It's time.
The airing of grievances shall now commence. Some of them are obvious, some a little more obscure. But the head honchos in charge of our beloved game need to take notice.
Either enforce the horse-collar rule all the time, or get rid of it. Some conferences call it with regular frequency, while others ignore it completely.
Nobody is on the same page on this. Nobody. Fix it, or ditch the rule.
Can fans shut up about their teams having a disadvantage of having to play in harsh weather?
Look, fair weather is an equalizer. Bad weather can be a hindrance in the passing game. While we are sure teams from the Midwest have played in some bad weather, so have teams in the West. Hard to believe, but we get rain and fog here, especially in the Northwest. It rains here more than you get snow on game day. Deal with it.
Honestly, how many times has it snowed during game day in Ann Arbor? The Great Blizzard of 1978 was the last time Ann Arbor called an official snow day, so frankly, we don't know what you are complaining about, and furthermore, last time we checked, it's hot in September everywhere, so quit pretending you don't know how to play in heat.
Will networks please dump any commentator/analyst who refers to a team they are talking about as "we" or "us?"
Lou Holtz refers to Notre Dame as "we." OK, we get it. He loves his school. But didn't he also coach at Minnesota and South Carolina? Look, good for Lou for loving his school, but it's nauseating to listen to a college football analyst not even hide where his bias lies.
Add Philip Fulmer to the list. Ex- Tennessee coach Phil referred to Florida as "we" when he said, (paraphrased) "We...Florida has a good chance if they do that (referring to the defense)." What the heck? Did Fulmer even go to Florida? Nope. Didn't coach there either. He has coached at Tennessee, Vanderbilt and Wichita State. The "we" must be referring to the conference.
If you ask a coach to be a guest on a show and give his expert opinion on which he thinks is a better team or which will win, doesn't the "we" reference kind of destroy all of his credibility for being unbiased?
Preseason rankings should be banished from football forever.
Did we not learn anything from Utah or Clemson? One was vastly overrated, one underrated. Too many times teams are given lofty rankings while gorging their way through cupcakes. No ranking should come out before week six, as by that time, at least one conference game will have been played. Want proof?
This is the rankings list for Week Five in college football: 1. Oklahoma, 2. Alabama, 3. LSU, 4. Missouri, 5. Texas, 6. Penn State, 7. Texas Tech, 8. BYU, 9. USC, 10. South Florida. Auburn, by the way, was ranked ahead of Utah.
Preseason polls were even worse. LSU, Mizzou, West Virginia, Auburn, Clemson, Wisconsin, Kansas, Arizona State, and Ohio State were all ranked in the top 15. Hoo-rah. Utah wasn't ranked in the top 30.
Stop the madness.
No broadcast media analyst or or commentator should post how he will rank the teams under any circumstances.
Thank you, Kirk Herbstreit, for making college football more popular than ever. But as a voter, it is too controversial for you to post your rankings unless every voter does it. Some voters haven't even watched all the games, and may be influenced by that list.
Furthermore, posting your rankings at 10 p.m. PST—when some West Coast teams aren't even done with their games—takes them out of the equation. Had you stayed up to watch some Boise State or Utah games, perhaps they would have gotten more respect before it was too late?
Your and Corso's suggestions that all Pac-10 teams should have their games scheduled by noon so everyone can watch them is hilarious. It's dang hot out here until October—if LSU schedules their games late in the afternoon to take away the heat as a factor, why can't the Pac-10? Here's another thought—why can't YOU stay up and watch the games since it's YOUR job to fairly analyze ALL games?
The Rose Bowl needs to get rid of one of the auto-berths, and the other team have an autoberth in the new stadium in Texas.
I'll start it off- the Big Ten can have Pasadena and the Pac-10 can have the new Cowboys' stadium as its new bowl. Or vice-versa. Bring on another bowl and get the format of two autoberths in one bowl ditched permanently.
To hell with tradition—everyone complained about the BCS Bowls changing tradition and now it's part of our routine. Humans adapt. Go for it.
Pass interference penalty should be marked at the spot of the foul.
How obvious is this one? If a team is making a last ditch comeback and throws a bomb from its own 20 with thirty seconds left and interference is called, they get the ball at their own 35 and a first down. Meanwhile, if the ball had been caught on their opponents' 30, the offense would have plenty of time to score from that position.
The only team that benefits from a pass interference call with little time left is usually the defense-that's why they do it intentionally. Fifteen yards marched off is better than a touchdown, isn't it?
Any team that schedules an FCS team on its schedule should not be eligible for a national championship game or any bowl.
For crying out loud, if you want to be declared the best team in FBS football, then schedule all FBS teams. Numerous teams had TWO FCS teams on their schedule—Clemson, Texas Tech, Kentucky (one was a probationary FBS team) and Florida State.
Kentucky is a prime example of what is wrong with the bowl system (sorry Wildcats, you have great fans, but your season was ridiculous). The Wildcats did not beat one team with a winning record, and scheduled these teams on its non-conference slate: Norfolk State, Western Kentucky (probationary), Louisville, and Middle Tennessee State.
The Wildcats went 2-6 in their conference—TWO AND SIX—beating only Miss. State and Arkansas, two teams with losing records and who had a combined record of 9-15. Add the fifth and sixth wins to their 4-0 cupcake wins and Voila! Bowl eligibility.
Nobody is fooled by this padding of schedule, yet some conferences point with pride at how their conference has eight or nine teams in bowls. Yup, we are impressed.
It really doesn't matter that Kentucky beat their CUSA opponent in a bowl—they should have never been playing in one in the first place. Bowls should be rewards for good play, not beating FCS teams and teams with losing records.
Big Ten, Big 12, SEC and USC fans need to stop their whining and/or bragging.
Shut up, USC fans. Seriously. Quit babbling about how you deserve to be No. 1. The only team that has a clear case for No. 1 is undefeated Utah. Period. Yes, like Texas, Penn State, Texas Tech and maybe Boise State, you all had a legitimate argument for why you should have been considered more for the title game. But that doesn't make you No. 1.
Shut up SEC fans. If you're gonna go around blabbing about how your conference won two NC's in a row, then recognize that you did it beating the same overrated team that some other teams have beat—Ohio State.
Bag on Ohio State, but it diminishes your victory. Bag on USC for beating a Big Ten team, and it takes all credibility away from the LSU and Florida victories—after all, if it's no big deal beating a Big Ten team, then what are you bragging about?
Shut up, Big 12 fans. The BCS didn't put the screws to you, your conference did. Mack Brown hates the BCS, so why his own conference made the BCS the tie-breaker rule is irony at its best. But there's more—please stop making the OU 70, Florida 10 predictions. Hasn't Stoops' last four BCS Bowls taught you anything?
Shut up, Big Ten fans. My goodness, the whining over you guys always having to play better teams is ridiculously comical. If you would show up and play against a fast team, we wouldn't be having this argument.
The whining over you always having to travel to Pasadena is old, too. In the 1950s you won nine out of the 10 games in that decade. From 1988 to 2000, the Big Ten won nine out of 13 Rose Bowls. It wasn't an issue then, so quit making it one now.
Since some conferences feel that when one of their teams wins an NC, the whole conference won the trophy, the FedEX CEO should take a monster ice pick and chisel that crystal ball into 12 separate pieces at the trophy presentation and hand one piece to each team's AD from either the Big 12 or SEC. After all, it's their championship, too.
Let's see how that goes over. I'm sure Oklahoma would love to hand over a chunk of their crystal to Iowa State, Kansas State and Baylor, or Florida hand over some to Mississippi State, Tennessee and Auburn. After all, they earned it. They're part of the conference, and the conference "won" it.
