Never thought I would need to write this, but...

...let's talk about the difference b/w playing college football and the D-Day invasion.

[THREAD]

First, let's acknowledge some similarities, such as

-- both involve 18-22 year old men (though avg age of US soldier in WWII was late-20s)

-- both involve planning.

-- both involve wearing helmets (& both can cause concussions)

That's pretty much it.

Now for the differences.

Sigh, where to begin?

D-Day: Happened because opened a second front to remove fascism from Europe.

College Football: Happened b/c American's didn't want to play rugby

D-Day: Timing of it was touch and go up until the last moment (finally happened on a Tuesday).

College Football: Games played every Saturday (and sometimes Thursday, or Friday, or Tuesday, or Wednesday).

D-Day: Event kept secret to catch Nazi Germany by surprise.

College Football: Schedule announced in advance.

D-Day: Event location prepared by continuous aerial bombing.

College Football: Event location prepared by mowing and line painting.

D-Day: Troops arrived by ocean and had to depart in water over their heads.

College Football: Players arrive by bus and depart by walking off the bus.

D-Day: Event takes place on beaches where enemy is positioned on high ground.

College Football: Event takes place on flat field with opponent.

D-Day: Enemy fires high powered machine guns.

College Football: Opponent tries to tackle you.

D-Day: Troops under constant gun fire as they make it to shore.

College Football: Players under constant boos/cheers as they enter playing field.

D-Day: [In case this point wasn't clear] guns are used.

College Football: guns are not used.

D-Day: bringing equipment to the beach was logistical feat requiring, for example, creation of floating docks.

College Football: bringing equipment to the field requires carts.

D-Day: So many soldiers died that there is now a US cemetery at Normandy.

College Football: injuries are common, but life threatening injuries are (thankfully) exceedingly rare.

I could probably go on.

The point: college football is a great sport, but one should not compare it to war.

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