons that can be learned from that?
This is an enjoyable romp through the SouthEast Conference (or SEC for short) with much witty commentary and byplay from long-time college football fan (and Auburn graduate) Chad Gibbs; the moral of the tale, that we tend to spend far too much time worrying about football, is sent up wittily, yet without irony, due to the fact of Gibbs' own football fanaticism, which he ruefully admits in his prologue.
I enjoyed this book, and have already re-read it for the language, for the descriptions of the various venues in and about the SEC, and for Gibbs' twin loves of faith and football. God doesn't have to "just" be in church, though the way God is often referenced at football games probably isn't the preferred way (as Gibbs points out); truly, if you live your faith, you should be able to find ways to enjoy your life and know God (or whatever form of the Deity you worship) and appreciate your relationship with the Higher Power no matter what you're doing.
Four stars, recommended for football fans, lovers of humor, and those seeking higher meaning but not wishing to come off as boring old sticks.
Barb Caffrey