The transitive theory in football (if team A is better than team B, and team B is better than team C, then that proves team A will beat C or is better than C) rarely works in college football. Neither does team A loses to team B and team B loses to team C, so team C is the best.
Proof No. 1: Oklahoma is team A, Texas Tech is team B, Texas is team C.
Oklahoma beat Texas Tech who beat Texas, but Oklahoma didn't beat Texas. Texas beat Oklahoma.
Proof No. 2: USC is Team A, Oregon State is team B, Penn State is team C.
USC got beat by Oregon State, and Oregon State got beat by Penn State, but Penn State didn't beat USC. Just because a team beats you doesn't mean that the team who beat the team you lost to is better.
Any fan who starts saying their team "would beat another team by a (insert number here) points" when those teams don't play each other should be taken behind the woodshed and flogged.
Just how dumb does it look to make stupid arguments based on something that CANNOT be proved? Furthermore, Ole Miss beating Texas Tech, Georgia Tech beating Georgia, Oregon State beating USC, Iowa beating Penn State, Ole Miss beating Florida and App State beating Michigan all prove that anything can happen in college football. Shut up already.
If Ohio State tanks it in the Fiesta Bowl, there needs to be an immediate cease and desist on autoberths and the maximum of two BCS Bowl berths per conference.
I know it hurts, but dang it, sometimes reality bites. The only reason why Ohio State is in the Fiesta Bowl is because a conference can't have more than two teams in BCS Bowls. Boise State and Texas Tech lost out because the Big 12 already had two teams in BCS Bowls and a non-BCS team can only send one team.
Ohio State, as co-champs of the Big Ten, found themselves in a hornet's nest through no fault of their own, but still...when you're co-champs of a BCS conference, shouldn't you show up in big games? Please, Buckeyes, please, don't embarrass the Big Ten, or you're going to get hammered.
The Orange Bowl was a joke.
Did you see all of the orange empty seats? It was a colossal embarrassment for the BCS and proof that guaranteed bowl berths for conference champions are the death of legitimacy in college football.
The BCS Bowls will be PPV in a couple of years.
No one is dumb enough to believe that the rates ESPN charges cable companies will stay the same after that monster bid they made to get the rights to the BCS Bowls was accepted. Whether it's actual PPV per game, or a substantial rise in our cable subscription rates passed on by the cable companies, we, the football fan will be paying for it and the monopoly on college football will have been completed.
No wonder Keith Jackson left college football. Between the BCS, monster bids to get BCS Bowls and the politicking of sports experts, it's enough to make you hurl. Take us with you, Keith.
Any college football game ending after 9 p.m. EST should be re-broadcast the following day at a decent midday time so that it can be watched (can you hear me, voters?) by any interested parties.
If nothing else, more fans would be introduced to Western football. Let's face it, at 9 a.m., the West Coast is watching Eastern and Southern football games and by the time some of our 7 p.m. games start, y'all are in bed.
The Dr. Lou thing isn't working.
Love his sense of humor, but the Dr. Lou thing is getting old and corny. Maybe ESPN could fill the time slot by having everyone be opposite of themselves for five minutes?
Think of the possibilities: Mark May would have a man-crush on UCLA, Lou Holtz would be referring to the USC Trojans as "us", Herbstreit would be a Big East fan, Corso would have to hold a Bic pen instead of a Ticonderoga pencil in his hand and Rece Davis and Chris Fowler would actually have to pick a team instead of just holding down the fort.
CBS makes a deal with the SEC, so now we are forced to watch SEC games or Notre Dame on two of the big three networks.
This mean we have to choose between Notre Dame and Nevada or one of the following compelling games in the SEC: Florida vs. Charleston Southern, Alabama vs. Va. Tech, Arkansas vs. Missouri STATE, Miss. St. vs. Jackson State, LSU vs. Washington, Ole Miss vs. Memphis, Georgia vs. Oklahoma State, Kentucky vs. (insert any directional school here), South Carolina vs. NC State, Tennessee vs. Western Kentucky, or Vandy vs. Western Carolina.
Hopefully, CBS picks one of the two obvious decent games—Bama vs. Va. Tech or Georgia vs. Oklahoma State, and, by gosh, we're sure ESPN will pick up the other.
Pac-10 fans (is there such a thing?) need to stifle the 5-0 chants.
Oh boy, you can't stand it when other conferences bandwagon on a conference, but look who's starting it up now? Congrats, you have reduced yourself to the level of other football conference fans who latch on to a conference because they could possibly have inferiority complexes.
Any Washington (0-12) or Washington State (2-11) fan who yells "5-0" should be forced to watch replays of their games against USC in 2008—69-0 and 56-0—as a reminder as to just where they contributed in that 5-0 Pac-10 bowl record. Capiche?
The Festivus pole is up, it's time for feats of strength and airing of grievances. Let the airings begin!
102 comments Last one added 5 months ago — Leave a Comment
mindi green 6 months ago
I think FL will beat OK by 14 points!!!!! LMAO
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John McClory 6 months ago
I think my main grievance with college football is, in fact, the airing of grievances. Every year we complain about the same things, although you did a good job of bringing up some new issues, Lisa. Still, nobody is on-board with 90% of what college football does - preseason rankings, the idea of a playoff instead of bowls, etc. - yet we keep bringing it to the surface in the midst of each season like it's new material. That's why everyone loved when Obama said the one thing he would change about college football was institute a playoff system. Every fan collectively said, "Yes!" Yet nothing changes and doesn't appear to be changing any time soon. Aren't we sick of expressing our disgust by now?
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Ryan Jelley 6 months ago
I liked most of them Lisa except for the one about the Big Ten fans. We aren't complaining more about playing better teams but that we have to travel further than anyone to go to our bowls while the team we are playing is much much closer. Yes, its been like this forever but eBay and Stubhub haven't been around forever and I've figured that more people are continuing to buy tickets just to resell them normally to someone who is closer to the game.
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Damon Wildman 6 months ago
Loved the article Lisa! I agree on all points.
One of my gripes about the rules in college football is on kickoffs. If the kicker kicks the ball out of bounds the receiving team gets the ball at the 40 yard line. That's one hell of a penalty!
I officiated highschool football at one time and when the kicker kicked the ball out of bounds it was a 5 yard penalty and a re-kick. That seems more appropriate to me for that penalty.
I know its a time concern with the NCAA wanting to shorten the game but a mistake by a kicker could possibly be at least a 20 yards penalty if not more. You don't get that much of a penalty if you hit someone late or chop block a player both potentially dangerous penalties.
Whats up with this shortening football games anyways? I don't see how a couple, three kicks out of bounds a game and a re-kick would add that much time to a game.
How about putting a one minute or thirty second time limit on replay reviews? If you can't come to a decision by that time then the play as called on the field stands.
Oh well I could go on and on, lol!
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Mitch at sportschatplace.com 6 months ago
Thanks Lisa,
For starters I am not in favor of the spot foul of pass interference in college football. I think the officiating has gotten steadily worse (and who thought it could have ever gotten worse than a fair catch being run in for a touch down and counting?) and these guys aren't just deciding games, they are ruining them, this will give them a way to really kill it. If anything we get rid of the refs altogheter and make everything (holding, PI, etc.) reviewable. While they are at it, send the guys to school on how to spot a ball.
Totally agreed about the D-1AA (I don't think I'll ever know the FBS-FCS without having to look it up every time) especially teams whose 6th win to become bowl eligible was against a 1-AA team, that's 5 wins against D-1 competition period. With the Big 12 and SEC missing out on their automatic independence bowl bid, we can only guess what those schedules are going to look like. Even Clemson who played in a new years day bowl only had 5 legit wins, NEW YEARS DAY? of these multiple 5 win teams, Kentucky was the only one who won their bowl game.
