Reporting Boredom: Why 2008 CF has a Heightened Sense of Anticipation

College football is a fantastic sport, nothing comes close. Every facet, from the school bands, to the state pride, to even the mascots, creates a game in an environment that is second to none, and of sheer excitement! If you are an extreme college football fan, as am I, (proof being the fact that you are reading this article), you have been following college football in the media ever since the final seconds of the national championship last January. Among the most intriguing of articles are those pertaining to predictions, rankings, and individual team breakdowns. However, this off-season has created some articles pertaining to the sport that have not only been beaten-to-death, but filled with absolute absurdity. The following is my list of things that have been over-did and just plain discussed too much in the off-season.

3. Conference Strength

Conference superiority is only established by the individual season. Every article pertaining to how the SEC is the strongest and so-and-so is the weakest is based solely on the strength of the conference in the previous season. Where I have my own conclusions on the subject, I refuse to share those simply because I do not know which is the best conference, nor will anyone else until the season is actually played. I admit that it is interesting to see people’s opinions, which they are entitled to, but dragging on continual discussion of the strength of a particular conference is repetitive and boring. The strength of a conference can only truly be determined two ways: how the conference teams do against other teams in non-conference play during the regular season, and their final bowl record, both of which have not occurred for the 2008 season yet. Case in point is the Big 12 this time last year. Oklahoma and Texas were the only teams in the conference that got national recognition, again expected to dominate the Big 12. The other ten teams got minimal attention at best for the possibility of posing a threat to OU or Texas. No one thought at the start of the 2007 season that Missouri, though believed to be good (but not great), would end up rolling over almost everyone, actually be ranked #1 at a point in the season, and finish 12-2, and certainly no one thought that Kansas was going to be a national title contender, be ranked #2 at one time, and finish the season with a 12-1 record, including a BCS win. But now going in 2008, with the emergence of these two power houses, the continued success of OU and Texas, and what is hoped to be a golden season for Texas Tech, the Big 12 is knocking on the door of the SEC for the title of best conference (paraphrasing an article I recently read by a noted sports website).

2. Will Bobby Bowden and Joe Paterno retire, be forced to retire, or go on coaching after this season?

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