“Real Lessons from a Silly Show” details Aidan Hatton’s takeaways and lessons learned from hosting the podcast “Games & Grub” on Marquette University Radio. Starting an interview series after the COVID-19 outbreak, Aidan shares the valuable wisdom given by so many local and national success stories in their conversations, presented in a more professional, business-oriented context.
Written August 26, 2020
We all have that person in our lives who knows all the little-known, fun facts no one else remembers.
Learning the names of defunct Marquette apartments, Sister Jean’s birthday, and other forgotten tidbits was only a portion of the conversation I had with Rev. Frederick Zagone, S.J., the university’s official chaplain last week.
Celebrating 38 years as a Jesuit and 22 at Marquette, he is most commonly known as “Father Fred,” around the campus he knows like the back of his hand. Having interacted with thousands of students and university professionals, he is a fan favorite and a wealth of knowledge to anyone who asks. I was one of those askers during this interview, and I was met with a treasure trove of wisdom.
Responding to comments on the pandemic: “I grew up mostly in the ‘60s and ‘70s, and even back in the early ‘60s when there were threats of Russia attacking, or nuclear war and we had bomb shelters and things like that, the one thing I remember sticking in my mind at that time was, “Well, if something happens… it happens to everybody. It’s not going to happen to just me, or just my family or just my friends. It’s going to happen to everybody.” And that’s the thing about the coronavirus. It’s happened to everybody. And we really are all in this together.”
You may have seen commercials during your at-home days televising people who went through the 1918 influenza pandemic, the last of its kind America had seen before COVID-19. They relay their own perspective and give viewers hope to keep going.
Having gone through the American struggles of the 1960s and ’70s, Fr. Zagone similarly gives encouragement to those affected by COVID-19: we all have been. The way Fr. Zagone puts the words together, the oft-used phrase “we’re all in this together” does really come true. There isn’t one person that has been relieved of the troubles of the 2020 pandemic — just the same in 1918 and or the 1960s and ‘70s. We all may not be infected, but we are all affected.
On James Foley’s impact, six years after his death: “He was struck by what he saw happening in the world, and whether I would have had the nerve to go to the places that he went and after he was captive the first time, to go back again, it was — just, just an amazing, amazing man…Even now I’m just — I’m getting goosebumps thinking about what a chilling experience that was.”
Six years ago last week marked the day James Foley, the journalist and Marquette alumnus, became the first American citizen killed by ISIS. Fr. Zagone still has a strong relationship with the Foley family, and it certainly resonated after I brought Foley’s name up.
As someone who is close with those who brought Foley up himself, Fr. Zagone testified to Foley’s true perseverance to achieve the truth. A journalist in the midst of extreme distress, covering both the Syrian Civil War and the American airstrikes in Iraq, Foley felt a calling to inform the public in the best way possible. His impact on the Marquette community and the entire U.S. is still felt today, more than a half-decade removed from his tragic death.
How sports and faith collide: “The thing that always struck me about sports, especially men’s basketball, was it’s like an equalizer. You go to a game, and you’d see the president, and you’d see housekeepers, and you’d see faculty, and you’d see students, and you’d see parents, and you’d see alumni. Everybody came together — for a common cause. And to me, that’s in a sense what Christianity is about.”
Continuing his reliance on the “all in this together” mantra, Fr. Zagone gives a revealing explanation for why sports and faith are so similar. I’d continue his theme by pointing out that the athletes are just as different as the spectators; where you come from, how tall you are, what language you speak — it doesn’t matter once the game begins.
The “common cause” in Fr. Zagone’s response also caught my eye. What is it about a team’s desire to win that draws us together? Why does LeBron James’ every step or Tom Brady’s every throw mesmerize and connect us? Fr. Zagone gives a hint to the answer: we fans come together and are fixated on achieving a collective goal. This is why group teamwork can be so productive and beneficial not only in business and sports, but in any discipline.
“His one-word message to students going into the school year: “Watch. Watch out.”
No explanation needed — the perfect one to end on.
Make sure to watch for more lessons coming this semester! Before that, I want to thank Fr. Zagone again for his generosity with his time. Amidst some tough questions and tough circumstances, he provided a major dose of value to not only all Marquette students, but all those struggling during these tough times.
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