Maintaining Collegiate Rooting Interests

[Blundatola]

I saw @DukeSox question @Drocca about why he's not a Wake Forest fan given where he's from, and it caused me to wonder how people maintain strong rooting interest in college sports as they age. Have others found their interest in collegiate athletics waning over the years? If not, can you identify what causes you to continue to care even if you may be many years removed from attending college and/or living nearby?

Personally, I used to be a huge UK basketball fan, which of course is not unique to anyone living in Kentucky or attending UK, but as years progress I just can't seem to stay fired up about it. Even preseason games used to mean something, but now I don't even tune in for marquee match-ups. When they lost to UConn in 2014 and Wisconsin last year, I got over it very quickly. I've been out of college (and Kentucky) for many years now, so I'm sure that plays a part in it, but I know others remain invested in college athletic programs despite that and I'd be curious to know why.

(By the way, it's not just UK basketball. I used to be a huge college football fan, SEC in particular, but I only watched one game all season.)

 

[tims4wins]

I think part of it is the one and done culture of college hoops, another part is that we generally mellow as we age. I used to watch every single ACC game in addition to all of the Duke games. Now I watch like half the Duke games. I enjoyed the national title, but really didn't ultimately care one way or the other. The only team I still have that deep down passion for is the Pats - and that may begin to fade when BB / TB retire.

 

[McDrew]

I graduated in 2005, and still follow BU hockey. It helps that they've contended in that period, gone 1-1 in the championship game, and have generally been a year-round contender for the tournament at the very minimum.
Also, it helps that I still live in Boston and can afford a half-season package (8 games/year is about the right # to go to for me)

 

[fairlee76]

I'm 40 (eek!) and was pretty into college football and basketball through my 20s. Into my 30s, I became a big game fan for football and an NCAA tournament fan for basketball. At this point, I still enjoy attending the occasional NCAA football game but I don't follow collegiate sports closely. I'm into "destination" events (Saturdays in Baton Rouge/Austin/Athens are pretty damn amazing), but am not going to get fired up to watch a basketball game between UVa and Wake Forest on a Tuesday evening. Too many other interesting and compelling things to do. This is before we get into the moral cesspool that is the NCAA and the big business of high-level college athletics.

 

[Drocca]

I'm 33 and care way, way too damn much how 18-21 year old young men in Carolina blue are performing in basketball. At no point can I remember caring any more or less.

That said, I did not attend UNC and I'm still in college at Not-UNC so my response probably just skews the poll. For me, it's about family. And the Carolina Way.

I should add that none of this is healthy or anything I'm particularly proud of, but Carolina losses bother me more than anything that otherwise occurs or does not occur in my life.

 

[Red(s)HawksFan]

I was never really that big into college sports but when I was younger I usually watched a fair share of bowl games and the basketball tournament. Since I graduated, my interest in any college sports has dwindled to just following my alma mater, and passively at that (mainly via twitter). I really only get marginally excited if they make the postseason, which outside of hockey doesn't happen often. If they're not involved or get eliminated, I stop paying attention.

 

[WayBackVazquez]

About a month ago, I found a point/counterpoint column debating college football vs. pro football I wrote with Mike Reiss when we were in school. Unsurprisingly, he took the pro side. And I'm still going with college.

I'm among those who expect to be checked out on the Pats when BB and TB retire, and I haven't watched a Celtics regular season game in a long time. When BB and TB retire, I'll be pretty much a pro playoffs watcher only except for weekend Sox games. But I keep my Michigan football season tickets despite living a couple thousand miles away, and would watch a UMass softball game if I happened upon it on TV.

 

[Infield Infidel]

I'm in the same boat as WBV, I can't even watch an NFL game without the Pats involved, and even then I won't go out of my way to watch a game before November. On the other hand I watch 5-10 college games a week. I started watching college games as a kid, and at the time the college I eventually went to, USF, didn't even have football (they started my freshman year). I moved to Buffalo a couple years back and instantly bought season tickets to UB football (hilariously, $100), just because I wanted to go to games and see Baylor in 2014. That's how desperate I was to see live college football.

