Why College Sports are Better!

As I watched Michigan play Ohio State for the 103rd time in their history yesterday it suddenly occurred to me why I prefer college sports over pro sports with one exception. Like a lightning bolt it hit me in a single word, Tradition. Not only football, but college basketball also has some of the greatest rivalries and off the field traditions of all time. These traditions usually involve non-athletes and really let the students feel like they are part of something special. The one exception to this theory for me is ofcourse MLB Baseball and ofcourse the reason for that is baseball is filled with great traditions and rivalries more so than any other of the major sports.

So what I decided to do is do some research and compile a list of what I feel are the greatest traditions of all time and here there are in no particular order. Most are taken from a recent ESPN.Com survey.

Army/Navy/Airforce Sing Alma Maters: After any of these two teams play the opposing players sing their alma maters to both sides of the stadium, while the academy band plays.

The Bronze Boot (Colorado State vs. Wyoming): Each year, the game ball is carried on foot in a shuttle relay by the ROTC detachment of the visiting team to the Wyoming-Colorado state border, where the home team's ROTC detachment receives it and runs the game ball into the hosting stadium, just before kickoff.

Colorado's Ralphie: In what is one of the most impressive and intimidating entries in college football, a buffalo named Ralphie comes charging out of the tunnel, while the fans do a ''Buffalo Stomp''.


Howard's Rock at Clemson: Before games, Clemson players run to the top of a hill to rub Howard's Rock, the band plays ''Tiger Rag'', then the team runs down the hill into the stadium.

Little Brown Jug: Oldest of college football's 57 trophy-game traditions, Michigan and Minnesota play for it each year. The tradition started over a century ago when Michigan coach, Fielding Yost left his jug in Minneapolis following a tie in which the fans rushed the field. Minnesota made him win it back and the tradition still lives today.

Painting Notre Dame's helmets: The Irish's helmets receive a full coat of paint every week, the only squad at the school that gets such treatment.

Script Ohio: The entire band forms the word ''Ohio'' in the middle of the field, while the drum major leads a senior sousaphone player out top to ''dot the i''.


University of Georgia's bulldog: Arguably the most well-known mascot, Uga is awarded a varsity letter, just like the athletes that play there.

Virginia Tech's Lunch Pail: The lunch pail is a symbol of Virginia Tech's football program. They are expected to work hard every day. The dented original can be seen at practice every day and on the sidelines for each game.

THE HAWK WILL NEVER DIE!": The Hawk from ST. Joe's University is one of the most famous mascots in the country, best known for staying in constant motion by flapping its "wings" from tip-off to the final buzzer of every game, as well as for "flying" in figure 8s around the court during timeouts. The constant flapping, coupled with the scrappy play of the University's athletic teams, helped to spawn the school's familiar slogan "The Hawk Will Never Die!"

The Cameron Crazies: The Cameron Crazies are the student supporters of Duke University's basketball teams, named for Duke's Cameron Indoor Stadium. The Crazies sit courtside in a 1,500 seat student section and begin cheering during warmups. Many Crazies paint their faces or bodies white and blue and wear Duke paraphernalia to represent their team. Throughout the game, the Crazies jump up and down when the opposing team has possession of the ball and yell cheers in unison at focal points of the game. Over the years, Duke's Cameron Crazies "have earned a reputation as the rowdiest, wittiest, best-organized college basketball fans in the land."[1] The number of fans painting themselves varies with the importance of the game, with games against the University of North Carolina generating the most enthusiasm. Another tradition developed by the Cameron Crazies - tenting in Krzyzewskiville - started in 1980's after Duke made a few Final Fours under Mike Krzyzewski. Some other colleges and universities have used the Crazies as a model for their own cheering sections at basketball games, such as Harvard University which recently printed a run of Crimson Crazies t-shirts.

March Madness: No need to explain!

OJ Simpson Should be Shot!

OJ Simpson should be shot to death, plain and simple. No trials, no words spoken, the only noise anyone should here is a bullet going through his huge hollow head. As far as I am concerned he might be the most despicable human being ever to walk on the planet. Forget Iraq and Saddam Hussein, the military should be storming the golf courses of Florida and charging this moron for crimes against humanity.

Just in case you haven't heard, the reason I am so angry is according to almost every news source in America OJ Simpson has received $3.5 million dollars to write a book on how he would have killed his wife hypothetically speaking of course. In addition to writing the book, which is being published by Regan Books, OJ will also sit down for a two part interview with Judith Regan to be aired on Fox, where he discusses the way he would kill two people, again hypothetically speaking ofcourse. Can you imagine the balls on this guy? Twelve years after basically after cutting his wife's head off and ten years after being acquitted by a racist jury and inept Prosecution team of that murder along with the murder of Ron Goldman, this asshole is going to go on television and laugh at all of us to our faces. Even if OJ doesn't care about what America thinks of him, he still has two children by Nicole Brown Simpson walking around that now have to deal with this bullshit all over again. I can't imagine how much pain these kids must've gone through having their mother yanked from at such an early age, no if that isn't bad enough they now have to standby why their father, who they know is guilty makes a mockery of not only their mother's death, but also their entire existence.

