What College Football Means To Me

[longislandcuse]

Watching this feature on Gameday has me so thankful for Dino bringing back real, high level college football to Syracuse.

Is football the most important thing in life? No.

Is it a big deal? For me.. Yes.

I was too young to really take in the McNabb era. All I know is football that I’ve generally been apathetic towards.

I now live in the South and see how engrained football is in society. How it brings people, families and friends together.

My favorite memories are watching Syracuse Basketball win the National Championship with my family. Watching Syracuse Basketball beat UVA in “the comeback”, with my family.

I’m looking forward to adding some Syracuse Football to those memories.

Every year my dad, my brother and I go to Syracuse games that are near Atlanta. This year we’ll be in Tallahassee. Life gets crazy but we make sure we do that together.

When I look back at my life, and my relationships, Syracuse Football/Basketball will be very prominent.

Is it a big deal? Yes.

I’ve never been so nervous and excited for a season to start...

Thank you Dino and co.

 

[bballbeadle]

The very first football game I saw was 1987 West Virginia, last game of the undefeated season. Probably most intense, pleasurable game I have ever seen in person. We sat directly behind Don McPherson’s parents, which we didn’t know until Don came clambering up the seats to embrace his mom and dad. So, honestly, I started football with a peak experience and I didn’t quite grasp how special it was.

I like basketball better than football, in part because I understand it better. If SU football isn’t good, I lose all interest in college football. 5 years ago I bought season football tickets with sports spouse, Gary, mainly because I felt sorry for the team and wanted to support them. We sit in Row Q on the 30 yard line, the first non-preferred row and a complete bargain. What a joy to have witnessed the slow but sure turn around of our team! What a joy to have a coach like Dino!

Now if I only understood the game . . . .

 

[Eric15]

If SU football isn’t good, I lose all interest in college football.

For me personally, I'm the exact opposite. When SU basketball is struggling (as we have in the regular season the past 5 years) I watch much, much less non-SU college basketball games overall. I tend the avoid the sport.

Whereas on any college football Saturday I will watch games literally all day and be in heaven regardless of how SU is doing.

 

[NKR1978]

College football is such a unique and different sport. I came late to it in life in that I really didn’t start to love and appreciate it until my late 20s. I followed SU and watched most games, but I always felt like there was a party going on that we weren’t really invited to. The 2012 team was good but came on too late to really matter nationally.

Our success just feels so tenuous. In 2012 it felt like we were going to break through the wall, Doug left and Scott was in over his head. And then it was back to the drawing board. And then that Clemson game happened. I technically watched that wonderful game alone but shared it with so many on this board and we just weren’t quite ready yet.

I go back and forth thinking we’re going to be 10-2 to thinking maybe we’ll take a step back to 7-5. So excited and so nervous. We’re just so close to being what we all hope for. I have faith in Dino. I have faith in Tommy and that he’s going to more than fill Eric’s shoes. I think the linebackers will be more than serviceable and that the OL will gel and give Tommy the time he needs and open holes for our incredible running backs.

I can’t wait for this team to take the field.

 

[NKR1978]

For me personally, I'm the exact opposite. When SU basketball is struggling (as we have in the regular season the past 5 years) I watch much, much less non-SU college basketball games overall. I tend the avoid the sport.

Whereas on any college football Saturday I will watch games literally all day and be in heaven regardless of how SU is doing.

Agree with this. Part of it is that I wasn’t missing anything with football because we hadn’t been nationally relevant in so long it didn’t matter that we were terrible. Now with basketball sliding it completely ruins my enjoyment of the sport, because we should be a top 15 team.

 

[Cuseregular]

Watching this feature on Gameday has me so thankful for Dino bringing back real, high level college football to Syracuse.

Is football the most important thing in life? No.

Is it a big deal? For me.. Yes.

I was too young to really take in the McNabb era. All I know is football that I’ve generally been apathetic towards.

I now live in the South and see how engrained football is in society. How it brings people, families and friends together.

My favorite memories are watching Syracuse Basketball win the National Championship with my family. Watching Syracuse Basketball beat UVA in “the comeback”, with my family.

I’m looking forward to adding some Syracuse Football to those memories.

Every year my dad, my brother and I go to Syracuse games that are near Atlanta. This year we’ll be in Tallahassee. Life gets crazy but we make sure we do that together.

When I look back at my life, and my relationships, Syracuse Football/Basketball will be very prominent.

Is it a big deal? Yes.

I’ve never been so nervous and excited for a season to start...

Thank you Dino and co.

Amen, great great post LIC.

 

[Acesn8s]

To me there is nothing like college football, I love all sports pro and college but college football is just a different animal. I have been blessed to be able to travel all over the country to watch Cuse play (lots of bad outcomes unfortunately) but still nothing like it. And when Syracuse isn’t playing I watch games from
Noon to midnight on Saturday’s. For example I’m super pumped for tonight’s two games. It also helps I love sports betting but even if I didn’t I’d still watch as many games as possible.

