OUR VIEW: Money games critical for athletic programs

If you know college football, you know the odds of the USU football team beating No.3 Oklahoma this Saturday are about as good as … well, … not good at all. This would qualify as “one in a million” talk.

Miracles do happen, but on top of being 0-2, the Aggie defense recently lost two core seniors. Oklahoma just destroyed the University of Miami, 51-13. Before that, they gulped North Texas, 79-10.

Luckily a nice $500,000 check will be the reward of the USU athletic department for braving the crowd and team in Norman, Okla.

Games like this, money games, are a yearly occurrence for USU and many other football programs around the country. The money is critical for the sustaining of all 16 of the university sports – not just for football as many are inclined to think. This provides excellent insight as to why so much emphasis and attention is given to football. Given the dollar amount of these big games, it makes sense. Money talks. The guys on the gridiron are a major reason other sports are able to function and travel to places like Hawaii.

Therefore, though the Aggies always come away from these games with another ‘L’ on the schedule, they are a necessity and will always be until the day comes when USU becomes a so-called “powerhouse” like Oklahoma or Nebraska.

Another plus with these games is for the football players themselves. Traveling to football havens like Norman is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for many of these guys. Walking into stadiums packed with 80,000 or more football crazies is one of those things that takes your breath away – win or loss. Money combined with a football player’s dream provides for a pretty good combination.

So, instead of getting frustrated over another likely Aggie loss, be grateful (this especially goes for athletes from all other university sports) that you have a football team willing to put life and limb on the line against massive 300-pound all-Americans.

So, if you appreciate Aggie athletics (in whatever form they might come) and want them to continue to be strong, go to the football games (including post-graduation if you are still in Logan).