| College vs. Professional Sports - Which Do You Prefer? |
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There is a debate among sports fans which is as old as professional sports: whether collegiate athletics or professional sports are superior to the other. Fans on either side of the issue are adamant in their devotion to one or the other, but many fans prefer college athletics for one sport and professional for the other. The sports which are the subject of the most debate here are basketball and football and while this is an argument which will never be settled; it's one that fans will also continue to have for as long as professional and collegiate sports are played.
There is a debate among sports fans which is as old as professional sports: whether collegiate athletics or professional sports are superior to the other. Fans on either side of the issue are adamant in their devotion to one or the other, but many fans prefer college athletics for one sport and professional for the other. The sports which are the subject of the most debate here are basketball and football and while this is an argument which will never be settled; it's one that fans will also continue to have for as long as professional and collegiate sports are played. College basketball has March Madness to its credit, something whose appeal even a diehard NBA fan would have a hard time discounting altogether. This tournament keeps college (and professional) basketball fans on the edge of their seats. It's a tournament where upsets can - and do happen frequently. Underdogs you may not have thought about for years can suddenly upset the seemingly invincible favorite. There are dozens of games in the tournament, so there is nearly always something going on and this is one of the few occasions where betting on sports suddenly becomes socially acceptable, with nearly every workplace having a March Madness pool. Collegiate basketball proponents make the aversion that college basketball is simply a purer form of the sport. There are certainly plenty of college players who aspire to go on to professional careers, but the vast majority of college players are in it because they just love the game. Fans are as passionate about college basketball as are the players and team loyalties often last a lifetime, which is somewhat less common among NBA fans. Professional basketball fans aren't necessarily given to knocking college basketball (since many if not most fans actually enjoy both), but argue that the NBA offers a superior level of play and competition. They aver that the league provides fans with an opportunity to watch the sport played by the nation's very best players. NBA fans also insist that the series format of seven games used in the league ensures a fair outcome, with the best team almost invariably coming out on top - they also argue that while March Madness is certainly compelling, the regular college season can't touch the NBA's for excitement. However, college fans are fond of pointing out that the rarity of upsets in professional basketball makes the NBA playoffs somewhat less exciting to watch. When it comes to football the main topic usually relates to the playoffs and the way the champion is determined. Detractors of college football can't stand the Bowl Championship Series. There isn't a playoff format where each team gets to prove themselves. Rather the competition is determined by voting and by computer formulas. You can be a great team, maybe even the best team in the country at the end of the season, but if you aren't ranked 1 or 2, than you have no chance at winning a championship. This makes the bowl season and the championship game somewhat dubious. Fans of college football make the counterargument that the structure of the Bowl games series makes the regular college season incredibly exciting, since a team can lose its shot at the championship with just one lost game. Since there is a lot riding on the outcome of each and every game, fans remain engaged an excited throughout the entire regular season. Fans on either side of the college versus professional sports schism are unlikely to change their minds. This is a debate which is not likely to be settled soon, if indeed ever, but fans don't have to choose of course; they can watch exactly what they want from each league and experience collegiate and professional athletics in their own way. DISCLAIMER: This article is provided as information only and is not to be taken as financial advice. When you want a question answered about sports, be sure to visit http://nothingbutsports.info. Here you will find sports trivia, tips, quotations, and resources about all kinds of sports activities. Visit us today at Nothing But Sports. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory |