Countdown to College Football: 75 Reasons to Love CFB (from July 4, 2001)

The second entry in my Countdown to College Football series this week takes me back into the archives for a column that initially appeared on the now defunct PigskinPost.com on July 4, 2001. (PigskinPost was swallowed up into the larger — and still existent — CollegeFootballNews.com after the 2003 season).

In this piece, I celebrate the Americana of college football, and those people, places and things that many of us so love about the game and all of its trappings, even in this era of NCAA deceit, BCS chicanery and more. Enjoy! (and keep an eye out for a couple more pieces in the coming days)

(Originally published July 4, 2001 on PigskinPost.com)

College Football: Ain’t That America, Too?

The 4th of July is a time of celebration. No matter our political leanings, religious affiliations or positions on the social ladder, as Americans, the first week of July is an important reminder of who we are and where we’ve come from as a nation. It’s also usually a time for barbecued hamburgers and hot dogs, family picnics, beer and baseball.

It’s this last note that got me thinking. I know baseball is the “national pastime.” I enjoy going to a ballgame probably more than the next guy, and have loved spending the fourth at Dodger Stadium as long as I can remember. But, really, what is more American than a Saturday afternoon with 65,000 of your closest friends watching your college play one of its rivals?

College football is a major part of American culture, and since today is Independence Day, what better day to celebrate its place in our shared history. Therefore, in no particular order, here are 74 (plus one) reasons college football gives America to celebrate every fall.

  1. The hopes and dreams in every stadium in America just before the opening kickoff of the season …
  2. The beers you drank to fuel those sadly desperate dreams that will likely be quashed by the end of the first quarter …
  3. The Rose Bowl in Pasadena’s Arroyo Seco …

    There’s nothing like the Rose Bowl on New Year’s Day.

  4. The Hokies vs. the Wahoos. Sure it’s a great rivalry, but this note is all about the nicknames …
  5. Marching bands from Michigan, Ohio State, USC and on and on …
  6. The Tournament of Roses (the whole day, from a 7 a.m. parade to the 6 p.m. finish of the game — which, incidentally, will be ruined this year by big money) …
  7. The roar of Northwestern’s fans when, before the coin-flip before the 1996 Rose Bowl, the referee explained the coin, saying, “On one side is the logo of Northwestern University…” At that moment, 48 years of frustration was released from the north end zone that rocked the San Gabriel Mountains …
  8. Ralphie the Buffalo …
  9. The Horseshoe …
  10. Clemson vs. South Carolina …
  11. “Fuuuuuummmmble!” …
  12. “Hail to the Victors” …
  13. Uga …
  14. Strawberry Canyon …
  15. “The Ramblin’ Wreck of Georgia Tech …”
  16. The Civil War (Oregon-Oregon State) …
  17. The Golden Dome …
  18. Bevo …
  19. Schools that share a fight song, but act like they’re two different songs …
  20. Florida-Florida State …
  21. Late-night MWC games on ESPN2, when you can’t even peel yourself off the couch to change the channel …
  22. At the same time, wondering why the Pac-10 relegated itself to Fox Sports Net …
  23. Michigan Stadium …
  24. Oklahoma-Nebraska …
  25. The Swamp …
  26. “Wooooo! Pig! Soooooooieeee!” …
  27. Cheerleaders …

    Song girls or cheerleaders? Understand the difference.

  28. Song girls. At ‘SC, we know there’s a big difference between these two groups …
  29. The Heisman pose …
  30. Texas A&M’s “12th Man” …
  31. Michigan’s helmets …
  32. “Conquest” …
  33. Orange-and-white checkerboard end zones …
  34. The Iron Bowl (Alabama-Auburn) …
  35. Weekender driving trips for a conference road game …
  36. Hospitable fans when you reach your destination. On a roadie, there are few things better than weekend-long drinking buddies who can get past the fact you’re rooting for the opposition. Especially if they’re girls …
  37. That giant papier-mâché looking head on the Nebraska mascot …
  38. USC-Notre Dame …
  39. Camp Randall Stadium …
  40. Touchdown Jesus …
  41. Whatever the hell that “U” logo represents on the side of Miami’s helmets …
  42. LSU’s white jerseys at night in Baton Rouge …
  43. The Orange Bowl stadium in Miami …

    Hmm, I wonder why so many photos of Bobby Petrino came up when I Google Image Searched “coaches with state troopers.”

  44. The Sooner Schooner …
  45. Those state troopers that surround coaches only, it seems, in the south …
  46. Ohio State-Michigan …
  47. Death Valley …
  48. Happy Valley …
  49. Keeping track of the Stanford band’s suspensions …
  50. The World’s Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party, a.k.a. Georgia vs. Florida …
  51. Dotting the I …
  52. Thousands of red-clad fans singing “On Wisconsin” …
  53. Keith Jackson saying, “Live from Tuscaloosa” …
  54. Keith Jackson saying, “Live from Los Angeles” …
  55. Keith Jackson saying, “Live!” from just about anywhere …
  56. Traveler …
  57. The Game (Harvard-Yale) …
  58. The Big Game (Stanford-California) …
  59. Horned Frogs, Terrapins, Boilermakers and Ragin’ Cajuns …
  60. The fact that changing the facial expression of your team’s animal logo can cause consternation and controversy among your school’s most vociferous alumni …
  61. Nebraska’s home crowd …
  62. The Seminole mascot’s pregame ritual …
  63. “War Eagle!” …
  64. Army-Navy …
  65. Michigan’s “Go Blue” banner at midfield …
  66. Bobby Bowden saying “Dadgumit!” and sounding smarter than the president …

    The Red River Rivalry in all its glory.

  67. Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum …
  68. USC-UCLA …
  69. Joe Paterno’s flood pants and white socks …
  70. The Washington Husky …
  71. Between the hedges …
  72. Texas-Oklahoma at the state fair in Dallas …
  73. Those dudes with the homemade “Roll Tide” contraptions …
  74. “…a share of the national championship.” …
  75. Notre Dame Stadium.

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