Am I Obsessed?

I was approached the other day by a colleague who asked, ‘Why are you so obsessed with college football?” 

 

Of course I laughed.  I did not know this person well.  I thought I’ll never be able to convince someone who does not like football that college football actually makes society better or that my obsession is actually good for humanity. 

 

My initial thought was to tell her that it is the competition or OSU beating Michigan, but all of those reasons seemed insufficient – though they are important.  My obsession is not really an obsession at all.  Instead, my love is more of an identity.  Each experience from childhood to present has contributed to my identity. 

 

At the core is certainly my love of the Buckeyes, but each year I become more of a student of the game itself.  Knowing the history behind the traditions, the rivalries, the communities that support the schools and the politics involved in the game has given me the freedom to enjoy the sport absent of my affinity for OSU – which is borderline crazy.

 

About midway through my rambling, she had a weird look on her face.  I asked what was so peculiar?  She said she grew up in Michigan and liked football too.  She just wanted to make sure I wasn’t a bandwagon fan. 

 

Being the smart ass that I am, I asked her, “Why in the world would you love college football when you support such an awful team?”  Good luck Nov 21^st.  Maybe my obsession is rooted in winning.