Obama's SOTU Reworks A 'Friday Night Lights' Quote

Further proving the cultural import and lasting influence of Coach Eric Taylor and his famous pre-game and/or half-time speeches, President Obama seemingly had a Friday Night Lights quote(ish) in his State of the Union address on Tuesday night: "That's the America I know. That's the country we love. Clear-eyed. Big-hearted." And, let's finish the quote that Obama couldn't without fear of completely plagiarizing all together now: "CAN'T LOSE!"

In case you're unfamiliar with the fictional Coach Taylor's iconic rallying cry from the most amazing TV series that has ever existed, let me explain. If he ever needed to pump up his Dillon Panthers football team for gameplay, revive deflated egos, or to inspire the world to be a better place as a whole, Taylor would turn to his favorite adage: "Clear eyes, full hearts — can't lose." It's a phrase that any Friday Night Lights fan has, at one point, teared up to or used in some weird sexual encounter. Or both.

Because of its clear permeation into the American lexicon, it seems quite unlikely that Obama worked "clear-eyed" and "big-hearted" into the end of his State of the Union address without Coach Taylor crossing his mind. And he isn't a bad inspiration to pull from. When you think of earnestness, drive and excellence, you think of Coach Taylor's Panthers. And America, I guess.

If Obama is a FNL fan, I feel like he should have been way more up front about it throughout his presidency. In his speech, Obama went on at length about the very real partisan divide that plagues our country, choking any kind of real, meaningful discussion. You know what would help that? A country united by PANTHER PRIDE. Just like the city of Dillon could put aside its differences to unite against a common enemy (the opposing team) every fall Friday night, the U.S. as a whole could unite behind our very own Coach Taylor, who could lead us against a team of hulking geopolitical figures and partisan politics.

Or maybe Obama isn't a FNL fan at all. Maybe it was a speech writing staff who had a Netflix binge and snuck it in there with the president none the wiser. But in a time when things seem pretty grim, there are few things that could make us happier than thinking of the president channeling one of the best shows of this decade.

Plus, we already know who could be a good stand-in for the inimitable Tami Taylor.