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Justin Goar 6 months ago
i agree with mitch on the spot foul rule and the officiating. and another thing i think the NFL should adopt one foot inbounds, but that's a whole other article.
i hope the PAC 10 doesn't give in on the night games thing, i like having a game on at midnight my time.
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Kreskin Annihilation 6 months ago
You can remember it this way:
FBS = B.S. Bowl Games
FCS = Championship Playoff
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Doug Kraus 6 months ago
Great list of grievances Lisa. My biggest grievance is that the season just goes by way too quickly. I love this sport and can't stand when it is over. Then after a few weeks it is back for bowl games, then it is over again.
Here's a few of my own:
1. I can't hate Florida football anymore. Miami is no longer a bunch of thugs, Spurrier is out of Florida, and Bobby Bowden is just a fun old guy.
2. Notre Dame. Because of number 1, I can now hate them even more. My biggest gripe is that they aren't in a conference and get special treatment. I say join a conference, revenue share, or become ineligible for any bowl games.
3. Michigan sucks way too much. As a Buckeye, I loathe all things north of the border but it just isn't fun when the wolverines are more like poodle puppies. Come on guys, get it together so I can muster up some serious anti-scUM sentimentality.
4. People who build new profiles just to post negative, slanderous, nonsensical comments on Bleacher Report. Go post on ESPN.com if you want to act like little babies.
Happy New Year everyone. A couple more days and we can start preparing for Spring Games!
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Steve Auger 6 months ago
Thank you so much for pointing out how stomach-turningly nauseating the "Dr. Lou" segment is. Lou is as blatant a suck-up to ND as Dick Vitale is to Duke. Maybe ESPN can start a "Duke & the Dome" Show in which Lou & Dick spend an hour every week on why ND and Duke are great and every other program is inferior.
Read the book "Under the Tarnished Dome" if you want to discover the true hypocrisy that is Notre Dame football.
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David Tyler 6 months ago
Steve, that book was widely discredited as a second-rate hatchet job years ago. It would be nice if you did not assist the "author" with his luxurious, ill-gotten retirement.
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Steve Auger 6 months ago
Really? Wow, I hadn't heard that. My point in referencing the book is that ND is no different than all the other football factories out there.
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Charles Le Shambeau 6 months ago
Vitale's daughters went to ND
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Steve Auger 6 months ago
I know his daughters went there but I'm certainly his loyalties would remain with Duke.
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Anthony Elias 6 months ago
My #1 grievance with college football...
No matter how much we complain, we the fans, who hold the keys to everything...
Don't do anything about it.
We are so in love with college football, that no matter how bad, or crazy things get, we can never stop watching it. Ever.
College football is in hell. Yet to many of us, Saturdays during the fall are like heaven.
If we were to stop going to college football games, watching them, or buying merchandise...
Believe me, in three weeks or less, college football would make the necessary changes.
But raise your hand if you can boycott college football?
I certainly can't.
So for all your grievances, shove em up the ass unless your willing to something about it.
Because we are all held by the balls when it comes to college football, because we can't give it up to save our lives.
but it was an interesting attempt lisa.
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Mitch at sportschatplace.com 6 months ago
Not to pimp my articles on Lisa's time but I think I've been hammering at this all season, that while we have this great outlet to be heard, the Internet, many instead choose not to. I don't get it, could it be that everyone wants to work for ESPN so they are afraid of pissing them off? Not sure even those guys would respect that.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
I'm a girl....I don't have "balls," this, I keep trying. Yes, we can change it by not showing up to games. Are we willing to skip out? Don't think so. :p
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Scott Pusich 6 months ago
(Raising hand)
I've stopped going to games, and I've stopped watching bowl games. It's not just principle, it's the corruption of the product to the point where the FDA should step in. Oops, I meant the FTC and the Department of Commerce... ;-)
And not a boycott... it's more like infiltrating the game and raising a protest sign. Or even better, highlighting the contradictions of the status quo (using humor when possible) so that the average person (or college football fan) begins to realize that there is not a unanimous consensus, and that indeed "the emperor has no clothes".
This is a similar strategy to that used by protesters at political conventions (to use one recent example). Infiltration and "subverting the dominant paradigm" happens when institutions such as governments or school administrations start thinking the people (or the students) serve them, rather than the other way 'round. They have it comin' to 'em.
My goal is to spread the playoff gospel and I don't care if I piss off a supporter of the status quo; I'm after the "undecideds", the "independents", the "swing voters". Joe College, natch.
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Anthony Elias 6 months ago
I never said you had balls Lisa. I said college football fans in general are held by the balls. A common northeast expression meaning forced. I didn't mean to use that foul language directed towards you. You just happened to be the author of the article. I didn't refer to you once throughout the whole comment except for the last sentence.
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Leo Donelon 6 months ago
Just a little disingenuous. Even in berating USC you keep on plugging how good you feel they are. Thinly veiled. Hope you keep your qb. Maybe tradition aside you guys could come south for a bite. The Rose bowl is not helping you guys.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Leo-
And the Sugar Bowl didn't help you either, now did it? USC is very good, but not the best in the nation. The undefeated team is, IMO.
Look, USC has been to the South this decade, and loved it there. In fact, ever since the Arkansas debacles, they haven't been invited back. Geaux figure.
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Leo Donelon 6 months ago
Pete Carroll is a Arkansas Alum. Maybe the Mitch Mustang switch left hard feelings.
Actually the 03 Sugar brought Crystal, the first of two.
Nothing like a little Cane, sugar cane that is.
USC is an elite team. A better test is against an elite SEC team.
If the Trojans were in the SEC they would challenge for the SEC title every year. It just wouldn’t be automatic like in the PAC 10.
If The Trojans would have had Ole Miss, Alabama, and Florida on their schedule this year, and maintained the same record. USC would have been in the championship game even with the lost.
I would have preferred Florida vs. SC game.
Buckeye/Sooner has been sweet for the Tigers.
As a Professed Gator fan yourself you should fine that second cup of Joe (Sooner) just as sweet.
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Nathan B 6 months ago
One small correction (unless I have been reading the wrong material) -- only one win against an FCS school can count toward your six-win bowl eligibility. So a team cannot win four games and then add two FCS wins to their total to become bowl-eligible. Also, there are several 6-6 teams, such as South Carolina in 2007, who get left out each year. Of course, there are plenty of others that SHOULD get left out and your point about scheduling stands. ;-)
I think the NCAA needs to take one thing at a time, and there are certain things that are probably never going to change. I actually don't want the FCS vs. FBS games to stop because of 1) regional rivalries and 2) games like App State beating Michigan last year. That was a tremendous boost to that program who last year won its 3rd consecutive FCS title. It's about time they got some real attention for it.
I don't think any FCS wins should count toward bowl eligibility, however. The only reason they do is because they need so many damn teams to fill the ridiculolus # of bowls, and it gets worse every year. There's no need to keep teams who play FCS schools out of the bowl system; just don't count the wins toward eligibility.
Finally, do you know how many magazines, newspapers, and online hits preseason rankings sell? If you think those are EVER going to disappear, I will gladly sell you some real estate in central Florida. Wait, how did I come to own real estate in Central Florida ...
Anyway, it's always good to vent, right? ;-)
Thanks!