 

[CuseGrad94]

To me there is nothing like college football, I love all sports pro and college but college football is just a different animal. I have been blessed to be able to travel all over the country to watch Cuse play (lots of bad outcomes unfortunately) but still nothing like it. And when Syracuse isn’t playing I watch games from
Noon to midnight on Saturday’s. For example I’m super pumped for tonight’s two games. It also helps I love sports betting but even if I didn’t I’d still watch as many games as possible.

Were we separated at birth?

 

[Acesn8s]

Possible my old man put in work back in the day, he might have some illegitimates.

 

[CuseCactus]

1987 ruined me forever. Freshman year. Life is wonderful - wide open and fun. And we go undefeated. Hooked me. Can’t wait for this season! As I have for the last 32 years.

 

[OrangeMon]

I remember as a kid in the early '70's my dad taking my brother an I to SU/Navy football games at Archbold (my dad was a naval officer). Since I was a kid I always followed college football. Now I was introduced to a live football game. It was fun!

Being a ball boy during the late '70's for Syracuse, that brought me even closer to SU football. I almost felt like I was part of the team. We got to hang out with the players during warm-ups, and of course see the action up close on the sidelines. Really cool experience. I also was able to attend SU football camp a couple of years, which gave me a chance to meet the coaches and players. Later on, I became a student, and now an alum. SU football been an important part of my life for a long time.

I didn't become a basketball fan until the Louis and Bouie show made its presence to Manley. I had season tickets (through my mom) right on the court. Really enjoyed the Zoo. That was a fun time. Didn't care much for basketball moving from Manley to the Dome, but I've gotten used to it. Been a basketball fan since.

For me, the difference between college football and basketball is; I'll only watch basketball if Syracuse is playing, whereas football I'll watch any game. I just love college football.

 

[CuyahogaCuse]

1987 ruined me forever. Freshman year. Life is wonderful - wide open and fun. And we go undefeated. Hooked me. Can’t wait for this season! As I have for the last 32 years.

Same here. 1987 Freshman Year.

Happy 50th!

 

[SUFaninNJ]

My first game was the last game at Archbold. My parents got season tickets in Manley for hoops but bought seasons for football when the Dome opened. My Dad died in 1983 and we hung on to our football seats for a couple more years before giving them up. My mom always loved basketball more, so she kept those through the early 90s.

When I moved back to the northeast in 2000 I bought season tickets for football. Partly because it reminded me of the bond my dad and I shared and how excited I got every time I went to a game. Also, basketball is kind of impractical when you live 4 1/2 hours away. For most of the 19 years I’ve been a STH, Cuse has straight up sucked. I’ve never wavered in giving up my tickets. I still get that same feeling of excitement when I go through the door and Mr. Slosberg takes my ticket. Last year seemed like a reward for all the crappy football I’ve sat through over the years. I think we are just at the beginning of this wave of success, but admittedly, I’m a bit gun shy to predict too lofty a record. Sorry that this ended up straying from the OP.

 

[Eric15]

There are no "dog days" of college football. The demand is so much greater than the supply -- it always leaves you wanting more. It's Labor Day, and then you blink your eyes and it's Halloween, and then you blink your eyes again and its Thanksgiving and boom the season is over. Even people who love MLB/NBA/NHL never say at the end of their seasons "aw man, I'm sad its over" it's always "OK that's enough I need a break."

 

[OttoMets]

There are no "dog days" of college football. The demand is so much greater than the supply -- it always leaves you wanting more. It's Labor Day, and then you blink your eyes and it's Halloween, and then you blink your eyes again and its Thanksgiving and boom the season is over. Even people who love MLB/NBA/NHL never say at the end of their seasons "aw man, I'm sad its over" it's always "OK that's enough I need a break."

I do like that aspect.

That, and the fact that (putting TV and commercial hype and all that aside) football is played at more or less the same level as it was 20 years ago. In terms of on-court product, 2019 college basketball might as well be a different sport from what it was back then.

So college football is superior by both of those measures, no doubt.

 

[Eric15]

I do like that aspect.

That, and the fact that (putting TV and commercial hype and all that aside) football is played at more or less the same level as it was 20 years ago. In terms of on-court product, 2019 college basketball might as well be a different sport from what it was back then.

So college football is superior by both of those measures, no doubt.

I actually think college football is way better that it was a generation ago.

No more ties. No more ugly/soggy rock hard astro turf. HDTV makes it incredible to watch. The 4 team playoff is a massive improvement on everything before it. If you like scoring, the sport is very pro-offense right now. And the game is safer with targeting/concussion protocol.

I think it's only fundamental flaw is that the games simply take too long. No regulation sporting event should last more than 3 hours.