Clash of the Titans

All the talk is about two undefeated teams, both with brilliant coaches, the only real Heisman shots, unbelievable quarterbacks, dominating running backs, and double-digit winning streaks. We've heard the metaphor-murdering sports pundits pontificate (can sports anchors say "pontificate"?) about containing Vince Young or containing Reggie Bush or containing LenDale White or SC's experience or the Longhorns' heart or blah, blah, blah, blah. They're all missing the point. The real drama here is cosmopolitan SC against ten-gallon hat Texas. Effete Los Angelos battling hardscrabble Austin. Yes, it's Pelosi-Land versus Bush-World. Once again, we see the bitter feud between liberals and conservatives, this time played out on the gridiron. All the angst of the challenged 2000 election, all the second-guessing of the 2004 election will be superceded by the political prognosticators and cultural shamans searching the plays and scores of the game for clues as to how the 2006 election will be decided. Just as in the ancient days, when two sides picked their finest warrior to wage conflict on their behalf, with the gods granting victory to the chosen side, these collegiate gladiators will clash on a field representing much more than sport. The future of the next election cycle, the possibility of Mideast democracy, the accessiblity of the working class to the ownership class will be foreordained on January 4th--in the combat of modern football heroes.

Yeah, you're right. Maybe it is just a game.