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C.W. O'Brien 6 months ago
Another slight correction. If a team uses a victory over an FCS team to be bowl eligible (i.e. 5 wins against FBS schools and one win against an FCS team), then that school is not allowed to count an FCS win for bowl eligibility for 4 years.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Kentucky played a probationary 1A school. They are kind of in no-man's land. They won't land on spread sheets for 1A football, but they aren't 2A either. They got away with one in my book.
It's always good to vent.
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Scott Pusich 6 months ago
There are preseason rankings in college basketball, too, and yet somehow they are rendered meaningless in March every year, without fail.
Wonder how that happens?
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Nathan B 6 months ago
Heck, they're rendered meaningless by January most of the time! (Hi, Louisville and Gonzaga =). But people absolutely LOVE them and they sell a TON of magazines, etc. They're not going anywhere ... for better or worse.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
I actually love the preseason mags.
What I don't like is the AP and Coaches Polls the first 6 weeks. Their stats are used for the first BCS ranking, and most of the time, they are way off because most teams have had all 4 cupcakes, possibly a bye and one conference game during that time.
Re FCS schools. The cupcakes are getting out of control. Poor Western Kentucky- they join the Sun Belt this year and I bet their dance card is filled for the next ten years with SEC schools lined up to schedule this "legit" FBS team now.
I agree there are way too many meaningless bowls. It's outta control. When you have a losing conference record like 2-6 and get invited to a bowl, I cry party foul.
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Kent Moore 6 months ago
Lisa,
Regarding your comment about FCS teams is semi-accurate, IMO. You are correct, FBS teams should only play FBS teams. FCS teams should only play FCS teams.
But I have a question...Do you think Oklahoma and Florida belong in the NCG? Each team played an opponent outside of the FBS.
My one grievance -- Out of conference opponents should be randomly selected at the end of each year. Rivalry games can still stay intact (USC vs ND, Florida State vs Florida, etc.) but this would get rid of the whole "Your team doesn't play anyone tough outside of their conference" talk. It would all be random and out of the schools hands. They could even have a lottery style format and make it a big television event.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
I know they are excellent teams, but define "belong." They belong there according to all the rules. But I think a Championship game should not have teams with resumes like The Citadel.
Honestly...look at a team like Washington, who hasn't scheduled an FCS team since at most, the mid 70's. They have the worst schedule every year because they don't schedule cupcakes. All FBS teams, and usually from BCS conferences. That's impressive.
I know lots of schools are trying to build their programs, but scheduling some of these schools is a joke.
How does this random opponent thing work? Usually, games are scheduled years in advance and the schools have budgets already set for each game.
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Kent Moore 6 months ago
I know games a scheduled years in advance but is that really necessary?
At the end of each season have a computer randomly generate every team's Out Of Conference schedule. Therefore, you would see Georgia having to travel to Wisconsin and Miami traveling across the country to Oregon. You could even program the computer so that every team from a BCS conference automatically plays 2 OOC games against other BCS schools. As a result, we wouldn't always be subjected to watching Texas pound UTEP or LSU roll over Louisiana Tech.
I'd also like to see the Out Of Conference games spread throughout the season instead at the front end.
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Charles Keith 6 months ago
Lisa,
It is obvious that your rant on FBS teams scheduling FCS games is directed toward the SEC, but come on is Washington, Washington St. and some of the other Pac 10 teams better than some of the FCS. The SEC would love to play more PAC 10 and Big 10 opponets, talk about cup cakes.
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Bernie 6 months ago
I find tinsel distracting, but this article I can dig!
Lou Holtz is deserving of at least 5 references in your piece here. How very humane of you to not kick the old, senile, raving lunatic any further..
As far as the SEC and its tv. I feel it is well earned. I pride myself on visiting as many college stadiums as I am able. College football is the most passionate of all sports. And it sells in the southeast like No where else. We followed our Dawgs out to Tempe in September. Great venue, beautiful stadium (for its size) and great fans. But they had no idea there would be 20+ thousand fans coming. Local businesses lost some serious coin that any SEC town would have been more than ready for.
My point is that there are no apathetic or even casual fans in the land of grits and humidity.
While I too would much rather see Bama v VATech, if Florida v Charlotte Southern is on and I am near a tv, I'll be watching. So will most any other SEC fan that has Florida on their team's schedule that season. It's just how we are.
Now I gotta get back to work. The bagel shop strike is over. Has anyone seen my gum?
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Kent Moore 6 months ago
The strike is over?!?!?
Another Festivus Miracle!!!!!
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Bernie-
I think you misconstrued what I said. I know how passionate SEC fans are. But that's a region of the US. How would you like it if you were forced to watch Pac-10 games instead of SEC games where you live?
If CBS wants to broadcast the SEC, great. But make it a regional broadcast. Not across the entire US.
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Bernie 6 months ago
Gotcha Lisa. Like I said, I find tinsel distracting. I guess it's easy for us southerners to forget that when we park in front of the tube Saturday afternoon that it is not just a local broadcast. We do live the good life as far as exposure and attention. Actually, to be quite honest we're pampered and spoiled when it comes to exposure and attention.
At any rate, great article as usual.
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Leo Donelon 6 months ago
I find it hard to believe that there is no regional games in the PAC 10. The SEC has at least two, one being Jefferson Pilot. Peception is reality. The City of the Angles is not projected as a football town. How long have the Rams been gone? Its was always the Okland Raiders no matter what the sign said.
If you build it they will come. Stadiums IE Texans
Ratings drive the bus. In the south college football is like a religion. A close Bama/ Gator game get the ratings over USC and powder puff of the week. When has the last time the Notre Dame / USC held national importance. I thick the year it was close the Irish struggled in a bowl!
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Leo Donelon 6 months ago
I find it hard to believe that there is no regional games in the PAC 10. The SEC has at least two, one being Jefferson Pilot. Peception is reality. The City of the Angles is not projected as a football town. How long have the Rams been gone? Its was always the Okland Raiders no matter what the sign said.
If you build it they will come. Stadiums IE Texans
Ratings drive the bus. In the south college football is like a religion. A close Bama/ Gator game get the ratings over USC and powder puff of the week. When has the last time the Notre Dame / USC held national importance. I thick the year it was close the Irish struggled in a bowl!
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John Cate 6 months ago
I don't really have a problem with a team playing one FCS school in a season, especially since everyone gets to play 12 games now. Why not schedule an FCS team and let them get a little cut of the money from big-time college football? After all, that 12th game is going to be a soft touch no matter what. Does it matter if the opponent is Appalachian State, Wofford, Richmond or Montana, instead of some FBS doormat like San Diego State, Idaho, North Texas or Kent State? The first group of teams I listed is probably actually better.
There's a simple solution to the problem of teams using FCS wins for bowl eligibility. Just don't let teams that finish 6-6 play in bowl games. If you require a team to be 7-5 or better, and they use the current NCAA rule and count an FCS win, they're still 6-5 even if you discount that victory. I don't care who you beat or who you lost to, if you finish 6-6 you have no business being in a bowl.
Something needs to be done about the way at-large BCS bowl berths are handed out, regardless of how many points Ohio State loses by this year. Because of the concessions made to the Rose Bowl and the Big 10 and Pac-10 to get them onboard with the BCS, the Big 10 has been basically guaranteed two BCS bowls year after year. Illinois going to the Rose Bowl last year over about 10 better qualified teams was a disgrace. Ohio State getting a BCS bid this year after a season where they didn't beat anyone good is almost as bad. Someone needs to tell the Rose Bowl to either bag their "tradition," or don't let the door hit them in the butt on the way out. Major bowl bids should go to teams that deserve them, even if that means (like in 2008) that one conference might get three while the ACC and Big East get none.
