How's This For Irrelevant To This Site: College Football?

[László]

I confess that I've been around a long time. I confess that when I started watching college football, we were only a bit more than halfway through the last century. I get it: my expiration date is fast approaching!

I'm a fan of college football as it was a long time ago. Sure, lots of players have always wanted to be in the pro game, but I knew others who just loved the game and wanted a free education (realizing the truth, that chances of making the pros was slim). However, the image of college players being all about the school was a thing. I liked that. Sure, for lots of players it was an illusion, but I knew plenty of guys who played for Michigan (I was in the jock dorm) who were there because it was Michigan. Dan Dierdorf was a friend - there was a guy who was not only a future pro, he was all about the school, too. He loved playing for Michigan. And I had other friends on the team who played because they loved the sport but wanted other careers down the road.

Now with the TV money, the NILs, and other factors, college football is pretty much the same as professional football, just with younger squads. This makes me a little sad. I realize I'm in the minority. I also realize that with the zillions of dollars, the kids who are earning the schools the money deserve their share. It's just hard for me to reconcile kids playing football earning more than professors.

One question I have:

Should colleges and universities be sponsoring professional football teams? My gut instinct says no.

So I started the season determined to stop watching college football. Then I figured, maybe for old times' sake I'd watch only the opening kickoff of the first Michigan game. You can predict what happened: I watched the entire game. And every game since!

You see, I couldn't help myself. I'm addicted to Michigan football (I watch no other football, UM is my alma mater).

So, college football - I'm a sucker. A complete, 100%, sucker. I've watched every game this year. I'll attend one live, too. Because I'm that hopelessly addicted guy! Are you?

 

[aamefford]

I confess that I've been around a long time. I confess that when I started watching college football, we were only a bit more than halfway through the last century. I get it: my expiration date is fast approaching!

I'm a fan of college football as it was a long time ago. Sure, lots of players have always wanted to be in the pro game, but I knew others who just loved the game and wanted a free education (realizing the truth, that chances of making the pros was slim). However, the image of college players being all about the school was a thing. I liked that. Sure, for lots of players it was an illusion, but I knew plenty of guys who played for Michigan (I was in the jock dorm) who were there because it was Michigan. Dan Dierdorf was a friend - there was a guy who was not only a future pro, he was all about the school, too. He loved playing for Michigan. And I had other friends on the team who played because they loved the sport but wanted other careers down the road.

Now with the TV money, the NILs, and other factors, college football is pretty much the same as professional football, just with younger squads. This makes me a little sad. I realize I'm in the minority. I also realize that with the zillions of dollars, the kids who are earning the schools the money deserve their share. It's just hard for me to reconcile kids playing football earning more than professors.

One question I have:

Should colleges and universities be sponsoring professional football teams? My gut instinct says no.

So I started the season determined to stop watching college football. Then I figured, maybe for old times' sake I'd watch only the opening kickoff of the first Michigan game. You can predict what happened: I watched the entire game. And every game since!

You see, I couldn't help myself. I'm addicted to Michigan football (I watch no other football, UM is my alma mater).

So, college football - I'm a sucker. A complete, 100%, sucker. I've watched every game this year. I'll attend one live, too. Because I'm that hopelessly addicted guy! Are you?

I share your feelings about college football, and the unfortunate risk that a player may have to take a pay cut to turn pro. I am not as hopelessly addicted though. I usually watch one USC game (my only name brand alma mater thanks to Boeing, who graciously bought me an advanced degree). I also usually watch an SF 49’ers game every year as well. More of each if either or both teams are actually doing well. I’m a total fair weather fan.

 

[Ovibos]

I live a few blocks from Northwestern’s stadium and go to a few games a year, watch most of the rest on TV. It’s been rough the last few years since we won the B1G West.

 

[László]

I share your feelings about college football, and the unfortunate risk that a player may have to take a pay cut to turn pro. I am not as hopelessly addicted though. I usually watch one USC game (my only name brand alma mater thanks to Boeing, who graciously bought me an advanced degree). I also usually watch an SF 49’ers game every year as well. More of each if either or both teams are actually doing well. I’m a total fair weather fan.

