I've always been Pro-Bowl. (Not as in the watered down NFL All-Star game, but as in the Papajohns.com Bowl). College Football is nothing without the traditions that go with it, so I've generally shrugged off the same, endless BCS debates that happen year after year. I'm just tired of listening to it all, and can't believe people don't have anything better to talk about around the holidays. It's a system with flaws no doubt, but there is still something cool about all the games at traditional sites after New Years', and having those games be the final game, and a crowning achievement to a winning season.
Though I prefer the bowls in the FBS, I've never been anti-playoff. A playoff would certainly lead to an amazing ending to the season. If you missed the Appalachian State-Eastern Washington game last Saturday, you need to broaden your horizons to how good college football is beyond the spoiled rich kids.
I'm just not sure how you walk the fine line of tradition and progress, and work the traditional bowl sites into the equation. I can't imagine a college football season ending without a meaningful Rose Bowl or Cotton Bowl.
This is a playoff system I devised a few years ago. The BCS rankings are still in effect, but are only used to decide what teams make the bracket, and to seed teams into the bracket accordingly. Here is how I arrive at the NCAA Division 1-A Football Championship:
1. The field is set at 18 teams. The lowest four seeded teams will play two "play-in" games, to narrow the field to 16.
2. There are 11 1-A conferences, therefore 11 automatic bids. You win your conference title, you're in. If you play in a league with a conference championship game, you must win that game to secure the automatic bid.
3. The other seven teams included will be the highest ranked teams in the BCS formula that are not conference champions. These are the at-large qualifiers.
4. The teams are then seeded 1-18 based on the BCS Rankings, with #15 playing #18 (Winner playes #2), and #16 plays #17 (Winner playes #1.) The rest of the bracket sets up just like a regional in the NCAA basketball tournament.
5. Seeds are not adjusted to avoid re-matches. With so fewer teams to work with than the 65 in basketball, it is fruitless to adjust seeding to avoid teams from the same league or teams that played during the season from meeting each other early in the tournament.
Now, let's plug the 2007 season into my system and see what shakes out:
1 Ohio State (Big Ten)
2 LSU (SEC)
3 Virginia Tech (ACC)
4 Oklahoma (Big 12)
5 Georgia (At-Large)
6 Missouri (At-Large)
7 USC (Pac-10)
8 Kansas (At-Large)
9 West Virginia (Big East)
10 Hawaii (WAC)
11 Arizona State (At-Large)
12 Florida (At-Large)
13 Illinois (At-Large)
14 Boston College (At-Large)
15 Brigham Young (Mountain West)
16 Central Florida (Conference USA)
17 Central Michigan (Mid-American)
18 Florida Atlantic (Sun Belt)
And the bracket...
1 Ohio State (11-1)
16 Central Florida (10-3) vs. 17 Central Michigan (8-5)
8 Kansas (11-1)
9 West Virginia (10-2)
5 Georgia (10-2)
12 Florida (9-3)
4 Oklahoma (11-2)
13 Illinois (9-3)
6 Missouri (11-2)
11 Arizona State (10-2)
3 Virginia Tech (11-2)
14 Boston College (10-3)
7 USC (10-2)
10 Hawaii (12-0)
2 LSU (11-2)
15 Brigham Young (10-2) vs. 18 Florida Atlantic (7-5)
FAQ:
Why isn't there a selection committee like in basketball?
Using the BCS rankings to decide at-large bids and seed, the voters in the Harris Poll and the AP Poll are the de-facto selection committee.
Where are the games played?
I've generated about 1,000 different systems for neutral fields in the later rounds, and it makes my head want to explode. I'm thinking at least the first round games are on the campus sites of the higher seed. If you have a suggestion on this, let me know.
Aren't there too many games?
Yes. Keep in mind this is just a prototype. If a system with this many teams was ever implicated, I'd bet the season would have to get cut to 10 or 11 games instead of 12 or 13, ala the FCS. However, with as profitable as regular season games are in the big time division, I think an 8 to 12 team playoff is more likely if it ever happens (which it probably won't) to ensure teams can still at least play 11 regular season games. Bear in mind though, that the FCS champion will play a 14 or 15 game season (it's a 16-team playoff.)
Why 18 teams?
