Last night on the UC Show, I presented a question to the masses that was met with a variety of answers. The question was this:Game Seven of the NBA Finals, Game Seven of the World Series, the college football National Championship, the college basketball National Championship, or the Super Bowl. If you can only go to one out of the five, which is it?
The answers varied from the folks who responded in the chat room, as well as on Twitter. Each event had representation from someone, as well as reasons for why they would go to that event over the others. After thinking it over, I decided my choice would be the National Championship in college football.
The college football atmosphere is impossible to duplicate, and when the game is played on a field that is known for college football (case in point, the Rose Bowl), there’s literally nothing like it. Of course, this is an observation being made from afar, in regards to attending a National Championship, but knowing how much fun attending a college football game is, one can only imagine how much more it is for the big one.Ed, B-Lew, and I shocked the world for the last two years at The ACC Championship as well as The Big XII Championship, and to see the fan bases of each team so pumped to see their teams take the field is something that is makes for a one-of-a-kind experience.
The ACC Title game was at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, and the Big XII was at Cowboys Stadium, and even with that, it felt just like a college football game. All four fan bases (Clemson/Georgia Tech in 2009 and Oklahoma/Nebraska in 2010) partied outside of the stadium for hours and treated the game like it was just another Saturday on the yard, and to top it off, the games were amazing. That’s what helps make it so much fun.
An atmosphere like Clemson in 2009 when TCU took on the Tigers was unbelievable and once it started raining, it was even better. The game was on campus, in a place known for having great fan support, and being able to watch the players come down the hill is something that was absolutely unforgettable.
The same can be said for Boise State and TCU in the Fiesta Bowl in 2010 as well. Shoot, go to the Cotton Bowl for Oklahoma-Texas, or the Iron Bowl for Auburn-Alabama. Hell, go to the Bayou Classic for Grambling-Southern! College football is live, period.
When I watch college football, it seems like it is 100% about the game. Last night, I had a talk with The NFL Chick, and while she is a predominately NFL-watching fan, she made the point of how the Super Bowl isn’t so much about the game anymore with all the extra crap around it. Everything from the long halftime shows, to the endless commercials, and the pre-game hype that starts early in the morning, despite the game not kicking off until 5:27 in the evening are just a few things that leave way too much to be desired. It just gets annoying, and to be totally honest, it’s why the Super Bowl would be my last choice of the five. Hell, I’d rather go to a conference championship game than the Super Bowl, from the fact that home field advantage, along with the lack of extra stuff that comes with the Super Bowl, helps keep the conference title games as much about the actual play on the field as possible.
I don’t have much apprehension with the college basketball National Championship, except that the games have been played in domes recently and that’s just entirely too much for me when it comes to watching a basketball game. Witnessing a Game Seven of the NBA Finals in person would be unreal, and while a Game Seven of the World Series would be crazy, if the weather acts up, as it did a few years back during the Rays-Phillies matchup, the damn thing ends up being postponed.
In college football, you get the best mix of ingredients possible. This is not to suggest that, by any means, the college game is better than the pro game, whether the sport is baseball, basketball, or football. That will never be said by me; no way. However, when everything is factored in (tailgating, keeping the attention strictly on the game, fan interaction, as well as the play on the field), the National Championship in college football is where I want to be. When it’s all said and done, it comes down to personal preference. You can’t lose at all, but in the end, give me the game to decide the National Champ in college football, and I’ll be there in all my fandom ready to go.
Be easy.
-K. Masenda
www.edthesportsfan.com
Comments
6 Responses to "If you could only attend one title game, which would it be?"I'm gonna tell you right now, I'd jump at the chance to go to any of these, but of the four, damn, I think I'd go World Series Game 7, then NBA Championship game 7, then College Football, then College Basketball, but that's a tough choice on all of them.
Agreed that the Super Bowl is last, mainly because taking away home field atmosphere in the NFL is so lame. There are too many suits and people to be seen who don't care about the outcome of the game there.
HOWEVER, the real Number 1 on my list would be, without a doubt, game 7 of the NHL Stanley Cup Final. I understand you guys leaving it off because hockey isn't really your thing, but that's easily No. 1 in my book. The reason?
I've been to playoff everything, and there is without a question no bigger leap in intensity from the regular season to the postseason than the NHL. Plus, the teams literally pound each other wind up hating each other during a series. Plus, there's no other sport that enhances the viewing experience as much compared to on television as going to a hockey game. And finally, every single second of the game matters. At any moment, one bounce of the puck could be the difference.
Stanley Cup Final game 7 for sure.
Man, the college atmosphere is like none other. To this day, I remember one of the most thrilling, electric games that I attended. I was in undergrad and FSU was playing GT in football. It was a close game throughout. FSU ended up pulling it out in the end. For the first time, I lost my voice. I could barely speak the next day. And the sound of 88,000 people doing the Seminole war chant is just chilling!
I also remember when FSU played UNC in basketball in 2004. UNC was highly ranked, but FSU battled them and ended up pulling it out in the end. Me, fresh off of major appendix surgery, rushed the court w/ my homeboy. Maaaaaaaaaaan, everything was all good until a multitude of other students came behind us and pushed us to the center. At that point, I'm thinking, "what the hell am I doing out here?!?!" It was like being at the core of the earth b/c it was so damn hot. LOL. Needless to say, I vowed to never do that again. LOL.
But those were great times and those were just regular season games. I can only imagine what the national championship would be like. The next time FSU gets there, I'm definitely gon' try to make that trip.
Random....a UEFA Champions League final would be on the top three of my own list, it would be beyond bonkers.
1) College Football national championship
2) World Series game 7
3) UEFA Champions League Final
-Ed.
I'd have to go with game 7 of the NBA Finals... mostly due to my love of basketball, and because the games always seem to be competitive and down to the wire. College football would be a close second. That atmosphere can't be duplicated, blowout or barn burner.
-ALR
it would be close for me with a college football national championship just edging out a NBA game 7 followed by a world cup final
UEFA Champions League final
World Cup Final
Super Bowl
NCAA Final Four/Nat'l Championship Game
BCS National Championship (but only if Florida is in it)
It's always better when you know you only have one game to win it all.
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