I've hated the 15-yard penalty for pass interference ever since the '91 season. In the Miami-FSU game that year, with the teams ranked 1-2, a Miami player committed an intentional pass interference penalty on a pass in the end zone late in the game, with Miami leading 17-16. Absent that foul, the ball is caught and FSU almost certainly wins the game. Instead, the penalty was assessed, and moments later, FSU's kicker pushed a field goal wide right to lose the game. Miami got what I have always considered an undeserved co-national championship based on a bad rule (and the stupid Pac-10 not letting Washington go play and destroy Miami).
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Nathan B 6 months ago
Well-reasoned as always, John ... that would seem to solve the problem, and I do like the exposure that the FCS schools occasionally get from those games. I guarantee you that the FCS schools want to continue to have the opportunity to play.
And I'm definitely a fan of adopting the NFL's pass-interference rules. That should be a no-brainer.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Agreed on the Rose Bowl, but they are not the only ones throwing a wrench in playoffs. The 8-team playoff was nixed because the conferences that hold conference championships would have to cancel those in order to get the playoffs started, and none of the Big 12, SEC, and ACC wanted that to happen.
Plus networks have contracts with certain bowls. UGH. (insert scream here)
They all have their reasons for not wanting a playoff. Miami's Donna Shalala (spelling is probably wrong) went on record to say that Miami loves its ties to the Orange Bowl.
The fifteen yard PI call rankles me. It almost encourages the D to hammer a WR with 4 seconds left on a long bomb b/c they know the odds are in their favor of winning w/ only a 15 yard march-off. I hate it too. Sorry about your Noles. :(
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HD Handshoe -- BlockONation.com 6 months ago
If Ohio State tanks it in the Fiesta Bowl, there needs to be an immediate cease and desist on autoberths and the maximum of two BCS Bowl berths per conference.
I know it hurts, but dang it, sometimes reality bites. The only reason why Ohio State is in the Fiesta Bowl is because a conference can't have more than two teams in BCS Bowls. Boise State and Texas Tech lost out because the Big 12 already had two teams in BCS Bowls and a non-BCS team can only send one team.
Ohio State, as co-champs of the Big Ten, found themselves in a hornet's nest through no fault of their own, but still...when you're co-champs of a BCS conference, shouldn't you show up in big games? Please, Buckeyes, please, don't embarrass the Big Ten, or you're going to get hammered.
**********************
Lisa, I always love your articles and this one is no different, 5/5 for you!
That being said, I did repost your part about Ohio State and if they lose tonight.
Would you be referring to the same Boise State and Texas Tech teams that lost their respective non-BCS bowl games to TCU and Ole Miss?
I know TxTech did beat them on a last play fluke, but I can't see either of them beating Texas tonight either so, should Ohio State lose....
Just sayin' is all..........
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
I am rooting so hard for Ohio State. I just want them to get that monkey off their back. I actually feel sorry for their fans. A large portion of them have told me they know they will lose and are dreading it. That's sad. A bowl is supposed to be fun for players and fans.
I think the Buckeyes will be pumped up huge for this game, and Texas should be pumped up, but will they be? They are disappointed over not being in the Big 12 CC, and might not take the Buckeyes very seriously. This could be another Sugar Bowl encore!
It all depends on Beanie. He has to have a 150 yard game for Pryor to get in a groove. Having him pass all over the place makes me uncomfortable.
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Iceman 6 months ago
my only complant is espn getting all the bowl games. As a poor college boy, I don't have the cash to pay for all those fricken channels, I am tired of not being able to to watch any of the games i wanna see.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Iceman-
I got news for you- when you get out of college, you're still poor. My advice is to drink heavily. (just kidding)
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J.C. Hagan 6 months ago
About Herbstreit posting his rankings- All rankings by individuals in the media poll are available for free. Many writers post their rankings in their local papers, ow they voted and why. Why Herbstreit does is in no way controversial or abnormal, he just has a bigger stage.
Only only grievance to your grievances is the Big Ten winter thing. First, Big Ten schools are notorious for holding classes while their local school systems have to shut down due to ice and snow. A snow day in high school would happen 5-6 times a year in the upper midwest. Colleges cancel classes once every five or six years. The cold weather does make a difference and that does translate into play. Not as much as the gripers would have it, but it's a lot easier to train when you can run outdoors in February as opposed to being in a giant air bubble.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
J.C-
Many writers may post their rankings, but many don't. Herbstreit's rankings are posted on the world wide leader on College Game Day Final. Yes, he has a bigger stage. HUGE stage.
It's like a presidential election with one candidate having all his ads on ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, and another on PBS. Big difference on how many people will see one candidate's message over another's.
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Charles Le Shambeau 6 months ago
Man! You really have some ax to grind with Notre Dame. What year did you graduate from USC?
But speaking about the weather, do you know why exactly (in the USC-ND series) the ND games are in mid-October and the SC games are in late November? Could it have anything to do with the weather?
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Of course it has to do with the weather.
Notre Dame had an annual series with Nebraska.
The coaches wives hated traveling by train to cold weather destinations.
A wife of a USC official had a chat with Rockne's wife and they presented their idea to have an annual rivalry where the Irish would get to come to sunny California every other year.
Since ND got to have warm weather in Cali instead of cold weather in Nebraska, USC asked that the games in South Bend be in October. (by the way, I have been there in October where it's 30 degrees and raining and it might as well be in November.)
End of story.
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Michael Collins 6 months ago
Charles,
This is from Wikepedia:
(Weather-Schedule) Since 1961, the game has alternated between Notre Dame Stadium in South Bend in mid-October and the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, which serves as USC's home field, in late November. Originally the game was played in both locations in late November, but because of poor weather during that time of the year at South Bend, USC insisted on having the game moved to October in 1961."
The USC-ND game was usually the last or second to last game of the season until 1961 (see link below for historical dates). The Irish played in LA two years in a row on three different occasions in the 50s. So the Trojans have had more home games. Regardless, the Irish record is 42-33-5 against USC.
http://www.cfbdatawarehouse.com/data/div_ia/independents/notre_dame/opponents_records.php?teamid=3035
The wives discussion and convincing Rockne is part of the USC Media Guide. Either way, the Trojans don't want to play the Irish in the cold. October in S.B. may be occasionally brisk, but isn't cold.
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Michael Oleszek 6 months ago
"Florida vs. Charlotte Southern"
Its actually Charleston Southern, and it will be a PPV game, not on CBS or ESPN. The first 2 home games are usually on PPV, but the last 2 years there has been an exception to have them play at Noon, which in Gainesville during the last week of Aug/first week Sept. is like a sauna.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Yeah...I noticed that myself after re-reading it.
Gainesville is a sauna! Florida can be very hot and humid.
For the Orange Bowl (USC- Iowa), hubby and I went and at 11 PM it was almost 100 degrees....almost midnight and we were dripping sweat- it actually lightly rained, and it didn't help! It made it more like a sauna!
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Jay Wierenga 6 months ago
to paraphrase seinfeld "whats the deal with the hostility towards ann arbor?" First off, love the article, and the seinfeld reference.
but i gotta take exception with the implecation that people in michigan whine about the weather. maybe im missing something here (and it wouldnt be a first), but i dont recall someone complaining about the weather.
as someone that is from michigan and now lives in the northwest, i have never heard people complain more about weather in my life than since i moved here. portland received a few inches of snow, and the whole town shut down! my mailman and trash guy stopped doing their jobs, and countless people retreated to their homes in order to wait for the weather to blow over. people came up to me and tried to compare their weather to michigan and said things like "bet you thought you guys had it bad in michigan...haha!"
yeah, good for you, you got some snow. on the west side of michigan, we get some of that too...except its 10 times worse and lasts for 6 months! its not gone in a week with 45-50 degree weather!
okay, back to the article. loved what you said about Lou Holtz...that stuff kills me everytime I watch ESPN. he needs to take a page from herbstreet and find some objectivity.
also, i love the bit about the times for football games out here on the west coast. there is seriously a big problem here. it causes more fragmenting and division amongst football analysts and fans alike. it causes people on the east coast and the midwest to always portray the pac 10 as overrated just because they are not informed. i'd bet that 50-60% of "college football" fans in the midwest had no clue before this year what the nickname of oregon states football team is the beavers. there is a true ignorance in other regions of the country for pac 10 teams and vice versa due to the time difference.
great article, and writing style!
