Florida State University Libraries Electronic Theses, Treatises and Dissertations The Graduate School 2014 Football School: An Analysis of College Football Culture inside the Neoliberal University Neal Ternes Follow this and additional works at the FSU Digital Library. For more information, please contact [email protected] FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF EDUCATION FOOTBALL SCHOOL: AN ANALYSIS OF COLLEGE FOOTBALL CULTURE INSIDE THE NEOLIBERAL UNIVERSITY By NEAL TERNES A Thesis submitted to the Department of Sports Management in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science Degree Awarded: Spring Semester, 2014 Neal Ternes defended this thesis on April 3, 2014. The members of the supervisory committee were: Michael Giardina Professor Directing Thesis Joshua Newman Committee Member Jeffery James Committee Member The Graduate School has verified and approved the above-named committee members, and certifies that the thesis has been approved in accordance with university requirements. ii I dedicate this to my parents, Tim and Kathy Ternes, who have given me profound support and encouragement throughout my academic career. I love you both very much. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ vi Abstract ......................................................................................................................................... xii 1. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................................1 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................................22 2.1 Early History ................................................................................................................23 2.2 College Football and the Neoliberal University .........................................................34 2.3 Foucauldian Principles and the Neoliberal University ...............................................46 3. METHOD ..............................................................................................................................60 3.1 Participant Selection ....................................................................................................60 3.2 Ethnographic Observation ..........................................................................................62 3.3 Interview Methodology ...............................................................................................64 3.4 Media Analysis Method ..............................................................................................66 4. TEXAS A&M ........................................................................................................................71 3.1 The Spirit of Aggieland ...............................................................................................73 3.2 Goodbye to Texas University .....................................................................................90 3.3 When Johnny Comes Marching Home .....................................................................109 3.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................116 5. NOTRE DAME ...................................................................................................................118 3.1 Notre Dame Our Mother ............................................................................................120 3.2 Sing Her Glory and Sound Her Fame .......................................................................137 3.3 Wake Up the Echoes .................................................................................................149 3.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................168 6. FLORIDA STATE ..............................................................................................................170 3.1 Hymn to the Garnet and Gold ....................................................................................172 3.2 Scalp ‘Em Seminoles ................................................................................................187 3.3 Seminole Uprising ....................................................................................................200 3.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................218 7. COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS AND CONCLUSION .......................................................220 3.1 The Front Porch of the University .............................................................................221 3.2 Consuming Brand Football .......................................................................................227 3.3 Surveillance and Power of “Beer and Circus” ..........................................................231 3.4 Conclusion ................................................................................................................237 APPENDICES .............................................................................................................................242 iv A. IRB APPROVAL LETTER ................................................................................................242 CONSENT LETTER ...........................................................................................................243 B. INTERVIEW QUESTIONS ................................................................................................245 REFERENCES ............................................................................................................................246 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH .......................................................................................................255 v LIST OF FIGURES Figure 4.1 ......................................................................................................................................74 The Welcome to Aggieland sign inside Kyle Field Figure 4.2 ......................................................................................................................................75 The Texas A&M water tower Figure 4.3 ......................................................................................................................................79 Massive American flags are displayed on the walls of the barracks of the A&M Corps of Cadets Figure 4.4 ......................................................................................................................................79 The Memorial Student Center at A&M houses the wall of honor, which pays homage to past graduates who have earned the Congressional Medal of Honor for their military service Figure 4.5 ......................................................................................................................................80 Cadets line up for inspection and prepare to march to the stadium as fans look on Figure 4.6 ......................................................................................................................................82 Fans crowd the streets of the Texas A&M campus to watch the Corps of Cadets march to the stadium Figure 4.7 ......................................................................................................................................83 Aggie fans gather around and on top of the Memorial Student Center to get a glimpse of the Corps of Cadets marching to the stadium Figure 4.8 ......................................................................................................................................91 A banner showing A&M’s core values which resides in the Alumni Center lobby, which is a hot spot for fans on football weekends Figure 4.9 ......................................................................................................................................95 The Slovacek Sausage tent is one of many food tents on Joe Routt Blvd. before football games that are used by the school’s corporate sponsors vi Figure 4.10 ....................................................................................................................................96 There are numerous inflatable tents utilized by corporate sponsors for giveaways and fan engagement Figure 4.11 ..................................................................................................................................106 A banner on the A&M campus advertising the school’s membership in the Southeastern Conference Figure 4.12 ..................................................................................................................................111 Jerseys and shirts bearing Johnny Manziel’s number 2 hanging in the bookstore inside of the Memorial Student Center Figure 4.13 ..................................................................................................................................111 T-shirts referencing Johnny Manziel’s Heisman trophy win inside the Memorial Student Center Bookstore Figure 5.1 ....................................................................................................................................119 The Word of Life mural, also known as “Touchdown Jesus”, on the side of the Hepsburgh Library on the Notre Dame campus Figure 5.2 ....................................................................................................................................129