Thread: Anyone Yanks here watch NCAA football?

Oh Memock, you don't know much about american footy do you. College football is HUGE in the 'States!

Actually Bung I do!

I understand how huge it is, my question is why?

Go Gators! (I'm often in Ft Lauderdale, isn't that the team for there?)

Just seeing some of the people in the crowds is enough for me. Think "Animal House" goes to the footy.

Originally Posted by surasak

Well, MeMock, the draw for me is that the participants aren't being paid to play. The salaries of many of the professional sports players here are beyond obscene and considering how they behave on the field it's a huge turnoff for me.

I grew up in a college town in the southern U.S. where college sports (namely football and basketball) are a huge deal. There's the intra- and interstate rivalries that make it exciting along with the intra- and interconference rivalries that add to the excitement. Where I come from there are several rivalries with my team between Florida State, Georgia, and Tennessee as the main opponents of interest. The Florida-Florida State rivalry is one of the longest running ones.

Going to the games there's just something about them that's more fun, more 'down to earth' so to speak than professional games. I've been to both and I feel like I'm at a funeral whenever I go to a professional game. The crowds just don't seem to be into the game as much in my observations.

I never watch the Super Bowl but I usually watch the college games...especially since my team is playing for the championship this year (Florida Gators).

Thank you surasak.

That makes sense, especially with so much trading going on. I mean if you support the miami heat for example there probebly isnt a single player on the team who calls florida home.

That's another aspect that's missing from pro sports: the emotional attachment from having graduated from a college or university with a top sports program. Most college towns are small in size (Gainesville is about 100,000) and since such a town won't have a pro sports team the amateur teams take the place. There's more of a community feeling rallying behind the team than one might find in a supermegalopolis with some team made up of people largely from other places. The way people get traded in pro sports makes it hard to think of any team as a 'home town' team...especially when the team threatens to leave for anotehr city that might use tax money to build a new stadium. Pro sports is all about money; college teams are about talent.

College teams change players but never stray. The Gators have been in Gainesville for over 100 years and that's they way it will be 100 years from now. Right now Florida is killing Ohio State in performance and play. That's part of the fun of college sports: even top-ranked teams screw up unexpectedly.

Thats cool. I like it that small town style.

Mind you - you call a small town one with 100,000 people. I call it one with a population between 1 and 2,000 people

Okay you have convinced me. So what is the arkansas team called - I want to go for them.

I think that if the whole team were from Arkansas, which is doubtful as all schools recruit their players from where ever they come from and students will go to whatever school that has a top rep. for good teams in what ever sport they are interested in, if such school will have them.

But anyway back to your question, "Buncha Arkies"

Buncha Arkies?

Are you serious?

Arkansas Razorbacks.

Dear Ohio State:

Bite me.

Love,

The Florida Gators.