| Fall is my favorite time of year. It's a | | | | the best players from around the country. Of |
| combination of things; the cool crisp days, | | | | course, it's not the only reason, athletes |
| the beauty of Fall foliage, camping, and NCAA | | | | also want to play where they can compete |
| Football. For a sports fan, it's hard to | | | | against the best, but knowing that their |
| match the excitement of college football. You | | | | chances for reaching the pro's will be |
| won't find more rabid fans anywhere than you | | | | greatly enhanced by playing for a team like |
| will at the college level. Tens of thousands | | | | U.S.C. for four years is a huge factor. The |
| of fans jam stadiums to watch their favorite | | | | other side of the coin is that schools and |
| team. And what traditions! You'll be hard | | | | coaches are under great pressure to recruit |
| pressed to find any tradition comparable to | | | | the top high school players and have been |
| an Ohio State/Michigan State, Michigan/Ohio | | | | known to offer inducements to get them. |
| State, Army/Navy, Nebraska/Oklahoma and on | | | | There's been more than a few schools that |
| and on. It's really something unique and a | | | | have been sanctioned for this, but more than |
| thrill to be a part of. There's only one | | | | likely it will continue to be a problem |
| problem...It's all too predictable! | | | | because the competition for the top players |
| | | | is so intense. |
| Before the season even begins, I can tell you | | | | |
| with a degree of certainty at least half of | | | | What can be done to level the playing field? |
| the teams that will be in the top ten and the | | | | |
| bowl games at the end of the year. Among that | | | | Unlike the pro's, in college sports there is |
| group will be some of the following; Miami, | | | | no draft to level the playing field by |
| USC, Florida State,Ohio State, Michigan, | | | | offering the worst teams from the previous |
| Nebraska, Penn State, Notre Dame, and another | | | | year the top picks, and best athletes. |
| few that show up every other year or two. | | | | There's really not a lot to regulate the |
| There may be a surprise in the mix every | | | | actions of schools and coaches other than the |
| year, but for the most part, you can count on | | | | NCAA itself. With the money to be had, and |
| the teams above to be in the championship | | | | the pressure to win, it's difficult to see |
| hunt. Why is it that there is no level | | | | much in the way of change. |
| playing field in NCAA Football? | | | | |
| | | | College football is really a mix of pro and |
| First off, college football is a huge | | | | amateur athletics. While not pure, it still |
| moneymaker for schools such as Miami, Notre | | | | offers a certain air of athletes playing |
| Dame, and others with top football programs. | | | | purely for the fun and love of it, because |
| They have huge incentive to field top teams | | | | for most of them, that's what it is. The |
| and correspondingly pay their coach's seven | | | | majority of college players never reach the |
| figure contracts. For those teams that get to | | | | pro's, and that's what I keep in mind when I |
| a major bowl game, the payoff if huge. | | | | watch an NCAA football game. And if you |
| Wannabe professional athletes coming out of | | | | really want to enjoy the spirit of the game, |
| high school know that to make it to the pro's | | | | watch a contest between two schools like |
| their chances will be greatly enhanced by | | | | Slippery Rock and Hoboken. You may not see |
| playing for a program such as Miami as | | | | any future superstars but you'll see a bunch |
| compared to a school like Kent State. | | | | of people actually playing a game for the joy |
| | | | of it. What a novel concept! |
| For this reason, schools like Miami attract | | | | |