 

[JoePoulson]

I left the University of Arkansas 20 years ago this year (unreal), and while I will always love the Hogs, my passion has certainly gone way down over the years. They were awesome in basketball while I was there (1994 national champs, and great for years before and after) and I was a rabid fan for many years. But living 1000 miles away for the last 16 years and just getting older has changed me. I love sports in general and will go to whatever college games and will watch the football playoffs, but I don't live and die by them like I used to. If by some miracle the Hogs made the playoffs, I'd be excited, but it would be nothing like when I was younger.

Edited - I much prefer the pro game over college. In all sports.

 

[LeftyTG]

I was born in Syracuse, but moved when I was three. My father had become a Syracuse fan and raised my brother and I to love all things Syracuse (and to hate Georgetown and Penn St.). I was seven years old when Indiana beat Syracuse in the basketball final, and have nursed a lifetime grudge. Being raised in Massachusetts, we were known as the family of Syracuse fans and took all the good natured back and forth that went with that. To the surprise of many who grew up with me, despite my deep love of Syracuse athletics, I never had a desire to go to the school. I knew I wanted to go to law school, and it seemed silly to waste money going to a private undergrad institution that wasn't academically elite (sorry Syracuse grads).

I used to be incredibly dialed in to a multitude of sports, but I'm now a casual fan of the NFL and pretty much a playoffs only fan of the NBA and NHL and have all but dropped watching tennis and golf (except for the majors, when I have the time). I just don't have the time and capacity to invest anymore. I live in Austin now, and have a wife and two young boys. However, the two sports passions that endure are the Red Sox and Syracuse football and basketball. I can't really explain it. My wife works in the UT athletic department and it would seem to be the natural thing is just drift toward being a UT fan, but it just hasn't happened. Being able to stream most every game on ESPN3 has been an absolute godsend. As cover your eyes awful Syracuse football has been for fifteen years now, I still faithfully watch every game and it still ruins my Saturday when the inevitable loss comes. I suppose I'm like Charlie Brown that way. Basketball hasn't been all that much better the last couple of years, but I'd estimate I still catch probably 80% of the basketball games.

I hope to raise my boys to be Syracuse fans like their dad and grandfather, and I try my best, but I'm realistic. They're going to grow up in a college town obsessed with UT sports, and their mom gets to work with the players and coaches and comes home with cool stories they'll be able to tell their friends. It's hard to compete with that. If nothing else, my children will know that Georgetown sucks (of course, with all the conference realignment, nobody will care in ten years.)

 

[Erik Hanson's Hook]

I was born in 1980, and living in Western MA, so I was 12-16 years old when UMass had those magical teams. Harper Williams, Tony Barbee, crazy Mike Williams (suspended half the time), Lou Roe, Donta Bright, Dana Dingle, the surprisingly good Padilla & Travieso guard combo, and of course Camby.

I hold out hope that Amherst might, one day, see something approaching that success again, but I doubt it. So count me as a casual college basketball fan at this point (although I am enjoying Providence's success this year...yeah I remember those A-10 battles with God Shammgod...and I really like watching Dunn).

 

[riboflav]

I started having kids and something had to go. I couldn't possible follow three pro teams and two or three college teams, plus golf/tennis/etc. So, everything went but the three pro teams and even those I watch about half what I did pre-kids. I imagine as my son gets older and more into sports fandom, some of my extra rooting interests will return. But, he's growing up in Virginia so I may be a UVA or GMU or gasp, VTech fan.

 

[Kremlin Watcher]

I grew up with football in Texas and am a proud University of Texas graduate. Went to every single home game and a few road games as a student. Still follow the 'Horns like crazy. Cannot get it out of my system. I will follow Texas football from the grave. Other sports not as much. But Texas fans have the benefit of our own television channel, so Longhorn sports are literally on 24 hours a day.

