The Enigma of College Football

This article first appeared in RedMatchday Magazine, Aberdeen Football Club's award-winning publication, on December 13, 2008.

Aside from the Boat Race, university sports are completely irrelevant in Britain with interest confined to participants and passing dog-walkers. By sharp contrast, US college football attracts media coverage to rival the NFL. The recent annual Bayou Bucket Battle between Houston’s Rice University and University of Houston gave me the chance to observe this uniquely American phenomenon at first hand.

Culturally, Americans develop a deeper sense of belonging to their alma mater than British graduates. That pride often transmits itself into lifelong donations from former students, or at the very least a guarantee of fervid support during football season. Consider also that the NFL comprises 32 franchises in a country of 300 million people – roughly one team per 10 million inhabitants – while Scottish football contains 42 league clubs in a country of 5 million. School allegiances therefore substitute for a lack of professional teams in many regions irrespective of whether the locals received higher education or not.

Division I-A marks the highest level of college football with 120 schools divided into 12 conferences of differing quality. Teams play 12 regular-season games – usually eight against conference rivals and four against outside opposition – with successful sides contesting season-ending Conference Championship matches and an ever-expanding series of bowl games, the most famous of which, including Pasadena’s Rose Bowl and Miami’s Orange Bowl, host the winners of the toughest conferences.

Conference USA, home to the Rice Owls and UH Cougars, is far from a heavyweight, but this final league fixture carried added significance. With a win the Cougars would clinch the C-USA West Division and host East Carolina, C-USA East Division winners, in the Conference Championship decider. The Owls also harboured title ambitions but their task was more convoluted: beat Houston and hope for a favour elsewhere.

Rice, a prestigious private university, has only 5,000 students but their sports programme is venerated for continually producing strong baseball teams. Little attention has been gained from their football achievements, a game usually associated with the proletariat, but that has changed this year under the tutelage of head coach David Bailiff and leadership of quarterback Chase Clement.

Rice Stadium can still seat 70,000, despite the university’s small enrolment, and it even hosted a Superbowl in 1974. On the other hand, UH is one of Texas’ biggest state schools with 36,000 students and possesses an alumni population far outstripping that of Rice. Unsurprisingly then the Cougars fans outnumbered their hosts in the 35,534 crowd.

As kick-off approached, Cougars fans flooded in from their tailgating parties displaying specially designed “Coogs vs. Nerds” t-shirts and derided their opponents’ perceived elitism with chants of “Harvard rejects”. The banter from Rice’s hardcore followers was equally cutting: one banner read “You can’t spell DUH without UH”.

A high-scoring shootout was forecast – in 22 combined games this season these teams had scored over 40 points on 13 occasions – and those expectations were quickly realised. It took little more than three minutes for Clement to engineer the Owls’ first touchdown courtesy of wide receiver James Casey’s one yard rush. Cougars’ quarterback Case Keenum retaliated with four completed passes within two minutes, the last of which saw L.J. Castile race 43 yards to level the score.

Clement and Casey excelled in the second quarter to give Rice a commanding lead. After the Owls had edged 21-14 ahead, two consecutive UH drives ended in failure as Keenum threw his sole interception and Jordan Mannisto missed a 41-yard field goal attempt. Clement followed both turnovers with touchdown passes to Casey as Rice raced to a 35-21 half-time advantage.

The interlude highlighted further differences between the universities as their bands took turns to entertain the audience. Firstly, the traditional Spirit of Houston Cougars band paraded around the pitch with military precision and an impressive array of linear formations while majorettes twirled their batons around the ranks of musicians. Next up was The Marching Owl Band (or The Mob), a sophisticated ensemble of jazzy cool cats dressed in garb inspired by Bugsy Malone. In truth The Mob does not even march; they scramble around haphazardly with few instruments in a performance showcasing satire more than musical talent.

