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The problem is you're attempting to say that these objective events provide unquestionable, 100% clear insight into an inherently subjective judgment. I suggest you reconsider whether you prefer looking at the NCAA 64-team playoffs or sit waiting for the basketball polls as the better arbiter of the number one basketball team in the country. If you're telling me that it's the latter, you should seek professional help.

As far as your contention that I would be 'arguing the same stuff,' well, DUH. That's because I've repeatedly stated that head-to-head matchups don't make sense in a non-playoff context. Certainly, a strong team from a weak conference can have a good game or two after the season. But over the course of a four or five game playoff, or as the 64 is, an 8 game playoff, that lucky streak will burn out. That's why strong conferences get more bids to the basketball playoffs and conference tournament winners usually only get one, too.

And I know there's no way USC would schedule Louisiana Lafayette or Tech--they're too busy desperately playing any powerhouse that will have them to make up for their wuss conference's pisspoor power ratings, so they actually have a CHANCE to go to the BCS...which they will then denigrate and whine about if they don't get in. Whine, whine, whine.

But you keep thinking I'm dreaming. The advent of playoffs will provide a bit of reality for you in a few years. Then you'll sip your chardonnay glumly after the inevitable second or third round PAC absence (and probably fair-weather-fan your way to root for a good football team).

I was thinking about another one of your recent feeble attempts to spin the head-to-head meetings between the Pac-10 and the SEC over the past couple years, where the Pac has won 6 of the last 7. You imply that the results of these games don't mean anything, because in your mind, the SEC teams, playing their tougher league schedule, are more beat up as the year goes by, while incredibly, the Pac teams are able to play their soft brand of ball and no one gets beat up or injured. But think for a minute. When would the SEC and Pac teams play? Sometime in the first month of the season (mixed in there with a Louisiana Lafayette and a Louisiana Tech), but before your so-called 'attrition' factor would have taken place, indeed well before a league game has been played, for either team. The other time the two leagues would play would be in a bowl game, when everybody gets at least a month off to get healthy! So even this incredible spin is shown to be folly.

As for your basketball question, I do prefer the playoff system, because the teams play head-to-head, which is the real indicator of who is good and who is not. You seem to feel the same way, which makes your discounting of the Pac-10's recent dominance over the SEC, winning six of the last seven meetings all the more strange. All I can say is that you guys should feel real happy with your half-title, and real lucky you didn't have to play USC, because that number would be 7 out of 8 right now.