 

[Doug Beerabelli]

My college sports watching has evolved. Grew up in CT and have been a UConn fan since I was about 10, watching hoops games on TV with my dad. I did not attend UConn, but fandom grew in college and into adulthood as the team climbed the success ladder. Had season tix to Civic Center games for many years. I embraced football as it grew, and even shared season tix there for awhile. However, kids getting older, life getting busier, I've become significantly less active a fan, although my allegiance remains. I'm disappointed in the devolution of the Big East, and UConn's trip to mid relevance has admittedly sucked a lot of life out of my fandom. I do follow the baseball team, as my niece's boyfriend plays for them. He's a big reason my son loves playing baseball.

That's a lot of talk about a school I did not go to.

Undergrad: Lafayette College. The school has my strong support. I will attempt to catch a football or hoops game if they visit the area. I did attend the 150th playing of Lafayette-Lehigh at Yankee Stadium last year, and have frequented the game over the years.

Law School: BC (lol). When there, I had football and hoops season tix. It was fun. Glenn Foley years, beat ND two years in a row. Good hoops teams too. Still rooted for UConn over them, but supported them otherwise. After whole ACC debacle and Big East blow up and screwing UConn, I will not support the team or school. I haven't donated a penny to them in 15 years. This is petty on my part, but I embrace it. I enjoy telling the poor kids who cell asking for donations why I don't give.

Sooo, my current most active fandom for college sports is....Quinnipiac University! Hockey mostly, to which I've had season tix for past 5-6 years. Great venue, great event to bring my kids to, and 20 minute drive. Reasonable concession prices and free parking. Go go occasional hoops games, baseball too. My son attends baseball and hoops summer camps there. Hockey team has been great, and it's actually a tough ticket to get these days.

Generally, I'm watching less college sports on TV, but I really don't make or have the time to sit in front of a TV and devote 2-3 hours to it. But it'll be on in background if I'm near a TV.

 

[Erik Hanson's Hook]

About a month ago, I found a point/counterpoint column debating college football vs. pro football I wrote with Mike Reiss when we were in school.

Wait...what?

That's pretty cool.

 

[sachmoney]

I think that being a Michigan fan was always embedded in me. I grew up watching a lot of Big Ten football and my favorite players growing up were Charles Woodson and the A-Train. I also remember rooting for Brady in the Brady-Henson battle because Henson was a Yankees prospect. It was really that simple.

Going to Michigan cemented my fandom. Going to the Big House on Saturdays. Going to Crisler. Making the trek to Yost on Fridays and Saturday nights. Michigan, I discovered, was in my blood and I bleed Maize and Blue. It's only gotten worse since I graduated. When I was in school, I could easily pay attention to day to day things. I had time. I was there, in Ann Arbor. Now, I don't have as much time to keep up with stuff. Articles about the wonderful things that people are doing in engineering or medicine or politics will come up from time to time. It is Michigan after all. However, the easiest way to follow the school or connect with the school is through sports.

Also, Harbaugh.

 

[Bosoxen]

I grew up with football in Texas and am a proud University of Texas graduate. Went to every single home game and a few road games as a student. Still follow the 'Horns like crazy. Cannot get it out of my system. I will follow Texas football from the grave. Other sports not as much. But Texas fans have the benefit of our own television channel, so Longhorn sports are literally on 24 hours a day.

What he said. Though I didn't go to Texas, myself (I made the financial decision to attend a different school), I have been a rabid 'Horns fan for as long as I can remember and I watch as much college football as possible. My brother and I used to post up in the living room every Saturday with multiple televisions and laptops, each on different games, and watch college football all day long. Now that I have kids, those days are gone for the time being, but the burning desire is still there. My ranking of favorite teams goes a little something like this:

1. Longhorns football
1a. Red Sox
2. Cowboys
3. Longhorns baseball
4. Other college football

I adore college football and attended every New Mexico State home game while I attended school there - provided it didn't interfere with a 'Horns game. Sure, the quality wasn't that great, but it was still a step above Buffalo.

