No, this isn't about the theological component of NASCAR (though the popularity of auto racing is perhaps best explained by sophisticated brainwashing techniques)-- it's much more important: A story on ESPN.com about the Williams-Amherst rivalry:
Although the unusual history of the two schools inspired the rivalry, the annual success of both programs certainly has turned up the heat. And since schools in the New England Small College Athletic Conference don't participate in postseason football, the Williams-Amherst matchup has decided more than a few conference championships.
The 1997 season finale, for instance, has become something of a local legend in New England. Williams entered the game 6-1; Amherst was a perfect 7-0. The Lord Jeffs took a 46-45 lead with just over a minute to go on a trick two-point conversion. But Williams answered, driving 70 yards to set up a 27-yard field goal, which freshman Collin Vataha (in his first year of kicking -- ever) nailed to ruin the Lord Jeffs' perfect season, 48-46.
"Nailed" is too strong a word-- if I remember correctly, that's the game-winning kick that hit both uprights before going in. I watched it in a bar in the DC area, with a bunch of other Williams alumns, and some people from Amherst who were allowed in so we could mock them after the game.
Needling aside, it's a good article, with lots of quotes and anecdotes from both sides of the rivalry. I'm not sure it'll be interesting to anybody outside our elite little bubble, but I got a kick out of it, and it's my blog...
(On a vaguely related note, the same alumni association email newsletter contained a link to a blog by an art professor whose latest project involves traveling around the world on one line of longitude (more or less). He's in the Arctic now, and has lots of pictures.)
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Love that blog you linked to. Sent it to one of art faculty and told her to figure out how to get the college to pay for a sabbatical to the Virgin Islands in the spring ...
What I found most interesting was the mere fact that you went to Williams. Had not looked at your CV, but I suspect this detail is clearly relevant to landing your job at Union. Is it your view now that a graduate of a liberal arts college who went to Maryland for the PhD would have a better chance than one who went to, say, Penn State and then Maryland when it came down to landing a job at a 4-year liberal arts school?
Actually, You've confused the kick with one that occurred the season before. The one you describe, that hit both uprights before going through, was an extra point from the '96 game, after Williams had just taken the lead with under two minutes to play at Amherst.
The field goal in the '97 game was indeed a clean kick as described in the ESPN article.