The NFL and NBA lockouts have cast an ugly shadow over professional sports. There are pros and cons for following pro sports, but the greed and stubbornness on display by the players and owners only make college sports look even better by comparison.

I personally find professional leagues easier to follow. 32 NFL teams, eight divisions, four teams per division. It’s clean, concise, and simple. The players are usually in the league for at least 10 years, team marketing and individual profiling is greater, and it’s easier to watch the games on TV.

But.

Professional players quit on the field (Jay Cutler), demand more money (Latrell Sprewell), and force month-long lockouts.

Collegiate sports are the purest, truest form of organized sports. Playing in college is comparable to dating: you play your best to get her to marry you. Once you’re married to your pro team, you might not try as hard.

The history, tradition, and school pride tied to college athletics cannot be matched. The Ohio State band dotting the i, Duke vs. North Carolina basketball, the Iron Bowl, and so many more school traditions are so much bigger than individuals on the field or on the sideline. The players play to win, to play their hardest, not to score an endorsement deal or a bigger fanbase. Heck, NCAA video games don’t even give the players names. Most NCAA players won't go on to the professional leagues; this is the highest level of sport that nearly all these young athletes will be able to play.

Are all college players selfless, team-first role models to be more commended than professional athletes? Not at all. So many times we hear about student athletes making stupid mistakes, on and off the field. And not all professional players are just in it for the money and glory; many pro athletes really do play for the love of the game.

Professional sports were corrupted by money. The lure of millions upon millions of dollars causes so many young athletes to skip years of collegiate competition. Now, that greed has created lockouts and stale arguments that threaten the regular season. I don’t expect any NFL games to be missed; the season is too short and there’s too much money to be made. However, many analysts expect some, and possibly all of the games in the 2011-2012 NBA season to be missed due to the lockout that recently went into effect.

College sports will get more attention this upcoming season, no matter how many professional games are cancelled. New potential will be discovered, more teams will be spotlighted, and the sports fan will get a chance to really watch the true athletes perform.