Kind of OT: I need a college team to support

[gomezcat]

There are some excellent answers, guys. Box's answer is of course pure Box. Here's my thinking: Texas is up there for reasons I will reveal at a later stage, but I really love the idea of Joe Paterno's tough, blue collar ethic. That story about the entire team going on cleaning duty really, really impressed me. The Northern Englishman in me (Manchester is my hometown) likes the blue collar thing.

The half- Irishman in me likes the idea of Notre Dame but I prefer underdogs (bear in mind that I started following the Pats in 1986). I wouldn't want to support a perennial #1. I don't think I would go for BC, as I have already been inveigled into being a de facto Red Sox supporter, because of the board.

Box's Wesleyan idea REALLY got me thinking, though....


The perverse liberal in my make up quite fancies supporting a team from a Southern red state. FTW's suggestion of UGA makes a lot of sense and that dog is really quite lovable in a funny way.

Another bit of my perverse make up likes Rutgers; a recent receptionist at work was from Central Jersey. She was proud of not having watched a Football game at the Uni, or having a Joisey accent, and it really got up my nose. She was clearly stereotyping Football fans. This from a woman who sat in the office, wearing headphones and singing. HELLO, LOOK AT ME!!!



The other thing I didn't say was why I want to follow college FB. I found the whole mock draft thing really absorbing and think that I could gain something more by rooting for a team, watching them (where possible) and watching kids develop.

I'll make a decision by end of the weekend.... Thanks again.

 

[zarakotas5]

It may help if you explain by which capacities you will follow your prospective school.

If you intend to watch the games on the telly, you'll need a fairly big-time school (meaning even well-known teams like Rutgers, BC, Boise St, Arkansas, etc will be hard to come by regularly) unless you can access net broadcasts, etc.

If you'll follow via magazines or web updates etc. then it opens up to teams like UNH, Maine, UMass, which play really enjoyable games from a purely sporting perspective, although NFL prospects are the exception..

PS: Yeah, the mock was a bit of a hoot...spent much more time on it than I should have (last round of exams before final, senior college year...)

 

[gomezcat]

It may help if you explain by which capacities you will follow your prospective school.

If you intend to watch the games on the telly, you'll need a fairly big-time school (meaning even well-known teams like Rutgers, BC, Boise St, Arkansas, etc will be hard to come by regularly) unless you can access net broadcasts, etc.

If you'll follow via magazines or web updates etc. then it opens up to teams like UNH, Maine, UMass, which play really enjoyable games from a purely sporting perspective, although NFL prospects are the exception..

PS: Yeah, the mock was a bit of a hoot...spent much more time on it than I should have (last round of exams before final, senior college year...)

Excellent point. Ideally, I'd prefer a team where I can watch games via streaming or similar. We (realistically "we" means I pay for it as I'm the one who likes sports) might end up getting cable TV this season but we'll see. I think I'll have a look at some websites, do some research about the teams, coaches and so on and see what "feels right".

BTW, I hope you managed to graduate OK. From what I hear, American students are actually meant to do work at college. I drank my way through University.

 

[gomezcat]

Don't fall under the trap of supporting precious Michigan or OSU. You want a true blue collar and clean program with a world class coach. That college and coach is Penn State with Joe Paterno.

As an example of how old school Joe is: This summer there was a confrontation in the street where some kid got in a player's gf's face and pushed her to the ground. So then the football player grabbed three teammates and followed the kid to a party where there was a fight. No serious injuries but certainly not something you should brag about. After hearing of this Joe Paterno as punishment has decided that all players, coaches, and staff will be responsible for cleaning up Beaver Stadium Sun mornings after games including himself as he saw it as reflection of a team problem of discipline. This duty is usually reserved for clubs who get paid $500 to help fund their activities. Joe has said that all $ will still go to the clubs who were signed up for the activity however they need not show as his team will handle the work. Also as a side note, the 4 players involved, 2 are suspended for the year and 2 are suspended for 4 games.

That my friends is why PSU to me is the greatest program in College Football. A hardnosed coach who btw has the highest graduation rate among players in the Big 10 (tied with Northwestern). We may not win as much as we used to but we have never been prouder.

There is a winner and it is the Penn State Nittany Lions.

ht

The above post was the one that persuaded me. I did some digging around and liked what I read about Joe Paterno's programme. Oh, and I was interested to read about the story of the Nittany Lion:
http://www.greenworks.tv/radio/earthtones/nittanylions.htm

I hate Ohio State, Pitt and Michigan already. BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

I shall also keep an eye out for the Regina Cougars, a suggestion of Box's, given that he is my long lost twin brother (apparently- he has seen a pic of me, but not vice versa).
How much College Football I will get to see live is questionable, but there is a store from where I can buy DVDs of each game. As I said before, I took part in the mock draft and loved it. However, I would have liked to have actually seen some of the guys play.

Thanks again to all involved.

 

[Underoath]

I'm a Michigan fan.

 

[gomezcat]

I'm a Michigan fan.

Booooooooooooooooo!!!! Just joking.

 

[Mike the Brit]

Mmm ... I respect your decision, although, you've got to face it, so long as colleges recruit professional athletes as "athletic scholars", the whole business is pretty dubious. (And, believe me, you do NOT want to root for a team in the Ivy League which is, I believe, the only one with no athletic scholarships.) But certainly some programmes are more dubious than others and applying at least some standards of conduct to the players is admirable ...