When I originally developed this bracket, the Mountain West hadn't split from the WAC yet, and the Sun Belt didn't exist for football. The orginal bracket several years ago was 16 teams to echo Division 1-AA, but when the MWC and Sun Belt came to fruition I made the same decision NCAA basketball made when the Mountain West gained an automatic bid. Instead of sacrificing an at-large bid, I kept the number at seven and increased the field by the number of new conferences, in this case two, and added the play-in games to balance things out. That's why the NCAA basketball tourney has 65 teams, they added the MWC automatic qualifier without taking out an at-large spot. It's been effective, as you have very average Central Michigan (8-5) and Florida Atlantic (7-5) winning leagues that had down years and weren't very strong. This prevents such pretenders from automatically getting a big money game against a huge opponent with a lot of revenue and TV exposure without earning it.
By all means this isn't perfect, but it's plausible. And yes I realize I have Boston College playing Virginia Tech for a third time, but the rules as explained above were set up ahead of time. If you think you can improve upon it, be sure to let me know. As a bowl fan I'm not married to it, but I can't deny how great it would be to see something like this play out.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Opinion: Nick Saban Takes Asshole To A New Level
An explanation I usually get for football overtaking baseball as America’s most popular sport is mostly along the lines of, “football is a violent game, the players are our modern gladiators and men are drawn to the violence and war-like nature.” Ok, point taken. I’ve never really had a problem with that. What I do have a problem with are when overpaid, overvalued, diaper-wearing college football coaches still haven’t distinguished that football is a game, and war is war.
What the hell is Nick Saban‘s problem. And whether or not he meant to draw a direct comparison to losing last Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe to September 11th is irrelevant. I’m not interested in semantics. What he did do was completely slap a worthy opponent in the face, and basically pout in the sandbox for losing a game he thought he should’ve won. In case you haven’t seen it yet, here is what Saban said after Alabama dropped a 21-14 decision to ULM at home last Saturday:
"Changes in history usually occur after some kind of catastrophic event.”. "It may be 9/11, which sort of changed the spirit of America relative to catastrophic events. Pearl Harbor kind of got us ready for World War II, and that was a catastrophic event."
Where do I even start. Number one, losing a trivial football game is never a catastrophic event. Since Mr. Saban seems comfortable enough to metaphorically discuss the ramifications of 9/11 and Pearl Harbor, show me the innocent civilians that died because Alabama lost a football game. So let me get this straight, Alabama’s football team will now band together closer than ever and strike back against people who attempted to kill them (by scoring one more touchdown)? Alabama is the victim here? If there is a victim, it’s Louisiana-Monroe. Here they have a solid win for their program, yet it will be overshadowed by the ass-backwards American south, where an asshole like Nick Saban could actually make comments like these and walk out of a room without getting his ass kicked. After all, SEC football is so important, so crucial to everyday life that the context in which Saban compared losing a game is acceptable. Forgive me if I sound sarcastic, but apparently the University of Alabama thinks so:
"What Coach Saban said did not correlate losing a football game with tragedy, everyone needs to understand that. He was not equating losing football games to those catastrophic events." The message was that true spirit and unity become evident in the most difficult of times. Those were two tremendous examples that everyone can identify with."
Difficult times huh. I’d like to compare putting together a gameplan for Auburn this week to seeing a loved one leave for work or war and not come back. Not even the biggest back-woods redneck SEC fan could side with the former as more “difficult.” And we’re talking red-state sport here, so I’d assume support for Bush’s war on humanity might still take precedence over almighty Alabama football. What’s tougher, being shipped to the middle-east to get your head blown off in an utterly senseless war, or regrouping to play a football game while being adored by thousands of screaming fans? Oh, but it’s so tough, there’s so much pressure to win in college football. Yeah well, no one ever seems to die during it, so spare me the true spirit and unity in the face of adversity argument. The might be the biggest load of horseshit I’ve ever read.
If all of this isn’t enough, Saban decided to then hoist his left leg onto the table to finish off his other foot:
“They talk about alcoholics and people like that who never ever change until they hit rock bottom Well, they change because when they hit rock bottom they have an awareness, they have an acceptance and a commitment to change. That's what our players need to do right now because in the past two weeks since the LSU game, I haven't seen the same spirit, I haven't seen the same work ethic.”