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Jay-
Thanks for the kind words. Ohio State and Michigan fans have written about how USC only plays ND in October in South Bend (true) and ND plays at USC in November. (True)
How they have to always travel to Pasadena (true) and Pac-10 teams don't face harsh weather. (not true). I can show them the game in Oregon where no body could see the field the fog was so bad, and the passing game was taken away.
When I said they are complaining about the weather, I didn't mean living there. I meant that they feel Pac-10 teams wouldn't fare as well if they had to play in the harsh Midwest. My point was that there hasn't been any significant bad weather in a long time on game day. That's all.
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Michael Collins 6 months ago
Fog is bad weather, Lisa? Not much fog in the NFL, though Eugene has its share.
The NFL has snow, rain, wind, cold in November. Recruits who aspire to the NFL need to think of that.
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Chris Schmidbauer 6 months ago
"If Ohio State tanks it in the Fiesta Bowl, there needs to be an immediate cease and desist on autoberths and the maximum of two BCS Bowl berths per conference. "
While I do agree with this one, I dont think you can place the blame on Ohio State. Dont forget the Buckeyes were in the Top 10 of the BCS standings at the end of the regular season. There are five BCS games including the NC, and Ohio State would be one of them regardless of conference tie ins. If you are going to rail against anyone this year blame it on the ACC and Big East, whose teams are on the same level if not worse than those in the Big 10. I understand your claim, but the real reason why TT and Boise St. were not in a BCS game was Cincy and Virginia Tech.
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Kent Moore 6 months ago
Definitely agree. Ohio State would've been in if there wasn't BCS bowl automatic berths. Cincy and VT would've been left out in the cold and Boise State and Texas Tech would've had their time to shine.
If you want to get rid of automatic berths then just make a rule that states "The top ten teams at the end of the season will be in BCS games." Then have a lottery to see who plays who, except for #1 and #2.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Chris-
No, the reason why TT and Boise State aren't in a BCS Bowl is because Oklahoma and Texas and Utah were in the bowls. Tech is a third wheel (only 2 from one conference allowed), and Boise is a second wheel. (Only one BCS buster allowed).
I'm not blaming everything on Ohio State, but for Pete's sake, show up for a bowl. (Even their BCS NC was tainted- that was no interference!)
The Big Ten may impress the Midwest sportswriters, but the rest of the nation is not impressed. I am rooting for the Buckeyes, because I don't want them embarrassed again. But I think the Horns beat them.
Yes, the ACC and Big East are down as well, but the Big ten is REALLY down. 1-5? Yikes. Wisconsin lost to an ACC team though. :(
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Chris Schmidbauer 6 months ago
"No, the reason why TT and Boise State aren't in a BCS Bowl is because Oklahoma and Texas and Utah were in the bowls. Tech is a third wheel (only 2 from one conference allowed), and Boise is a second wheel. (Only one BCS buster allowed)."
I know the logistics of the rules for the BCS, but saying that an OSU loss in this game is the reason there should no longer be automatic berths is a little bit of a stretch in my opinion.
You stated above "If Ohio State tanks it in the Fiesta Bowl, there needs to be an immediate cease and desist on autoberths and the maximum of two BCS Bowl berths per conference.
I know it hurts, but dang it, sometimes reality bites. The only reason why Ohio State is in the Fiesta Bowl is because a conference can't have more than two teams in BCS Bowls. Boise State and Texas Tech lost out because the Big 12 already had two teams in BCS Bowls and a non-BCS team can only send one team."
Those teams are not there because two teams from outside the top 10 of the final BCS rankings were put into BCS bowls (Cincy and VT).
"(Even their BCS NC was tainted- that was no interference!)"
Seriously stop using the Kellen Winslow defense. PI or no PI, I was a part of that team in a staff role, and we were told from day one we didnt belong in that game. I'm sorry but that is a legit win. It is a shame it came down to that, but if you are going to call that championship a sham than so is the mythical national championship by the Trojans in 2003 by the AP.
"The Big Ten may impress the Midwest sportswriters, but the rest of the nation is not impressed. I am rooting for the Buckeyes, because I don't want them embarrassed again. But I think the Horns beat them.
Yes, the ACC and Big East are down as well, but the Big ten is REALLY down. 1-5? Yikes. Wisconsin lost to an ACC team though."
Well I apologize that you find our football inferior, but every conference has its flaws. Pac 10 can claim USC all they want, but having conference schools lose to MWC schools that aren't Utah doesn't impress the Midwest. You feel that the Utah win legitamizes the Pac 10 but it doesn't when the conference is second rate outside of one team. I understand your claims against the Big 10, and my question is if Ohio State wins what does that prove to you and every other media member out there? Does that give the Buckeyes credibility back? Does that stop your USC homerism and hate for the Big 10 love fest? Does it change my love for Ohio State? No because at the end of the day, we all have our preconcieved notions about our conferences. And maybe your school has more cred right now than the Buckeyes, but parroting the Champs Sports score to me, which means nothing in the greatness of conferences, is lame proof in attempting to say that the Buckeyes don't deserve to be in a BCS bowl.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Chris-
I didn't say the game was a sham, but it was tainted. There wasn't pass interference on that play and it was fourth down. After the next OT, Miami did not get the job done, so OSU won. But I say the game should have ended on that fourth down play, and I know a lot of football fans will agree with me.
As far as Ohio State, yeah, I know it's harsh, but it's the way I roll. If Texas destroys Ohio State, I don't want to hear the excuses, which will be one of the following, because they have been pretty much the same for the last two years:
1- It wasn't played in the Midwest where Texas would have lost in the cold weather.
2- Ohio State always has to play the better teams. (this one kills me)
3- One of our players was hurt.
4- We weren't supposed to be here this season. (true for last year, but not the year before or this year)
5- It's not our fault the voters rank us so high. (no comment)
6- Tressel didn't open up the playbook.
7- Our quarterback is a true freshman. (Colt McCoy did well his frosh year)
8- We had to travel 1670 miles while Texas only had to travel 875 miles.
9. We had a two timezone jet lag
10. We had 6 weeks off (my personal favorite)
I just want Ohio State to show up and play a great game. They haven't done it in awhile and if they don't perform well this year, there will be severe backlash against the Big Ten. Huge.
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Chris Schmidbauer 6 months ago
I totally agree with you. Anyone who uses those excuses except the freshman QB one is ignoring the facts. I agree on that. And I apologize if there was a hostile tone, but I am very fond of the '02 team. I do really think it was a borderline call for the PI, but I did think it was a PI. Regardless tho, I agree everyone of those except for the frosh QB thing, cuz I believe that does make a difference imo, is a lame duck excuse. And you won't hear them from my mouth. I know PSU is your Big 10 team, but I think it is unfair how the Buckeyes shoulder the majority of the blame.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Yes, it is unfair for OSU to shoulder all the blame. But the reality is, they are carrying the burden of the Big Ten on their shoulders, just like USC carries the Pac-10's burden. It stinks. But it is there. Part of the anti-Big Ten backlash is due to the SEC fans- "0-9" seems to ring a bell for me. Win here, and you might settle them down a bit! Then again, if Florida spanks OU, you'll here you beat an overrated team. Sometimes, you can't win. Good luck!