For some reason, I don't seem to be able to enthuse about any particular college team. Last season, I was very impressed with Rutgers and Wake Forest on the underdog principle (the Demon Deacons! I ask you!) Also, if you ever manage to watch some games, I liked watching the offense-oriented West Coast colleges (Berkeley, Oregon, for example).

(By the way, on Bunzoburns' criteria, I think that it has to be USC -- the Beach Boys had it right!)

 

[Lampshade]

One likely to be on NASN a few times throughout the year. Penn State seems a good choice.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I'm surprised no one mentioned the Red Raiders of Texas Tech.

After all, they did give Pats fans this guy:

 

[BelichickFan]

No love for Saban and my new team the Crimson Tide ???

Roll Tide, baby

 

[tedylb]

How about the Bulldogs of Fresno State, home of James Sanders & Logan Mankins, & BB disciple, coach Pat Hill?

Or if it's great mascots you're looking for, can you top the Banana Slugs of UC Santa Cruz or the UC Irvine Anteaters?

 

[Lurks_All_Day]

If you'll follow via magazines or web updates etc. then it opens up to teams like UNH, Maine, UMass, which play really enjoyable games from a purely sporting perspective, although NFL prospects are the exception..

Now, you're talking! Go Black Bears! Yeah, they're fun to watch...

BTW, Kevin McMahan, Mr. Irrelevant 2006, was a UMaine product. Poor soul got drafted by the Raiders. He went up for a jump ball over the middle in pre-season '06 and got the jam sandwich treatment. He got up reeeeeeaaaaaaal slow, and that's the last we saw of him....

 

[gomezcat]

Mmm ... I respect your decision, although, you've got to face it, so long as colleges recruit professional athletes as "athletic scholars", the whole business is pretty dubious. (And, believe me, you do NOT want to root for a team in the Ivy League which is, I believe, the only one with no athletic scholarships.) But certainly some programmes are more dubious than others and applying at least some standards of conduct to the players is admirable ...

For some reason, I don't seem to be able to enthuse about any particular college team. Last season, I was very impressed with Rutgers and Wake Forest on the underdog principle (the Demon Deacons! I ask you!) Also, if you ever manage to watch some games, I liked watching the offense-oriented West Coast colleges (Berkeley, Oregon, for example).

(By the way, on Bunzoburns' criteria, I think that it has to be USC -- the Beach Boys had it right!)

I agree that the emphasis on academia is relative, which is rather like the emphasis I placed on the studies for my German degree. :bricks: I rather deserved my 2.2, I must admit; the lectures and essays got in the way of my drinking, nights in rock clubs and the year abroad.

That said, Penn State seems to have some standards and following them is more of a vehicle to watching College Football as a whole. Their reputation as Linebacker U had a bearing on the decision as well.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

You made the error of posing and posting the picture, we just have to live with the result.

Regina Rams of the University of Regina Cougars in Canada, just the name has that football flare to it. Knitting Lions? That will make for a fine yarn in the Pub. Poor Ms. Gzheegato, she'll be making even more trips to Denmark to check up on FBN.

 

[gomezcat]

How about the Bulldogs of Fresno State, home of James Sanders & Logan Mankins, & BB disciple, coach Pat Hill?

Or if it's great mascots you're looking for, can you top the Banana Slugs of UC Santa Cruz or the UC Irvine Anteaters?

Banana Slugs? Ew!

 

[gomezcat]

You made the error of posing and posting the result, we just have to live with the result.

Regina Rams of the University of Regina Cougars in Canada, just the name has that football flare to it. Knitting Lions? That will make for a fine yarn in the Pub. Poor Ms. Gzheegato, she'll be making even more trips to Denmark to check up on FBN.

Miss Gcat will post later on her trip to Denmark, so I am told. However, that would rely on me actually getting off the computer....

If Penn State isn't everyone's first choice, then that's a good thing. Anything to wind you up, Box. Actually, I say that and then remember that you did something in the military....

Oh, and I promise to keep an eye out for the Rams as well. Perhaps they could be the subject of one of our totally OT ramblings, so beloved of the board's more, erm, Pats' focused members?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Miss Gcat will post later on her trip to Denmark, so I am told. However, that would rely on me actually getting off the computer....

If Penn State isn't everyone's first choice, then that's a good thing. Anything to wind you up, Box. Actually, I say that and then remember that you did something in the military....

Oh, and I promise to keep an eye out for the Rams as well. Perhaps they could be the subject of one of our totally OT ramblings, so beloved of the board's more, erm, Pats' focused members?

Ramblings? Are we really that focused?

 

[tedylb]

Banana Slugs? Ew!

Classic headline not shown on ESPN: Anteaters Devour Slugs!

Is this a sign we're all going insane in the interminable wait for training Camp?

 

[upstater1]

Choose an SEC school. Most of the other conferences are just jokes or shells of their former selves. And don't pick georgia, they have been The gators Biznitches for the last few years...

Yeah, choose schools that cheat and have no shame, schools that are practically semi-pro. Then you can root for corruption. Rooting for the SEC is like rooting for the old Raiders.

 

[upstater1]

Plus, they're the best deal in the country. Always rival the Ivies in research grants, yet the in-state tuition is ~ 1/4 of room & board fees for a NE school.

Well, all but two Ivies don't do as well in research grants (UPenn and Cornell) as state schools. Places like Pitt, Cincy and Clemson wallop the Ivies in that regard, because politicans like to dole out the dough to their constituents, and not rich Ivies. The Ivies manage to scape by on multi-billion dollar endowments.