As we inch closer to the start of a new college football season, I reflect on some of the things which make it the greatest spectator sport.
From game day in the fall to being able to watch 12 hours (or more) of action each Saturday, college football simply can’t be matched.
While I will always be a fan of the NFL (millionare vs. billionare arguments aside), if I had to keep one it would be college.
Some of my favorite parts of college football include:
•The preseason magazines. Every spring I begin glancing at the magazine racks at the grocery store to see which one will be the first to arrive. There are a host of preseason publications available but I still believe the one published by the Sporting News is the best. It’s not quite as good as it was at one time due to staff cutbacks and such but it’s still at the top. Many people have fallen in love with the preseason magazine published by Phil Steele, but the format of that one is too jumbled and I’ve never found it appealing.
•Potential upsets. Each summer, when I begin purchasing my preseason magazines, I look for those early season games where non-conference matchups call for potential shockers. We had them last fall with Ole Miss and I foresee another SEC school with big-time aspirations falling this season (Navy over South Carolina.)
•College Game Day on ESPN. To me, preseason shows had not been the same since the old NFL Today crew was blown up following the 1989 season. I’m sorry but preparing for football on Sunday is not the same without Brent Musburger. College Game Day, however, has it all worked to perfection.
Chris Fowler, Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corse provide the right mix up serious game analysis and downright goofiness (mainly provided by Corso.) The show has become so popular it has been expanded by an hour on ESPNU. And while I’m all for the nuts and bolts of breaking down the games that are on tap for the day, it certainly doesn’t hurt the male demographics to have Erin Andrews as part of the show. It should be noted, however, unlike some female football reporters who know as much about the game as I do about opera, Andrews actually knows the ins and outs of college football.
•I would say media guides are part of the reason I enjoy college football but they are becoming more extinct each year. At one time a staple for all schools with a football program (or any sport for that matter), many colleges have done away with their printed media guide in favor of the electronic one. I have about as much use for that as I do an electronic version of a newspaper.
•Following my favorite coaches also makes the great game. Steve Spurrier, Jim Grobe, Paul Johnson, June Jones and David Cutcliffe are just a few of the ones whose teams I enjoy watching because of their coaching approach.
•Postgame call in shows are something which must be heard to be believed at times. The perfect example is the one hosted on an Athens station following University of Georgia games. I always make it a point to tune in, especially if Georgia loses. The Mark Richt call-in show is also amusing.
I’ll always remember the time a caller was giving Richt advice on what defense he should use against the triple option. Calmly Richt said: “If you run that defense against the triple option, they’ll score every time.”
A perfect response to a person whose only coaching ability was, in reality, being able to dial a phone.
Chris Bridges is sports editor of the Barrow Journal. You can reach him at cbridges@barrowjournal.com.
