Through Sept. 18: 'Football: The Exhibit' gives hands-on look at science behind game


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(May 24, 2011)--With the beginning of Roadrunner football in fall 2011, the Institute of Texan Cultures is taking the opportunity to examine the sport in depth with "Football: The Exhibit" on display through Sept. 18. The traveling exhibit takes a look at the science behind the game. With a closer look, a spectator can see physics and math at work in the stable flight of a pass or the force of a tackle.

"The physics and math at work in a game of football are extraordinary," said Lupita Barrera, director of education and interpretation at the museum. "But, we're not going to show you a lot of equations on a blackboard. Football is a contact sport and this is a contact exhibit."

The football exhibit is hands-on from beginning to end. Visitors can test their strength against a lineman with a grip tester. They can test reaction times against sound and light cues and compare to their friends and family members. They also can race on a track against lights that move at the speed of professional players.

In addition to the hidden layers of science and math, football has created a cultural phenomenon. The game has spawned devoted fans who grew up with the game, from peewee leagues to the NFL. A portion of the exhibit showcases the history of the game and its associated traditions.

A special section, designed by the Institute of Texan Cultures, takes a closer look at football in Texas. Few places can claim such devotion to the game or to have such an entrenched football culture as the Lone Star State. The museum explored the role football culture plays in Texans' lives by asking a wide cross-section of people the simple questionm "What does football mean to you?" Responses from players, coaches, cheerleaders, bandsmen, fans, parents and others shed light on the motivations and inspirations behind football evolving from a game into a way of life.

"Texans do football better than anyone else on earth," said Rhett Rushing, oral history program coordinator at the museum and researcher for the project. "No one on earth invests as much of their spirit, energy and even self worth into football like Texans. Football brings people together is ways we cannot explain and don't try to. It defines us as dreamers, as hard workers, as the best we can be. Football means everything in Texas."