I thought it was both weird and kind of fun that USC is going to be a Big Ten team in two years. They're good this year.

I live a few blocks from Northwestern’s stadium and go to a few games a year, watch most of the rest on TV. It’s been rough the last few years since we won the B1G West.

It's always great to see Northwestern do well.

 

[dbrian66]

I was a long time NFL fan, but stopped watching about three years ago. From my perspective, the league was becoming more concerned with politics than it was with football. So I was out. But I really did miss the game. Last year my son enrolled at Maryland so I started watching their football games. It’s been fun having football back in my life!

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Nah, but I perk up when the cheerleaders come on.

 

[tiboy]

College football is the only sport I still watch. I’m saddened by the direction it’s now taking. Transfer portals and paid players should not be what college football is about. I understand the rationale of sharing the wealth with those who produce the wealth. I guess I just always thought that a free education, paid for tutoring, special dorms and training table dining were sufficient payment for playing the college game. I played football in college. The lessons learned about discipline, sacrifice and teamwork were not sports lessons, but rather life lessons that served me well when playing the game ended. There was never a chance I would be playing at the next level. Football didn’t get me into law school. Studying and hard work did. That’s what college is about. Well that and girls and parties.

 

[László]

Football didn’t get me into law school. Studying and hard work did. That’s what college is about. Well that and girls and parties.

Dunno about you, but I liked the girls and parties a lot more than I liked law school.

 

[tiboy]

Dunno about you, but I liked the girls and parties a lot more than I liked law school.

Yep!!

 

[László]

Yep!!

PS - what team did you play for? I wish I'd had athletic talent. Sadly, I'm a small-motor coordination kind of guy. It was all about the fingers.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Dunno about you, but I liked the girls and parties a lot more than I liked law school.

I shoulda gone to college instead of playing them.

It was nice getting paid for the girls and parties though.

 

[Ovibos]

I played D3 Lacrosse in college and have nothing to show for it but the head injuries, the bad shoulder, and the head injuries.

 

[Deleted member 5962]

Dunno about you, but I liked the girls and parties a lot more than I liked law school.

Me too, and I didn't even go to law school!

 

[Tucson Thump]

I confess that I've been around a long time. I confess that when I started watching college football, we were only a bit more than halfway through the last century. I get it: my expiration date is fast approaching!

I'm a fan of college football as it was a long time ago. Sure, lots of players have always wanted to be in the pro game, but I knew others who just loved the game and wanted a free education (realizing the truth, that chances of making the pros was slim). However, the image of college players being all about the school was a thing. I liked that. Sure, for lots of players it was an illusion, but I knew plenty of guys who played for Michigan (I was in the jock dorm) who were there because it was Michigan. Dan Dierdorf was a friend - there was a guy who was not only a future pro, he was all about the school, too. He loved playing for Michigan. And I had other friends on the team who played because they loved the sport but wanted other careers down the road.

Now with the TV money, the NILs, and other factors, college football is pretty much the same as professional football, just with younger squads. This makes me a little sad. I realize I'm in the minority. I also realize that with the zillions of dollars, the kids who are earning the schools the money deserve their share. It's just hard for me to reconcile kids playing football earning more than professors.

One question I have:

Should colleges and universities be sponsoring professional football teams? My gut instinct says no.

So I started the season determined to stop watching college football. Then I figured, maybe for old times' sake I'd watch only the opening kickoff of the first Michigan game. You can predict what happened: I watched the entire game. And every game since!

You see, I couldn't help myself. I'm addicted to Michigan football (I watch no other football, UM is my alma mater).

So, college football - I'm a sucker. A complete, 100%, sucker. I've watched every game this year. I'll attend one live, too. Because I'm that hopelessly addicted guy! Are you?

WOW! I didn't know that the Michigan Football players used to mentally toughen up by having to live with accordion players.