This contrast drew a parallel with the game itself. While the UH offense executed conventional plays with reasonable success, they were overshadowed by Clement’s instinctive ability to scramble for extra yards when the right pass was unavailable. The Cougars’ section became more frenzied in their attempts to spur an unlikely comeback as the second half progressed, but Clement continued his mastery of the contest to delight the phlegmatic home support. He ended with five touchdown passes plus one 8-yard scoring carry of his own as Rice recorded a comprehensive 56-42 win.

Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. Though Rice moved ahead of UH in the standings, Tulsa’s dramatic 38-35 win over Marshall tied them for top spot. The Oklahomans progressed to the C-USA Conference Championship by virtue of their head-to-head win over Rice, but they fell 27-24 as East Carolina won the title outright. At least The Owls have the consolation of lifting the Bayou Bucket for only the second time in seven years. For the Cougars, they will reflect on a lost opportunity having thrashed both Tulsa and East Carolina during the season.

Despite the presence of a heavily commercialised professional game, my first taste of college action taught me that higher scoring offenses entertaining supporters with an inherently greater sense of belonging, all offered at negligible prices, provide far greater value for money than the NFL’s corporate juggernaut can provide.

Pictures from the 2008 Bayou Bucket Battle are available here.

For safety's sake, leave the fireworks to the players

Sporting events in the United States are unlike anywhere else in the world. The glitz, razzmatazz, pyrotechnics, cheerleaders, kiss-cams on big screens, the incessant corporate plugs during breaks in play, the observing of the national anthem sung with gusto by a wannabe celebrity. It’s all part of American kitsch woven into the country’s fabric that, as we Brits would say, is just not cricket.

It is not my intention to criticise as I do enjoy some of the peripheral entertainment and appreciate the different culture, but the bottom line is that when I go to see a sporting event, I go to see a sporting event. That is where my focus lies, where my interest is held, and if nothing else were to take place I would not care in the slightest.

Growing up in Scotland, attending a soccer match for me involved a few beers with the lads before the game, piling into the ground shortly before kick-off to give your team a roaring welcome, passionate involvement throughout the first half (no trips to the popcorn stand or candy floss stall required), fifteen minutes of further catching up on the previous night’s escapades with friends during half-time, then a second 45 minutes of fist-pumping dedication to the cause. Since the Sky era revolutionised the game in the early 1990’s, clubs have made token attempts to follow America’s lead with dance teams and half-time prizes but on a reduced scale. Not only is there a general lack of spectator interest, but our reserved manner means we simply do not do these things very well.

By contrast, Houston Dynamo have pulled out all the stops during the team’s two home Major League Soccer matches this year. The season opener against FC Dallas saw parachutists land in the centre circle (one dressed as Dynamo Diesel, the team’s mascot), fighter planes soar above the stands, a video message of support from former President George H.W. Bush and the unveiling of the Dynamo Girls’ new line-up and dance routine.

Mr Bush was back in person last Saturday evening to present the Dynamo players with Championship rings to mark last season’s title success. The cheerleaders were kept occupied with t-shirt giveaways, on-field presentations were made to successful local youth teams and a contestant from American Idol did the honours with the anthem. All was going to plan, until a series of unexpected explosions caused flutters in the crowd. Unfortunately the public were not alone in being caught out.

It quickly became apparent that the person responsible for the fireworks display had been injured by a seemingly premature explosion. The gentleman unsteadily negotiated himself away from the centre circle before dropping to the ground clutching his face. His once-white shirt was discoloured by smoke and blood was apparent on his limbs. More blood streamed from his mouth as officials arrived to dowse the smouldering container and check on his condition. Paramedics arrived within minutes to stretcher the poor fellow away to a nearby medical facility, but despite this taking place on the field the event went unnoticed by most of the crowd who were paying attention to the ongoing festivities.

Thankfully, word seeping out from the Dynamo organisation over the weekend indicated that the man had been released from hospital on Sunday having sustained no major injuries. He was extremely fortunate.

