It’s called college football. Oh it’s those guys running around in those bright green, yellow, orange suits, and “trying” to tackle each other, which most of the time they don’t.
Then everyone on the field standing on the sidelines waiting for their service of Gatorade, waiting for the next time they go in to the game for a couple of minutes, and back to the Gatorade. Actually, in a 60 minute game, actual game action is about six or seven minutes.
And then the break from action every five or six minutes for a commercial, as somehow the cost of all this has to be paid for, and who better to pay than television? Oh, the commercials, has anyone figured out what product some of them are trying to hype or sell? They got you guessing until almost the last second, what the product is and that at times is a guess.
Probably the least accomplished player on the field is the cornerback, or even the safety, their tackling ability is severely tested when trying to bring down a 240 pound running back when they are 185 pounds at the most. And speaking of tackling, has anyone really seen a game where there actually is good tackling or close to it?
The players, those in the college game, oh yeah, when are they in college (class), with games spread throughout the week and weekend, traveling all over the country, barring any injuries, back to the class room (maybe) for a day or two. Well it is not all bad. There is an upside with coaches cashing in, me in the million dollar range, actually there was 71 last time we looked, making well over $1 million a year. One, as much as $9 million. Oh, by the way has anyone paid off their student loan?
Oh, and of course there are injuries, including concussions, many players suffering years later, aside from the normal broken bones. And last but not least, those that officiated the mayhem, the guys in the black and white stripes, whose whistles and yellow flags help keep the chaos somewhat under control, while also making sure the game is played by the rules, with some help from those keeping track of the replays while also making sure the sponsors get their full three or four minutes of commercial breaks.
Well, that is a short view of the game called football (it’s the American version, not the soccer version which is call football by others). The NFL side is next.
By Don Porter
Don Porter is the former International Softball Federation President for 26 years and the Co-President of the World Baseball-Softball Confederation. He serves in a number of positions with national and international Olympic Committees and is a member of the United States Sports Academy’s Board of Visitors.