Football and other Things

Sorry, but I have to comment. I was at the UCLA-Utah game in the Rose Bowl a few weeks ago. The same drunken hooligans you encountered at Qualcom must have made their way to the Rose Bowl. They weren’t there to watch the game, just to harass and shout vulgarities of the worst kind at the visitors. They stood behind a chain link fence in the stadium which provided nothing except to give them safe haven from having the crap beat out of them by us visiting fans on the other side. After paying a lot of money (I brought five people to the game including myself and paid lodging, rental car and airfare to get the there and I never felt so unwelcome by a host institution. I guess the uncivil fans are all over now. It is a sad symptom of our society.

I am truly not picking on you because your points have some validity but to suggest the pro players don’t care really is not true. Yes, there are some like Terrill Owens who make assess of them selves but what about guys like Brett Favre who have been playing since 1992 and he still jumps up and down when he throes a touchdown strike? Some are so exuberant that they get penalized for celebrating, it isn’t taunting either, it is just displaying shear joy. I see this every week in the pros. Another example, Alex Smith chases a guy all the way down the field trying desperately to stop him from scoring a touch down all the while getting clobbered continually by three big offensive linemen! He didn’t succeed but he really tried and I think he really cared about the game. He certainly wasn’t concerned whether he got injured on the play or not. My thoughts and again I enjoyed your comments. –Garth-

P.S. If the band, cheerleaders, and players provide all this entertainment for free tuition, why does a college game have to be so expensive to attend? Could it be that these students are being exploited by the big money guys in the Conference Commissioner’s Offices and the NCAA? Just wondering. Bruce will now say, “Don’t be so negative Janine (Jacobs)!” -Garth-

Who watered the field, Mike Giddings.

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Here, Here, how true! I was there too and witnessed what Garth is saying.

Nevin

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Here I go again,

Any one can like whatever he wants.

- Bruce

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I seldom agree with my brother (he is an Italian-speaking Ute fan, afterall)................but I think I have to line up on his side of the ball this time. You both make some valid points..........and yes, Garth, college football does have corruption with the big money being hogged by the power conferences and the elitist bowl system strangling the "little guys". NFL does decide on the field..........and hopefully college will someday too.

My favorite spectator sport, by far, is college football. There is an energy, a surging jolt of excitement that comes with game day. Having had the opportunity now to take my kids to such stadiums and campuses as Georgia Tech, Virginia, Arizona, USC, Notre Dame, Mississippi State, and yes, even Provo. In addition, we were escorted by the Alabama AD around their empty stadium in Tuscaloosa where he told us, "This place is magical. It is absurdly loud on game day and the stadium simply rocks. There is nothing like it." Jeff and I also entered Tennessee's stadium at midnight, the night before their season-opener. The endzones had been painted with their traditional orange and white checkerboard. The Security Guard allowed us in and said, "Ya'all come on in. Just stay off the grass."! As we ascended up the steep grade of stairs, it was breathtaking. 107,000 seats.........most of them literally on top of the field. The next day we saw hundreds of vehicles with orange flags out the windows.....on the freeways of Tennessee. RV's had been parked their ALL WEEK for tailgate parties. In the South it's either God and Football or Football and God. It is truly something to behold.

And yes, there are some rude and \ndrunk fans out there (we encountered some at USC).....but for the most \npart.........we have been welcomed and invited to tailgate barbecues. The \nfolks at Mississippi State told us they feed all opponents, " \'cept Mississippi \nfans"! Very gracious and extremely kind people. Same at Notre \nDame............we handed our tickets to men in suits who told us, "Welcome to \nNotre Dame. Enjoy the game." The Virginia male students all wore \nshirts and ties (tradition). The MSU Bulldog fans brought cowbells and \nrang them incessantly throughout.\n \nMy point? The vast variety of \ntraditions and student body behaviors can\'t be found in the NFL. The NFL \ngame is too generic. The teams all run pretty much the same plays. \nNo Air Force option attack. No Texas Tech spread offense. No Florida \noffense for that matter. In fact, if the QB runs the ball his life might \nbe over. When Peyton Manning faked 2 weeks ago and kept the ball on an \nend-around, it was heralded by the media as unexpected and \nbrilliant..........shoot, that\'s all Auburn and LSU do..........to get into the \nendzone.\n \nAnd what about rivalries? Sure \nDallas-Washington is great but can it compare to Ohio State-Michigan, \nAuburn-Alabama, Florida-Georgia, UCLA-USC, or even BYU-Utah? Remember \nMcBride\'s final game? His team finished what, 6-5? Yet the fans tore \ndown the goal posts after beating BYU? What .500 team in the NFL, it\'s \nteam being far from playoff contention, would have fans tear down goalposts \nfollowing a season-ending "near meaningless" victory?\n \n",1]
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And yes, there are some rude and drunk fans out there (we encountered some at USC).....but for the most part.........we have been welcomed and invited to tailgate barbecues. The folks at Mississippi State told us they feed all opponents, " 'cept Mississippi fans"! Very gracious and extremely kind people. Same at Notre Dame............we handed our tickets to men in suits who told us, "Welcome to Notre Dame. Enjoy the game." The Virginia male students all wore shirts and ties (tradition). The MSU Bulldog fans brought cowbells and rang them incessantly throughout.

