Nile Kinnick
In preparation for the start of college football season, we recognize as the Sports Then and Now Vintage Athlete of the Week a former Heisman Trophy winner who was more than just a football hero; he was an American Hero.
It was 70 years ago that Nile Kinnick Jr. led the Iowa Hawkeyes to an improbable run into the national Top 10.
This is the “I can’t believe it is almost September” edition. While time seems to fly, at least the fact that it is almost September means that football season is starting. So, this week I’m looking primarily at some subjects related to football and the start of the new season.
College Season Getting Ready To Start
There is a smattering of small college football games starting this weekend, but most schools will play their first game on Labor Day Weekend. Here is a great schedule that is on the ESPN site that includes all schools, from I-A through Division III. (http://espn.go.com/college-football/schedule).
There has been a lot written down here in Florida about the Labor Day evening game between Miami and Florida State and the fact that it is not yet a sellout and probably will not be.
From the initial game in 1934 through 1976, the annual Chicago College All-Star Game was a fan favorite and provided a glimpse into the new talent of NFL stars.
Imagine a crowd of 105,840 people turning out to watch an NFL preseason game. Probably wouldn’t happen today unless it included a cage match between Michael Vick and Adam “Pacman” Jones. However, for more than 40 years the Annual Chicago College All-Star Game was a fan favorite while helping establish the NFL as a premier sports league.
In the 1930s, the NFL was still a fledgling league looking for a foothold in a sports world where baseball and boxing were the kings. In fact, professional football players were often seen as mercenaries while the college players were better known and more popular across the country.
A year after organizing the first Major League Baseball All-Star Game at Comiskey Park, Arch Ward, the sports editor for the Chicago Tribune, cultivated the idea of hosting an annual game between the defending NFL Champions and the best of the recently graduated college football stars.
Despite winning two National Championships and a Heisman Trophy, many still question whether Tim Tebow is an NFL caliber quarterback.
Regardless of whether you are a fan of the Florida Gators, it is hard not to like and appreciate the drive and talent of their star quarterback, Tim Tebow. Yet, even as he enters his final season guiding the preseason national championship favorites, Tebow continues to have detractors that question whether he can be successful at the next level.
While there may be better college football players, Tebow epitomizes all that is positive about college athletics.
A solid student, he is the son of missionaries and has spent time participating in mission trips to the Philippines.
On the field, he plays the game with the type of passion and determination that hearkens back to days gone by.
In his three collegiate seasons, Florida’s number 15 has risen to a level where he is rightfully being compared to the all-time greats in college football history.