Sometimes when writing a story, a writer will set out on a specific topic, angle or opinion and as they write, a new or different topic, angle or opinion emerges.
Sometimes the whole story changes. Other times the new idea is shelved for a later date.
That’s what happened to this writer while writing this story about the potential fight brewing between the SEC and Big Ten. Those opinions haven’t changed, but something in one of Paul Finebaum’s quotes has sparked a (probably) controversial opinion.
Here’s the quote from Finebaum’s recent appearance on WJOX Radio:
“If the rest of college sports doesn’t like it, too bad. You can join us or not. But I’m so sick of hearing all these proposals to make sure that everybody in the room gets something. This is not little league baseball,” Finebaum said on WJOX. “This is the absolute zenith of college football, and it should be treated that way, as opposed to making sure everybody gets a third place ribbon.”
With all due respects to the only person with a daily show on the SEC Network, he’s wrong.
College football is more like little league baseball than you realize.
We don’t want to hand out participation trophies or meaningless ribbons in college football? I completely agree and support that.
So, let’s get rid of bowl games.
What are bowl games now if not participation trophies?
They’re meaningless and have no impact on who is the national champion, or the runner-up or anything close to that. And, no, just because a playoff game has a bowl game name, doesn’t mean the bowl game has an impact. At that point it’s a semifinal game.
All the winning team gets is a trophy and celebration. Players will get swag bags of gifts from sponsors, but that’s for both teams, even the losing team.
Whether my little league baseball teams won or lost (either as a player or coach), there was always some kind of treat after the game (those Kool-Aid drinks with the weird-shaped, twist-off caps are a personal favorite).
Need more examples? OK.
Both college football and little league baseball have passionate fans that end up embarrassing themselves with something said in the stands. Or even get thrown out the stadium/field complex.
How about recruiting?
College football recruiting is big business in the media world, let alone in the actual college football world. Not all little league baseball teams recruit players (the two years I was an assistant coach our team was chosen via draft), but there’s definitely recruiting at the travel ball levels.
Overpriced concessions? You bet.
Exciting postgame celebrations? Of course.
Terrible officiating? Not always, but it happens.
But I do agree with Finebaum.
College football shouldn’t be little league baseball. Concessions should be reasonably priced and there shouldn’t be participation trophies (with an exception made for little league post-game snacks). The other examples can’t really be fixed…on either side.
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