The Impossible Argument.

I'm in full on college football mode already. I know it's only early July and baseball time but I can't control myself. It consumes blocks of my time everyday. And it's not just Ohio State's upcoming season that I'm excited about, it's every possible game. August 28th can't get here soon enough and I feel more prepared for this college football season than any before (mind you I am now two years removed from actually being in college).

So recently I've finished the book Saturday Rules by Austin Murphy of SI. It's pretty much pulp and a quick read but it's fairly entertaining. Despite the somewhat overwhelming coverage of USC and Notre Dame it still manages to make some good points and helped me to relive the 2006 college football season- which might have been the best time of my life up until a particular bowl game I prefer to forget.

One of the things that stands out is the author talks about his years covering both college football and the NFL and the difference between the two. This brings up the age old argument of which is better- college or pro football?

I'll admit I'm completely biased in this argument. I simply have zero passion toward the NFL. I'm a mid-west kid who was weaned on the BIg Ten and I will never accept any substitute. It's an argument no one can win, you're either going to like one or the other and there is no point I can make that will change your point of view. Obviously, I accept that the level of football being played in the NFL is a higher quality, but I actually think that is one of its fatal flaws. The game has become so well played and so fast that it's not fun- it's all the same. Murphy makes the point that if two NFL teams played a game and were to switch jerseys at half-time would you be able to tell the difference simply by style of play. I don't think you could.

To me, that's what makes the college game so great. Tradition, passion, rivalry and variety are what helps to make the game an absolute religion to many.

So ultimately this post solves nothing, but just helped to ramp up my college football jones. I've decided to make a list of all the things that makes college football great and you can not find in the pro game, which I will list below:

The game, helmet stickers, Homecoming, the option, howard's rock, army-navy, student sections, painting ND's helmets before the game, bands, senior captains, Spring ball, Script Ohio, Little brown jug, rivalry trophies in general, Rudy, Tusk, Black shirts, walk-ons, the team, the team , the team, Those who stay will be champions, play like a champion today, Between the hedges, Night games in Tiger Stadium, The horseshoe, College Gameday, The world's largest outdoor cocktail party, Mascots, Pep rallies, Red River shootout, the grandaddy of them all, Keith Jackson, Rose Parade, Hook 'em symbol, Fight songs, alma maters, JoePa, The Heisman, touchdown jesus, The Grove, midnight yell practice, Volunteer navy, jump around, senior tackle.

This article pretty much sums up what I've been trying to say.

I'll throw in a couple of youtube clips that also help make my point.
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