That Infamous Target. I'd Rather Have It On My Back Than Aim at It

The common question everyone asks when it comes to picking a team or school: Would you rather be the dominant player on the good team or be a good player on a dominant team?  This question was never more discussed then this summer with NBA Free Agency, but let us take a look into the world of recruiting.  When this question is posed to 18 year old boys the answer is rarely easy.  There will always be those special players that can be the dominant player on a dominant team ala Tim Tebow, Reggie Bush, or Vince Young.  Those players are once in a few century or even a lifetime athletes.  There are so many more players that can choose between a Texas or a Texas Tech, an Alabama or an Ole Miss.

When Texas A&M beats Texas, or when South Carolina beats Florida, or even when Oregon State beats USC that one victory has made the entire season a success.  That one victory may just be the highlight of a lot of those players lives.  Now that is a little sad.  Those players are reminiscing on a victory for years while those elite football programs have no choice but to enjoy the victory and then move on because their next opponent has them circled on their calendar.  As a player would you rather have the chance of celebrating one amazing victory for one amazing weekend and having that be the most important part of your career or of winning the national title and feeling that sense of extreme camaraderie and triumph.  

This season top 25 teams like Iowa, Oklahoma, Oregon State, ad Wisconsin all have marquee programs circled as the most important game on their schedule.  The same can be said for bottom dwellers Northwestern, Baylor, Washington State.  A successful season can be had simply by beating one of these teams.  There are just so many teams that are looking to knock off the big boys that the pressure to perform if you are Alabama is intense every single week.  Being able to withstand that pressure and harness the national attention is what helps a team be great. To those student athletes that want to put the work in to be the best: If presented with the chance: Go to Florida. Go to Texas. Go to Ohio State.

When was the last time Florida fans rushed the field after beating anyone unless it was the National Championship? Probably before I was alive.  Will Texas fans ever rush the field when they beat Texas Tech? I don’t think so.  They did not last year and that game was extremely exciting.  I was there and that was the loudest DKR Stadium was all year. 

The players on these premium college football teams go in wanting to be the best.  The successful ones are those that grab the opportunity presented to them: win every game and you will win the National Championship.  Having that chance is a huge part of the reason players go to Alabama, or to Ohio State.  They are motivated by being the best not beating the best. 

So just a quick piece of advice to all of those athletes wanting to be the best quarterback in the history of a mediocre football program; think again.  Wouldn’t it be better to be one of the best quarterbacks in the history of an elite program and be discussed alongside Heisman winners and Hall of Famers?