Monday, December 06, 2004
College Football is stupid
Of course, this should be nothing new to anyone with a passing interest in college football. The final BCS rankings released yesterday just reaffirm what I've been preaching for a long long time: the college football season is, essentially, a waste of time. Consider the following.
Auburn finished the season undefeated and were champions of the SEC conference which was far and away the toughest conference in America this season. Not even a question. Easily the most difficult. Among Auburn's victims this season were defending co-national champ LSU, Georgia (whom they dismantled), Alabama, and Tennessee (twice!). Yet Auburn, despite doing everything they were asked to do in order to get a chance to play in the national title game (the Orange Bowl this season) will have to settle for the Sugar Bowl. The meaningless Sugar Bowl. There, they'll play a Virginia Tech squad that never really factored into the national picture all season long.
Oklahoma, instead of Auburn, will play USC in the title game. USC has been #1 since the start of the season and are unquestionably deserving of a place in the championship game. Oklahoma? Well, this is two seasons in a row, now, that Oklahoma is "that team" that probably doesn't deserve to be playing in the national title game, but will because of their name recognition. OU rolled in a pretty weak Big 12 conference this season with their only marquee victory coming over Texas (more on that fiasco later). Just Texas. That's it, really. They beat a relatively miserable Colorado team for the Big 12 title. Colorao? Who cares! Fact is that Oklahoma fattened up on a mediocre conference and were tested mightily by the likes of Oklahoma St. and Texas A&M. Two years in a row that they've caught an undeserving break.
Speaking of undeserving breaks, how about Texas? The Longhorns were fifth in both polls behind California. Due to the convoluted, bureacratic crapper that is the BCS, Utah's inclusion in the top six meant that there was only room for either Cal or Texas to get the final BCS birth (there are 8, for all you playing at home). Going into this past Saturday, Cal, as mentioned before, was ahead of Texas in both the AP and Coaches poll as well as the B(C)S. Cal defeated a game Southern Mississippi team on the road. Texas did not play. So tell me, then, how is it fair that Texas jumped probably the second best team in the country (Cal) in the BCS? It's not! It makes no sense. It's not right. How do you tell a team that they were better off not playing than winning a tough road game? It goes against every single competitive tendancy known to man. Cal's only loss? USC. A game that Cal, by all rights, should have won! Texas' only setback was to Oklahoma. Yup, the Big 12 is getting a free pass this year for no apparent reason.
Because no bowl games besides the Orange Bowl matter this year (no game besides the "title" game has ever mattered since the advent of the BCS), the conference champions have filled out the other BS affiliated bowls.
Orange: USC vs. Oklahoma -- probably will be a good game.
Sugar: Auburn vs. Virginia Tech -- if Auburn wins, they should be co-champs even though they were never given the chance to be outright champs.
Rose: Michigan vs. Texas -- Cal should be here and instead goes to the worthless Holiday Bowl. What an insult! Also, this game? Who cares.
Fiesta: Utah vs. Pittsburgh -- talk about a crap matchup. The ratings will tank and tank hard for this one. Pitt is mediocre at best, but won the Big East which probably isn't even as good as the Mountain West Conference. Speaking of the MWC, Utah (also unbeaten!) is about as attractive a team for a new year's day bowl as Edward James Olmos is a beauty queen. The Fiesta is going to lose lots of money this year and I'll be cheering all the while as it happens.
Again, I can't see any reason beyond having an affiliation to one of the schools that anyone would give a crap about a game that isn't the Orange Bowl this season. They're exhibition games. They don't matter. Auburn or Texas or Utah will not have a chance to progress to the next round of playoff competition and fairly have a chance at a championship. All things being equal, this season is no different that playing a video game and simulated all the matchups for your school instead of physically playing. It's true for Cal who got screwed despite winning this weekend and it's true for Auburn who only went undefeated a won the toughest conference in America decisively. Too bad for them that preseason favoritism was on the side of Oklahoma.
My largest complaint with college football has always been that the regular season has more significance than the post season. There is no other sport in the world where this is the case (and there shouldn't be because every freaking idiot knows that the playoffs are what matter and the regular season should dictate seeding for the post season). Now, however, it appears that I'm wrong. Not even the regular season matters.
