FanNation - The Republic of Sport

Our current President Elect and future 44th President of these United States of America, Barack Obama, has recently stated his love for college football and stated his belief that its post season should be in a playoff format.  Well, with all due respect to Pres-elect Obama, I knew I caste my vote for the right person when I pulled the lever for John McCain.  Dismissing the fact that he has a lot more important issues to tackle (pardon the pun), people seem to believe that not only does Pres-elect Obama have the power to change the NCAA Football postseason but he is going to do so in the form or a constitutional amendment.  This could not be further from the truth, folks.  Mr. Pres-elect will not change the rules of collegiate football's postseason format and I say with sheer relief "thank God".

I realize that I share this sentiment with a traditional few and that the majority is not exactly on my side, but I ask you, what was it that attracted you to college football in the first place?"  Maybe it was the fact that you went to college and your school has a major college football program.  If this is the case and your school's team is consistently in the Top 10 and finds itself left out every year than I will concede to your gripe.  As for the rest of us that did not attend the USC's, Georgia's, or Auburn's of this fine nation, why would you want a playoff?  It makes your college's games that much more meaningful.  Your school may have put all its eggs in the academic basket and your football team suffers for it.  Well I have good news for you; your team can still make it to a meaningful post season.  It may not be playing on New Year's Day but al ong as you don't lose more games than you win, you still get a chance at a trophy.  But you are not the type of fans I am trying to reach.

I suspect some of you who consider yourselves fans of this sport never went to college or went to one that did not have a football program.  I ask you, "What was it that attracted you to major college football?"  I asked this to some of my acquaintances and the answer I get most is that its: A) football B) more pure then the NFL in that the players aren't playing for money and C) the tradition.  I guess these can all be true.  Someone can be just a football fan in general.  I guess you can consider it more pure than the NFL because the players aren't getting paid... at least not in dollars and cents. And, I can definitely see how the tradition can attract fans to the game.  The problem with these answers (In my opinion) is that these are secondary reasons for enjoying college football.  It seems as though every person I speak with on the subject brings up some sort of controversy.  No matter what they said as to why they enjoy college football, it seems as though the controversy is all they want to talk about.  In my experience, the controversy is what brings people into the sport.  It what makes people look at Saturday as the proverbial "day of rest" and do nothing but watch football. 

I would say that where I live, the NFL is second to college football in terms of interest.  If that is the case, and college football is more popular than the NFL, why change anything?  I can understand why people who are closly associated with a particular program and gets left out of the National Championship game every year would want a change, but for the majority of us, who only cheer on their favorite school or alma mater, why would we want a change?  Why would you want to take away the importance of an Alabama vs. Ole Miss game or a Texas Tech vs. Oklahoma St. game.  If we had a playoff system, why would we talk about a Penn State vs. Michigan State game if its obvious that Ohio State would make the playoffs anyway?  I say leave it as is.  The most popular sport in America has two major leagues, the NFL and NCAA.  I would have to say that the one that gains the most interest is the one WITHOUT a playoff.