As an aside, I used to attend every NMSU basketball game I could too (but they charged us for those, so I didn't go to as many). I loved the atmosphere and would watch college basketball on whenever possible. As I grew older, I soured on basketball to the point where it's barely an afterthought. I can barely bring myself to watch more than a handful of NCAA tournament games anymore.

 

[WayBackVazquez]

Wait...what?

That's pretty cool.

I suspect the sports page editors at the time (Art Stapleton--now the Giants beat writer for a Jersey paper, and Matt Vautour, now of the Hampshire Gazette) heard us arguing about it in the newsroom and told us to shut up and write it down. I don't know if it was the most talented, but I can't imagine any college paper having a more passionate and dedicated sports staff than The Collegian's in the early to mid-90s. And many have stayed in it. In addition to Art, Matt, Reiss, and Dan Wetzel, I know of a couple of others that have gone on to get their sports-themed books published.

 

[sachmoney]

Can we get more from your article? Who gives a shit about what Reiss has to say?

 

[SoxJox]

Imagine that. Even then the "quez" knew his nom-de-plume would survive decades-long scrutiny and he would be bi-lined as "WBV". Oh how our impressionable years beseech us to return.

 

[SoxJox]

On a more serious note, I'd say the qualities of my love for college sports has morphed. But the bottom line is that I love college sports more now than when I attended school.

While in college, I enjoyed the opportunity to attend a wealth of events offered at a major Div I sports school. I was exposed to a higher level of the sports with which I was more familiar - soccer, volleyball, basketball, baseball, and wrestling, but also was introduced to newer sports with which I had no previous exposure - lacrosse, fencing - even aquatics. I luxuriated in the opportunities to combine pre-game partying with the thrill of attending - usually with a gang of friends - some very competitive events. The exuberance of youth. The experience planted a seed that has blossomed into an appreciation of what it takes to be a college athlete.

I think my appreciation and love has grown because, however unrealistic advancing to become a collegiate athlete might have been for me, or for most of us, we at least dream that we possibly could have extended our playing "careers" to the college level. It's the closeness, however unrealistic, of that possibility of extending that dream that draws us into the love of college sports, I think.

While college sports certainly has changed to be a much more "professionally-oriented" proving ground, I still see it through my college-level lens. I still view college sports as an enterprise in which most of the participants know - beyond any measure of hope - that their college experience will be their last. Most of us lesser athletes came to the same realization 4-5 years earlier at the conclusion of our high school careers.

But it is the smell of sweat, the taste of blood, or the ever-present reminder of that pain from a high school injury that reminds us..we were once not that far removed from possibly being...a collegiate athlete, however far-fetched that thought now obviously seems, but how real a possibility it appeared some time ago. For some, that realization may have passed over the horizon within the past few years or so. For others, it was the window of opportunity closed some decades ago. But to me, it is the relative proximity, and visceral memory, of entertaining a remote idea of playing collegiate sports that will always draw me closer to watching it and enjoying it more.

 

[soxhop411]

I root for my brothers college (IU), since all the college teams at my current school are either shit (and have been shit for years) or non existent (Only three CSU's have a football team currently (I think))

 

[Infield Infidel]

I adore college football and attended every New Mexico State home game while I attended school there - provided it didn't interfere with a 'Horns game. Sure, the quality wasn't that great, but it was still a step above Buffalo.

Buffalo has been pretty awful the last two seasons, however, watching Khalil Mack obliterate MAC offenses in 2013 was unbelievable.

 

[StuckOnYouk]

I'm with Beerabelli - as a UConn fan, conference realignment and in particular the destruction of the old Big East basketball conference has taken it's toll on me somewhat. I still watch the games and go to some of them, but it's not the same as when the Big East Tournament's Friday and Saturday nights in MSG were consisting of UConn, Syracuse, Pitt, Georgetown, Nova, etc.
The fact that northeastern teams are playing in a Dixie conference not to mention that one-and-done players are flying into campus for a couple of months and determining national championships before jetting to the NBA lottery.
Let's just reset the conferences to what they were 10-15 years ago for godsakes.