Ah yes. So now Saban decides to offend not only families torn apart by terrorist attacks and war, but people battling real, physical hardship as well. Once again, alcoholism is a real, tangible adversity. Losing to Louisiana-Monroe is not. And Saban can go to hell on the “rock bottom” bullshit. I’m a Syracuse fan you overrated dickhead, 6-5 is hardly rock bottom, regardless of the unrealistic expectations of your neurotic fans. And I absolutely love the “our players must work harder” line. Classic excuse from a classic douche bag. Apparently, Michigan State, LSU, the Miami Dolphins, Alabama and any other football team that’s dropped to two knees to blow Nick Saban by overpaying him have stroked his ego to a point of no return. Your players? Your fucking players? Oh right, Mr. All-knowing, All-powerful God of a football coach Nick Saban, a loss could never have anything to do with you. You are only responsible for winning games, not losing them. Maybe Nick The Prick Saban should just admit what we all already suspect: He’s under so much pressure to beat Auburn so SEC redneck lunatics won’t put for-sale signs in his yard if he doesn‘t, that he probably overlooked ULM to spend more time on Auburn and it bit him right in his overrated ass. How else could a school with the history and prowess of mighty Alabama drop a game to Louisiana-Monroe?
That brings me to another important point. Alabama’s treasured football history is just that. History. Here’s a memo to Crimson Tide fans that they continually ignore; It’s not the 1980s anymore, and your “storied” program is no longer relevant on the national stage. Blame Mike Shula for no reason if you must, but welcome to new college football. The days of the same 10 teams competing for a national championship are over, and at the current moment, you are nowhere near Florida, Ohio State, USC or anyone else at the top, whether Nick Saban is your coach or not. And paying Nick Saban out the ass for a .500 season to show us how committed you are doesn’t make you a powerhouse again either. Get used to it. Baylor, Northwestern and Stanford welcome your company at the bottom of the BCS. Maybe you’ll be back, but until then, stop polluting another thrilling college football season with the child-like bitching of a team that simply doesn’t matter right now. Once upon a time, Alabama had a really good football team. Now they don’t. Get over it Nick Saban and friends.
What this whole idiotic display by Saban adds up to is a complete disrespecting of the University of Louisiana-Monroe. How would you feel if you were a part of the ULM football program, and a team you just beat in their house bitched and moaned the week after instead of acting like men, using words like catastrophe, rock bottom, and embarrassment to describe losing to you? ULM is a Division I-A football team. Their coaches are employed full-time, their players on scholarship like anywhere else. Screw Alabama, you’re NOT special. Being in the SEC opposed to the Sun Belt doesn’t make you so. I’ll tell you what Alabama, if you were embarrassed by losing to ULM, you should be twice as humiliated now, for your public display of whining and pants-shitting for everyone to see. For the reasons listed in the above paragraph, Alabama wasn’t supposed to beat ULM. They had to earn it, in no easier terms than they will have to again this week against Auburn, and they failed. Perception may lead you to believe otherwise, but perception isn’t always reality, especially in this new era of parity in college football. Every program has the same 85 scholarships to give, and greedy, money grubbing programs like Alabama can no longer stockpile talent and dupe good football players into sitting the bench for two years in the SEC when they could be contributing elsewhere. So just maybe, just maybe Alabama, ULM has a few players who are better than a few you have. Blasphemy I know, but hardly far-fetched. Who knows if that was the difference, but losing to them certainly isn’t a catastrophe--in any context. The only catastrophe here is Nick Saban and his big mouth.
"We come in trying to win. We don't play to keep it close. We felt we had a chance if we stayed close in the ballgame to win in the fourth quarter,” said ULM head coach Charlie Weatherbie, refusing to buy into the false Saban hype.
Despite Saban making more than 14 times in salary what Weatherbie pulls in for a year, for three and a half hours last Saturday, Louisiana-Monroe not only had a few good players, but a better head coach as well.
Or at the very least, one who is better spoken.
What the hell is Nick Saban‘s problem. And whether or not he meant to draw a direct comparison to losing last Saturday against Louisiana-Monroe to September 11th is irrelevant. I’m not interested in semantics. What he did do was completely slap a worthy opponent in the face, and basically pout in the sandbox for losing a game he thought he should’ve won. In case you haven’t seen it yet, here is what Saban said after Alabama dropped a 21-14 decision to ULM at home last Saturday:
"Changes in history usually occur after some kind of catastrophic event.”. "It may be 9/11, which sort of changed the spirit of America relative to catastrophic events. Pearl Harbor kind of got us ready for World War II, and that was a catastrophic event."
