As a 10-year-old, I admit that I cried on January 2nd, 1984.
University of Nebraska Head Coach Tom Osborne boldly went for two points after a touchdown against the Miami Hurricanes when surely an extra point would have sealed a National Championship.
Nine years later, as a first-year student at that same college, I put on my shoes to celebrate with other Husker fans at the intersection of 72nd and Dodge in Omaha. The Huskers lost again. I didn’t cry. I was in a sports funk for a month —okay, maybe a year. Truth is, it still stings.
Even playing in leagues at Floyd softball complex or the sand volleyball at the Ickey Nickel, my competitive spirit was as high as my hopes for my favorite teams.
My relationship with sports has evolved as I write this, now a man with five decades of life experience. For the last four days, as my lovely wife was out of town, I had a lot of football games and volleyball matches on the big screen. I would like to say it was mostly background noise as I cleaned the house and did loads of laundry, but…I probably should not lie in ink on these fine pages of EXPAND Magazine.
With big-time athletes now playing at the highest level and commanding over a million dollars a year for their performances, I miss the old days of loyalty and perceived amateurism. I had a conversation with a buddy this weekend. He stated that his love for college sports has weakened due to NIL and the professional feel of these 18–to 23-year-old athletes.
I find greater joy in the underdogs in the sport.
Recently, John Bullock from Omaha attended UNL with NO scholarship and worked his tail off. He improved every day, while other, more celebrated stars received the adulation and money. John just put his head down and grinded away. This week, he made the Tampa Bay Buccaneers roster as an undrafted free agent.
The Northern Illinois Head Coach, Thomas Hammock, said at a recent press conference that the lessons you learn in college are worth more than just getting paid. He was thankful for his college experience, and he didn’t earn a dollar.
The volleyball team I watched today featured several student-athletes who are also nursing students at Creighton University. They play with joy on the court and Fundamentals of Paramedicine while traveling back from Wisconsin before going to an intense lab the next day. They play for the love of the school, their teammates, and hopefully, saving my keister someday.
These are the kind of success stories I can cheer for from my living room
College athletics on the big stage demand high-dollar budgets backed by TV deals and sales of brewskis in the stands. In the year 2045, I can’t imagine how much that sudsy beer will cost or the admission fee to watch the game from inside the stadium.
I know college will still mean more to so many student-athletes who won’t play at the next professional level. Those students at Morningside, Briar Cliff, and Western Iowa Tech, playing their hearts out in exchange for the opportunity to reach their potential, both on and off the playing field of competition, have a special place in my heart.
They will become leaders in our community.
That’s a concept that will bring a misty-eyed look for all the right reasons.
Tony Michaels watches way too much sports on TV. He’s an author and podcaster.