Now as bad as OJ is, the bigger of the blame should be put on Regan Books as welll as Fox for supporting a murderer. For once I have to give credit to Geraldo Rivera, who had the balls to speak out against Fox and call this interview a disgrace even though he is currently employed by Fox. Great job Geraldo! While I admit I am curious to see this interview, I will boycott it and all other Fox shows out of protest. (At least until 24 comes back on) I beg everybody out there to do the same. Stand up and tell Fox we will not give you ratings and we will not give OJ another minute of our time. I am also encouraging everyone to protest Reagan Books and all of their publications.

The worst part about this whole story is that even though OJ lost a civil trial and owes the Goldman family over $35 million, they will not be able to get a penny from this, because OJ plans on paying off his house in Florida as well as an offshore vacation home in the Bahamas. I admire Fred Goldman for the restraint he has shown over the years. I can not believe that he has not hunted OJ and ripped his balls off, in fact after this I hope he does. That's right I honestly Fred Goldman has the right to hunt OJ down and kill him, I know off at least one blogger who would never find him guilty at that trial, hell even Justin and Sydney may stop by the courthouse to thank Fred.

Ok, I am done. Wow, I haven't been that pissed off about a news item since about ten years ago when OJ was found not guilty. Once again I must take off my hat to Geraldo for having some balls and to Fred Goldman for handling himself with such grace and class, you are more man than I will ever be. For OJ I shudder to think of what awaits him in the afterlife if there is one. In the mean time just hop in your White Bronco and "Run OJ Run" so we never have to see you again.

Gary Coleman on Steroids and Playing in the NFL

According to several of my sources in the backrooms of Las Vegas, Gary Coleman has been taking HGH for several years now and is playing in the NFL under the alias Byron Leftwich. Any of you doubters out there can clearly see by these pictures that the juice has not only added size and muscle to his frame but also given him that adorable chubby- cheeked face that America fell in love with back again. Leftwich may deny these allegations but all I have to say is, "What you talkin' bout Byron!"

Wynn back in Atlantic City

According to the Newark Star Ledger, casino mogul Steve Wynn may be coming back to Atlantic City after vowing never to return following a failed deal several years ago. Plans are in the works for Wynn to buy Trump Plaza from long time nemesis Donald Trump and build a mega casino on the current site that also includes Atlantic City's historic Boardwalk Hall. While I believe in protecting the towns history, I also think that allowing Wynn to go forward with project has an upside that is just too big to turn down. If you don't believe me just check Wynn's history in other casino ventures.

While Las Vegas has always been successful it didn't even come close to the success that it has enjoyed over the last twenty or so years since Wynn came to town. No longer just catering to degenerates such as myself, Vegas now offers all kinds of entertainment for all members of the family to enjoy, while the gamblers lose all the family's money behind their backs. Following the success of the Mirage and Bellagio, Wynn recently went out on his own and built the Wynn Casino, which is truly breathtaking. Home to not only a Ferrari dealership as well as an extensive art gallery, Wynn also is home to the current hot spot nightclub Tryst, which highly recommended by all members of Mike G's bachelor party as well as Las Vegas icon Vegas Phil.

I feel by allowing Wynn to knock down that dump, The Trump Plaza and build a state of the art casino, we will be on our way to having our own Las Vegas just two hours away. Coupled with the already successful Borgota and with the rebuilding of the Trump Marina the groundwork is already in place for Atlantic City to take the next step forward and shed that image of being a filthy town with a few casinos in it. Plus what can make a better story than a hometown boy, who was the son of a bingo game manager coming back to the east coast after being forced out years earlier and bringing a city to the next level. Not even The Donald himself can argue with the success of Steve Wynn.

Congratulations Dean Karnazes

First off I would like to say congratulations and good luck to all of the over 37,000 runners in today's ING New York City Marathon, however special praise must go out to Ultramarathon Man Dean Karnazes who will be completing his 5oth marathon in his 5oth state in the last 50 days. Those of you who do not know about Dean, you are not alone. In fact until just this past summer I, myself had no idea who he was.

During the late part of May, a friend of mine at work had been bothering me to read this book Ultramarathon Man about some guy who runs 100 mile marathons and once ran 300 straight miles. After much procrastinating and arguing with him, I mean what the hell would I want to read a book about running for anyway I finally gave in, more so he would shut up about it rather than any interest. After reluctantly taking the book from him, I handed it back to it to him 36 hours later completely finished and with a fresh new outlook on life.

Although the book does deal with running and goes through Dean's accomplishment such as training for Western States Endurance Run , as well as running a marathon to the South Pole, the book is also about overcoming adversity and finding the toughness of one's inner self. I couldn't believe how much it really changed my outlook on running and how inspired I felt after reading it, hell I almost pulled a Forest Gump and just went for a long run myself. After putting my Gump inspirations aside, I did do a little research and started running slowly but surely and I am currently at a maximum of 12 miles and hoping to run in the marathon next year.

Anyway enough about me and my running I would just like to take this chance to highly recommend this book to everyone that is reading this. I would also like to personally thank Dean for inspiring me to get in better shape and take care better care of myself, he is truly an amazing individual.