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I grew up in NY so college football wasn't really something I followed growing up. I moved to Ann Arbor in my 20s to follow my girl (now wife) to grad school so I became a fan of the Wolverines.
Now I live in Austin so how could I not root for the horns. Hook 'em!
Since I am from NYS, this was all very strange to me. People there were fans of Professional sports teams. Our state universities are known more for their academics than their sports. A possible exception is Syracuse University, which is a very competitive private university that attracts many non-alum fans - but mostly only in that area. That's it.
Ha, I didn't see your post but I just posted the same thing (or similar at least)...cheers
What is with this undying support of college athletics? Football mostly.
Firstly, most of these boosters and fans didn't even graduate from these colleges, and in a lot of cases didn't even attend there.
Secondly, sometimes they like a school that isn't even in their area, sometimes not even their own state.
I suppose I can understand why some people may back certain Colleges/Universities, if it's their hometown college, and it's what they're known for. i.e. South Bend with Notre Dame, Tuscaloosa with Alabama, Ann Arbor with University of Michigan, etc. Because with professional teams most people will support their home team, or the one nearest to them. I thought colleges were more than just an athletic division, and the real supporters are the college alumni who owe their success in life to the institution of learning that they attended.
Anyway, I just get tired of and frankly don't understand people being backers of these colleges when many of them haven't even stepped foot inside the halls of that campus.
Wanting to have something or someone to route for? Lack of activity in the schools and organizations they do know?
There are towns that pay college sports players to form teams and come to their town to play. They go to the games and pay to see them and act just as if they were connected to it all in some way. They root for them and I imagine make book on them. It beats watching the paint dry or grass grow I would think.
If only the alumni as you said real supporters were the only ones to support , would be a very different deal , than it is today if anything at all other than reunions.
I'm facinated by the trivial things people concern themselves with in order to achieve a feeling of superiority over others lol.
I agree; if one is going to be a fan of college sports as an adult, why not just root for their own college? It’s akin to following a professional sports team for a City in which one does not live (and never has).
I agree; if one is going to be a fan of college sports as an adult, why not just root for their own college? It’s akin to following a professional sports team for a City in which one does not live (or never has).
That one's a little more understandable, especially depending on where you are and when you were a kid. Most places don't have a pro sports team close by. I was in my 20s and in the service before I ever attended an NFL game. Growing up we kid were fans of the teams they showed on TV -- Packers, Rams, Vikings, even the Jets. Didn't live anywhere near those places, but we saw them on TV. It's been years since I really cared much about the NFL, and even though we live in Tennessee, those teams still carry more meaning than Titans.
That one's a little more understandable, especially depending on where you are and when you were a kid. Most places don't have a pro sports team close by. I was in my 20s and in the service before I ever attended an NFL game. Growing up we kid were fans of the teams they showed on TV -- Packers, Rams, Vikings, even the Jets. Didn't live anywhere near those places, but we saw them on TV. It's been years since I really cared much about the NFL, and even though we live in Tennessee, those teams still carry more meaning than Titans.
Usually folks are fans of the college(s) they went to and the city/metro area they live (or grew up in) relative to professional sports. You (indirectly) bring up a good point, though; perhaps those who are following a college they didn’t attend never went to college themselves and/or they’re following a team they often see on TV.
I agree; if one is going to be a fan of college sports as an adult, why not just root for their own college? It’s akin to following a professional sports team for a City in which one does not live (and never has).
I dunno, but you have literally millions of people who have never lived not only in the town of East Rutherford, NJ, but even in the state of NJ itself, and yet root for two teams that play there!
I agree; if one is going to be a fan of college sports as an adult, why not just root for their own college? It’s akin to following a professional sports team for a City in which one does not live (and never has).
I was more regarding the needs of alumni fans to feel superior to non-alumni fans “because they didn’t go to school here.” Lots of people don’t go to college at all. Imagine concerning yourself with who someone can/can’t be a fan of - the true fan argument.
It makes perfect sense. I live in SC. At an early age… long before college.. you figure out if you’re a SC fan or a Clemson fan. You go to games. It’s fun. They’re now your team. It’s not complex.
My son plays college football. He could take this one step further and say “why are people fans of college football when they’ve never even been on the team.” But he doesn’t, because he knows that’s dumb.
I was more regarding the needs of alumni fans to feel superior to non-alumni fans “because they didn’t go to school here.” Lots of people don’t go to college at all. Imagine concerning yourself with who someone can/can’t be a fan of - the true fan argument.
It makes perfect sense. I live in SC. At an early age… long before college.. you figure out if you’re a SC fan or a Clemson fan. You go to games. It’s fun. They’re now your team. It’s not complex.
Sure, you can be a fan of any college team you want (and certainly need not answer to anyone for it). It’s (far) more bizarre to concern oneself with where another went to school (or not). I’m simply commenting most folks, if they remain fans of college sports well into adulthood, focus on where they personally went to school. I make that assumption, as a whole, as it is the case amongst my friends/colleagues/associates.
However, I happen to be one of those guys who (for the most part) stopped following college sports by the time I was in graduate school (and especially beyond). Now, I’m more interested in professional sports (and camaraderie) in my City; I’d rather watch a game live/in-person (with my girlfriend, friends or colleagues) than on TV, particularly baseball and basketball. I consider college games on TV (and even some mid-season professional games) to be boring, or at least not worth the watch/my time.
Last edited by CorporateCowboy; 01-30-2023 at 09:36 AM..
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