A sensational time to be a college football fan

Posted Oct 5, 2009 by Tom McEwen

Updated Oct 6, 2009 at 11:40 PM

Over your three over-lightly eggs, flopped on a bed of buttered grits, alongside four slices of Polk county bacon, plus two chilled sliced tomato piles, brown toast, a large glass of milk followed by hot coffee, these breakfast bonuses:

In the judgment of most, these are the best weeks and months of the year; college football is peaking, pro football is climaxing, and we are moving into the pivotal weekends for both. 

No place in America that I know receives football with such enthusiasm.  If you don’t have anybody to pull for, borrow one.  It is really a marvelous time what with all of the advances toward the climaxing bowls to find out who is truly the best. 

Add to that circumstance the postseason of Major League Baseball and the start up of the National Hockey League. 

Glorious times indeed.

And we recognize the Southland is evermore becoming the heartland of these grand afternoons and nights. 

Look at this, State of Florida.

None produces more college and high school greats.  It has not always been so.  For so long, Florida and the South could not always make top grades.  Not so anymore. 

Florida did not always field great teams and had to be satisfied with also ran programs.  Florida State, Florida, and even Miami were considered pushovers at the national level. 

Not lately. Florida has national championship hopes. Miami, too. The new bustling University of South Florida Bulls have brought another top 25 ranking to Tampa. Florida made its way through the early and troubled times while other major universities in the south used their bowl sponsorships and title games to enjoy gigantic successes.  Alabama, Mississippi and LSU were all early leaders for the southern college football successes.

Now, look at the success of the major bowls and individual programs which Florida is leading with national attractions.  Take Florida, the Gators are the ninth largest sports program in America, and the growth in our state assures there is no stopping of this trend.  College athletics is simply booming and Florida and our state schools support the trend. 

It was not that long ago when college football was fighting to keep center stage in this state. 

Florida, Florida State, Miami and USF have golden futures and Thank Heaven for that. There was a time when college football may have been endangered in this state, but no more.  It is sensational.

Frankly, I hope you out there continue to support college football as it has come to deserve.