Disconnected (Out of Touch)
Split titles, a mockery of a great sport, and an embarrassment of my favorite team, what do these three items have in common? They were all created by college football's "Beyond Comedy System" (BCS). The system is so warped and twisted that two of its original 3 components have bowed out entirely. But who needs sportswriters and coaches anyway. What do they know? What would be the logical solution? A playoff? (cue Jim Mora Sr. following Peyton Manning's 6 INT game) Playoff?!? Since University Presidents enjoy receiving checks from allegedly self-respecting businessmen in tangerine (or worse) blazers, the bowl system is here to stay. Even if it were up to the NCAA, they're too busy backtracking from declaring nicknames and mascot "hostile and offensive" to actually take a step forward. (Side note: I'm still waiting for my alma mater's mascot to be declared offensive to Katrina evacuees which may very well happen since Tulane's on the schedule.)
The present solution is to have Harris interactive polling put together a group of football "experts" to watch the games and vote. This poll along with the computers would then decide which two teams earned spots in the Rose Bowl. Like most ideas, it sounds good in theory; however, this weeks first rendition showed a number of alarming practical flaw.
The top 25 look alright, but if you peruse the others receiving votes category, the alarm bells becomes. Yes, the Idaho Vandals, one of the WAC's star recruits to replace the likes of SMU and Rice (I leave Tulsa and Utep out because they've been to a bowl game this decade), received 5 points. Idaho is 0-4 and would not be favored against several high school teams from Oklahoma, Texas, or Florida. Even worse, the five votes were not from one intoxicated pollster voting the Vandals 21st but from 5 independent voters placing them 25th. The Illinois Fighting Illini who were rolled 61-14 by a good Michigan St. team received 14 points. What's next? The Owls will get points (Temple or Rice I think I've made my point.)
Since a playoff won't happen immediately, I still contend that the fans should legitimately have a vote. We after all watch the games and can reasonably assess what we've seen. There may be some bias with individual voters but most rational fans will be able to vote for teams they may not root for because they are legitimately better.
While I have my hopes set on a playoff, here are the 5 things I want to see before I die:
The present solution is to have Harris interactive polling put together a group of football "experts" to watch the games and vote. This poll along with the computers would then decide which two teams earned spots in the Rose Bowl. Like most ideas, it sounds good in theory; however, this weeks first rendition showed a number of alarming practical flaw.
The top 25 look alright, but if you peruse the others receiving votes category, the alarm bells becomes. Yes, the Idaho Vandals, one of the WAC's star recruits to replace the likes of SMU and Rice (I leave Tulsa and Utep out because they've been to a bowl game this decade), received 5 points. Idaho is 0-4 and would not be favored against several high school teams from Oklahoma, Texas, or Florida. Even worse, the five votes were not from one intoxicated pollster voting the Vandals 21st but from 5 independent voters placing them 25th. The Illinois Fighting Illini who were rolled 61-14 by a good Michigan St. team received 14 points. What's next? The Owls will get points (Temple or Rice I think I've made my point.)
Since a playoff won't happen immediately, I still contend that the fans should legitimately have a vote. We after all watch the games and can reasonably assess what we've seen. There may be some bias with individual voters but most rational fans will be able to vote for teams they may not root for because they are legitimately better.
While I have my hopes set on a playoff, here are the 5 things I want to see before I die:
- Cures for Cancer
- Political Harmony
- Meaningful Government Spending Cuts
- A College Football Playoff
- Tulsa actually winning a title in a revenue producing sport
Thanks to Trapt for this morning's song title.
posted by Aaron at 1:43 AM
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