Bowl's effects go beyond game

At one moment it is the most reviled, despised, loathed and quickly dismissed institutions at Gonzaga.

Yet, at the same time, it is the most cherished, proud, uplifting and unifying of any yearly school tradition.

You're hooked as soon as you hear the question: "Whose side are you on?"

The Sausage Bowl, the annual football game pitting the young men of residence halls Catherine/Monica and DeSmet against one another, is set to make its fifth appearance this Sunday on the makeshift gridiron of Mulligan Field.

To many, the mere mention of the game arouses poor connotations, with images of a testosterone-filled slugfest that two years ago gave black eyes to competitors and to the organizers of the event. To many, it seemed, the novelty of the Sausage Bowl had run its course, and using the fighting as evidence, they claimed that the concept of the game had devolved to the point where it was no longer necessary.

But adversity, it seems, has a way of bringing out the best in those who put their strength into something they feel is important.

Undeterred by the negativity surrounding that year's events, the residents of the two halls continue to show a passion for the Sausage Bowl, one that continues to inspire the new crop of residents year after year.

It may start out as a game, but underneath, almost subconsciously, its effects are much greater.

Freshmen, forced to live together in an environment that is alien to them, often find it difficult at first to feel any substantial connection to their hall, their fellow residents or even school culture in general. But through the Sausage Bowl, a connection begins to grow. The mindset then isn't on awkward relationships, it's about how they're going to beat those punks from the other building. It's not about forcing a friendship, it's about backing up your boys and standing behind your hall.

The game unites these young men, and creates a bond that many are willing to do anything to uphold. Just look at last year's game, when then-sophomore Michael Praznik wanted so desperately to play and help DeSmet, he somehow played through a separated shoulder and grabbed two interceptions.

Even further than the players, the Sausage Bowl creates a sense of camaraderie in the Gonzaga community. It extends to supporters of the teams and their raucous fans cheering on every play. It extends to former residents of the halls, who still have some emotion vested in the game, even if they don't want to admit it. The residence hall directors and organizers of the event understand this best, and work every year to continually improve a game that is so much fun for the community.

And people say this game doesn't mean anything.

The fighting of two years ago was the unfortunate byproduct of the strong bond, as members of each team let their emotions run wild, but you can't let the actions of one group for one year affect the perception of something that means so much to freshman residents each year. The emotions are strong, but when channeled properly they are transformed into something good: a unifying feeling that affects both sides for the better.

Years down the road, these same freshmen from both halls will look back on the game with one another, laugh, and say: "We almost had you guys!"