I'm as old school as you are. While I can't experience growing up in someone else's shoes I do admit that this whole "raid other conferences so we can charge a bazillion dollars for broadcasting rights" seems more to be a "greed is good" grab by the schools and their conferences than the players. While some of the kids are making more than professors there are quite a number who aren't and are taking advantage of their education opportunities; one I know played several years of NFL ball then went to med school and became an orthopedic surgeon.

 

[László]

WOW! I didn't know that the Michigan Football players used to mentally toughen up by having to live with accordion players.

I'm as old school as you are. While I can't experience growing up in someone else's shoes I do admit that this whole "raid other conferences so we can charge a bazillion dollars for broadcasting rights" seems more to be a "greed is good" grab by the schools and their conferences than the players. While some of the kids are making more than professors there are quite a number who aren't and are taking advantage of their education opportunities; one I know played several years of NFL ball then went to med school and became an orthopedic surgeon.

Yes, the education ought to be the most important part. In some cases, it is. For instance, Aidan Hutchinson's dad went to Michigan, played in the NFL, and is now an ER doctor at the hospital where I had my heart surgery!

Oh, I wasn't playing accordion in college. I was playing guitar and keyboards, sadly. If only I'd stayed with accordion, I coulda been a contedah!

 

[László]

I shoulda gone to college instead of playing them.

It was nice getting paid for the girls and parties though.

Always good to have fun AND be paid!

I had a band in college, we gigged 3 parties every weekend: TGIF frat parties, Saturday Night frat parties and bars, and Sunday at the Michigan Union, or the occasional afternoon party. The Union wasn't a union, it was a building. I have no idea why they called it that. Might have had something to do with the Civil War? Beats me.

 

[Ovibos]

Always good to have fun AND be paid!

I had a band in college, we gigged 3 parties every weekend: TGIF frat parties, Saturday Night frat parties and bars, and Sunday at the Michigan Union, or the occasional afternoon party. The Union wasn't a union, it was a building. I have no idea why they called it that. Might have had something to do with the Civil War? Beats me.

Student Union. Almost every school has one.

However, not all schools have a Disco and a Rathskeller in the Student Union like mine did!

 

[Tucson Thump]

Always good to have fun AND be paid!

I had a band in college, we gigged 3 parties every weekend: TGIF frat parties, Saturday Night frat parties and bars, and Sunday at the Michigan Union, or the occasional afternoon party. The Union wasn't a union, it was a building. I have no idea why they called it that. Might have had something to do with the Civil War? Beats me.

Perhaps the Union reference is that it was the place for students to unite and bond.

 

[Tone Deaf]

I stopped watching College Football before I started watching and getting hooked on it.
My college school had no football program.
I do enjoy watching NFL football though.

The football team at my High School was occaisionally nationally ranked.
I was denied the opportunity trying out for the sport by my Father, an MD, due to the
concussion issue. He was an early proponent of the dangers of football sports injuries.

I would have liked to have played, I was an A and B+ student, was almost 6' tall, 175 lbs and ran the 100 - sometimes in 10 flat. Was on the Track and Cross-Country teams though.

Had the tools, but....

That being said, every one of my brothers and sisters went to Penn State.
Got to see some games when I visited them in Happy Valley.

 

[László]

I stopped watching College Football before I started watching and getting hooked on it.
My college school had no football program.
I do enjoy watching NFL football though.

The football team at my High School was occaisionally nationally ranked.
I was denied the opportunity trying out for the sport by my Father, an MD, due to the
concussion issue. He was an early proponent of the dangers of football sports injuries.

I would have liked to have played, I was an A and B+ student, was almost 6' tall, 175 lbs and ran the 100 - sometimes in 10 flat. Was on the Track and Cross-Country teams though.

Had the tools, but....

That being said, every one of my brothers and sisters went to Penn State.
Got to see some games when I visited them in Happy Valley.

College football is literally the only TV I watch, but all I watch is Michigan games (my alma mater, though I was hooked on them when I was in first grade because my parents took me to games - I should mention that I miss my parents).

As for Penn State, I'm kinda hoping that Michigan clobbers them next Saturday, not because I dislike Penn State, but because I am a hopeless Michigan fan who ought to have his head examined for still enjoying college football!