A less serious incident occurred that same evening in New Orleans where the second quarter of the Hornets’ NBA basketball play-off match against San Antonio Spurs was delayed by 20 minutes. At the end of the first quarter, the Hornets’ mascot took to the court to jump through a ring of fire. Residue left on the floor by fire extinguishers resulted in an impromptu clean-up operation. Minutes after play resumed, Tim Duncan, the Spurs’ all-star forward, slipped in mid-court provoking further mopping up at half-time. Thankfully none of the players were hurt as a result of the briefly treacherous surface.

The popular school of thought among American franchises is that consumers are there to be entertained by whatever means available – the more extravagant, so much the better. Ultimately though, sports fans will leave the arena talking about the game itself, whether good or bad, and not the triple somersaults performed by the half-time trampolinist.

In light of the past weekend’s near misses, those organisations should be examining the potential risks of their sideshows and erring firmly on the side of caution. Placing the public or participants in harm’s way for the sake of a feel-good stunt must not feature on the agenda. Nobody in the audience would be remotely disappointed if providing a spectacle is left to their favourite athletes.

Ice Hockey: Wayne Gretzky

This article first appeared in RedMatchday Magazine, Aberdeen Football Club's award-winning publication, on December 8, 2007.

Jose Mourinho, the former Chelsea manager, may famously have referred to himself as “a special one”, but for Wayne Gretzky, the legendary Canadian ice hockey player, no such self-gratification was ever required.

Nicknamed “The Great One”, Gretzky dominated a team sport in a manner that no other individual, with the possible exception of Michael Jordan, has achieved. Since his retirement in 1999, Gretzky remains firmly in the game as Managing Partner and Alternate Governor of Phoenix Coyotes. This season is also his third as Head Coach with the formidable challenge of building one of NHL’s elite teams.

Success has been way off for this organisation since their predecessor, Winnipeg Jets, gained entry to NHL in 1979 after a merger of rival hockey leagues. Faced with spiralling costs and strong divisional opposition from Edmonton Oilers and Calgary Flames, the ailing franchise was purchased by two Arizona businessmen in 1996 and relocated to the desert city.

After an auspicious start which saw five post-season appearances in six years, Phoenix has failed to reach the play-offs since 2002 finishing bottom of the Pacific Division on all but one occasion. Ownership has changed, a new arena has been built and this season sees a new General Manager. The job is exacting, but Gretzky has experience in developing hockey away from its northern heartlands.

During an unparalleled playing career, Gretzky won four Stanley Cups with Edmonton, received a record nine Hart Memorial Trophy awards as NHL MVP (including eight consecutively from 1980-87), and a record ten Art Ross Trophy awards (as top regular season points scorer). He is the only player ever to score 200 points (combined goals and assists) in a season, a feat which he achieved four times, and finished his career with a phenomenal 2,857 points (894 goals, 1,963 assists in 1,487 games). Countryman and former Oilers team-mate Mark Messier sits a distant second on 1,887. Fittingly, the NHL has retired his “99” jersey meaning that no player will ever wear his number again.

The grandson of Polish immigrants, Gretzky’s pre-eminence was attributed to his prodigious childhood ability married with his dedication to practice. Aged 6, he would compete at Under 10 level, and at 16 he became the youngest player to compete in the World Junior Championships, ending the tournament as top scorer.

In 1978, aged 17, he signed his first professional contract with Indianapolis Racers of the World Hockey Association (WHA). With the league fading and the Racers struggling financially, Gretzky was soon sold to Edmonton who gained entry to NHL following WHA’s demise in 1979. With Gretzky and Messier on board they became one of hockey’s most storied teams.

By 1983, Edmonton were threatening New York Islanders’ dynasty, but after suffering a whitewash in that year’s Stanley Cup Final, Gretzky had to wait another season to gain revenge and end the Islanders’ hopes of a fifth consecutive title. Further successes arrived for him at Edmonton in 1985, 1987 and 1988, after which the NHL landscape would change forever.

In the summer of 1988, Gretzky was sensationally transferred to Los Angeles Kings in a move so astounding that it became known simply as “The Trade”. The Kings, mediocre since their 1967 inception, suddenly became a major talking point amongst Angelinos and attendances at the Inglewood Forum quickly matched those of their more illustrious NBA co-tenants, the Lakers.

