College Football and the Little Things That Bind Us

Today, Congress was unable to pass the proposition for a $700 billion bailout package that would, in theory, save banks and businesses and revive the American economy by buying out bad loans and such and reselling them a little at a time.

The DOW dropped 700 points, in what was the largest point loss in one day in the history of this country.

Americans have fallen on tough times.

We are all feeling the backlash of this economic catastrophe and, to many, it seems there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

Among all the uncertainty and anxiety of this dire situation, I have come to realize that hope can be found in the small things, the things we as Americans love to do every day.

College football is one of many things that provide a sense of calm to exuberant fans all over the country.

It's a beautiful thing being able to forget your troubles for three hours on a Saturday afternoon in the fall. For those three special hours, nothing else matters. It's you and your buddies kicking back and having a good time.

College football allows fans to turn off the news for a little while and worry about how good your team's offense will look instead of being concerned with the stock market.

It allows fans to celebrate pride and tradition in whatever way, shape, or form they see fit.

Most importantly, college football brings families together. Fathers and sons, brothers and sisters, grandpas and uncles, all come together to not only cheer on the team, but to simply be together, and there is no greater treasure than that.

Sure, rivalries are formed, but it's never "Republican vs. Democrat," "Conservative vs. Liberal." It's "Longhorn vs. Sooner," "Buckeye vs. Wolverine," or "Bulldog vs. "Gator." Bitter feelings may arise from time to time, but it's all in good sport.

Though I'm young and still have much to learn about how governing bodies and global economies work, it is clear to me that in times of chaos and uncertainty, there are always things that can "bail" us out.

It would be naive to think a simple game could fix the problems of millions, but it cannot be argued that the little pleasures in life, like football, allow us to escape to a place where checkbooks and loans don't mean a thing.

To all Americans who are seeing troubling times, take heart and remember that life is full of challenges, but there are always ways to overcome them. We are in this together.

We can sometimes be divided down party lines, social lines, or any other lines you can think of, but one thing remains constant....

College football is one of the little things that binds us.