 

[Erik Hanson's Hook]

I suspect the sports page editors at the time (Art Stapleton--now the Giants beat writer for a Jersey paper, and Matt Vautour, now of the Hampshire Gazette) heard us arguing about it in the newsroom and told us to shut up and write it down. I don't know if it was the most talented, but I can't imagine any college paper having a more passionate and dedicated sports staff than The Collegian's in the early to mid-90s. And many have stayed in it. In addition to Art, Matt, Reiss, and Dan Wetzel, I know of a couple of others that have gone on to get their sports-themed books published.

Great story, man. Sounds like a lot of talent came through that room. Good prep for a frequent and eloquent SoSH poster. You're in the BIg Time now, though, so make sure your game is on point

 

[BigMike]

I am less passionate. It certainly helps that I live 1200 miles away from my school, and really pay more attention to BC than GT, with the exception of the tennis program where i am a booster.

I certainly care less about college basketball than I used to, and basically have no interest in watching a game I don't have a rooting interest in. I'll watch some of the tournament, but mostly the little guys against big guys game. A Duke vs Kasas game in a final 4 might be on in the background while I work, but I am never into the game.

On the other hand, I am less passionate about college football than I was, but I am far more likely to watch a college football game not involving a team I care about than I am to watch an NFL game featuring 2 teams I don't care about.

 

[Tangled Up In Red]

Growing up in Boise, within earshot of Bronco Stadium, stamped me for life. The 1-AA title in 1980 (on TV) was the most exciting thing my young soul had experienced. I "hate" football, but still follow recruiting and watch all 12-13 games each season.
I get an email quarterly about Tufts sports.

 

[SumnerH]

It's a weird question to me--I'm just as into college sports now as I ever was, but the "college" in "college sports" is completely divorced in my mind from the "college" in the sense of "places people go after high school to learn more". None of my close friends ever went to a D-1 level sports school, aside from Black Bears hockey or Hopkins lacrosse; the stuff you root for as "college sports" (football and basketball in particular) was completely divorced from the places people I actually knew went for post-high school education (be it pretty blue collar places like U Maine Orono, UNH, or USM, or upscale joints like Carnegie Mellon, Tufts, Johns Hopkins, etc). So asking if my rooting interest changed after college is like asking if my interest in the local major league team changed after I got a promotion or a root canal; there's no real correlation there.

 

[AMS25]

Grew up in Connecticut, daughter of a UConn alum. We went to tons of UConn basketball games when I was a kid, and I enjoyed UConn's years in the Big East. I, too, am sorry that the Big East is no more.

Nineteen years ago, I moved to Oklahoma to teach at OU. As a carpetbagger, I have no hate for OSU or Texas and I'm not obsessed with the Sooners. But, it's nice when the Sooners do well. The students are happier when the basketball and football teams are prospering. Also, I always have one or two athletes in class every semester (this semester, I have a woman's basketball player). So, it makes the teams more real to me. I also have come to appreciate the less popular sports here. Volleyball is really fun to watch in person, and I love going to Sooner baseball games. I have graded many, many papers at L. Dale Mitchell Park. College baseball is inferior to the pro sport (lots of errors, hit batters, and mediocre pitching). But, it makes for a pleasant day and an ideal environment for grading papers.

 

[sachmoney]

Harbaugh wrote a piece for the Players' Tribune and basically summed up what Michigan means to most/all that attend in a paragraph:

From what I’ve experienced — and from what so many people I’ve talked to have experienced — whether you’re going to Michigan, you’ve just graduated or you graduated 30 years ago, you’re happy you went to Michigan. When I was going here, I was so excited to be here. I felt happy. Productive. I never thought of what it would have been like if I had gone somewhere else. After I graduated, it was the same. It just felt like this was where I was supposed to go. It didn’t feel right to go anywhere else at the time, and to this day, I can’t picture having gone anywhere else.

I was going to post this in the M thread, but figured that it might have more crossover here as I'm sure that Michigan isn't the only place/school that people have this sentiment.