For as long as I can remember, football fans have argued whether college football or NFL football is better. It's time to settle the score.
If you're a college football fan reading this, I know what you're thinking: we have more enthusiastic players.
Yes, I have to admit, being a big NFL fan, that that is true—especially after watching my beloved Carolina Panthers play with no energy or spirit whatsoever last year.
College football players play for the love of the game and the thrill of competing. Many NFL players simply play for the money (which their families oftenneed).
But there are those few NFL athletes who play for the love of the game (cough, cough, Steve Smith of the Panthers, cough, cough).
College 1, NFL 0
The college game may also have more enthusiastic fans, ascollege gradsusually root for their alma-maters for the rest of their lives once they graduate. Thefact that they went to theschool creates a sentimental attachment to it andoften makes them more enthusiastic fans.
But NFL fanscan form strongsentimental attachments to their teamsaswell. Many NFL fans grow uprooting for their team from a very young age, and once they get to be old enough the thoughtof rooting for another teamis just preposterous.
On the other hand, that's the case with many college football fans, too.
College 2, NFL 0
Therules arevery different between the two levels of play.
In college, receivers only have to have one foot in bounds to make a sideline catch.
In the NFL receivers have to have both feet inbounds to make a sideline grab.
While I like the added difficultyin theNFL rule because theextra skill required to make playsis more fun to watch, the NCAA's ruleis more lenient, which can allow for more offense. And everyfootball fan loves offense.
College 3, NFL 0
In college both teams geta possession in overtime.
In the NFLoften only the team that wins the coin toss gets a possession inovertime.The first team to score wins.
The NFL's method offinding a winner inovertime games ishugely flawed and based mostly on luck.
Having seen my team victimized by thisglitchinNFL rules before, I can tell you that there's no worse feeling than walking out of the stadiumfrustrated because the other team scored first and won without your team even gettinga chance to do something.
College football's rules are much morefair and no doubt lessanger-inducing.
College 4,NFL 0
College football players are usuallydignified, honorableyoung men who are great role models (yes, I know,not all college football players are perfect people).Many are hard-working, responsible, respectful,polite people.
Far fewer NFL athletes arequalityrole models whose behavior you would want your kids copying. Somearedrug addicts, alcoholics, andcriminalsmasked by theelite athletes they claim to be—and only be—for three hours on 16fall and winter Sundays, Mondays, or Thursdays.
No parent wants their kids togrow up to beanything like theserebellious, dishonorable, irresponsibleathletes. Iwouldn't wantmyself orany of my friends andfamilymembers tobe like those guys, either.
College 5, NFL 0
So farthishasbeen a college-football dominated list. But this lasttopicisthe one place where NFL football reigns—overall quality of talent.
College football players—especially D-I athletes—are very good atthe game. But the bottom line is thatthey are not the bestgridiron athletes in the world—that's why they're not getting paid to play the sportin the NFL.
The college game is overall easier than the NFL game due toashortage of overall talent because most top players who have graduated from high school opt to play in the NFL ASAP.
NFL playersare the best of the best. They make a living playing football, teams pour millions of dollars into them in hopes of having the best team on the planet.
Plus, aswas mentionedearlier, NFL rules are less relenting thanNCAA regulations, making it even harder to be good.
When you add up the facts thatNFL players are better than collegiate athletesandthat NFLrules are tougher, there's noquestion that the NFL has more talent and skill.
Which makesthe NFLmore fun towatch.
That's why I'm a hugeNFL fan (and I think theMadden NFL gamesare awesome)and I think that college football (and the NCAA football games)is utterly boring.
Final score:
College 5, NFL1
Even though I personally love the NFL andavoidcollege football as much as possible (which is hard to do because my brotherabsolutely lives for college football), I must admit that,based on these points,the college game kicks the pro game's tail.
