I suppose that I understand why the alumni of certain colleges/universities tend to be die-hard fans of those schools' football teams. However, I cannot grasp how so many who didn't even attend the school are so "Yes! the U of ____" or " Yes! ____ State!"
I have two brother-in-laws. One is a huge MSU fan, though he never attended a single class at MSU. The other is a huge UM fan, though he never attended a single class at UM.
I can understand respecting a certain team at a certain time (e.g. this group of guys really plays with heart), but I reject the notion that it's logical to be a non-alumnus fan and still, regardless of everything, stand by that team.
It's different if it's a professional organization. An NFL team is nothing but a business built around the football business.
Colleges are supposed to be based around the academic business. Who give a crap if U of ? has a bad football team? Would that mean that U of ? doesn't offer a good education?
Basically, I hate college sports in general. I especially hate college football because everyone assumes that I must like it since I am both a former football player, current football fan, champion fantasy football owner, and football coach for the past nine years.
Why do I hate college sports?
How about the fact that most of the guys in college football wouldn't have made it into college at all if not for their athletic abilities. Watch the post-game interviews to see what I mean.
Should admission to a college hinge upon athletic ability? Of course not
Nonetheless millions of dollars in scholarships are spent to recruit people based merely upon their athletic ability.
That would be fine, I guess, if colleges were funded privately (i.e. voluntarily--like Hillsdale College). But the big colleges are funded by tax dollars, which are involuntary (just ask Willie Nelson and Wesley Snipes).
Consider that, when you're rooting for a college football team. Much of your tax dollars are spent so that those guys can play--Lord knows that few of them actually study (just watch the post-game interviews), and some of those guys will become rich at your (and my) expense.
What do you get out of it? A shirt, hat, and an oversized foam hand (index finger extended) that you had to buy at ridiculous prices.
Meanwhile, intelligent--but non-athletic--people need to borrow money to attend college (or not even attend college because they cannot even borrow the money).
Ergo, college sports are lame.
P.S.: Sure, you might say that the fun that you get out of watching college sports exceeds the tax dollars that are spent supporting such programs. However, remember that, when you support such things, you're not just saying that your money should go to this school. You're saying that everyone in the state should have to pay for your pleasure.
P.P.S.: If you still support such measures, then you are a thief and a proponent of tyranny.
P.P.S.: Q--Who did I root for in the Rose Bowl? A--The Confederacy.
P.P.P.S.: "Damn"
I am truly annoyed as well by the non-alumnus fans, as I have stated often in the past. But I do like college football, especially when there is a weekend full of "upsets". I wish there was some kind of playoff system for football, but that is off-topic here. The academically-challenged interviewees you mention tend to be the ones looking past college to the pros. Their abilities on the field are entertaining, but if they don't succeed in the pros, they're screwed. Other student-athletes do take advantage of the academics, and the big sports like basketball and football make money that is used to fund scholarships for other athletes. I see your point, though. I would root for UM if the players were still all serious students, like in the early days. Maybe then the wanna-bes wouldn't pay as much attention, and it wouldn't be so expensive to go to a game!
ReplyDeleteDoes the college football wiggle more when the quarterback throws it? It always looks that way to me. Is the ball different, or do college quarterbacks not throw as tight a spiral as their professional peers?
ReplyDeleteAlso, isn't it possible Aristos that you are bitter about one or more football players from Hillsdale?