Sugar Bowl Fiasco: Blame the Voters, Bowls, and FOX

We have had three BCS games so far, and every single one of these snoozers has allowed me to sleep soundly.

We were spoon-fed the "Hawai'i is this year's media darling" stories for weeks, and all it got us was the sheer and utter humiliation that that was the Sugar Bowl.

We were fed that "Illinois has speed and power, and might pull off an upset."

Pass the applesauce, please.

We were told WVU had no chance—without noting that they had a pretty good defense and Rich Rodriguez didn't coach that side of the ball. Without noting that there was this guy named Pat White on offense—who can also be known as the Flash from now on.

This BCS season went downhill early. Imagine going into championship Saturday a month ago with Notre Dame at #4 instead of UGA. The #1 and #2 teams in the country lose. Who do you think Kirk Herbstreit is promoting to be in the National Championshp game then?

My point is not necessarily that UGA deserved to be in the title game. (But who the hell knows if they did? We will never get the chance to find out.)

My point is that announcers have too much control over the BCS process. College Gameday blatantly pandered for an LSU-Ohio State game over a month ago, while dismissing teams like UGA and Kansas.

Do I have a problem with the LSU-Ohio State game? No. In fact, I actually think it might be a pretty good game—and Lord knows, of all the teams clamoring for a spot in the Championshp, those two probably had the strongest arguments. 

My problem is that the pandering would not have occurred if Georgia was held in the same regard as Notre Dame, USC, or Nebraska. 

Announcers talking too much took a new turn in the Sugar Bowl. All throughout the pregame show, viewes had to deal with this "Hawai'i is the team of destiny, and everyone is supposed to like them" shtick.

Colt Brennan had a personal interest story about how he redeemed himself from his "mistake." I am proud that he has been able to redeem himself as are many other people throughout the nation. I am not proud of the Fox network or Brennan failing to say what that mistake was.

Brennan broke into a woman's room and exposed his genitals to her. Don't make a personal interest story about your status as a victim if you can't state that. That story made it seem like he did nothing wrong, and was run out of the University of Colorado by mean and evil people.

Later in the game, Thom Brennaman—who should never call a college game again after referring to UGA players as "Gators"—started praising Hawai'i for not giving up, while at the same time calling UGA classless for still playing hard.

Thom, the team had its backups in. These are kids that never see playing time. You want them to start taking knees with ten minutes to go against the highest-scoring offense in college football?

You want them to come into the Sugar Bowl, a game they may never get the chance to play in again, and not try?

Go back to the NFL, Thom.

I am hoping for a better matchup in the Orange Bowl tonight. But, to be honest, I kind of smell a Kansas victory in impressive fashion—that team still wants to prove themselves.

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