Fear of Satan is not a deterrent: Teenage passion, parental obsession, & death in Texas high school football

This week’s podcast episode finds Merie and Becky delving into a Texas-based obsessive football parent, Bill Butterfield, and discussing the violence that ensues. Along the way, they address burning questions you didn’t know you had, like:

What exactly IS Merie’s violent past with the Texas speech and debate circuit?

Why is Becky giving wholehearted encouragement for you to be an abject failure?

Why is Merie trying to destroy your dreams?

Whose house is filled with all the gluten?

How will Merie somehow manage to be the first woman president, as predicted by her high school classmates?

Just how terribly inaccurate was Merie’s COVID wine bottle count?

Why isn’t Merie convinced that Becky is pretty good at sports?

Which is the better film: Bernie or Weekend at Bernie’s? (hint: it’s Bernie.)

Come for the shower thoughts and farm analogies. Stay for the most hilarious softball story you’ve ever heard. (Trust me.)

This episode is all based on the awesome writing of Skip Hollandsworth in Texas Monthly. Read the article here.

Further resources: National Abuse Hotline https://www.thehotline.org/ Call 1.800.799.SAFE (7233)

Please read this book on prediction and prevention of violence. It will save your life.

Watch the 30 for 30 about Aaron Hernandez.