Scott Cordischi On Sports: NE Sports Fans Missing Out
Wednesday, November 02, 2011
It may not mean much to a lot of people in these parts, but I, for one, am really looking forward to that great match-up in college football Saturday night between #1 LSU and #2 Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
One of the few things I can honestly say that I dislike about living in New England and the northeast in general is that this is a pro sports area and not one that is passionate about college football or basketball.
Okay, maybe fans in Connecticut support their Huskies and when the PC Friars are good, Rhode Island certainly rallies around them. But do people in Massachusetts care about Boston College or UMass? Not a chance!
It’s too bad because New Englanders truly do not know what they are missing. I developed my true passion for college football and hoops while attending Syracuse University back in the late 80’s. Both the football and the men’s basketball programs were perennial top 20 programs back then and the atmosphere at the Carrier Dome was sensational. The enthusiasm of the crowd dwarfs that of a pro game because the students get involved and the pep bands play their school's fight songs. It's great!
But I enjoyed college football and basketball even before that time. When I was in high school, Doug Flutie led Boston College against football giants like Penn State and Miami and it was awesome to watch. Ditto for Boston College basketball which had players like Michael Adams and John Bagley making them competitive on the national level every year as well.
But I am in the minority here in New England. Too often if it’s not about the Patriots, Red Sox, Celtics or Bruins, no one cares. And that’s too bad.
You may have other plans on Saturday, but mine are chalk full of college football and I can’t wait. I will be at the Yale Bowl in New Haven Saturday afternoon to watch a great Ivy League match-up between Brown and Yale. Following that, I will be planted on my couch for LSU-Alabama.
It doesn’t get any better than that!
-ESPN’s documentary “Unguarded” on Fall River’s Chris Herren was well done. But the real credit goes to the Journal’s Bill Reynolds who authored the book “Basketball Junkie” about Herren’s trials and tribulations.
-Herren’s wife, Heather, deserves endless credit for sticking by her man and raising their children through all of the difficult times Chris put her and the family through.
-I’ll be rooting for LSU but I’ll take Nick Saban and Alabama to win Saturday night.
-And I’ll take Brown over Yale as well.
-Bill Belichick’s players are dying for him to allow them to be more aggressive on defense. As The Sports Hub’s Michael Felger would say, “that’s fact, not opinion!”
-The Bruins looked more like the team that won the Stanley Cup in their win over Ottawa Tuesday night.
-And although they reportedly preferred Taylor Hall over Tyler Seguin in last year’s draft, I think that the B’s made out better getting Seguin.
-I still haven’t heard from anyone who cares that the NBA hasn’t started their season yet.
-Boise State and Air Force in the Big East? What’s the matter, Hawaii and Fresno State weren’t available?
-I don’t think I need to remind Patriots fans of what happened the last time that New England played the Giants in a meaningful game.
-I love how people are anointing Stanford’s Andrew Luck as this can’t miss stud quarterback in the NFL. Need I remind you that two of the sport’s greatest quarterbacks were Joe Montana who was drafted in the third round and Tom Brady who was taken in the sixth round?
-Snow in October? No thanks!
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