As a new found fan of college football (I get it - I'm wicked late, sorry middle America) it is incredibly interesting to see how different it is than the NFL. The insanity of the fan-base (so much more fanatical than even the most absurd caricature of a NFL fan) is one thing but there are so many things that have struck me as interesting;
1. These guys loooove football - it's not a job (yet), it is just something that they are passionate about (and hope to get a job in). Now, that being said, it's not a job but I guarantee the majority of these really competitive guys are being allowed to completely forgo any real educational college experience in order to focus on football (which does sicken me but I'll get to that later).
2. Everyone, I mean everyone, gives 100% at all times - the players, the fans, the coaches, the marching band. You just don't see that in pro football for some reason (already obtained the job I guess). They are finally getting (legally) paid for their sport and the passion disappears.
3. They talk about the impressiveness of 'red shirt freshman' as if it's impressive that college students are actually of college age. I get it, college football is almost as big a money maker as pro so they refuse to go the NBA route and allow 18 (or is it now 19) year olds to join the pros because they need to ensure they stay as big as they are (and I'm sure they explain it through the necessity of education as well...).
What really amazes me the most is that I absolutely love watching it. I hate meatheads and on any given camera shot there are twenty drunk frat boys screaming uncontrollably about what? They couldn't tell you. I get it, sports are fun to watch, mob mentality, and they are really fun to play, but where along the line do people lose control or give up control and think it is alright?
In college, a roommate of mine and I were assaulted by a member of the football team and when we tried to actually do something about it we were scoffed at - as if the mere idea of punishing someone who is trained to be maniacal is unreasonable. I can't even imagine if I had attended a school where football wasn't an amazing embarrassment what those football players might have been able to get away with.
So although it's impressive how athletic these guys are, and it is impressive to see an 18 year old playing with the same intensity (and occasionally skill) as a professional football player, and I love football and love watching it, maybe we need to make sure that it is only their age that ends up making them a red shirt and not their behavior or mind-set.