BCS National Championship-no juice

[freescooter]

I might be wrong about this, but my impression is that the BCS Cahmpionship isn't generating much interest, at least around here. I was at two events this weekend with people who often talk football and nobody was discussing it. I spoke to a friend in Miami who is tied into the "Canes' athletic department and he didn't even mention it. He's a huge college football fan, too. I haven't been paying much attention myself and it is the first time in a long time I would say that. I have a few theories about why it doesn't seem to be getting too much attention. First, it is a replay game of a game that was fairly boring. Nobody wants another 9-6 snoozefest. Second, its two SEC teams. Just like every sport, college football's post season thrives on inter-regional rivalries. Even if Alabama and LSU are the top 2 teams, People would rather see an SEC team against a PAC 12 team or Big 10 vs Big 12...But beyond the game and the teams, there is are several issues related to the sport itself. Obviously the season has been overshadowed by the Ohio State scandal, the Miami scandal, the North Carolina scandal and finally on a different level of slime entirely, the Penn State situation. That has caused some people to just write off the sport at least for a while. then there is timing. Letting the college national championship run out this long is crazy. The bowl season used to be condensed with the major bowls occurring on or about New Years Day. You could play the Championship the next night I suppose, but the NFL playoffs have begun and they are such a major event that they pretty much suck the life out of any and all other athletic events for the next month. For the same reason that you don't schedule championships in other sports against the NCAA basketball Tournament, it makes no sense to schedule th ecollege Championship game AFTER the NFL playoffs have begun. Today's sports news is filled with the exploits of Tebow and Manning, rather than the prospects of Jefferson and McCarron Finally there is the disgust with the BCS concept itself. That sure doesn't help things.

 

[uconndogs]

I'm reading a good book, so I might or might not turn the thing on.

Powers that be have the ability to run the BCS the way they want to. I have the option to choose the channel I want.

 

[B1GEast]

Trust me, this will be the last time two teams from the same conference will meet for the national championship unless it comes from a plus 1 process. The Big 12 is livid that Oak St didn't get a shot at the NC. The SEC was very top heavy this year, the conference is overrated and I'm happy that there's no buzz, who wants to see a 14-10 game? I won't watch the whole game and you are right, the whole hype to the game has been boring, the lesson will hopefully be learned, wonder what the rating will be.

 

[Waquoit]

I couldn't care less. I've got a hoop game tonight.

 

[BHusky]

In addition to what is already stated, it is also the way they have the bowl season schedule now adays. It used to be that the Major Bowls were all over by New Year's day with the BCS game a few days later. So you still had buzz from the big games leading into the championship. Now we have a ridicuously dragged out schedule that mixes in C level bowl games with the big boys another week into January. Not to mention that Alabama hasn't played a game in 6+ weeks. Add in NFL playoff competition and it is easy to see why the game is not drawing much buzz (at least outside the Southeast).

 

[Johnbuoy]

Freescooter - You're analysis of this game were right on. I really don't care who wins, but I think it's interesting the turmoil that'll likely erupt if Alabama wins by a small margin. SBnation had this to say: "The coaches are contractually obligated to vote for the winner of the BCS National Championship Game, and every voter in that poll absolutely should vote based on the results of the game. But there's no reason for the AP to vote based on that game if they aren't bound by contract." And the AP can do whatever it pleases based on the outcome. The scenario mentioned in Team Speed Kills:
1. If LSU wins = NC
2. If Alabama wins by more than one score = NC
3. If Alabama wins by less than one score = ???
IMO your team win's tonight = you're the NC. End of story.

 

[freescooter]

Actually, I'm sort of hoping Alabama wins, maybe 6-3 this time....and Ok State gets the AP National Championship. One justification of the original BCS, I forgot the original name, was that there would be ONE National Champion. It came about after a peiod when there were a couple of split championships.

 

[tzznandrew]

The problem is, it isn't the end of the story. The two teams went 1-1 against each other, and LSU will have a far better profile--and won against Alabama in Alabama.

