I know football is under a lot of scrutiny currently for bounties on players, head injuries, suicides by former superstars, you name it. But one thing is abundantly clear, football is America's sport. Whether it's pro, college or high school, football is the sport that truly gets fans excited. I am certainly no exception.
It may sound funny, but at my age, 60, I still follow my old high school team back in Sebring, Ohio religiously. In fact, they are improving and becoming a respectable team again. I follow my college Alma mater, Valparaiso University, who unfortunately is not improving. I also follow Glenbard West in Glen Ellyn, IL where I live now. They are a truly dominate high school program that has done well over the last several years but have yet to grab the brass ring and win the 7A state title. Maybe this year. I also follow "The Ohio State Buckeyes" with a passion. Growing up in Northeastern Ohio in the 60's, I was sure God lived in Columbus and was the Ohio State coach. I also follow Mount Union University, the only true college football dynasty and a DIII team. They have won something like 10 national championships in the last 15 years. Impressive.
Besides following football on all levels, I also participate in fantasy football and as such my favorite weekend in April is the weekend of the NFL draft. Planning starts early for the fantasy draft in August. As a Cleveland Browns fan, fantasy football gives me a reason to watch football on Sundays. It gives me something to cheer for especially since the Browns have been pretty mediocre recently. However, Trent Richardson could fill a big hole for the Browns on offense and add some excitement to the team. We'll see. I even enjoy watching the Bears but I kind of find myself cheering for the Packers more. The NFC North is a great conference especially now that the Lions are resurgent.
I guess this is a long winded way of saying sports wise, the Summers are generally long. I follow baseball in the newspapers and so far this year baseball has been pretty exciting, what with a perfect game, a four home run game by Josh Hamilton, and the Indians in first place. The problem is that watching baseball is like watching the grass grow. Unless you are at the game where you can people watch and get caught up in the atmosphere, it's just not that exciting. Football is.
Let me know what you think. Do you agree? What is your favorite sport and why? Until next time.
