I have a hard time following professional sports because I don't feel any connection to the team. I live in a smaller city so we don't have any top-tier professional sports, just a minor league baseball team that's about to move, a minor league hockey team and some semi-pro teams. I would nominally say I'm a fan of the Titans as they're the closest NFL team, but they're still an hour and a half away and, anyways, it's more "oh, look, they're on, guess I'll watch."
But, I LOVE college sports. I graduated from to a major SEC university (Auburn) and attended all but one home game the 5 seasons I was there, as well as at least one away game each season. Same with basketball, only my attendance wasn't quite so diligent.
But I feel a connection with that team, even years later. That's my school. When I was there, they were my classmates. I had a geology class with the quarterback. Even now, years removed from my time as a student, I never miss a game on TV and try to make it down there at least once a season.
Seeing the stadium, seeing the band, hearing the roar of the crowd at kickoff, smelling the barbecue and bourbon in the air. The indescribable thrill of seeing a live eagle fly down and land in the middle of the field. Watching the chess match between the the two insanely intelligent coaches, watching the plays executed by talented players who are still often works in progress - not finely tuned professional athletes. And stepping foot back on campus once again. All those potent memories come flooding back. It truly is a wonderful experience for me. An unbelievable rush.
Some of my fraternity brothers and I even have a long running iMessage group that sees hundreds of messages on gameday going back and forth as the four of us cheer, analyze, celebrate and commiserate. Even though we're separated by different occupations and thousands of miles, we maintain that link that was our time together and our shared interest in sport.
But I've heard NFL fans talk about their teams exactly how I talk about Auburn. So I wonder if it might be different if I lived in a city that actually had a real top-tier professional team. Some way of having a connection to this team.
But, I LOVE college sports. I graduated from to a major SEC university (Auburn) and attended all but one home game the 5 seasons I was there, as well as at least one away game each season. Same with basketball, only my attendance wasn't quite so diligent.
But I feel a connection with that team, even years later. That's my school. When I was there, they were my classmates. I had a geology class with the quarterback. Even now, years removed from my time as a student, I never miss a game on TV and try to make it down there at least once a season.
Seeing the stadium, seeing the band, hearing the roar of the crowd at kickoff, smelling the barbecue and bourbon in the air. The indescribable thrill of seeing a live eagle fly down and land in the middle of the field. Watching the chess match between the the two insanely intelligent coaches, watching the plays executed by talented players who are still often works in progress - not finely tuned professional athletes. And stepping foot back on campus once again. All those potent memories come flooding back. It truly is a wonderful experience for me. An unbelievable rush.
Some of my fraternity brothers and I even have a long running iMessage group that sees hundreds of messages on gameday going back and forth as the four of us cheer, analyze, celebrate and commiserate. Even though we're separated by different occupations and thousands of miles, we maintain that link that was our time together and our shared interest in sport.
Stephen Fry captured it perfectly in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuPeGPwGKe8
But I've heard NFL fans talk about their teams exactly how I talk about Auburn. So I wonder if it might be different if I lived in a city that actually had a real top-tier professional team. Some way of having a connection to this team.