If you have watched our past two games, you know we aren't doing so hot.
Our loss to Mississippi State was somewhat of a shock. Of course, an 0-2 start doesn't mean we are doomed for the rest of the season. But we definitely need to improve.
After our win at the national championship two years ago, we have been in a steady decline. So we think it's a good time to take a look at what football means to us.
Auburn has just as many, if not more, academic accolades as it does football honors. If you never pay attention to your AU Daily tab in AU Access, however, you probably don't know about all the strides we have made in the non-sports related world.
In the South, where college football has become a religion, saying we should also be proud of our academic achievements is blasphemy. Schools around here are supposed to place a priority on football, and anyone who says otherwise is a heretical nerd.
We're aware some would say the church of college football is just something that has always been around. However, we feel the need to question why this phenomenon exists.
Football is a fun game to watch. It's fast, violent and loud, especially when you are in Jordan-Hare. Home games are a boon to the local economy, and Auburn memorabilia makes a lot of money for any company that can afford to license the AU logo.
All this is from a high-profile research university, but nobody really cares about that.
Football is a business pretending to be a tradition.
Yes, it makes us happy; it makes us proud; but it also makes us money. Making money is certainly not a bad thing, and we are definitely not saying our football team is worthless. But we do think it's important to ask why we care more about a football team that simply produces money than we do an academic body that educates, makes monumental scientific discoveries and instills valuable life skills.
We think our pride needs to extend past our football team. We should embrace the University many of us call home.
Our faculty roster is great. We have a wealth of bright minds who are experts on everything from Keynesian economics to spiders. Why can't we celebrate education for a little while?
Auburn football is a great tradition, and we will always stay faithful to our Tigers. However, the bloated giant that is the college football industry has overshadowed our academic prowess.
Do you like this story? The Plainsman doesn't accept money from tuition or student fees, and we don't charge a subscription fee. But you can donate to support The Plainsman.