Despite a lack of team success, Gretzky picked up one further Hart Memorial Trophy and three Art Ross awards during eight seasons in LA. The early years brought classic play-off battles against his former Oilers, with the Kings ousting the defending champions in 1989 only to fall to eventual winners Calgary Flames. Edmonton avenged that loss by ending the Kings’ campaigns in each of the next three seasons before the Kings reached new heights in 1993. Despite being underdogs, Gretzky inspired them to the Stanley Cup Finals with play-off victories over Calgary, Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs. However, another Canadian team, Montreal Canadiens, ensured that the impressive trophy remained in the North, as it had done since its inauguration in 1918.

With age and injuries catching up, Gretzky left California in 1996 for a brief stint at St. Louis Blues before settling with New York Rangers for three final seasons. Defeat by Philadelphia Flyers in the 1997 Eastern Conference Final marked his last post-season appearance, with the curtain falling on a glittering playing career in Madison Square Garden on 18 April 1999.

Despite his playing abilities waning throughout the 1990’s, Gretzky’s impact in Los Angeles continued to reverberate around NHL. He stimulated such interest in the sport that California received two further franchises – San Jose Sharks in 1991 and Anaheim Ducks in 1993 – as hockey expanded away from its traditional markets. Four new teams began in Southern cities (Tampa Bay, Fort Lauderdale, Nashville and Atlanta), Minnesota and Quebec moved to Dallas and Denver respectively, and of course, Winnipeg Jets became Phoenix Coyotes.

A decade on, the Coyotes still have much work ahead. Phoenix continues to grow rapidly with its population almost doubling since 1980. With re-settlement from America’s Mid-West increasingly popular, they face a battle to win over new fans from family allegiances to the likes of Chicago Blackhawks and Detroit Red Wings.

Since 1996, championships for Colorado (twice), Dallas, Tampa, Carolina and Anaheim have shattered the North’s stranglehold on the Stanley Cup. However, the only shining light to be provided on ice at Phoenix’s Glendale Arena has come from the innovative Pack Dance Team, courtesy of their modified footwear.

The 2007/08 season has started promisingly for Phoenix. But for a woeful overtime record, they would be occupying a play-off spot as the first quarter concludes. Come next April when the post-season begins, Gretzky will be hoping his influence on the southward shift of success will again be hands-on.

IndyCar: Dario Franchitti

This article first appeared in RedMatchday Magazine, Aberdeen Football Club's award-winning publication, on September 29, 2007.

In terms of sheer excitement to the last seconds of an entire season, there cannot be many rivals to this year’s IndyCar Series. Entering the seventeenth and final race on September 9, three drivers still had a shot at the title: former winners Scott Dixon (2003) and Tony Kanaan (2004), and Scotland’s Dario Franchitti.

Despite his marriage to actress Ashley Judd, the 34 year old from West Lothian remains largely unknown in the UK where Formula One dominates the racing world. A former Scottish and British junior karting champion, Franchitti had stints in Formula Three and the International Touring Car Championship before debuting in the States in the 1997 CART Champ Car World Series, where he would race until 2003 when his Andretti Green team moved to IndyCar. Despite regular challenges, Franchitti was still chasing that elusive first title. He came close in 1999, finishing the season level on points with Juan Pablo Montoya, but losing out to the Colombian on race wins.

In June, the prospect of a final day decider seemed unlikely with Franchitti comfortably clear in the standings having secured back-to-back wins at Iowa and Richmond to add to his maiden victory in the prestigious Indianapolis 500. Dixon, however, reeled off three straight wins in July to close the gap.

Race 13 at Michigan saw Franchitti involved in a horrific crash when leading late on. Second placed Dan Wheldon clipped Franchitti’s rear tyre causing him to spin sideways. The impact of the ensuing 215 mph hit from Wheldon sent Franchitti airborne, flipping him upside down before landing on the car of Dixon, contact that would send the remaining shell of Franchitti’s car careering into the perimeter wall. Emergency vehicles rushed to the site and, miraculously, Franchitti jumped out of the wreckage unscathed.

