College Football without question.
Rivalries: OSU/Michigan, Auburn/Alabama, Georgia/Florida, USC/Notre Dame. Kids it don't get any better than that. You lose that game as a senior, it gnaws at you for life
Bands: Script Ohio, Fight songs (although Rocky Top drives me nuts)
Tradition: Howards Rock, "Play Like a Champion Today" sign, Go Blue Banner, We are the Boys of Old Florida. These are the things that make college football unique.
Travelling Trophies: Floyd of Rosedale, Paul Bunyan's Axe (find me a cooler trophy), Keg of Nails, Old Oaken Bucket. Maybe my favorite part of college football right there.
That's just the big schools.
What about Navy, Air Force and Army? Watch the Army/Navy game in a week or two. There is a good chance that one of them will die in combat in the next two years. They play for the love of the sport, for the love of their branch of the military and for pride. None of them are going to the pros. They play and play hard for the love of the game.
Harvard/Yale? Two storied programs no longer the powerful teams of yesteryear. Did you see the triple OT thriller these guys played on Saturday? That is pure sport at its best.
The NFL can't touch it. MLB can't fathom it. The NBA can hardly spell it.
Screw pro sports. Give me college football. Nothing else comes close.