Two 12-1 teams:

1. Won division, won conference, has better computer scores, lost only on a neutral site to team 2.
2. Did not win division or conference, played very few meaningful games, lost at home to team 1.

I get that the argument, fairly, will be that team two won last. Whatever. If every game matters, then I think team 1, even with a loss provided it is close) will have a better profile and should win the AP.

Regardless, I won't be watching.

 

[tzznandrew]

Actually, I'm sort of hoping Alabama wins, maybe 6-3 this time....and Ok State gets the AP National Championship. One justification of the original BCS, I forgot the original name, was that there would be ONE National Champion. It came about after a peiod when there were a couple of split championships.

Until the Pac-10 and Big 10 joined, there were still national championships split (Nebraska-Michigan in 98).

The only way to have a real champion is to have a real tournament. But if you insist that you don't need to do that, you probably shouldn't pair up two teams from the same conference, given how few games that are played (minimizing inter-conference clashes and a greater sense of the whole).

 

[TouchdownHusky]

On a side note: one reason voiced for NOT having a tournament format (be it 8 teams or 16 teams) was that these are student/athletes and the powers-to-be felt that such a format would extend the season too long. Ha!!!!! What a crock. Alabama as one poster pointed out hasn't played a game in six weeks, but rest assured they've practiced plenty.

So let me get this straight the games (which are the fun part of the sports for the players) would be too much on these "delicate" pre "PRObescent" athletes, but it's OK to beat each other up in practice (the hard and boring part of the life of football player, but a coaches delight). Seems like it's a made for television way to get six extra weeks of practice.

Want a NC? Here's a couple of ideas:

1. Abolish conference championship games.
2. Insist on league champions that are derived from a round robin format played during the regular season. The would probably make smaller conferences "en vogue".
3. Instead of these Supersized conferences, reorganize to 6 or 8 smaller (and more regionalized) conferences and let the champions go at it. Throw in a few at large schools from the ranks of the outside-looking-in crowd (Boise State was exhibit A) or highly ranked second placed teams (so Alabama would have made the tourney anyway). Eliminate Notre Dame until they join a conference (because they could be in a conference but choose to mess with the whole conference scheme).
4. Start the tourney the week after the last regular season game. This year a 16 team tourney would have started on Dec 9-10 (Friday & Sat). Quarter finals played on the 16-17. Semi finals could have been played on the 23-24 (thereby avoiding Christmas Day) and the NC on New Years Day (like the old days). The nice part of all this is that 75% of the student/athletes are done mid-December. Another 12.5% are done right after Christmas (and actually get to have some time away from school) and the rest are playing for the NC.

 

[SAMCRO]

IMO the argument of not having a playoff b/c it would be too many games, or go too late in the year is a friggin joke. HS teams in FL, TX, and other states play up to 14-15 games to win a state title. Every other level of CFB plays up to 15+ games to win a national championship. Thye play thru exams and holidays. It has everything to do with a small group controlling the $$$ and not wanting to give any of that up.

The day Delaney and Slive (the parties they represent) say we should have a 8 or 16 team playoff, it will happen. Which means it ain't happening any time soon.

 

[Dann]

occupy the bcs! if your going to watch the game do it at a bar. less tvs on =s bad ratings. the bars will have it on no matter what.

 

[Johnbuoy]

If viewing for the NC is down as some suggest it will be, I'm curious if TV ratings will have any bearing on next year's BCS NC game or way in which the finalists are selected. I think having the SEC win the last 6 national championshps is bad enough, but to have the 7th game decided between TWO SEC teams. IMO, all non-SEC fb fans are getting pretty tired of a dysfunctional BCS system that is less than transparent and clouded in "show me the money." Someone please explain. WWTD?

Darn I wish OklahomaSU would have beaten Iowa State.

 

[Dann]

if bosie mad a fg then bosie vs lsu would be a huge tv draw. bosie would get most college fball fans to watch based on the upset chance.