He was involved in a similar incident in Kentucky the following weekend caused this time by his own error as he crossed the finishing line in eighth. His team-mate Kanaan, meanwhile, was hauling himself back into contention by staying on the ground and winning both races.

A fourth victory for Dixon in Race 15 overturned Franchitti’s lead, but the Flying Scotsman (in one way more than he would wish) reclaimed top spot when Dixon retired from the penultimate race. Another Kanaan win kept alive the mathematical possibility that he could win overall, but realistically he had resigned himself to helping Franchitti, whose lead over Dixon was so slender that whoever finished ahead of the other would become champion.

The oval circuit at Joliet, Illinois, hosted the final 200 lap race. Despite securing pole position, Franchitti struggled to keep pace early on. Dixon’s car, and that of his Chip Ganassi team-mate Wheldon, looked to be handling the track better than those of the Andretti Green stable. Franchitti held the lead briefly whilst other drivers pitted ahead of him whereas Dixon, with Wheldon in close support, took control as the race entered its final third.

Two yellow flags had allowed Franchitti to stay in touch, but Dixon held the advantage as both men fuelled up with 52 laps remaining. Dixon reclaimed the lead on Lap 184 and, with Wheldon second, looked on course for the title. However, this race was not just to be about who was fastest on the track.

Yellow flag warnings had forced both teams to alter their race strategies and fuel was becoming a major problem for the leaders. With twelve laps remaining, Franchitti received radio orders to ease up on the throttle. It appeared that he would require one further yellow flag if he was to last the race.

Chip Ganassi’s concerns didn’t seem as critical, but Wheldon took the lead with ten laps remaining to allow Dixon to tuck in behind and conserve fuel. On Lap 193 though, Wheldon ran dry leaving Dixon with seven laps to hold on.

Danica Patrick, also racing for Andretti Green, had been in the top six throughout but her influence looked to have ended as she peeled off leaving Franchitti in sole pursuit. Upon entering the pit lane, however, her car spun resulting in a yellow flag until she could be pushed to safety. Whether this was a deliberate ploy will be contended for years, but now Franchitti would go the distance.

The green light came on Lap 198, leaving the entire season hinging on a two-lap shootout with both drivers running on fumes. Franchitti took the high line, but Dixon held the inside as they reached the back straight for the last time. Franchitti tucked in behind and prepared for a final assault as they reached the bend. Unbelievably, as they banked left around the corner, Dixon’s car began to stutter. Franchitti, still tucked in and with a split second to avoid a collision which would hand Dixon the crown, swerved to overtake with yards remaining to the chequered flag.

As his emotional father celebrated and Ms Judd danced around the pit lane clad in a saltire flag, Dixon waited in disbelief for the rescue car to tow him home. Franchitti, meanwhile, didn’t have enough fuel left for his lap of honour and also had to be retrieved before his entourage could embraced the new champion.

Whether Dario will defend his title next year remains to be seen as he is rumoured to be in talks with Chip Ganassi over a multi-year deal in NASCAR, which commands a far greater audience and media attention.

Arsenal’s injury-time heroics at Anfield to clinch the English Football League Title from Liverpool in 1989 may have been dramatic, but has surely been surpassed.

Baseball: Barry Bonds

This article first appeared in RedMatchday Magazine, Aberdeen Football Club's award-winning publication, on August 19, 2007.

On 7th August 2007 at 8.50pm Pacific time, San Francisco Giants’ left fielder Barry Bonds finally surpassed all before him to become the outright leading home run hitter in Major League Baseball history, overtaking Hank Aaron’s 33 year record of 755. That Bonds is one of the greatest ever players is not in question. However, his dramatic improvements and enhanced physique after the age of 35 will forever cast aspersions over his achievements.

