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Who’s No. 3?
Normally, the question of ‘Who’s No. 1″ is asked but in this case, it’s trying to figure out third place that is so interesting.
When it comes to college sports, there is no question of which two are top dogs. In the fall, college football dominates TV screens from Miami to Seattle while basketball has the same effect in the spring.
However, it leads to the question of what is the third most popular sport in college athletics?
Before I came to the University of Maine, it was baseball and softball by a large margin since both sports are popular in the South. Everyone played it. It was the last time of the school year where Florida State fans could care about beating Florida.
After almost four years of being here, I am starting to have second thoughts about that since this is a hockey school.
Funny, I say this place is a hockey school now considering a few months ago I said that it wasn’t. Maybe hanging out with Guy Perron and Matt McGraw will do that to you, who knows?
What I do know is that during the Frozen Four, it’s the only time of year where people across America, and especially back home, realize that I did not make up this school and that it’s actually in the United States and not Canada.
First when UMaine’s softball team made it to the NCAA tournament two years ago and the baseball team made it last season, it got me thinking and people back home talking.
Would you believe that the University of Maine baseball team made the front page of sports sections in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi?
Then again, the men’s hockey team has been making the front page of newspapers across America and the women’s team ended up being the focus of USCHO.com for an entire weekend.
With that being said, I think when it comes down to it, college baseball and softball are the more popular sports from a nationwide standpoint.
In many cases this school is an exception, but for the most part, baseball and softball have to be No. 3 because every time you look on CSTV or ESPNU, the two sports are always on, and that is something hockey cannot claim.
Plain and simple, any and everyone can play baseball. All you need is a bat, ball and a glove. Hockey is a bit different since it’s one of the more expensive sports to play, plus, not to single out Canadians, but baseball is the national pastime.
So, it may be No. 1 in the hearts or whatever we have in America but for the sake of this list and not getting jumped by Rob Bellamy or Vince Laise in an alley, it’s No. 3 on this list.
Bangor Daily News