 

[defense]

TDH- your scenario sounds great, but with final exams falling in mid December, this creates a major roadblock. As you probably know, games & practices for the winter sports go on hiatus for a week. Having the kids take exams on the road or in a hotel don't cut it.

 

[CTMike]

TDH- your scenario sounds great, but with final exams falling in mid December, this creates a major roadblock. As you probably know, games & practices for the winter sports go on hiatus for a week. Having the kids take exams on the road or in a hotel don't cut it.

I think TDH's scenario would work just fine even if pushed out 1 week to accomodate for finals.

 

[ZooCougar]

I forgot it was happening.

 

[Nostical]

Frescooter, you summed it up well. My feeling is that the rematch issue is the buzz killer. It would have been a lot more intriguing to see Andrew Luck and Stanford or Boise St, or Ok State try and beat LSU. Alabama not only played them already in a lackluster game, but they did not even win their SEC East Division, nor compete for the SEC title and yet, inexplicably are somehow in this game. I'll Tivo it and watch some, but like you said, no one was talking the game up this weekend at all where I was.

 

[mattp]

Actually, I'm sort of hoping Alabama wins, maybe 6-3 this time....and Ok State gets the AP National Championship. One justification of the original BCS, I forgot the original name, was that there would be ONE National Champion. It came about after a peiod when there were a couple of split championships.

we've already had a split championship since the BCS (prev Bowl Alliance)in 2003 when LSU beat Oklahoma in the "NC game" and USC was awarded the AP.

nobody cares about the NC game because even though it's called the National Championship game, it's still just an exhibition and people are starting to realize this. until the NCAA grows a pair of balls and chooses to award its own championship this will always be case in college football. the lack of a real postseason used to be tempered by the excitement of the rivalries and tradition, etc, but those are out the window now with all of the conference realignments and embarassing scandals. everything college football had that was great is being sacrificed and we're now left with something more on par with the UFL championship game. it's no wonder there's no interest.

it certainly doesnt help that there's nothing at all to celebrate about this past college football season. for reasons too numerous to list (UConn missing a bowl isn't even in the top 20) it's been a season i'd just as soon forget

 

[SAMCRO]

Bama is in the SEC West, not East, so losing to LSU is what prevented them from winning the division and playing in the SEC CG. Had Okie Lite, handled there business in Ames Iowa we wouldn't be having this discussion. They didn't.

Here was the pool of 1 loss teams that could have realistically been in the discussion to play LSU:

• #2 Alabama (loss to #1 LSU in OT; regular season wins over #6 Arkansas, #9 USCe, #22 Penn State, and #25 Auburn, . Didn't play in conf championship game)
• #3 Okie Lite (loss to a 6-7 Iowa St team in 2OT's; regular season wins over #8 Texas A&M, #12 Baylor, #14 OU, and #24 Texas. Won the B12).
• #4 Stanford (loss to #5 Oregon; regular season wins over USC - not ranked - probably would have been ranked 10-15 with 2 losses. Didn't play in conference championship game)
• #7 Boise St. (loss to #18 TCU; regular season win over #16 Georgia. Didn't win their conference

In this pool, there was only 1 conference champion, it was Okie Lite. While I don't love the rematch, and I would have preferred to see Okie St. v. LSU, Bama looks just as deserving as OSU. Time for a playoff PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Jarhead_1775]

It's living up to the billing. Couple of bama field goals with a few left in the half. Snooze fest as promised.

 

[junglehusky]

Yeah... so far it's exactly as boring as the first LSU-alabama game. If it doesn't pick up the BCS will have egg on their faces.

 

[sportsart]

I agree that this game is boring but the athleticism of both defenses is truly amazing.

Wasn't Mingo for LSU the kid who took a visit here to see a BB game? Hell of a player.

 

[UConn990411]

Boring game, but more evidence that both these teams would've roasted Oklahoma State.