Where do I even start. Number one, losing a trivial football game is never a catastrophic event. Since Mr. Saban seems comfortable enough to metaphorically discuss the ramifications of 9/11 and Pearl Harbor, show me the innocent civilians that died because Alabama lost a football game. So let me get this straight, Alabama’s football team will now band together closer than ever and strike back against people who attempted to kill them (by scoring one more touchdown)? Alabama is the victim here? If there is a victim, it’s Louisiana-Monroe. Here they have a solid win for their program, yet it will be overshadowed by the ass-backwards American south, where an asshole like Nick Saban could actually make comments like these and walk out of a room without getting his ass kicked. After all, SEC football is so important, so crucial to everyday life that the context in which Saban compared losing a game is acceptable. Forgive me if I sound sarcastic, but apparently the University of Alabama thinks so:
"What Coach Saban said did not correlate losing a football game with tragedy, everyone needs to understand that. He was not equating losing football games to those catastrophic events." The message was that true spirit and unity become evident in the most difficult of times. Those were two tremendous examples that everyone can identify with."
Difficult times huh. I’d like to compare putting together a gameplan for Auburn this week to seeing a loved one leave for work or war and not come back. Not even the biggest back-woods redneck SEC fan could side with the former as more “difficult.” And we’re talking red-state sport here, so I’d assume support for Bush’s war on humanity might still take precedence over almighty Alabama football. What’s tougher, being shipped to the middle-east to get your head blown off in an utterly senseless war, or regrouping to play a football game while being adored by thousands of screaming fans? Oh, but it’s so tough, there’s so much pressure to win in college football. Yeah well, no one ever seems to die during it, so spare me the true spirit and unity in the face of adversity argument. The might be the biggest load of horseshit I’ve ever read.
If all of this isn’t enough, Saban decided to then hoist his left leg onto the table to finish off his other foot:
“They talk about alcoholics and people like that who never ever change until they hit rock bottom Well, they change because when they hit rock bottom they have an awareness, they have an acceptance and a commitment to change. That's what our players need to do right now because in the past two weeks since the LSU game, I haven't seen the same spirit, I haven't seen the same work ethic.”
Ah yes. So now Saban decides to offend not only families torn apart by terrorist attacks and war, but people battling real, physical hardship as well. Once again, alcoholism is a real, tangible adversity. Losing to Louisiana-Monroe is not. And Saban can go to hell on the “rock bottom” bullshit. I’m a Syracuse fan you overrated dickhead, 6-5 is hardly rock bottom, regardless of the unrealistic expectations of your neurotic fans. And I absolutely love the “our players must work harder” line. Classic excuse from a classic douche bag. Apparently, Michigan State, LSU, the Miami Dolphins, Alabama and any other football team that’s dropped to two knees to blow Nick Saban by overpaying him have stroked his ego to a point of no return. Your players? Your fucking players? Oh right, Mr. All-knowing, All-powerful God of a football coach Nick Saban, a loss could never have anything to do with you. You are only responsible for winning games, not losing them. Maybe Nick The Prick Saban should just admit what we all already suspect: He’s under so much pressure to beat Auburn so SEC redneck lunatics won’t put for-sale signs in his yard if he doesn‘t, that he probably overlooked ULM to spend more time on Auburn and it bit him right in his overrated ass. How else could a school with the history and prowess of mighty Alabama drop a game to Louisiana-Monroe?
That brings me to another important point. Alabama’s treasured football history is just that. History. Here’s a memo to Crimson Tide fans that they continually ignore; It’s not the 1980s anymore, and your “storied” program is no longer relevant on the national stage. Blame Mike Shula for no reason if you must, but welcome to new college football. The days of the same 10 teams competing for a national championship are over, and at the current moment, you are nowhere near Florida, Ohio State, USC or anyone else at the top, whether Nick Saban is your coach or not. And paying Nick Saban out the ass for a .500 season to show us how committed you are doesn’t make you a powerhouse again either. Get used to it. Baylor, Northwestern and Stanford welcome your company at the bottom of the BCS. Maybe you’ll be back, but until then, stop polluting another thrilling college football season with the child-like bitching of a team that simply doesn’t matter right now. Once upon a time, Alabama had a really good football team. Now they don’t. Get over it Nick Saban and friends.