Bonds, an outstanding University prospect, was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1985, debuting shortly before his 22nd birthday in May 1986. In his first seven years, he hit 176 home runs and was named National League MVP in 1990 and 1992 due to his ability to steal bases, field with speed and accuracy and bat with expertise. In 1993, he followed in his father’s footsteps by signing with San Francisco Giants. His debut season saw him lead the National League with 46 home runs, a personal best, and receive the MVP award for the third time.

Events in 1994 would come back to have a major effect on Bonds’ career. An ongoing labour dispute between players and team owners, who demanded salary caps to control rising expenditures, led to the Players Association announcing a strike which lasted from August 1994 to April 1995. As a result, the 1994 season was cancelled with the play-offs approaching and the 1995 season was shortened due to the late start. When games recommenced, players found themselves routinely abused by dwindling crowds for their perceived greed. The future of professional baseball seemed in jeopardy.

Throughout the decade, Bonds continued posting good numbers averaging 37 home runs per season from 1994-1999 and being selected for the National League All-Star Team in five of those six years, but in 1998 he was left as an envious observer as the single season home run record of 61 held by Roger Maris came under attack.

With four players hitting 30 home runs by mid-season the 37 year record, which replaced Babe Ruth’s previous 34 year record of 60, seemed set to fall. Chicago Cubs’ Sammy Sosa would eventually hit 66, but even this failed to match Mark McGwire’s monumental 70 for St. Louis Cardinals. Maris’ benchmark was again passed by both players in the following year as McGwire hit 65 to Sosa’s 63.

With crowds flooding back in record numbers to witness history being made and media interest at an all time high, doubts about the legitimacy of the players’ performances remained conspicuously absent as league commissioners revelled in the game’s new-found popularity. Indeed, despite increased attempts to eliminate drug use in sport since Ben Johnson’s tainted 100 metre victory in the 1988 Olympics, Major League Baseball had still not introduced their own testing policy.

Bonds, meanwhile, had witnessed his elite status slipping. Fan adulation, media attention and big-money contracts were being afforded to the power hitters which tempted him, now at an age where his performance level would be expected to decline, to transform himself with help from a local sports nutrition firm called Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO).

By 2000, at age 36, Bonds’ appearance had changed from the lithe, agile athlete of his twenties into fifteen stones of solid muscle. He hit a new personal best of 49 home runs that year. In 2001, having returned for pre-season training a further eighteen pounds heavier, he would destroy that by hitting 73 to claim the single season record from the now-retired McGwire.

Despite advancing years, the home runs continued: 46 in 2002, 45 in 2003 and 2004. To give some perspective, four of Bonds’ five best offensive seasons came after he was 35 years old. In fourteen seasons from 1986-1999, Bonds averaged 32 home runs per year. From 2000-2004, he averaged 52 – a quite staggering increase.

With the 2004 Olympics approaching and US officials desperate to avoid any scandals involving their athletes, a tip-off led investigators to BALCO’s offices. Incriminating evidence was recovered showing substance abuse by a number of world class athletes, including sprinters Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, as well as baseball and football players. BALCO had been providing steroids which had been carefully developed to avoid detection and various criminal trials followed.

Among the convictions, Greg Anderson, Bonds’ personal trainer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute steroids and served a four month prison sentence. During Bonds’ grand jury testimony, he claimed to have never knowingly taken performance-enhancing drugs and stated his belief that a clear substance and a cream given to him were flaxseed oil and arthritis balm.

In August 2006, Anderson was further sentenced for contempt of court for his failure to testify before a federal grand jury investigating perjury accusations against Bonds, an investigation that continues today.

It remains to be seen whether Bonds will eventually face prosecution despite the mountain of evidence suggesting his use of illegal substances, but irregardless of the outcome his coronation as Home Run King leaves a bitter taste in the mouths of sports fans across the nation.

Bonds may carry the unwanted tag of figurehead for drug use in baseball because of his records and achievements, but he is by no means alone. For the league’s commissioners, it is time to reap what they have sown.