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Barry Bromley 6 months ago
Lisa,
Big 10 is 9-8 vs. the mighty SEC in the last few years. Why don't you do a little research before bashing the B10. Yup, all the games are played in SEC country as well. The B10 is fine...nobody's whining but you.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Barry, in the last four years, the Big Ten is 11-22 in bowls. That's "fine" ?????
And against the SEC they are a little over .500 in bowls in the last four years. What's this "last few years"...you mean ten years? What's the time line here? What's that record referring to? Regular season games? Bowls?
Just so I have this straight....you define success as having a one game win over the SEC? What about the ACC? Pac-10?
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Barry Bromley 6 months ago
Lisa,
The "little over .500 vs. the SEC the last four years" is exactly what I'm talking about. Do you not realize the B10 and SEC are tied into the same bowls every year? If the SEC is soooo mighty, why are they losing to the crummy B10? If the B10 is soooo slow, why do they have enough speed to beat the SEC teams? Furthermore, the B10's matchups vs the SEC favor the SEC teams as the B10 has been putting 2 teams in the BCS for the same four year period...meaning the third place B10 team is taking on the second place SEC team....not a fair fight many would argue.
How about the pathetic Wolverines taking down the mighty Florida Gators, in Florida, between trips to the BCS Championship game. Michigan made Florida look rather slow.
Keep drinking the kool-aid.
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Jeff Shull 6 months ago
If UT and A&M can have afternoon games for nearly every game, so can pac 10 teams...i'd argue it gets hotter here than anywhere on the West Coast
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
It's the 100's in September...which means 110 on field. That's dangerous. I'm all for making sure players and fans aren't getting heat strokes! USC usually has 3 night games... it's just too hot. The rest are day games.
Besides, you ask to be a voter or are selected to vote. If you can't take your job responsibilities seriously by watching the games, you shouldn't be voting, no?
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Jeff Shull 5 months ago
not sure what you are getting at with the voter comment, but I've been to LA in August a couple times and it's not near as bad as dealing with Texas humidity. In fact, I don't remember being uncomfortable at all. Perhaps it was luck? anyways, I'm just sayin, A&M typically has 1 maybe 2 night games a season, and it is just as hot, if not hotter, down here as it is anywhere.
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thomas moreland 6 months ago
if Ohio State loses? if??? thats the funniest comment i ve heard today! if texas does not win, i ll be shocked, elctrodes on my gonads shocked!!!! lol good articles lisa agreement with all!
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Scott Pusich 6 months ago
"Mark May would have a man-crush on UCLA, Lou Holtz would be referring to the USC Trojans as "us"..."
ew.
ew.
Thanks, Lisa. :-p
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
:) Thanks Scott.
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Gray Ghost 6 months ago
Wow, this is a great article. How many times have we wondered what the horse-collar rules was all about this season? And the interference call not being from the spot of the foul? My Dawgs proved that preseason rankings don't mean much - and should be banned. You really addressed some excellent issues. Great job Lisa!
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Arizona State, West Virginia, Kansas and Mizzou also were victims of pre-season hype. You're in good company! :)
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Jeremy Throne 6 months ago
How about this...every espn analyst (and I use the term loosely) should have to record their picks for every game each week - including the non-bcs conferences. The results are posted for everyone to see and at the end of the season, the "analyst" with the worst percentage is fired. Maybe that would motivate them to watch west coast games and actually attempt to analyze football instead of being the cheerleader for their favorite team/conference. I'll bet most of us reading these articles watch more college football games at odd times of the day than they do. Heck - if coaches have a losing season, their butts are on the hot seat. Why not add that element to the job of the analyst. This would result in a few less "Pittsburgh is the team to beat" or "Notre Dame will win 11 games this year" fantasies that we usually suffer through, and the utahs, tcu's, and boise's of the world would be closely studied and appreciated for what they bring to the table.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
lol...I think that's what happened to Trev Albert, wasn't it? He had a man crush on Georgia every year....like Mark May's on USC. It does give them character though.
I mean seriously, if Lou wasn't such an Irish homer, the banter between Mays and Holtz would be kinda dull.
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HD Handshoe -- BlockONation.com 6 months ago
What a game....we're better than Chokelahoma!
Texas/OU Texas won 45-35
Texas/OSU Texas won 24-21
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Michael Shibley 6 months ago
Great stuff again Lisa!
I can give Fulmer a pass on the "we" stuff because he hasn't been on TV like that very long.
I think the best way for more people to get a chance to view more of the Pac-10 is to sign a deal like the SEC has with CBS/ESPN and move more of their games to a 3:30 kickoff. I think then more people would be able to watch their games without having to stay up so late.
The thing I don't like about the bowls and conference records in them is that fact that many teams have no heart and do not care to be there. Just ask Texas Tech and Alabama.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Yeah....I think the BCS NC game blinded them. Never underestimate cornered dogs- they fight back hardest when they have no other choice.
Why Alabama, who hasn't see the Sugar Bowl in umpteen years, decided they are too good for the Sugar Bowl is beyond me. A shame. I think they could have played better, BUT....still think Utah is the better team.
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Doug Kraus 6 months ago
After watching my Buckeyes put up the good fight in the Fiesta Bowl last night, I have to air one more grievance...
FOX Sports broadcasting the BCS Bowls SUCKS! They are awful. They know nothing about college football, they are just a bunch of NFL guys. And the worst part is the camera shots. How many plays were missed last night? I think they showed the cheerleaders once, the Texas band 100 times and Colt McCoy's parents 200 times. Proves once again the BCS is all about money.
Great game though.
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Thomas Johnsen 6 months ago
Of course it's about the money, it's always been about the money. The cut to the parents of one of the teams quarterbacks is really annoying, and I'm sure these people don't even want to be on TV anyways.
Fox isn't the only offender though, Chase Daniel's family got more air time than the NW offense on ESPN a couple weeks back.
Regarding the game, I'm impressed with Pryor, he's a fast cat that has a ton of talent. Now if OSU would call plays that use that talent they would have won that game by a touchdown.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
They put up a great fight! I think all Buckeyes fans should be proud...they beat the spread!
(There's a reason why they didn't focus too much on the OSU cheerleaders) I liked the broadcast, personally. They focused on the whole bowl, with the bands getting some pub. I hate it when a bunch of talking heads just yak endlessly about nothing for 20 mins. They showed the pageantry of it all well.
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Charles Le Shambeau 6 months ago
Lisa, did you attend USC? If so, what year did you graduate from USC? And what did you think of the journalism program (assuming you majored in J)?
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Yes I did attend USC. I don't give out personal information, however. I loved the classes I took there, especially the broadcast journalism classes.
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Trey Jones 6 months ago
Here's my rant...
I want a return to the really cheesy bowl names!!! Give me the Weedeater Bowl back!!!
Get rid of the big corporate bowl sponsorship name thing... the only companies that should be allowed to have names associated with bowls are those that advertise on public access TV!!! I want "Mike and Ed's Transmission Repair - Cotton Bowl" or "Maxine's Heralded Hero Sandwich Fiesta Bowl".
Also, Brent Musberger should be sent on assignment to cover champion league paint drying in Dumas, Arkansas... No one should ever have to listen to that guy on TV again...
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
OMG...that was the comment of the year. Trey...hilarious! The Weedeater Bowl..I miss it too.
