Two weeks from today my Texas A&M Aggies will kick off their college football season against Clemson. I'm a huge fan of college basketball and believe that it doesn't get any better than March Madness but college football in the fall is a close second. Which brings me to today's Top Ten list:
TEN REASONS WHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BETTER THAN THE NFL:
1. Tradition -- Touchdown Jesus. Midnight Yell Practice at Kyle. Florida State's Tomahawk Chop. Dotting of the "i" in Ohio. Need I say more?
2. Rivalries -- Army/Navy. Alabama/Auburn. A&M/tu. Washington/Wash St. Notre Dame/USC. Harvard/Yale. NFL games like Cowboys/Redskins used to mean something. Not anymore thanks to parity and free-agency.
3. No Pre-season -- The NFL is finding a way to creep into our homes earlier and earlier every year thanks to pre-season games. And the pre-season games suck! Work your kinks out in practice. Make cuts based upon what you see in practice. In college football you better have all that worked out when you line 'em up on Saturday which leads naturally to #4...
4. Every Game Matters -- I love that college teams have to come out and play soundly from the start. Yes, college teams pad their schedules somewhat but on any given Saturday...
5. Heart -- College players still have heart. NFL? Give me a break. Sure, there are the exceptions in the NFL of guys who care and there are college players who are looking to the next level but on the whole, college football players play because they still have that pigskin passion.
6. Team Comes First -- Did you hear that Terrel Owens? Ricky Williams? Steve Spurrier attempted his hand at the NFL after incredible success at the collegiate level. He surmised what we already know: in the NFL it's all about "me" but not in college football. (See most current Sports Illustrated for interview.)
7. Overtime -- Games in college football give both teams a chance instead of allowing a coin to determine the winner. Nothing is more exciting than watching an overtime college football game live.
8. Crowd Participation -- NFL crowds are lazy. They are lethargic. I've been to a Cowboys game, Oilers game, Giants game. BORING! I'm constantly involved in the action when it comes to college football. Home field advantage counts for much more in college than it does for the pros.
9. Road Trips -- I've been to LSU, OU, BYU, tu, Tech, SMU, Houston, Baylor... Incredible. Even my most ardent NFL fan friends have never made a road trip to see their team play.
10. TEXAS A&M AGGIES -- BEAT THE HELL 'OUTTA CLEMSON! WHOOP! (It's a tradition, you wouldn't understand.)
TEN REASONS WHY COLLEGE FOOTBALL IS BETTER THAN THE NFL:
1. Tradition -- Touchdown Jesus. Midnight Yell Practice at Kyle. Florida State's Tomahawk Chop. Dotting of the "i" in Ohio. Need I say more?
2. Rivalries -- Army/Navy. Alabama/Auburn. A&M/tu. Washington/Wash St. Notre Dame/USC. Harvard/Yale. NFL games like Cowboys/Redskins used to mean something. Not anymore thanks to parity and free-agency.
3. No Pre-season -- The NFL is finding a way to creep into our homes earlier and earlier every year thanks to pre-season games. And the pre-season games suck! Work your kinks out in practice. Make cuts based upon what you see in practice. In college football you better have all that worked out when you line 'em up on Saturday which leads naturally to #4...
4. Every Game Matters -- I love that college teams have to come out and play soundly from the start. Yes, college teams pad their schedules somewhat but on any given Saturday...
5. Heart -- College players still have heart. NFL? Give me a break. Sure, there are the exceptions in the NFL of guys who care and there are college players who are looking to the next level but on the whole, college football players play because they still have that pigskin passion.
6. Team Comes First -- Did you hear that Terrel Owens? Ricky Williams? Steve Spurrier attempted his hand at the NFL after incredible success at the collegiate level. He surmised what we already know: in the NFL it's all about "me" but not in college football. (See most current Sports Illustrated for interview.)
7. Overtime -- Games in college football give both teams a chance instead of allowing a coin to determine the winner. Nothing is more exciting than watching an overtime college football game live.
8. Crowd Participation -- NFL crowds are lazy. They are lethargic. I've been to a Cowboys game, Oilers game, Giants game. BORING! I'm constantly involved in the action when it comes to college football. Home field advantage counts for much more in college than it does for the pros.
9. Road Trips -- I've been to LSU, OU, BYU, tu, Tech, SMU, Houston, Baylor... Incredible. Even my most ardent NFL fan friends have never made a road trip to see their team play.
10. TEXAS A&M AGGIES -- BEAT THE HELL 'OUTTA CLEMSON! WHOOP! (It's a tradition, you wouldn't understand.)
posted by jch at
1:07 PM
15 Comments:
Fans of sports will want to argue with me concerning my statement that college football is better than the NFL. They will make two substantial statements:
1) Postseason play is much better in the NFL than in college football. Hey, no argument here. College football's bowl system needs fixing.
