Life in College Football's Wasteland

These past two weeks have been LONG! It's even harder living in college football's wasteland where no one else cares or can even imagine the feeling of two big game weeks back to back. Here in Connecticut hoops has already become the main sporting focus. This despite the fact that Connecticut is looking in pretty good shape for a second straight bowl appearance. Anyone who has seen me with my PSU cap on this week has said one of two things to me- When's JoePa leaving? or Michigan is going to beat you bad. Then I ask them what UM's record is and they have no clue. Then I say 3-3 and they say "oh". This is the world I live in. The most intelligent college football discussion I have is on internet message boards and my writings in this blog. No one in this state can imagine what last Saturday night at Beaver Stadium was like unless they are a displaced Buckeye or Nittany Lion like myself. College hoops fans think that 9,500 screaming fans at Cameron Indoor Stadium at Duke is a hostile environment. I would like to see how they would react to being seated in the freezing cold, rain pouring, shoulder to shoulder with complete strangers. Beaver Stadium was absolutely electric. The stadium literally shook at times because of the noise, bouncing and genuine joy that Penn State fans displayed from kick off to the final seconds. I have never been to a college basketball game but I can safely guarantee you that there isn't another venue, pro or college whatever, that could compare to the noise in the stadium. I know a lot of people who don't like college football. It is absolutely unfathomable to me. College football is better than any other sport in existence. There is nothing that can match the intensity, pagentry, tradition, game and noise. I feel sorry for people who don't follow college football but instead follow college basketball exclusively. I, myself, follow both. However, I would be lying to you if I said that I enjoyed college hoops as much as I enjoy college football. It ain't even close. There is a reason State College becomes the third largest city in Pennsylvania on gamedays. There is a reason over 100,000 pack into Knoxville, Columbus and Ann Arbor as well. College football controls certain regions on Saturdays. It is a darn shame that some people don't give it a try. Unfortunately, once you get hooked, it's like any other addiction- it just gets much worse over time. I started out as a casual Penn State fan years and years ago, simply because I was a Pennsylvanian. Now I bleed Blue and White like no one else can believe. That is one of the reasons I started this blog. The addiction just keeps growing. If you're not convinced, read Rammer Jammer Yellow Hammer by Warren St. John. That will explain everything you need to know. I highly recommend it everyone. Even if you have never watched a down college football, it is an interesting read.