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Michael Collins 6 months ago
George Carlin's grievances:
• "Here's something I don't care about: athletes' families. This is really the bottom of the sports barrel. I'm watchin' a ball game, and just because some athlete's wife is in the stands, someone thinks they have to put her picture on the screen. . . . I also don't care if an athlete's wife had a baby, how she is, how the baby is, how much the baby weighs or the @%*# baby's name is. It's got nothin' to do with sports. Leave it out!"
• "I like sports because I enjoy knowing that many of these macho athletes have to vomit before a big game. Any guy who would take a job where you gotta puke first is my kinda guy."
• "Sports fans rate even lower than the media and the franchise owners on my scale of miserable . . . vermin. Here's the descending hierarchy: athletes, sports media, team owners, fans. Fans on the bottom. Most sports fans are fat, ignorant, beer-soaked, loudmouth, racist, male (people) and they're totally unnecessary to the playing of games."
• "Being Irish, I guess I should resent the Notre Dame nickname, 'The Fighting Irish.' After all, how long do you think nicknames like 'The Bargaining Jews' or 'The Murdering Italians' would last? Only the ironic Irish could be so naively honest."
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Andrew Nuschler 6 months ago
Great stuff as usual Lisa.
I'm a Pac-10 guy (go Cardinal) and I laugh at the 5-0 stuff too. A win is a win, but not all wins are equal. If those 5 schools had taken the opposition's best shot maybe the chants make sense (I'd still echo your thoughts though). But I know Oregon and Cal got some serious and significant breaks via injury/suspensions/etc.
Again, a win is a win, but that was not the best OSU or Miami team on the field.
More importantly, congrats on the front page at Fox Sports. 'bout time they wise up over there and gave you some serious run.
Two things:
1. I remember that Nebraska run in '02 with disgust. I was living in Austin at the time, fresh out of college, and the Nebraska/Colorado game was supposed to be a huge party since we were in Big XII country. Like I said, right out of college so my friends and I were still tearing it up. The entire party got so drunk by half time b/c the game was so terrible that chaos ensued. Couldn't believe they got the title game.
2. Bold, BOLD call on the Miami-Ohio State instant classic. And I agree with it. The game goes down as one of the all-time greats b/c it was so exciting, but that PI call was obscene. Not to mention that McGahee got hurt early (right? that was him who wrecked his knee?). It was exciting, but I felt dirty afterwards.
I'm giving this a POTD for that one too. It was even better in my opinion.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Thanks so much for the props. You know, Buckeyes fans will disagree, but there was no PI. It was such a bad call. Yes, there were some calls earlier that should have been called (holding) against Miami, but to change the outcome of the game on the last play, that's unforgivable.
Could a holding call prevented Miami from moving the chains? Maybe. We don't know. But on a last second, 4th down call, the outcome DOES become obvious, and undeniable.
Thanks.
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Charles Le Shambeau 6 months ago
Ah. That phrasing tells me you didn't graduate from USC though? From what school did you get your degree?
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Charles...huh? I don't give out personal information. You asked if I attended USC. I said I attended. What's the problem here, and you should never assume anything by phrasing.
Being female and getting threats in the past has made me not give out personal information. Surely, you understand that.
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Tom F 6 months ago
Loved the article.
BUT ... has the BCS really gotten routine? Because I think it sucks. I watch college football because of its excitement and the BCS sucks the excitement right out of it.
Look at these great games, strewn over more than a week. By the time we get to Florida - Oklahoma, I've lost interest (I didn't go to either of these schools). The magic of the NCAA basketball tournament is that you watch regardless of who's on TV. It's just fun. I desperately miss the orgy of college football over a 2-3 day period around New Year's.
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Efrem Owens 6 months ago
Great piece, Lisa! I would add two more to the list:
1) Get rid of the excessive celebration penalty. How is celebrating a td by a bunch of kids a personal foul? How is that hurting the feelings of the opposing team. I see more trash talking between the goal lines yet the flag is never thrown for unsportsmanlike conduct. Texas could have lost the game because of that bullsh*t call. AAARRRGGGHHH!!!!!!!
2) Get rid of that crap that if a player slips on his own - and isn't touched by an opposing player - he's down. How many great plays and/or td's have we lost because of that stupid ass rule.
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Nicely done. If the pros can do it, so can the college players. Nicely done.
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Lanie Destefano 6 months ago
I have sat in Notre Dame Stadium, The Big House, Mountaineer Field and a few others in snow, sleet, cold rain etc. Bone chilling temps in the 20s is not so rare either. Plenty of games have been played in weather a whole lot worse than fog. Snowballs were thrown in South Bend and Morgantown this year at games. We went to see Pat White play his final home game and it was horrible weather.
However, I do think its a stupid argument to say the Pac 10 have an advantage due to weather. Maybe with their tan but that's about it. I always laugh when SEC people talk about how recruits won't play at ND because of the weather. Gainsville, from June til September is miserable. Heat from hell, humidity and gnats or flies that bite. Its hot up north than too but nothing like Florida. Two a days in that?
Just because we don't call "snow days" very often doesn't mean it doesn't snow. It just means we are toughing it out:-)
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Lisa Horne 6 months ago
Lanie-
The tan comment was hilarious. Gainesville is a sauna for four months. I'm not into humidity. And yeah, you guys are tough out there. I would freeze out there- I don't even own a coat.
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Jack Peck 6 months ago
Lisa, you keep saying that the Alabama team didn't show up to play in the Sugar Bowl. I know that's what Nick Saban said but I was wondering if the team was telling you that too?
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Pat Smith 6 months ago
This was great....Lots of great points and it made me laugh at times.
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Pat Smith 6 months ago
Gotta agree with Tom, I only checked scores up until Ole Miss and Tech. After that I had no interest and have lost excitement about the BCS Championship. I'm a big UF fan but it isn't what it was a month ago.
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Isaac Luber 6 months ago
At least someone else sees that the transitive rule doesn't apply to college football. All of a sudden you'll be hearing things like "Toledo beat Michigan and Michigan beat (insert powerhouse upset here) and so Toledo would demolish (powerhouse)." It could happen, but lets get serious. If anything, it would be a major upset. I also hate when people are like, "Well, we beat this team by 20, who beat this team by 10, who beat the team who we're going to play by 17, so we'll win by 47 points!"
Also, what's with the peace sign while playing "Tribute to Troy"? Or is that No. 2? Maybe use one finger...index, of course.
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Chad Bradbury 6 months ago
If i remember right, all leading up to the Rose Bowl, u couldn't make a post without mentioning Oregon State. Seems kinda hypocritical to mention it's fallacy now. Unless u are learning something.
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Isaac Luber 6 months ago
That's only when people say "We beat Ohio State by 30 and you almost lost to them." Its to counter their argument, and just for statistical reference. And usually as a joke to people.
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Charles Le Shambeau 6 months ago
I see, but I didn't think I was prying beyond anything that would be of public knowledge/stated elsewhere. All I wanted to know was from which school you earned your degree/ graduated, out of personal curiosity.
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C rittenden 6 months ago
*YAWN*
1) I kind of like Dr. Lou. In fact, I DO like Dr. Lou. He is certainly more uplifting than this whine-fest.
2) I hate to agree w/Miamimitch, but spot-of-foul pass interference is too much power in the hands of numbskulls.
3) What do you have against to Orange Bowl? You've been hyping it forever like you were the first one to figure out that it blew chunks. Actually, Arash Markasi on si.com was the first to blow the "$10 a ticket" story. Doesn't matter - sorry bowl game that nobody wants to see...what's news there?
4) Please stop hating on the SEC.
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