2) Talent at every position in the NFL is enough reason to put NFL on top. Sure, NFL players are more talented. They are stronger, faster, smarter.
These two reasons alone don't make it a better, over all game to watch. I would rather watch a "Rudy" with heart than a Ricky Williams running for money.
Finally, I predict that those who will argue with me went to small schools where college football was either non-existent or unimportant in the social life of the school.
So Jason: shhhhh, please. :)
We're with Mike on this one.
Gig 'Em Ira!
- Lee Anne Class of '94
An Aggie in New York? Wasn't that the title of a famous book?
I will say prayers for Ira and your family.
For the last time, it's UT. U-T. Didn't they teach you anything at that school you went to? What was the name of it...atm?
Hook 'em....Casey.
I agree with the masses... you seem to have overlooked UT; you know, Neyland Stadium, running through the "T", Rocky Top...
other commentors seem confused... UT has nothing to do with horns or hooks.
Go Vols!!
Totally agree, Joe. Ashley went to Harding, but is a huge Razorback fan by birth. So we don't debate NFL vs. college (we both agree that college is much more exciting, etc.), we instead debate Big 12 vs. SEC. Not always an easy battle. . . ;)
Richie
hey maybe we can have 3 or 4 co-national champions this year.
all that heart, all that tradition, every game counts, all those rivalries...and you still have a good chance of sharing the trophy.
it's absurd. it's college football
It's one game, it's one champion. it's the NFL
Joe, you went on the LSU trip in '94? Weird, I don't remeber you there. Who'd you ride down there with? Oh, yeah, nevermind. That reminds me, why'd you go home after Hong Kong that summer?
Joe...
1. There is no such pro team as the Oilers.
2. There is no Postseason play in college. The time you refer to "Bowl Season" happens weeks after the regular season has ended and is only there to enrich the pockets of the NCAA and the Div-1 schools. This off the back of students, it's shameful and explotive.
3. How can you deal with the hypocrisy of Div-2 and Div-3 having playoffs and a championship game, yet not division 1?
4. Texas A&M gets to play Baylor?! What....how is that fair? Why is it these powerhouse schools get to pad their schedules with these lower level teams....doesn't seem fair.
5. You speak of tradition, you speak of rousing games, you speak of loyal fans, but you cannot speak of an absolute champion. Seems like just a big rec league to me where everyone gets a trophy.
6. Tennessee is a second rate football state. Well behind Texas, Florida, California, and Pennsylvania.
7. Joe you only went to A&M for two years, and I would say you weren't an aggie through and through, but if you were a REAL college football fan then you would have been to every Wildcat game while you were at ACU.
8. Loosing one game in the regular season shouldn't end your chances to be a champion.
And finally there is never any parity in the NCAA Div-1 just schools who buy, cheat, or smooze their way to the top.
Don't get me wrong I like...no love college football. But when I am ready for some real action and games that mean something with players who are physically and mentally the best, I watch the Pro's.
Go Ira!
Correction
The very poor, run on sentence:
Joe you only went to A&M for two years, and I would say you weren't an aggie through and through, but if you were a REAL college football fan then you would have been to every Wildcat game while you were at ACU
The sentence should say:
Joe you only went to A&M for two years. Even so I would never say you weren't an aggie through and through, but if you were a REAL college football fan then you would have been to every Wildcat game possible while you attended ACU
Just wanted to make that clear...
Whoop, Whoop
Joe - you heard it hear first.
Learn this name - you will hear it often - Jorvorski Lane. He's the A&M rb that will look like Jerome Bettis. The Steelers have the Bus - the Ags have the Lane Train.
Joe,
I whole-heartedly agree with every point you make.. I love college football probably more than I should. I just feel sorry for you that your Aggies have to start off their season at Clemson.. ain't gonna happen for them in Death Valley. The Tigers are going to be on fire this year!
Angela
Lesson of the Day:
Texas A&M doesn't have alumni, we have former students. The Fighting Texas Aggie spirit surrounds you the minute you walk on campus, so that make you, Joe, and official Aggie regardless of how long you were here. Go Ags, beat Clemson.
Praying for all the Hays. We are reserving a space for Ira Hays in the fighting Texas Aggie class of '27.
God bless,
Kathy Carson '92
One of the nice things about following sports is that it provides a connection to other people. Unless you live near where you went to college, it's much easier to find common ground with people by talking about the local pro teams. I live in Atlanta and I like the fact that I can talk about the Falcons with the custodian in my building, for example, who would probably be less interested in my alma mater (A&M '92).
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