Back When Football Was Good

Nostalgia has a way of making us go back to the "good ol' days," remembering what we now believe to be simpler, happier days. The funny thing is, those days probably weren't as blissful as we remember them, but for some reason when we recall those experiences from our childhood almost all of them are remembered fondly. Enter the NFL. While I find myself quite immersed in the NFL today, I was not always so interested in the sport. It was not until about 2003 or 2004 that I really started to pay attention to Peyton Manning, Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison and the rest of the Indianapolis Colts as they worked and worked to earn themselves a Superbowl title (which Edgerrin didn't even get to be a part of!). However, I know for a fact that the NFL has been around for much longer than just a few years, and while those days might have been great for the Colts, they were also turbulent times for other teams.

Within the past few years we as the NFL fan community have begun to notice the trend of the "Throwback" jersey. The throwback jersey is a way in which current NFL teams pay homage to their earlier teammates, or at least, that's what they tend to say. I however, think they're also playing on the nostalgia of their fans.

Sometimes teams have great games. Other times teams stink so bad the games just feel like they will never end. Not only are the players emotionally invested in these games, but so also are the fans. So what is a team to do if they aren't doing so well? How are they going to get the fans to keep on watching. After all, they might say they are playing for the sake of the game, but the life blood of the NFL is the money they get from ticket sales and the revenue from companies who want to buy commercial time. How are they going to get such revenue if they can't win a game?

I believe that throwback jerseys are not only a way to show respect to those teams of yesteryear, but also to remind their fans of the so call "glory days." After all, what does is matter if the Miami Dolphins are losing by thirty points if they're wearing throwback jerseys? Sure they're losing, but the fans that are watching can't help but feel like they have been taken back to the days when Dan Marino was playing and all was right with the world. Sure, the game might be rough, but they still have the image of those good old days being played out right in front of them.

     Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name;
     make known among the nations what he has done. Sing to him, sing praise to him;
     tell of all his wonderful acts. Glory in his holy name;
     let the hearts of those who seek the Lord rejoice. Look to the Lord and his strength;
     seek his face always. Remember the wonders he has done,
     his miracles, and the judgments he pronounced, you his servants, the descendants of Abraham,
     his chosen ones, the children of Jacob.
     (Psalm 105:1-6 NIV)

I think nostalgia shouldn't also remind of what our lives used to be like, but also allow us to look back on all the great things that God has done in our lives. It ought to help us to feel what we felt back then when God redeemed us. Then, when we have felt those feelings again and remembered what God has done for us we can look at our lives today and realize that though things might not seem to be as good as they used to, God is still working in our lives the same today that he was back then.