While talking to a friend recently, this young man referred to football as “America’s new religion.” Boy, I thought, did he hit the nail on the head. What a good observation.

At that time over the weekend, we were engrossed in and rooting for Indiana University to win the national football championship. If you are a football fan, you’ll know that nothing like this had ever happened before with Indiana University.

Well, it did! Just a couple weeks ago.

Championships for basketball? You bet. Many of them — especially under the leadership of the erasable (but great) Bobby Knight.

But football? Never.

One of my claims to fame is that I was at the basketball game with Purdue where Knight became so angry that he threw a chair onto the court.

My daughter was on the Student Athletic Board at that time, and the parents of board members were given tickets to that game.

We were sitting very close to the IU bench, and as I watched Knight, I could read his lips. I was astounded that every other word out of his mouth was the extremely vulgar “F” word. Over and over.

This was allowed at a school basketball game? I had had no idea. “Wash that man’s mouth out with soap,” I kept thinking.

Of course, he was God Bobby Knight at that time. No one would dare admonish him. If you did, there was a good chance you would be thrown across the floor.

Bringing the “religion” comparison back to current times, think how people of both sexes are devoted to watching football, although I will admit that I think it’s still a religion for males mostly.

I’ve met very few women who are engrossed in watching football as men seem to be. Most of the female viewers simply sit and read a book to keep their spouses company on a Sunday afternoon.

Oh, see that? Football is a religion that seems to keep Sunday holy. Sure, there are games on Friday or Saturday … but steadfastly they occur on Sunday during the season.

It’s nice that football respects other religions that meet on Sunday morning. For better attendance at the services, football owners realize they’ll get a better offering on Sunday afternoons and evenings, so that’s when the football church opens its doors, and people willingly fill up the stands (instead of pews) on Sunday afternoons.

There is no doubt football worships its own gods. (I’m not sure if we’re required to capitalize gods of football the way most religions capitalize their heavenly father. I’ll find out after this is published — if people write in “Shame on you!” or if I’m excommunicated.)

Think of all the gods football has. I, as a relatively uneducated football fan, can think of several gods.

The first that comes to mind is Peyton Manning. How that man is idolized, and so many of his miracles are recorded. I often boast that I got to see the game where he played his last half in Indianapolis.

Bart Starr is another god, and his last name even connotes his place in heaven, although it’s spelled with two R’s instead of one.

How about Joe Montana and Tom Brady? Pretty dang handsome gods if you ask me. Even if they had never thrown one touchdown, I’d worship them for their looks alone.

As in other religions, football has its 10 commandments. If a player violates one of them, instead of a sin, it is a foul. Some of the 10 commandments of football are offsides, pass interference and roughing the passer (notice, that’s not “roughing the pastor”).

So, to the dear friend who suggested that in America football has become a religion, I say, “Thanks for that great thought. Although their services are put on the back burner during this time of year, I look forward to worshiping again when autumn arrives. I’ll also pray that the Indianapolis Colts dominate the cathedral and that angels continuously circle Lucas Oil Stadium.”

Nancy Carlson Dodd is a Fort Wayne resident and writer.