My point? The vast variety of traditions and student body behaviors can't be found in the NFL. The NFL game is too generic. The teams all run pretty much the same plays. No Air Force option attack. No Texas Tech spread offense. No Florida offense for that matter. In fact, if the QB runs the ball his life might be over. When Peyton Manning faked 2 weeks ago and kept the ball on an end-around, it was heralded by the media as unexpected and brilliant..........shoot, that's all Auburn and LSU do..........to get into the endzone.

And what about rivalries? Sure Dallas-Washington is great but can it compare to Ohio State-Michigan, Auburn-Alabama, Florida-Georgia, UCLA-USC, or even BYU-Utah? Remember McBride's final game? His team finished what, 6-5? Yet the fans tore down the goal posts after beating BYU? What .500 team in the NFL, it's team being far from playoff contention, would have fans tear down goalposts following a season-ending "near meaningless" victory?

Another point...............as much \nas I despise no playoffs in the college game..........there is a wonderful \nsilver lining to it. EVERY GAME IS IMPORTANT. If you want to play \nfor the national championship, you had better not mess up along the way. \nNot so in the NFL. The Steelers never even played a home game on their way \nto the Super Bowl because they HAD MESSED UP along the way and lost several \ngames. In effect, then, game day saturday has serious meaning every week, \nnot just as the season winds down.\n \nI\'ve heard that games in Washington \nDC and Denver are like a college atmosphere.........but that\'s the \nexception............whoops, Green Bay too. And I\'m sure tickets are more \nlikely more money than most college stadiums. But alas, Garth, many in the \ncountry agree with you. The NFL has a cult-like following fed by ESPN, \nMonday Night football, etc. They are the best athletes..........but it\'s \nalso a business, and many of them will tell you they feel more like a piece of \nmeat than a human. Once they are injured or rendered \nineffective........they are tossed out the back like old lettuce. College \nplayers, for the most part, get to keep their \nscholarships.\n \nTo conclude, I was talking with a \nbusiness associate of my father, years ago, and he mentioned he used to have \nseason tickets to BYU, but "I gave them up. It was a long day. A big \nhassle. The traffic....the long game, by the time I got home, the day was \nover." I laughed and told him, "That\'s the point. It should \nlast all day. It\'s an event, not just a game. You go early. \nYou eat. You throw the football around with your kids. You listen to \npostgame. You enjoy the band. You take it all in. There is \nno point in rushing there late, sneaking out early to beat \ntraffic,etc. Enjoy the WHOLE DAY. It\'s not a church welfare meeting, \nfor Pete Sake!",1]
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Another point...............as much as I despise no playoffs in the college game..........there is a wonderful silver lining to it. EVERY GAME IS IMPORTANT. If you want to play for the national championship, you had better not mess up along the way. Not so in the NFL. The Steelers never even played a home game on their way to the Super Bowl because they HAD MESSED UP along the way and lost several games. In effect, then, game day saturday has serious meaning every week, not just as the season winds down.

I've heard that games in Washington DC and Denver are like a college atmosphere.........but that's the exception............whoops, Green Bay too. And I'm sure tickets are more likely more money than most college stadiums. But alas, Garth, many in the country agree with you. The NFL has a cult-like following fed by ESPN, Monday Night football, etc. They are the best athletes..........but it's also a business, and many of them will tell you they feel more like a piece of meat than a human. Once they are injured or rendered ineffective........they are tossed out the back like old lettuce. College players, for the most part, get to keep their scholarships.

To conclude, I was talking with a business associate of my father, years ago, and he mentioned he used to have season tickets to BYU, but "I gave them up. It was a long day. A big hassle. The traffic....the long game, by the time I got home, the day was over." I laughed and told him, "That's the point. It should last all day. It's an event, not just a game. You go early. You eat. You throw the football around with your kids. You listen to postgame. You enjoy the band. You take it all in. There is no point in rushing there late, sneaking out early to beat traffic,etc. Enjoy the WHOLE DAY. It's not a church welfare meeting, for Pete Sake!
\n \nNow what\'s the matter buddy, \naint you heard of my school, it\'s #1 in the state. So be true to your \nschool now, just like you would to your girl now.....be true to your school now, \nand let your colors fly.............\n \nBrian Wilson and the Beach \nBoys\n \n \n \n",1]
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D(["mb","\n ----- Original Message ----- \n From: \n Limburg, Garth ",1]
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Now what's the matter buddy, aint you heard of my school, it's #1 in the state. So be true to your school now, just like you would to your girl now.....be true to your school now, and let your colors fly.............

Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys