Is God wearing Red?

Ithaca, NY-Cornell University’s underdog basketball team’s recent win into the NCAA Sweet Sixteen has left the streets of Ithaca red and some citizens turning to a higher power. Cornell’s sports, Big Red, gained national attention when their basketball team made history beating out two higher ranked teams, University of Wisconsin 87-69 and Temple University 78-65. This would be the first time in over ten years an Ivy League has gone this far in the basketball championships.

Tomorrow Cornell faces the much-acclaimed University of Kentucky in Syracuse, and long time Ithacan resident Shannon Ivory has lit a candle with red in mind.

“I was a cook over at the university for years, I fed some of those boys,” he says. Ivory is a devout Christian and huge college basketball fan and after the Temple game Friday he found himself turning to God for the final push.

“They need to be healthy,” he said with his fist clenched, “they are doing so well.”

Lighting candles is a popular practice in the Anglo-Catholic churches where people show a connection with the person who the prayer is being offered to. Ivory said the candle was lit for protection and good health for the boys on the team.

Religion has played a part in college sports for years. Institutions like Notre Dames, Loyola, and Georgetown has historically exuded Catholicism in their athletics. Subtle signs of religion appear in the field an on the stands. A quick pregame prayer, a sign of the cross, rosaries, all have been present at major sporting events. Many fans and teammates call upon a higher being.

The Rev. Robert Foote, of the Trinity Lutheran church in Ithaca and a member of the Cornell United Religious Work, has first hand experience dealing with sports and the Devine spirit.

“We always pray for the teams to be free from injury,” he said. He finds many athletic teams bring the element of faith into games due to “the numerous unknown variables,” that might occur.

The Rev. Foote reveals a personal quandary about the up coming game.
“I am a bit conflicted my alma mater is Ohio State University and Steve Donahue [Cornell’s basketball coach] is my neighbor,” he said. Before Donahue left Foote informed him should the two teams face off, Cornell would have his support. “Both team colors are red, so it’s okay,” he said.

Andre Wilkins, senior point guard for the Cornell basketball team is proud of his team. “It’s amazing, our good work is finally being notice,” Wilkins said.

“We’ve been working hard since sophomore year, our team clicks,” adding, “we have that chemistry.” Before each game the boys in red gather in a close huddle, the Chaplain Dave Jones blesses the team. Immediately following the underdogs jump around, hollering and hooting. Wilkins explains, “We’re getting excited, we’re turning on.”

Years of practices, months of training, summers at basketball camp and possibly the words from the Chaplain have supplied the team with the skill and energy used to defeat their opponents.

A fine line can be crossed when dealing with religion in sports. The Interim Chaplain James K. Boodley of Ithaca College’s Muller Chapel said, “It is nice to be connected to God. But I don’t encourage those to pray for victory.” Glorifying God is the crucial element in the Christian and Catholic faiths. When praying before a game “hoping that God is on your side is childish,” Boodley says, “It sounds like magical thinking.”

Long time Syracuse fan, Ivory has included Cornell in his prayers. “I’m not praying for Cornell to win,” he said, further explaining, “it’s about how hard those boys worked, I want them to be free of illness and have the lord’s protection on the road.” Ivory’s good-natured excitement towards the game Thursday has him saying, “Kentucky is set to win, but Cornell’s pretty strong; it is anyone’s game.”

Ithaca Community is aware of Cornell’s achievements. The Rev. Rick L. Bair of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America at Cornell said, “there was a significant amount of people wearing red [Cornell] and orange [Syracuse] during service on Sunday.” The reverend noticed that during a time of historical sporting events residents of the Ithacan area will display their pride even in God’s house.

“Steve Donahue is on board as a coach, he understands what really matters,” the Rev. Foote said. Knowing how far this underdog Ivy League team has come, the reverend talks of Donahue’s concern for the boy’s lives. “What’s important is making their lives rich.”

Continuing to astound sportcasters and diehard fans alike, the Cornell basketball, ranked No. 12, has defeated team after team. Whether it is from the hard work the team has utilized or a little help from the big man upstairs, Cornell basketball has become a crowd favorite.