As the most anticipated college football game of the season is only moments from getting underway, the current state of college football must be addressed. Before anything, I have Auburn over Oregon in the BCS national championship game about to enfold in front of me, 34-31. We’ll see how this prediction pans out in a moment, but before the college football world turns their attention towards this phenomenal matchup, let’s talk about the magical season that has just passed.
On the field, we saw magic from our Spartans, incredible poise from players like Cam Newton and Andrew Luck, video game like offensive performances from Wisconsin and Oregon, heartbreak for Boise State’s kicker, and heroism from Boston College linebacker Mark Herzlich. Herzlich sat out all of 2009 after being diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare bone cancer, and returned cancer-free to play in 2010. We had two non-BCS schools in the running for a title shot for most of the year, and one of them, TCU, won the Rose Bowl. The other school, Boise State, lost its chance on a cold November evening in Reno, Nevada. I think we’ve all seen those highlights. And we can’t forget about Joe Paterno, who won his 400th game at Penn State. That’s unbelievable.
The 2010 season wasn’t one without its' fair share of controversy as well. Cam Newton stayed quiet as rumors were spread about his father asking for money in return for Newton’s commitment. Regardless of what his father may or may not have done, Cam is a special athlete and has led his Auburn Tigers on quite the journey this season. Southern Cal was put on probation from bowls for two years, lost 30 scholarships over the next three years, and was forced to vacate all wins in which former Trojan Reggie Bush played in. Five Ohio State players, including stars Terrell Pryor and Dan “Boom” Herron, traded personal football items and autographs for free tattoos. As a result, these players were allowed to play in their Sugar Bowl victory over Arkansas, but are suspended for the first five games of the upcoming 2011 season. It just so happens that the fifth game of the year for the Buckeyes is against the very team that tied them for the Big Ten Championship without playing them, the Spartans.
College football will always have its' courageous stories and storybook seasons, but it will also be watered down just a bit with some sort of controversy. I’m not sure if it is realistic to think that controversy will be eradicated from the game, but the sport can do better. Anyone else notice a similarity in the players usually involved in some sort of controversy? Terrell Pryor and Reggie Bush are two great examples. Two players that have been in a national spotlight since they were teenagers, two guys that have had everything come pretty easy to them in life. Another example at the professional level is Vince Young, who has been cut by the Tennessee Titans and continues his emotional problems into adulthood. High school recruits are still in high school, and sometimes we seem to forget that these athletes are still kids. To better the game and better the advancement of athletes to the next level, college football needs to cut down on meaningless high-school all-star events and elaborate school decisions involving hat selections and tattoos.
Although I love watching future Spartans in these events, these events elaborate players before they have played a real game, sometimes stunting the growth of traits such as professionalism and integrity. Look at the absolute stars of the NFL; they don’t share the same backgrounds. Tom Brady split time at Michigan and was a 6th-round pick, Peyton Manning stayed all four years at Tennessee, Chris Johnson played ball for the Eastern Carolina Pirates, and Arian Foster wasn’t even drafted out of Tennessee. Nobody is questioning the talent of these highly showcased recruits, but the ego-boost can be costly in the long run.
I love postseason football, next week we will talk about the big boys in the NFL and what the rest of the playoffs have in store for us. By the way, the score of the BCS title game is currently 19-11 Auburn with 11:30 left in the 3rd quarter as I wrap up this story. I’m not far off, but half the game remains.
