I was thinking of writing a lengthy essay praising ugly college football, but I’ll try to keep it short.
(Side note, “ugly” here being defined as the type of football that results in the “ugly wins” for Iowa this year- defense heavy, forced turnovers, close games (even if they shouldn’t be), 3 yards and a cloud of dust. Not the “ugly” as in Illinois this year, which just makes you feel bad for them. I’m referring to the style of play rather than the basic ability level.)
And I don’t just love it because we’ve been winning that way this year (okay, I would probably like it rather than love it if that were not the case). Even if we had lost against Michigan State, you have to admit, that was a great game. I love ugly football because it puts the focus on the defense. I love it because it rips apart the hero worship, the quarterback is the only player who matters view that some people have of football, and puts the whole team in the spot light. It’s a battle of wills, 3 yards and cloud of dust, instead of a two and a half hour game of keep away. It forces you to remember that it’s a team sport and not just a race for the Heisman. It forces you to remember those are kids out there and everyone of them is fallible. That some of them were at their high school proms six months ago. It reminds you that the linemen matter. A lot. That a tipped ball can change the game. That a linebacker getting an extra step is just as important of a part of the game as a receiver running the wrong route (which often turns into “the quarterback making a bad throw”, because he’s the only player on the field, right?). Because unlike the NFL, where it’s the best of the best of the best, and the play books are interchangeable, in ugly college football, you see the players grow and develop their skills. You see some of them rise up and some of them falter. You watch freshmen step up to fill in for an injury. You see a different playbook and strategy every week on both sides of the ball. Ugly football reminds you of one of the most important aspects of college football, and what makes it a sport worth watching – it’s hugely unpredictable, and every second matters.
And that in many senses, it’s also all so arbitrary. A couple inches different on any of a huge number of plays, or a penalty called or missed, the ball being a little more slippery from the rain or a running back having a little better grip because he put on different gloves, and Iowa could easily be 4-4 instead of 8-0 so far this season. Just as many plays the other way, and the 2008 team (9-4) could have had an undefeated season. And how ridiculous that makes the eternal debate of who’s the best team in college football. Never mind who’s the best if the championship is played in the rain. Or in a dome. Or if they went to play offs and it gave player an extra week to patch up injuries.
It’s ugly, it’s beautiful, it’s a battle of inches and a flip of the coin. But that’s life.
Go Hawks.
indeed