Monday, September 7, 2009

Why I Don't Watch College Football

Tonight, I watched the fourth quarter of Miami-FSU, which seems to have been the only CFB game with any drama this weekend. In a back-and-forth game with big momentum swings in the fourth quarter, I saw:

> Multiple squib kicks by both teams that were worse than just kicking the ball out of bounds

> Both team's defenses showing absolutely no spine, including one of my favorite plays, which is when the burned defender on a passing touchdown starts grabbing the hamstring to show that, gosh darn it, the coverage would have been so much better were it not for that darned injury luck

> Seminole clock management that was positively Eagles-esque, with 20+ seconds going off the clock after a catch in the middle of the field on the four

> The game coming down to a missed extra point, and blessed be for that, because otherwise it would have gone to those college overtime travesty rules

> Announcers who couldn't figure out that fourth down at the four with fourteen seconds left might be less useful than first down at the two with fourteen seconds left, after a Miami pass interference penalty (no, really; the fact that Miami had to defend three extra plays meant nothing)

> The game ending on a dropped pass to an open receiver in the end zone

> Announcers telling me how wonderful the game was, and what a great night this was for college football

So, um... I should be watching college ball.... why?

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I appreciate your article, but you have to remember these are 18 and 19 yr old kids making huge plays with over 40,000 fans watching. Not to mention that this one game is crucial to how both teams' season are going to shape up. Read my thoughts at www.thesportsrotation.squarespace.com

Anonymous said...

These are all the reasons it is FUN to watch!

Tracer Bullet said...

Well, Minnesota-Syracuse (yeah, yeah) went into OT and Ohio State had to intercept an ill-advised pass attempt on a 2-point conversion to hold off Navy at home. But to claim that game, for all its flaws, wasn't incredibly exciting is just nonsense. As for the dropped pass in the end zone, what, have you forgotten L.J. Smith already?

DMtShooter said...

Exciting, I'll give you. But good? Not so much. The NFL could expand to 100 teams overnight, in every college market, and make those leagues as meaningful as pro lacrosse.