What this whole idiotic display by Saban adds up to is a complete disrespecting of the University of Louisiana-Monroe. How would you feel if you were a part of the ULM football program, and a team you just beat in their house bitched and moaned the week after instead of acting like men, using words like catastrophe, rock bottom, and embarrassment to describe losing to you? ULM is a Division I-A football team. Their coaches are employed full-time, their players on scholarship like anywhere else. Screw Alabama, you’re NOT special. Being in the SEC opposed to the Sun Belt doesn’t make you so. I’ll tell you what Alabama, if you were embarrassed by losing to ULM, you should be twice as humiliated now, for your public display of whining and pants-shitting for everyone to see. For the reasons listed in the above paragraph, Alabama wasn’t supposed to beat ULM. They had to earn it, in no easier terms than they will have to again this week against Auburn, and they failed. Perception may lead you to believe otherwise, but perception isn’t always reality, especially in this new era of parity in college football. Every program has the same 85 scholarships to give, and greedy, money grubbing programs like Alabama can no longer stockpile talent and dupe good football players into sitting the bench for two years in the SEC when they could be contributing elsewhere. So just maybe, just maybe Alabama, ULM has a few players who are better than a few you have. Blasphemy I know, but hardly far-fetched. Who knows if that was the difference, but losing to them certainly isn’t a catastrophe--in any context. The only catastrophe here is Nick Saban and his big mouth.
"We come in trying to win. We don't play to keep it close. We felt we had a chance if we stayed close in the ballgame to win in the fourth quarter,” said ULM head coach Charlie Weatherbie, refusing to buy into the false Saban hype.
Despite Saban making more than 14 times in salary what Weatherbie pulls in for a year, for three and a half hours last Saturday, Louisiana-Monroe not only had a few good players, but a better head coach as well.
Or at the very least, one who is better spoken.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Aubrey Huff Update- Won't Cheat On His Wife, But He'll Still Hang Out With A Naked Chick
Alright, this is officially out of control. I never intended the Aubrey Huff story posted on Tuesday to get to the point where I'd have to make regular updates, but it appears Huff is on an absolute rampage to reinforce every stereotype possible about baseball players and women. In short, Mr. Huff claimed he stays faithful to Mrs. Huff by playing with himself repeadetly on the road. He actually said this on the radio. Well, here is that same rock of marital fidelity on video in the studio the same day, recreating a dream I think I once had as a boy. Or it could have been last week. What's the difference really.
There's a buck naked chick for three minutes. And she's hot. Really hot. I'm not kidding.
Watch at your own risk:
http://deadspin.com/sports/aubrey-huff-loves-naked-people/aubrey-huff-admires-works-of-art-322596.php
(Though I almost never read your site, thanks Deadspin.)
There's a buck naked chick for three minutes. And she's hot. Really hot. I'm not kidding.
Watch at your own risk:
http://deadspin.com/sports/aubrey-huff-loves-naked-people/aubrey-huff-admires-works-of-art-322596.php
(Though I almost never read your site, thanks Deadspin.)
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Lights, Camera, MACtion!
For how I really feel about ESPN televising MAC Football games mid-week, read the post below. All hostility set aside, I still love college football no matter what lame weekday it's played on. Last night in the mighty MAC, Ball State dealt what is likely a fatal blow to Toledo's already slim bowl hopes, dropping the Rockets to 5-6 following a sudden three-game win streak for a team that looked to be bonafide terrible after a 2-5 start. To avoid their second consecutive 5-7 season, the Glass City Point Shavers will have to win their fourth in a row over BGSU and likely send me to an early grave, the day after Thanksgiving in Bowling Green. It's the annual renewal of the Battle for Northwest Ohio and Peace-Pipe Trophy. Man, college football rivalry games with funny trophies are the greatest thing ever. So much precious and unbridled hate. Another win for Ball State against hapless Northern Illinois the same day would bolster the Cardinals bowl chances, as it would improve them to 7-5. Still undefeated in MAC play, Central Michigan has already clinched the West Division and a berth in the MAC Championship game in Detroit, but with three bowl tie-ins (Motor City, GMAC, International) someone not playing in that game will go bowling, that much is sure. If the Cardinals can get to seven wins against an NIU team they should destroy, they make a strong case. They are likely competing directly with Bowling Green who is 6-4 with two games to go including this Saturday at Buffalo, but needs major help from Ohio U. and Akron to win the MAC East. Tonight I'm watching Akron at Miami with great interest, as by virtue of Miami's 47-14 drubbing of the Falcons earlier this year, the Redhawks must lose at home to Akron this evening and at OU next week, coupled with a BGSU win at Buffalo in three days for my alma mater to pull out the division title. A relative longshot, considering how well Miami plays at home (as you may infer by the margin of victory over BG), and apparently Akron hasn't won in Oxford since the 1930s. Anything is possible in the 2007 crap-shoot version of the MAC however, so I'm still holding my breath. Either way, it should still be an intense day in Western New York this Saturday, as Buffalo needs just one Miami loss and a win over Bowling Green to win the East, and regardless of tonight's result, BGSU still will have legitimate bowl aspirations. So, they would (at least you'd hope) have no reason to come out flat if Akron comes up short tonight. MAC ATTACK!
