UConn Football – What Does It Mean To You?

As I begin to think of the many ideas I could write about for my first post as a contributor to this blog, I figured I’d start with why I wanted to do this in the first place.  I’m not a writer.  I’m not a journalist.  I’m not someone who has ever been known to speak eloquently or have a way with words that makes people want to listen to what I have to say.  What I am is a regular guy, a UConn alum, and I love talking football.

I have a passion for UConn Football, although I can’t quite explain how it ever started.  It’s not like I grew up a UConn football fan.  In fact, I didn’t realize they even had a football team until the early 2000’s when it was decided they would make the jump to 1-A.  I was always a huge fan of the basketball teams, and can tell you exactly where I was when Ray Allen hit the shot against Georgetown in the BET (my parents living room), or when Taliek Brown hit that bomb of a 3 as the shot clock expired against Pitt (Ground Round), or when Kemba broke Gary McGee’s ankles at the buzzer (at my workplace completely blowing off all of my professional responsibilities).  However, I can’t say I have those moments for the football team.  I bought season tickets when I became a student because honestly I thought $49 for 7 D1 college football games was a steal.  I didn’t really put much thought into it.  In fact, my entire time at Storrs, I didn’t put much thought into the football team.  I was too busy doing college things: class, friends, girls, beer, ted’s, etc.).  I went to games, but they were more for social reasons.  I was in college when DJ Hernandez led us back to victory against Pitt (was at that game, but left early to go play beer pong at Mansfield Apartments).  I was there when Larry Taylor ran back the punt against Louisville and screamed incessantly that it wasn’t a fair catch to my friend who was a Louisville fan (however, none of us saw it live because we were buying beer, but I argued nonetheless).  My point is, I didn’t have this passion for UConn football that I do today when I was a student at Storrs.

So what is it about UConn Football that drew me to it?  That causes me every Saturday in the fall to rework my schedule so I can be at the games or available to watch on TV?  It’s not like we’ve won 5 national championships over these past 11 years.  We’ve made a few bowl games, won some of them, but the product on the field isn’t the main reason why I became obsessed with UConn Football.  It’s the university itself.  I LOVE this university.  I owe everything good in my life to UConn.  I met my fiance there.  Two of my groomsmen, including my best man, were my roomates there.  My degree from UConn allowed me to position myself into a job that I enjoy deeply, and provided for myself and my future family a comfortable life.  Some of the best memories of my life were made at UConn.

So what does all of this have to do with football?  What does any of this have to do with me being furious at Randy Edsall for the way he left?  What does any of this have to do with praying every night we rid ourselves of Coach P?  What does any of this have to do with me hoping that Coach Diaco will be exactly what this program needs to elevate itself?  UConn is and will always be apart of me.  I miss being a UConn student, and UConn Football allowed me to remain apart of the university I love so much.  I think that when I left, I was looking for some way to hold on.  UConn Football allowed me to do that.  Every home game, I drive up to tailgate and watch a game with family & friends, old & new.  It’s apart of my life, and I hope that someday when my future wife and I decide to start a family, it will be a part of our children’s lives.

I love UConn Football.  I know I’m not the only one.  Feel free to share your stories and thoughts.

Matt

 

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