It's not big time football, but in just one week my alma mater Citadel Bulldogs will take the field against cross-town rival, and my second favorite team, the Charleston Southern Univ. Buccaneers. It is the 2013 season opener and it will happen at Johnson Hagood Stadium, close to The Citadel campus, at 6:00 p.m. To say I'm looking forward to it may be some- thing of an understatement. Like many other people, football season is max time. It's high octane season for me.
The football game may actually be the side-show at most stadiums next week. Being in the parking lot hours before the game, looking at the elaborate spreads for the tail-gate, participating in the pre-game rituals, may be the stuff of football Saturday in the USA. Sure, the game is the reason for gathering crowds, the cameras, cheer leaders, marching bands and some of the hoopla that goes with it. But, the occasion is seeing class-mates, friends, people on your row, concessions, and the college gift shop. Maybe a few toddies if you're inclined in that direction.
I'm not much into professional sports of any flavor. Those guys make too much money to suit my tastes and then spend it in ways that often offends me more. But, college athletics gets me going, even at the small school level of the Southern Conference. There's just something about student athletes, school pride, all the pageantry and pizzazz that rings my bell, rivalries, fired-up coaches (as opposed to fired coaches), that raises my pulse a digit or ten. When the Dogs take the field between line of arrayed knobbies, my blood pumps faster, even with the low noise level of less that 20,000 fans.
So, college sports is a hot conversation topic among the talking heads. Dr. Lou and the other experts love to blow-off about paying student athletes, doping rules, the scandal when players talk to an agent, and what the coach said to the team at half- time, like they really know. But, they do add some color to the games, and give something for the arm-chair quarterbacks to argue about over a cold one. For me, most top line players already receive some kind of payment, or my name isn't Sonny Holmes. I mean, there must be laundry money, demonstrator cars from the auto dealerships, hair cuts, tattoos, excess book allowances, cafeteria cash, and some other dividends from zealous alumni. Most of the payers don't look poverty stricken when they arrive in their SUV in designer jeans, and $200 shoes. Give me a break. So, let it alone. The system seems to work pretty well.
In a week I'll grab my parking pass, put on my Citadel duds, attach the flags to the car, grab my season tickets, and head down to the Holliday ALumni Center for some bar-b-que and a fun evening of Citadel-CSU football. Then Sunday morning, I'll go to church as usual, in a good or bad mood most weeks based on who won or lost.
But, not next week. I'll be a happy camper regardless.
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