Affirmative MACtion
Ahhh yes, late Autumn. A sporting season in and of itself really, with college football rivalry games and BCS shuffling, the NFL playoff race kicking into gear, college hoops cranking up and the inevitable bickering about what steroid-freak deserves what MLB award. And when you have five spare minutes in-between all of it, you can flip to Versus to see who the next Philadelphia Flyers thug is to be suspended because of some head hunt. (Still better TV than the NBA.)
However, you can always tell it's mid-November without even looking at the calendar, because that's when ESPN starts whoring out College Football games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to the viewing public via its resident pimp, the Mid-American Conference. The usual explanation from the MAC higher-ups is about as predictable as an O.J. Simpson armed robbery is to the FBI.
"Despite the non-traditional weekday scheduling, we feel the opportunity to be on ESPN due to the exposure it allows our member institutions and their programs is too valuable to pass-up."
That's not from anyone in particular, but that's about the gist of it. It doesn't make much sense to me, as some students at these schools went for an education as well as to watch football games. Classes and studying take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but seem to be conspicuously absent on Saturday. On top of that, when they graduate, they tend to avoid being unemployed thanks to their degree, and Tuesday and Wednesday nights are traditional work days if you haven't heard. A little hard to get out to a football game, especially if you live a ways away. So it all adds up to a crowd of maybe 10,000 in a stadium that seats 25-30,000, which makes for a shitty picture for the television camera. In turn, the rest of the BCS glitterati who already think they are better than the MAC can point to in their minds tangable proof that the MAC is inferior..."just look at the crap crowds they get!" Well, thats not really fair when you alienate your students and alums that aren't diehard enough to skip out on school or work to make a Wednesday night game. And some are diehard enough and would, but simply cant. That's even worse, and I really feel for those fans. Enough with the "exposure" buzz word. That doesn't mean doodily squat. Exposure at what cost? Wouldn't you rather have a large, boisterous and happy crowd of students and alums on a Saturday afternoon for your campus to enjoy, than a half empty stadium for the entire country to see and judge unfairly? I've never been in college athletic administration, but I have a hard time believing any revenue generated by being on ESPN offsets the beating these MAC schools take at the gate. And in college football when you're not in the BCS, perception is everything. We MAC dudes know there are some great players and good football being played in the conference. Beaming an empty stadium to the rest of the country on ESPN makes it difficult for us to show that, but the MAC has victimized themselves.
The MAC is hardly the only guilty party in this problem however. Hey ESPN, is MAC football really inferior enough that there is no way it can be nationally televised on Saturday? Ummm...no. Here's a novel concept, developed by NBC and CBS with their NFL coverage over 30 years ago. REGIONALIZE. No one in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana or Illinois gives a rats ass about an Arkansas-South Carolina game, so why can't that slot be held for Miami against Akron for the midwest instead of playing it tonight? And if someone does care about the titanic Razorbacks-Gamecocks clash that is so crucial in determining that seventh SEC postseason bid and the accompanying dream trip to Nashville for the Music City Bowl, that's what ESPN Gameplan is for. You capitalize two ways, you gain viewers in the midwest and any you would lose that care that much about an irreleveant SEC game will gladly fork over the dollars to see it on Gameplan if it's not on in your area. Seems like a win-win. You can yap about the gap in talent between the BCS and the MAC all you want, but the fact is whether the players are better or not, how is an irreleveant SEC game when both teams will make it to a lower tier bowl, better television than two schools vying for a division title, with the only guaranteed bowl bid going to the conference champ? It's essientially a football edition of a conference tournament in a one-bid league in basketball, and ESPN never seems to have a problem televising those games, one of the great things that network does. And we know how exciting those are, and they get huge ratings, because it's basically an prequal to the actual NCAA tourney. Win or go home. The conference race in MAC Football is very similar.
