Christmas for the Fan: What I Want in Each BCS Game to Help Me Cope

I guess as fans, ever since the BCS bowls were announced on Dec. 4, we have all shown a range of emotions that I think have ended up matching up with the four stages of grief:

Denial

This was the first response to the, albeit predictable, news of the BCS bowl matchups (Virginia Tech, not so much) to bad news, classic disbelief and denial. We sat numb once again, as they announced 10 teams that fit their marketing ploy.  We denied that the situation was happening again, or they might try to reduce its the severity.  "There is no way this system will make it past this year.  It just can't happen.  Too much controversy this year!"

Anger

Once we have has accepted the fact that money rules all, the fan moves from denial to anger. We suffered the loss of excitement, so naturally we blamed the BCS and anything associated with it for the situation. We became very irritable, and some of us may have refused to read a college football article or watch any kind of bowl special.  

We may have blamed NCAA president Mark Emmert,  even though he is as helpless as we are.  The conferences are their own governing bodies, and that just isn't right.  Most of us lashed out against the system on some sort of message board, but we didn't realize that our anger came from our grief.

Depression

After a few bowl games, the anger starts to fade, because the better bowls are on their way.  But when that anger went away we became, for instance, college basketball aficionados, because we were full of despair and depression.

While we are in this state we believe that this grief is permanent. No matter how much we write, yell, or hide we are subject to the fact that this system can't be improved.

The primary emotion during the depression stage is sadness. Sad because no matter how much we hate it, we know we will tune in to watch a game. We withdraw and sit emotionless as Temple runs roughshod over Wyoming. Sad indeed.

Acceptance

At this stage of the grief process, the anger and sadness may have begun to fade and we begin to accept the system for another year. We begin to realize that maybe someone will see the "light."  We try with ever ounce of our being to find hope in the situation. We have hope that this is officially the last year of the BCS...From one of the greatest movies of all-time, The Shawshank Redemption: "Hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever dies."

As we go through the stages, maybe the BCS games can do the following to make us holly and jolly....

Rose Bowl: Wisconsin vs. Oregon

This is my favorite bowl game every year, no matter what is at stake.  This year it is not your classic Big Ten/Pac-12 matchup.  This Big Ten team can actually put up points at will.  We all know what Oregon is capable of as far as points are concerned.

What I Want:

Matching up two of the best running backs in the country, it would be fun to see a shootout that features a back and forth battle between Ball and James.  More than likely this will be LaMichael James last game as an Oregon Duck.  I don't know Montee Ball's plans are but I know he wants to break Barry Sanders record for touchdowns in a season.  I want to see Ball and James score...a lot.

At the same time, I want people to understand just how good Barry Sanders 1988 campaign was. I also think that since Sanders record of 39 touchdowns occurred in fewer games and bowl game touchdowns weren't counted as historical stats (Sanders had 5 TD in bowl game), more focus should be payed to Sanders, all the while giving Ball the credit he deserves.if he breaks it.  (Asterisk, anyone?)

Fiesta Bowl: Stanford vs. Oklahoma State

This is the must-see game of all of the BCS games in my opinion.  Must see does not equal most important, because we all know when that game is.

What I Want:

POINTS! POINTS! POINTS!

This game features the two best players at their respective positions for the 2012 NFL draft.  I hope they put on a show... 

I want Blackmon to have 15 catches for 200 yards.

I want Luck and Weeden to have 500 yards passing a piece.

I am not cheering for either team but I can't wait to see if Oklahoma State can show the country they deserved a shot at LSU.  

I want Luck to show me why he is the No. 1 draft prospect.

I want Weeden to show me, despite his age, he can lead an NFL team.

This one should be fun...

Sugar Bowl: Michigan vs. Virginia Tech

This one is simple:

I don't hate Virginia Tech or anything, and even if they win the game, it is a game I think that they don't deserve to be in.  Especially after the egg they laid against Clemson.

I want a Michigan blowout, in order to show just how badly the selection process is broken.

Orange Bowl: West Virginia vs. Clemson

This one is simple also:

I want a game that I can stomach.  I know I will be watching but I hope that it isn't painful and intolerable.

Both teams are schizophrenic, so maybe a little crazy will do this game some good.

BCS National Championship: Alabama vs. LSU

Well it's guaranteed that this will be the 6th year in a row that the SEC has been BCS Champions.  I just hope to god there are touchdowns scored.  

I want this game goes over the Vegas line.

I want physical play just like the first go-round, but I dont want it to be so physical it is sloppy.

Last and definitely not least, I want this game to be decided by anybody but kickers!