Tickets were hard to get; it was the big game. Cross town rivals were meeting at the University of Redlands. Both teams, the old and venerated Redlands High School Terriers and the new, rising Redlands East Valley Wildcats had been exchanging victories for eight years. This year REV was ranked in the top ten, so even more was at stake than just "The Smudge Pot," a symbol of disappearing orange groves that once occupied most of the city but had been replaced by track housing and huge custom homes. It was the Terriers against the Wildcats - not much of a contest in nature's world - but as mascots they were evenly matched and on this night so were the teams.
At the end of warm ups REV (Redlands East Valley) performed the Samoan Ritual Chant that had been instituted by a Samoan student five years ago. It revs up everybody. They also do it at the end of the game in front of the student section of the bleachers. It's unique and speaks to the wide diversity of the school. It is truly a diversified population.
As the Redlands Terriers ran through their paper banner and onto the field, they were preceded by a young man in shorts and a tee shirt carrying a large white flag. From across the field it was difficult to read the flag because it was constantly flapping in the breeze. It had four words on it. On and off for three quarters, I would spend trying to read the flag as the young man ran back and fourth for each exciting play which in this game was a lot. At this point I could only read the "The."
The Wildcats also had a flag, but it only had a giant "W" on it.
REV marched down the field to Redlands 30 yard line and on second and three threw a pass on a sideline pattern - it was just out of reach. On third and three the run off tackle failed. The fourth down punt fell dead at the two yard line. Up to this point our flag man has just been waving the flag back and forth and there was no chance to read the flag. I still had only "The."
Then with the ball on the two, a 5 foot 6 inch Redlands' half back took the hand-off and plowed to the fifteen. (He was to gain 170 yards on 28 carries and he was tough to bring down.) The flag man went nuts. Back and forth he ran several times. This time I pick up the last word, "Long." So I had "The (blank) (blank) Long." I was in game-show territory now. I asked Scott, one of my daughter's friends if he could read the flag. He said that it must say something about Terriers. So was it "The Redlands Terriers Long?" Or "The Terrier Looks Long." Or "The Terrier Lives Long." Or "The Terrier Loves Long." That sounds more like a garden hose problem. None of those are likely.
Then later, after a holding penalty, on fourth down and five the snap from center went over the kicker's head and REV recovered it in the one. A burst off left tackle and Redlands scored first. PAT was good - 7 zip. The flag guy kept waving but wasn't running so I still couldn't read the other two words.
Before the end of the half Redlands recovered a fumble and several plays later Redlands was in the end zone. As it looked like it was going to be a close game they decided to go for two points. They gave it to the unstoppable 5 foot 6 inch bruiser and - REV stopped him for the first time. It's now 7 to 6, and I still have only two words. Mind you he ran far more time than I've indicated at this point, but he just ran more times during the exciting parts of the game so I had more chances to read the flag.
REV scored again making the score 14 to 6.
With 2 minutes and 17 seconds left in the game Redlands took over on their own 14. Their starting quarter back completed two passes and after a big hit, he left the game with a shoulder injury. In comes the unproven sophomore quarterback and - he begins to pass his way down the field. Then on a short roll-out he hits the receiver on a ten yard pass in the end zone. Off the flagman went again; this time I picked up the third word, "Runs." So now it is, "The (blank) Runs Long." Okay, that's it "The Terrier Runs Long." Except it looked as if the second word had only four letters. "The Pups Run Long." "The Dogs Run Long." Why would they have a flag that says that? Those make no sense at all. "The Life Runs Long." Okay, it's philosophical but how could that excite a crowd? It might cause them to briefly ponder between plays but what does that have to do with football. Flagman was still running and so was my mind. I know, get a life. I had one, but gave it up for my health.
It was now 14 to 12 with 20 seconds left in the game.
Redlands had no choice now; they had to go for the two point to tie the game. On a roll out to the left, the sophomore quarterback threw to the corner of the end zone. With the ball one its way to the open receiver, suddenly the defensive back - wait - let’s let him tell it. "The receiver tried a (push off), and I just read the quarterback’s eyes and undercut the route." He intercepted the pass.
As I looked across the field, the flagman trying to rally the crowd, is now sprinting back and forth so the the flag begins to flatten out. I can now see the second word. The puzzle was solved.
On the kickoff Redlands tries an on-side kick but the entire Redlands team overruns the ball which doesn’t even go five yards. Although he didn't have to, one of the REV's players still falls on the ball. REV runs out the clock. It's a 14 to 12 win. REV gets the coveted Smudge Pot.
So. finally the flag mystery has been solved. It says, "The Lord Runs Long." Now I can't be 100% sure that's what it said, but I am 95% sure. But, it makes sense in relation to football. However, I didn't know that Jesus played wide-out. He seems more like a quarterback to me. I doubt that Lord refers to English royalty, and I doubt that one of the receivers name is "Lord."
Too say the least I was surprised. Why? Redlands is a public school paid for by tax dollars that come from Muslims, Jews, Christians, Buddhists, Hindus, atheists, agnostics and probably other lesser known religions. It seemed to me to be inappropriate, but I am an agnostic and as such I believe strongly in the separation of church and state. Of course Redlands is a conservative Republican city within a Democratic county, and the school district pretty much does what it pleases.
That attitude of "We’ll do what we damn well please until we get caught" prevails in the school district. To me the use of a strictly Christian slogan or motto doesn’t seem right unless flags with slogans from every religion can be sprinting back and forth. Imagine what that would look like. To single out one religion doesn’t sit right with me.
On the other hand, I don't want to turn my daughter into persona non grata, especially in her senior year and especially since she is also agnostic. Her friends know this and honor it. There are also far more that are also atheist and agnostic than are known. As far as my daughter is concerned, she says that most students at REV are very accepting of different religions, life styles (They have a club on campus called FOG, Friends of Gays), and different races and I mean all races. If you go to, for instance, a football game you see all races mixing together and they have genuine affection for each other.
So what would you do about a flag that says "The Lord Runs Long?" Would you let the Lord go deep and uncontested, knock him off his route, purposely take a flag, single cover him or blanket him with triple coverage?