Third time is the charm. I’ve started two sports related blogs in the past and neither gained any traction. I don’t mean that they didn’t have any readers, that’s obvious. I mean that they didn’t last longer than one post. This time will be different.
As someone who has drifted away from football in recent years, I have returned with great enthusiasm to follow the 2022-23 college football season. I didn’t drift away for moral or political reasons. I just lost interest. Obsessed with pro fantasy football, it was all about the game. Frankly, I don’t enjoy the game that much. I’m a baseball and basketball die hard who loves to pick apart every aspect of those games and analyze. Football just doesn’t click like that for me. I find the noise frustrating. Randomness that leads to the wild outcomes fans crave only turns me off. I want clean, pure games that lead to the truest outcomes in my favorite sports.
So why come back? Although I have lost some interest in the game, it has been a major part of my life that I want to stay at least somewhat connected to. Most of my friends are huge fans, and there is no denying that at the very least it is quite entertaining. I’ve also grown very interested in the history of culture and traditions that are tied to the college game. My head first dive back in began with hitting the books (more on that later). I’ve learned so much about the impact this game has on people and communities, and will be experiencing some of that first hand this fall. I recently became a season ticket holder at a Big Ten university and planned two trips to see games on opposite ends of the country (SEC & Pac 12). There is also a growing fascination with the larger operation taking place at these programs. From the field to the classroom and everything in between, the big picture approach that schools must take to attempt to build a champion while also developing young people has really piqued my interest. At this point I would probably buy a hybrid car and hit the recruiting trails for free if I could convince someone to let me.
No coaches have reached out yet so I guess I’ll just start a blog in the meantime. I’ll be following along all season covering whatever seems interesting; whether that be games and results, or more likely the people, towns, and stories that come with them.
This had been brewing for a while. Probably since watching last years championship game after not following all season. It really took off at the beginning of summer when I spent a bored, lonely weekend watching every documentary on ESPN+. CFB 150, Saturdays in the South, 30 for 30, etc. During that marathon I was introduced to Michael Weinreb and more specifically, his book Season of Saturdays. It is portrayed as a history of college football in 14 games and it seemed like a great launching pad for my new obsession. That assumption was spot on. It was the perfect book to start off my journey and after thoroughly enjoying it I have moved on to read five other college football books since, with more on the horizon. I will feature an occasional Book Club section in my posts, where I touch on a college football related book. I plan to write at a much faster rate than I finish books so this won’t be a part of every post, but with the jump start I have it should be a somewhat regular feature.
Book Club – Season of Saturdays by Michael Weinreb
5 stars – Light/quick read – 245 pages
I said it above but I will again: This was the perfect book to start my journey. I really just happened across it after seeing the author on the ESPN CFB 150 documentaries. The cover caught my eye and idea of a history of college football presented through 14 particular games seemed like a fun idea. I feared a bit of rigidity with the structure, but it was not a problem at all. It flowed like wine as the author weaved through countless stories, tying in US history and popular culture. There were many times when I lost track of which game the chapter was covering because of the many storylines within, until the author would tie it all back together as only he could. The stage was set perfectly right off the bat as he explained his relationship to the game. He toed the line between fan and skeptic quite well and I connected to his sense humor very much. I don’t know if it would be for everyone (mine sure isn’t), but I definitely think most readers would get at least a few laughs. His perspective on the “Michigan Man” was fascinating and made for possibly my favorite chapter. The author has also inspired my first coaching fascination: Steve Spurrier – hence the name of this blog.
All in all, this book was very entertaining and I came out the other side a smarter college football fan, which was the intent. Must read.
Thanks for reading! Check back in later this week for a reaction to the AP Preseason poll and a re-watch breakdown of the first game I remember.
Superior CFB 