Further more, ESPN embarrasses the MAC during these telecasts, with resident douchebags like Mark May acting like it's an act of charity for ESPN to visit a MAC stadium in the first place. That's crap, because the MAC is doing ESPN the favor by supplying quality programming over having to watch the same poker circle-jerk again that's been airing since friggin' July, and sacrificing ten grand in attendance to do so. Then the game turns into a three hour public service announcement for the upcoming Ohio State-Michigan game, because after all if you're a real college football fan, you totally care who wins right? Sorry kids, while you're salivating over Jim Tressel's metrosexual sweatervest look and Lloyd Carr's comically droopy face that likens him to Eeorr from Whinnie The Pooh, I'll be at the Bowling Green-Buffalo game not giving a shit. So it would be nice if ESPN would focus on the game they are actually airing with its own excitement and implications. Even if it is just the "lowly" MAC.
The topper this season was two MAC games, Akron at Bowling Green, and Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan getting moved to the last two Friday nights to accomodate ESPNU? Getting bumped off Saturday so the real life equivalent of "ESPN 8 The Ocho" can televise even more meaningless ACC games between teams that won't even make bowl games is the ultimate insult and martyrdom by the MAC. There is zero reason the occasional Saturday afternoon slot on ESPNU can't be reserved for a MAC game, and once again the network could regionalize the action between that and the ACC. Further, Friday night may be even worse for attendence and fan morale than Tuesday and Wednesday. Just to clear up any doubt, college kids party and go to bars on Friday night, and once again only the die-hards will show to the stadium. Bowling Green, a team in contention, barely survived drawing nearly 13,000, though that's still very poor. Eastern Michigan, a 3-7 team after losing to BG, was humiliated more so than usual with the awufl history of their program, announcing 4,304. Certain games in this weekend's Division II and III tournaments will draw better than that. And bear in mind that was a paid attendance figure, the actual attendance may have been half that. Again I must ask, is it worth it? Do people outside of the midwest and the immediate areas of the MAC schools really flock to the TV mid-week to see these games, justifying the "exposure" card?
It seems the only thing that has been exposed is the MAC's poor judgment in pandering to ESPN.
However, you can always tell it's mid-November without even looking at the calendar, because that's when ESPN starts whoring out College Football games on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to the viewing public via its resident pimp, the Mid-American Conference. The usual explanation from the MAC higher-ups is about as predictable as an O.J. Simpson armed robbery is to the FBI.
"Despite the non-traditional weekday scheduling, we feel the opportunity to be on ESPN due to the exposure it allows our member institutions and their programs is too valuable to pass-up."
That's not from anyone in particular, but that's about the gist of it. It doesn't make much sense to me, as some students at these schools went for an education as well as to watch football games. Classes and studying take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, but seem to be conspicuously absent on Saturday. On top of that, when they graduate, they tend to avoid being unemployed thanks to their degree, and Tuesday and Wednesday nights are traditional work days if you haven't heard. A little hard to get out to a football game, especially if you live a ways away. So it all adds up to a crowd of maybe 10,000 in a stadium that seats 25-30,000, which makes for a shitty picture for the television camera. In turn, the rest of the BCS glitterati who already think they are better than the MAC can point to in their minds tangable proof that the MAC is inferior..."just look at the crap crowds they get!" Well, thats not really fair when you alienate your students and alums that aren't diehard enough to skip out on school or work to make a Wednesday night game. And some are diehard enough and would, but simply cant. That's even worse, and I really feel for those fans. Enough with the "exposure" buzz word. That doesn't mean doodily squat. Exposure at what cost? Wouldn't you rather have a large, boisterous and happy crowd of students and alums on a Saturday afternoon for your campus to enjoy, than a half empty stadium for the entire country to see and judge unfairly? I've never been in college athletic administration, but I have a hard time believing any revenue generated by being on ESPN offsets the beating these MAC schools take at the gate. And in college football when you're not in the BCS, perception is everything. We MAC dudes know there are some great players and good football being played in the conference. Beaming an empty stadium to the rest of the country on ESPN makes it difficult for us to show that, but the MAC has victimized themselves.
