Many people join fraternities to drink and chase girls, an admirable pursuit. We wanted a place where we could drink, chase girls, and make friends for the rest of their lives. We also wanted a place where we could learn how to be men. One event embodied that difference. It was a remarkable fusion of sports, group dynamics, socialism, psychology, and even mysticism with the seemingly silly moniker of Nose Bowl.
Can a man approaching middle age still feel strongly about a college flag football game, still argue that the lessons of that transfiguring occurrence remain palpable amid the real-life burdens of career and family?
Sure.
Word is that our unworthy Nose Bowl foes, in our absence, have selected a new opponent and the series continues, unthinkably, without us. With the house closed and the eventual reanimation of Florida Delta in the hands of alumni scattered across America, it may be that Nose Bowl as we know it will never return. We fervently hope that is not the case; like our predecessors, some of us garner dreams of seeing our own sons wear the purple and gold and become men. But if that isn't to be, we must content ourselves that no one can take our
Nose Bowl away.
One of the great truths of Nose Bowl was that, while each youngster became a man in his personal way, all of us took home the same indispensable lessons. Here are excerpts from past Pearl magazines (years mentioned refer to pledge classes). It was a tradition to tape these commentaries to the upstairs walls of the house during Nose Bowl week to inspire that year's pledge class. Many of us will recognize our own experiences in these words.
1971
The Nose Bowl: More than any other single event in a pledge's life, those three words symbolize the unity of effort and spirit of Pi Lam.
1973
A Pi Lam pledge team has never come out of its annual Nose Bowl game a loser...The pledges all won that day because they learned the meaning of Pi Lam brotherhood.
1974
Character, and particularly fraternalism, are abstract thoughts and intangible entities that can not be taught, but can only be learned and absorbed through cooperation, desire, and victory over physical and mental challenge...The Nose Bowl is Pi Lambda Phi, and Pi Lambda Phi IS fraternalism and character.
1975
In every man's life there is a Nose Bowl. It is that moment in which weeks, months, or even years are culminated in one brief flash; when people dedicate all of their brains, guts, determination and spirit -- in essence their very soul -- to a common goal, and by achieving that goal gain a far greater experience through the unity they have achieved.
1976
It is a once in a lifetime experience that tries to make the abstract and intangible entities of fraternalism and character a solid reality.
1977
The lessons of Nose Bowl will not end for those men, not even after they have left Pi Lam and moved on to their later lives. They will carry these lessons with them, for the rest of their days. As long as it is necessary for young men to be taught how to be men, how to be winners, Pi Lam will continue to teach pledges how to be Pi Lams. This is our mission. This is our quest. And with devotion, dedication, and the help of God, victory is ours.
1978
As the seconds ticked off, and everyone realized a goal was
accomplished, at that moment everyone who wore his brother's jersey became a man... Names and pledge classes will come and go but the lessons of Nose Bowl will for years to come, be the cornerstone of our fraternity.
1979
The amount of work put into Nose Bowl is not merely to win a football game, but it is to win brotherhood.
1980
Each brother would relive his own Nose Bowl that day. The practices, the game, the cheers, the smiles and the tears were seen again that super Nose Bowl Sunday.
1981
As they walked on to the field they gave their hearts, souls, and bodies to the house, the brotherhood, each other and their Nose Bowl
1982
If one conclusion can definitely be drawn from watching a Nose Bowl, it is that what the eye can see beyond the playing field is what the fraternity stands for, what the fraternity really believes in, what guides them and what binds their brotherhood together. This is what Nose Bowl is about. The contest of ideas and philosophy, so the pledge can prove to himself and show the world that this is what he represents and what he stands for: that this is his fraternity.
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