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Auburn finished the season undefeated and were champions of the SEC conference which was far and away the toughest conference in America this season. Not even a question. Easily the most difficult. Among Auburn's victims this season were defending co-national champ LSU, Georgia (whom they dismantled), Alabama, and Tennessee (twice!). Yet Auburn, despite doing everything they were asked to do in order to get a chance to play in the national title game (the Orange Bowl this season) will have to settle for the Sugar Bowl. The meaningless Sugar Bowl. There, they'll play a Virginia Tech squad that never really factored into the national picture all season long.
Oklahoma, instead of Auburn, will play USC in the title game. USC has been #1 since the start of the season and are unquestionably deserving of a place in the championship game. Oklahoma? Well, this is two seasons in a row, now, that Oklahoma is "that team" that probably doesn't deserve to be playing in the national title game, but will because of their name recognition. OU rolled in a pretty weak Big 12 conference this season with their only marquee victory coming over Texas (more on that fiasco later). Just Texas. That's it, really. They beat a relatively miserable Colorado team for the Big 12 title. Colorao? Who cares! Fact is that Oklahoma fattened up on a mediocre conference and were tested mightily by the likes of Oklahoma St. and Texas A&M. Two years in a row that they've caught an undeserving break.
Speaking of undeserving breaks, how about Texas? The Longhorns were fifth in both polls behind California. Due to the convoluted, bureacratic crapper that is the BCS, Utah's inclusion in the top six meant that there was only room for either Cal or Texas to get the final BCS birth (there are 8, for all you playing at home). Going into this past Saturday, Cal, as mentioned before, was ahead of Texas in both the AP and Coaches poll as well as the B(C)S. Cal defeated a game Southern Mississippi team on the road. Texas did not play. So tell me, then, how is it fair that Texas jumped probably the second best team in the country (Cal) in the BCS? It's not! It makes no sense. It's not right. How do you tell a team that they were better off not playing than winning a tough road game? It goes against every single competitive tendancy known to man. Cal's only loss? USC. A game that Cal, by all rights, should have won! Texas' only setback was to Oklahoma. Yup, the Big 12 is getting a free pass this year for no apparent reason.
Because no bowl games besides the Orange Bowl matter this year (no game besides the "title" game has ever mattered since the advent of the BCS), the conference champions have filled out the other BS affiliated bowls.
Orange: USC vs. Oklahoma -- probably will be a good game.
Sugar: Auburn vs. Virginia Tech -- if Auburn wins, they should be co-champs even though they were never given the chance to be outright champs.
Rose: Michigan vs. Texas -- Cal should be here and instead goes to the worthless Holiday Bowl. What an insult! Also, this game? Who cares.
Fiesta: Utah vs. Pittsburgh -- talk about a crap matchup. The ratings will tank and tank hard for this one. Pitt is mediocre at best, but won the Big East which probably isn't even as good as the Mountain West Conference. Speaking of the MWC, Utah (also unbeaten!) is about as attractive a team for a new year's day bowl as Edward James Olmos is a beauty queen. The Fiesta is going to lose lots of money this year and I'll be cheering all the while as it happens.
Again, I can't see any reason beyond having an affiliation to one of the schools that anyone would give a crap about a game that isn't the Orange Bowl this season. They're exhibition games. They don't matter. Auburn or Texas or Utah will not have a chance to progress to the next round of playoff competition and fairly have a chance at a championship. All things being equal, this season is no different that playing a video game and simulated all the matchups for your school instead of physically playing. It's true for Cal who got screwed despite winning this weekend and it's true for Auburn who only went undefeated a won the toughest conference in America decisively. Too bad for them that preseason favoritism was on the side of Oklahoma.
My largest complaint with college football has always been that the regular season has more significance than the post season. There is no other sport in the world where this is the case (and there shouldn't be because every freaking idiot knows that the playoffs are what matter and the regular season should dictate seeding for the post season). Now, however, it appears that I'm wrong. Not even the regular season matters.
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