I’d be hard pressed to think of a time when I enjoyed myself more than when I was in college. Maybe it was because of that liberating feeling of freedom. Maybe it was because of all the great friends I met who I still keep in touch with (thanks Facebook). Or maybe it was because I was a good 30 pounds lighter. Whatever the reason, college was the time of my life which made college sports something I gravitated to from Day 1 in the dorms to the present day. On the eve of the NFL Draft, where collegiate stars are on the verge of becoming millionaires, I thought it might be a good idea to talk a little about my love for the purity that defines college sports.

College football has always been my greatest passion and growing up in southern California, I’ve been a lifelong USC Trojan fan. I know there are plenty of USC haters out there and I think that’s another reason college sports are so much fun; taking part in the spirited verbal jousting that takes place when USC plays UCLA or Notre Dame, in particular. It’s very juvenile, but a lot of fun. For me there is nothing better than being in that festival-like atmosphere of tailgating adjacent to Tommy Trojan a few hours before game time and then heading into the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum to see the men of Troy take the field.

Me with my two cousins tailgating before a USC game. Sorry guys, they’re both taken.

The other thing that makes college football so fantastic is just how passionate the fans really are. I mean, we get into the games and if our team loses, well, let’s just say fans can sometimes take it worse than some of the players or coaches. Just take a look at some of these completely dejected fans after their team lost. All I can say is thank goodness there wasn’t a camera on me when Texas QB Vince Young ran it in for the go ahead touchdown to beat USC in the 2006 Rose Bowl. I was CRUSHED!

The passion goes both ways in college sports, however. You can experience the lowest of lows as a fan, but you can also experience the highest of highs. Only in college sports are celebrations like this socially acceptable and part of what makes the experience great, especially if you are there in person.

And without college sports, the No. 4 would have much less meaning. Events like the Final Four and Frozen Four are becoming more and more a part of Americana where everyone’s got a bracket in hand and these young players get to showcase their talents in the biggest arenas in the land.

And lastly, at least for now, let’s take a moment to appreciate that more than anything college sports equals fun. When it’s all said and done, these are just young kids doing what they love. Just look at how much fun college baseball players can have during a two-hour rain delay. What’s not to love about this and could you ever see the pros having this much fun during a rain delay?

I could go on and on about all the things I love about college sports, but we’d like to know what it is you love about them? There’s no shortage on my list, but I’m sure fans of our Blog have plenty of favorite memories to share. Feel free to rush the field with your thoughts. In fact, it’s encouraged.