College Football Ping.
Freepmail me to be added to this list.
Posted on 11/28/2005 3:52:48 PM PST by LisaMalia
Early Tourneys Over the BCS?
The good folks at ESPN have taken this past week and labeled it for all us college basketball fans. "Feast Week" is not only a take on our most gluttonous holiday, but it's also the first opportunity of the hoops season to handle a massive amount of rainbow shots, floor burns, and alley oops. While some of these games are scheduled beforehand, most of the interesting contests at this time happen in those delightful little "preseason" tournaments.
From the heart of New York to the sands of Maui, universities send their most prolific hoopsters to those wonderful competitions where squads can gauge their abilities heading into the meat of their seasons. And hey, what's wrong with taking in the scenery of the Big Apple or an Alaskan Glacier?
I know that this is football season, and everybody's pumped up for the BCS. However, as blasphemous as it may sound, I think I prefer these small hoops gatherings to the late-season pigskin craze. Now, in my mind, March Madness has the BCS beat, hands-down. But there just seems to be more potential for excitement and hope right now, when sneakers squeak for the first time in months.
Maybe that's why I'm enjoying this week so much, despite my lack of watching many games due to my early morning schedule. So, why the lack of postseason love, you ask? I'll try to open your minds.
I will admit that several football games have made the 2005 season very interesting lately. Fresno State/USC was a classic shootout. Miami, with that new division title in hand, was bogged down at the wrong time by Georgia Tech. Heck, even LSU had a tough time hanging on against Arkansas on Friday.
Then again, could these games top Duke's nail-biter against Memphis in the NIT finals? How about LaMarcus Aldridge saving Texas from an early season loss against West Virginia at the Guardians Classic? Don't forget about the runs of Gonzaga and Michigan State in Maui, including their 109-106 triple-overtime meeting in the semis.
They all ended up to be just one win or loss in columns that will add up to 25 or 30 games as the season ends, but these losses don't sting right now. Perhaps the best news from these matchups, though, is that we may very well see them again come March, when everything will be on the line.
That's a problem with the BCS. With the bowls running who comes into their stadium after the New Year, you aren't as likely to see some of the better games replayed in the postseason. A Texas/Ohio State rematch seems pretty impossible right now. How about USC and Notre Dame hooking up again? I wouldn't waste your wishes. That's the beauty of these tourneys. The billing of a national championship preview could be a true statement.
At the moment, you might be thinking, "How crazy is he? Early basketball against the BCS race? Haven't the white coat guys come in and strapped him up, yet? Every single game in the college football season matters, especially right now."
Sure, I hear ya, but I ain't buying the argument. True, the basketball regular season holds the attention less than football's equivalent. But don't give me the line that "every game matters." Tell me, how big was that Tennessee/Kentucky battle? Then there's this year's Egg Bowl, where Ole Miss and Mississippi State had one SEC win between them going into the game. Even the normally important Nebraska/Colorado tilt might have sealed up spots in the Houston and Champs Sports Bowls.
Even in an early basketball tournament, mediocre teams get to place themselves in a situation where they play over a consecutive number of days. It's an opportunity to see flaws and strengths against different styles of play. Michigan State may be 2-2 after leaving Hawaii, but you have to believe that those two losses will help them more than any early loss would benefit USC's football squad.
Now, I will admit that there are a lot of those illegitimate school tournaments. You know, the ones where one big-time program invites three schools from the MEAC, Southland, and Big Sky Conferences (or the like). Those piddly excuses for games should basically go the way of the former August football games.
However, give teams a chance to go up against strong competition, and they can find out more about their capabilities. Who knows, maybe they could turn a few heads, just like Florida did in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
But overall, these tournaments let players determine their championships by ... well, playing. The politicking and headaches of the current bowling system can bring an annoying feeling to the month of November. So, isn't it nice to see someone enjoy playing a game for once?
Sure, you can take the preceding sentiments as those of a basketball nut. But I tell you, I wouldn't mind taking an island vacation right about now? You?
The BCS is simply awful. A playoff is needed. They have it in Div. III, in Div. II, and in Div I-AA. Any excuse for not having one in Div. I-A is simply put, BCS without the C.
ping
Barring an upset of USC or Texas this weekend, the BCS will do what it intended to do (for the first time in several seasons) and that is put the best two football teams on the field to determine the champion.
Without the BCS, USC would be playing Penn State in the Rose Bowl and Texas would be playing in the Cotton Bowl (?). Assuming USC and Texas both win their bowl games, there would be no consensus #1.
Now, having said that, I'm a proponent of a limited 4-team playoff for college football. That would have avoided the Auburn snub of last year and the USC snub from the year before.
I would love the BCS formula to be used to get the 8 or 16 best teams out there for a post season tournament like the NCAA basketball tourney.
Limit the football seasons to 10 or 11 games, use the BCS to determine the best set of teams, and let them play it out. 2 or 4 teams really isn't enough. Honestly I think 8 would be perfect, but I think 16 would work as well.
With 8 teams, you could still go with the big 6 conference tie-ins and 2 at large bids. Or you could do a straight forumula-based field. I think it works out either way this year, but no big deal.
With 16 teams, you could have tie-ins with all 11 D-1A conferences with 5 at large bids. Might share the wealth a bit, and it gets the small guys involved too.
Who wouldn't want to see Fresno v. USC again? I do.
I went to a football game once.. That is I think I did. Is football the one where you throw a round object through a hoop?
Texas would be playing Alabama in the Cotton Bowl or LSU or Georgia in the Sugar Bowl under the old system.
I don't know about that.
There aren't any 4 loss teams anywhere near the top 16 of the BCS.
That's the kicker.
The 5 at-large bids need to be within the top 16 of the BCS.
Texas would be playing in the Orange Bowl, going by old Big 8 ties.
why was I thinking Sugar Bowl?
I seem to have Texas A&M playing Ohio State in early 1999 in the Sugar Bowl....
If Florida State wins the ACC Championship game, they'd be 8-4, and receive the BCS bid, in the current system and your proposed one, since conference champs receive an automatic bid.
Never mind, answered my own question....in 1999 the BCS was there dur Mike!!
I think they would be playing Virginia Tech in Orange Bowl, going by old Big 8 ties, not SWC ties.
Sure they would, but the BCS isn't going away. Wisconsin still doesn't have a gripe as they are the 3rd best team in their own conference and aren't in the BCS top 16 quite yet.
Actually, I'd like to see Ohio State go head to head with USC this year, though of course it won't happen. I think it might look like a replay of the "David vs. Goliath" scenario, when we beat Miami to win the NC.
you're right...
I got my years all screwed up and started pointing to a BCS year as a tie-in....
yeah but I think OHio STate is better this year than they were in 2002, but they aren't nearly as lucky sometimes :)
This isn't the best USC team either. That was last year. This year's team has a couple holes on defense that no one has been able to exploit yet.
If anyone has the defense to shut down USC, it might be Ohio State. But I thought Texas might have that defense too, and then A&M ran all over them.
College football: the only major college sport where one can be eliminated from title contention after the first week of the season.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.