I understand that both football seasons are over for the time being, but this topic has come up between a few friends of mine recently. I recently argued that I would rather watch two of the best teams in college football play on the biggest stage than two top NFL teams. Call me a d-bag if you must, but I feel I have valid points why I would rather watch a college football game instead of the NFL. I wish I could add intro music to this blog, because thanks to Ike Tingey, I've been introduced to Ronald Jenkees. It was either that or "No Way Out" from the Rocky Soundtrack (the part where he's rolling in his Lamborghini thinking about how Apollo just died in his arms, an American tragedy). The man is filthy on a keyboard, if you haven't listened to him than I suggest you youtube him. Take warning that he does look like he should be competing on a science olympiad team than spitting out beats.
ATMOSPHERE
Hands down the college game has the NFL beat in this category. Rivalry week might be the single greatest week besides the opening round of March Madness. Here's why: Take for an example Ohio St vs Michigan or even Texas vs any other Texas school. Tailgating for rivalry games start a week in advance. Students don't care about going to class that week, they care about how to sneak their Jack Daniel's flask into the student section so they can be blitzed for when they storm the field after beating their rival. You walk into a big time football program stadium like a Texas, Alabama, Florida, USC, and you immediately feel a rush. 110,000 plus fans packed into a stadium on a Saturday is one of the prettiest pictures you'll ever see on this earth. Also to mention if your rival's fan base decides to show it's face at your house, and you issue a beat down, let the trash talking begin. Can you imagine if you were a Texas fan at Texas Tech when Graham Harrel threw the game winning touchdown to Michael Crabtree with one second left? Being perfectly honest I probably would have tried a screwdriver that night. Then there's the big time upsets. Excuse my homerism but I will use it, the 2009 Sugar Bowl between Utah and Alabama. Everyone outside of Utah gave zero chance to beat Alabama down in SEC country. Enter the d-bag comments like "Well Alabama didn't want to be there." My reply is blow on your thumb, let your nads drop, and play the damn game. I kick myself for not trying to go to this game, everyone that went to this bowl game said it was electric (not sure if it was the game or the "let's see how roasted we can get on Bourbon street after.") I'd imagine of course that it was about beating an SEC team in it's own backyard. I did have the opportunity to attend the 2004 Fiesta Bowl between Ohio St and Kansas St. We left Thursday morning, got there late Thursday, game was Friday, drove home Saturday. When we got to the Buckeye part of tailgating, numerous fans asked when we got into town. We replied "we got here last night." One guy looked at us and said "wow we've been here two weeks." End of category
MONEY RUINS THE GAME
We see it all the time in professional athletics. Athletes get huge contracts and immediately go into sissy mode. You see it in the NBA and now you are starting to see it in the NFL. Nothing makes me more angry than to see an athlete make 7 to 8 million dollars a year and have him sit out a game because he has a hangnail(See CJ Miles). Take a look at a guy like Jamarcus Russell, he's handed over 32 million dollar in guaranteed money without even taking an NFL snap. He comes to camp his first year and looks like he just got off the "my ass is as big as a helipad" train. Now Oakland isn't the best franchise to look at as far as giving unknown players big deals, Oakland would probably offer me a contract if I was inked up, had a felony or if I decked one of my assistant coaches. Here's another example, take a guy like Brandon Marshall. The guy is probably the best wide receiver in football when he's not sucking on a binky wondering when he's going to get paid. Every single week you hear an NFL player being pissed off at the world because he's making less than 2 million a year. Suit me up for the practice squad and I'll take a beating for $300,000 a year. NFL players don't realize how lucky they have it. In college, we don't have to worry about that. College kids are playing for an education and a sandwich. The NCAA pays them garbage every month, and yet they still play their ass off every week. Obviously the talent level is better on the NFL, but that comes with baby mode being off the wall in the NFL.
TRASH TALKING
Here in Utah, we have it lucky. We have one of the best rivalries in all of college football. We don't have the luxury of an NFL team because Salt Lake City couldn't support one for various reasons. Being a Utah fan, I get the luxury of running my mouth to BYU fans who still claim their national championship is legitimate (Ask any sportswriter outside of Utah how they feel about that). Whether it's BYU players being moronic in saying "when you live your life on and off the field, the Lord steps in and helps," to BYU fans "well the only thing Utah fans letter in is drinking," it feeds up to the trash talking fans can be in. My good friend Dave Tibbs is as passionate a Utah fan as they come, he'd rather become Catholic than cheer for BYU. Nothing makes me happier when Dave mouths off to BYU fans he doesn't know. Sure he weighs 150 lbs soaking wet, still sports the Zack Morris haircut, and witnesseing him kiss like a guppy but the kid can shoot his mouth off like Reggie Miller. There's no game that makes me the most nervous than the BYU Utah game. If Utah loses, it's 365 days a year that BYU fans get to claim their righteousness. If Utah wins, than we are used to it.
Sure my passion for College Football is all personal opinion, that's my reasoning for liking college football better than the NFL. Speaking of BYU in the above paragraph, it's the last week of March, I think they are starting to prepare their "Quest for Perfection T-Shirts," and we all know how that ended up last time.
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