The MAC is hardly the only guilty party in this problem however. Hey ESPN, is MAC football really inferior enough that there is no way it can be nationally televised on Saturday? Ummm...no. Here's a novel concept, developed by NBC and CBS with their NFL coverage over 30 years ago. REGIONALIZE. No one in Ohio, Michigan, Indiana or Illinois gives a rats ass about an Arkansas-South Carolina game, so why can't that slot be held for Miami against Akron for the midwest instead of playing it tonight? And if someone does care about the titanic Razorbacks-Gamecocks clash that is so crucial in determining that seventh SEC postseason bid and the accompanying dream trip to Nashville for the Music City Bowl, that's what ESPN Gameplan is for. You capitalize two ways, you gain viewers in the midwest and any you would lose that care that much about an irreleveant SEC game will gladly fork over the dollars to see it on Gameplan if it's not on in your area. Seems like a win-win. You can yap about the gap in talent between the BCS and the MAC all you want, but the fact is whether the players are better or not, how is an irreleveant SEC game when both teams will make it to a lower tier bowl, better television than two schools vying for a division title, with the only guaranteed bowl bid going to the conference champ? It's essientially a football edition of a conference tournament in a one-bid league in basketball, and ESPN never seems to have a problem televising those games, one of the great things that network does. And we know how exciting those are, and they get huge ratings, because it's basically an prequal to the actual NCAA tourney. Win or go home. The conference race in MAC Football is very similar.
Further more, ESPN embarrasses the MAC during these telecasts, with resident douchebags like Mark May acting like it's an act of charity for ESPN to visit a MAC stadium in the first place. That's crap, because the MAC is doing ESPN the favor by supplying quality programming over having to watch the same poker circle-jerk again that's been airing since friggin' July, and sacrificing ten grand in attendance to do so. Then the game turns into a three hour public service announcement for the upcoming Ohio State-Michigan game, because after all if you're a real college football fan, you totally care who wins right? Sorry kids, while you're salivating over Jim Tressel's metrosexual sweatervest look and Lloyd Carr's comically droopy face that likens him to Eeorr from Whinnie The Pooh, I'll be at the Bowling Green-Buffalo game not giving a shit. So it would be nice if ESPN would focus on the game they are actually airing with its own excitement and implications. Even if it is just the "lowly" MAC.
The topper this season was two MAC games, Akron at Bowling Green, and Bowling Green at Eastern Michigan getting moved to the last two Friday nights to accomodate ESPNU? Getting bumped off Saturday so the real life equivalent of "ESPN 8 The Ocho" can televise even more meaningless ACC games between teams that won't even make bowl games is the ultimate insult and martyrdom by the MAC. There is zero reason the occasional Saturday afternoon slot on ESPNU can't be reserved for a MAC game, and once again the network could regionalize the action between that and the ACC. Further, Friday night may be even worse for attendence and fan morale than Tuesday and Wednesday. Just to clear up any doubt, college kids party and go to bars on Friday night, and once again only the die-hards will show to the stadium. Bowling Green, a team in contention, barely survived drawing nearly 13,000, though that's still very poor. Eastern Michigan, a 3-7 team after losing to BG, was humiliated more so than usual with the awufl history of their program, announcing 4,304. Certain games in this weekend's Division II and III tournaments will draw better than that. And bear in mind that was a paid attendance figure, the actual attendance may have been half that. Again I must ask, is it worth it? Do people outside of the midwest and the immediate areas of the MAC schools really flock to the TV mid-week to see these games, justifying the "exposure" card?
It seems the only thing that has been exposed is the MAC's poor judgment in pandering to ESPN.
Zinger Of The Day
I've been thinking a little more about yesterday's post below, you know, the one about how Orioles utility man Aubrey Huff repeadetly chokes the chicken on the road to ward off the temptation to cheat on his wife. (I'm sure Mrs. Huff is ecstatic about this recent public display of affection by the way.) I think this humorous exchange could be worked into the Orioles game-day presentation, so I got to thinking about what Huff's walk-up music should be at Camden Yards in 2008. The runaway winner? Without a doubt Avril Lavigne's "My Happy Ending." Bada Bing!
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
If You Are A Hotel Chambermaid In An American League City, Have A Co-Worker Clean Aubrey Huff's Room When The Orioles Are In Town
When I woke up this morning, I seriously did not plan on making two Baltimore Oriole posts in one day. In fact, the Quadruple-A brand of baseball being played in Carmelo Anthony's hometown the last couple of years I thought wouldn't warrant two posts before my 30th birthday. Big ups to the guys at Fanhouse for confirming what I had already suspected for a few years...some baseball players are womanizers and stay out and drink late into the night during the season. Gasp! And I don't know what caught me more off-guard, the fact that Aubrey Huff is supposedly faithful to his wife, or how he copes with being so. A must read from another gem in the world of sports:
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/11/12/aubrey-huff-probably-wont-be-doing-radio-again-anytime-soon/
http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/11/12/aubrey-huff-probably-wont-be-doing-radio-again-anytime-soon/
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