Sports had a profound impact on my youth. My father, Gary Kensing was a successful and respected basketball coach in Arizona and got me interested the game at a very early age. Despite my painfully unquick feet and a vertical that could barely clear a dictionary, I had a decent enough jumper to compensate. My best football, however, was played on Sega Genesis’ Bill Walsh Football. Having an outstanding coach for a dad, coupled with a physique that would have made Shawn Bradley look like Hulk Hogan, made basketball my destiny. But I always loved spending Saturday with my parents to watch college football.
The University of Arizona was in the peak of its Desert Swarm defense when the sport first got my attention. Every Saturday when I turn on the TV for a full day of football, it brings back every happy memory: gathering around the TV and Christmas tree for UA vs. Syracuse in the Aloha Bowl; Dad laughing and shouting gleefully when Chuck Levy returned a punt for a touchdown against Miami in the Fiesta Bowl; waking to cheers when Ortege Jenkins somersaulted into the end zone to seal a win over Washington I had given up on; eating dinner in the living room so as not to miss any of the 1998 Holiday Bowl.
My basketball career never took off, but thanks to my father my love of college football did and has taken me to some great places. I have had the chance to cover bowls, national championships, and be field level with 93,000 around me in the Coliseum as a reporter. I have had much joy in simply following the game. So anytime I fail to box out or get beat defensively in city league hoops, he can take solace knowing at least one of the sports passions he instilled in me paid off.