THE GOOD IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
College football is a wonderful sport for so many different reasons. Here are a few of those reasons, based on a sampling of ideas from our readers and our two college football writers, Chadd Cripe and Nick Jezierny.
10. The pageantry, the fight songs, the tailgating and the fun.
There's no better way to show your team spirit than by belting out a fight song with 30,000-plus of your closest pals (even if your fight song is really corny). Bands, cheerleaders and all of the pomp and circumstance surrounding the college game are just plain cool. Homecoming, Dad's Weekends, the student section. You can't get all that in the NFL (that is, if you can afford an NFL ticket).
9. Offensive creativity.
BSU coach Dan Hawkins calls it "voodoo." Offensive coordinator Chris Petersen has heard it called "Pete's Poison.'' NFL coaches call it "too risky." Spend a Saturday watching college ball, and you'll see plenty of plays that look like your school-yard favorites.
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THE BAD IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL
As much as we love college football, the sport still isn't perfect. In fact, there's plenty wrong with the game, starting with the lack of a playoff. Here is a sampling of more ideas from our readers and our two college football writers.
10. Giving players money, in addition to their scholarship.
Paying student-athletes a monthly stipend has been talked about. Bad idea. Free education, free books, free meals. That's enough. As soon as pay-for-play enters the picture, the abuses will start. You think Alabama is going to play by the rules? "They are there to get a college education. Most of them already have some sort of scholarship to pay for their schooling, and that should be the reason that they are in college,'' wrote reader Nick Stem of Nampa.
9. Dwarf-sized goal posts.
Kickers are too strong for these high school-looking relics. Bring in the big boys (NFL-sized), so officials don't have to decide if the ball was inside the uprights as it soared 10 feet above the posts.
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