Who's the Best? Doesn't Really Matter, Does It?

by John
(Georgia (because the USAF said so))

I will be completely forthright and admit: I am a Lifelong Buckeye Fan.

With that said, I could really care less.

The SEC has good football. The Big Ten has good football. Would the Bottom teams do better in each others conferences....couldn't tell you, I would predict that after a few years, they would still be bottom teams.

The traditional powerhouses, nationwide, will continue to be powerhouses. What Dad would rather have his recruited son go to Boise State than Ohio State or LSU if his son had a chance of playing?

There will also always be a few mediocre teams that have temporary spurts of greatness, see West Virginia, Boise State, and (hehehe) Notre Dame.

A few specific thoughts to your article: the Big Ten is mainly mid-western states, many weren't even players in the civil war. We do not consider ourselves northerners and really despise the northeast as much as southerners do. As an Ohioan, I know that we contributed a little bit to the war (downplayed in jest), but I also don't lose sleep worrying about that now - 140 years later.

Statistics: Interestingly, if you search Big Ten vs SEC, you'll find relative parity over the last decade between SEC and Big Ten. Recently the stats have actually favored the Big Ten. Both have similar numbers in the NFL. Both win Heismans, etc.

Finally, two thoughts: I will fully fully admit that Ohio State was trashed last year - that is obvious, and believe that until Jim Tressel learns to beat the spread offense with more offense, we will have trouble with SEC teams. But, I believe this is more a coaching issue than a quality of play issue.

The BCS is interesting, but will always be flawed. However, to have a playoff would take away much fun about College Football. Would people like another NFL, with 120 teams? I like trying to go undefeated. In the NFL, how often do teams go into a prevent injury, acceptable to lose, posture because they have made it to the dance?

Of course, we could just do away with College conferences and start every October with a bracket of the top-120 and let them work their way through. One loss and you go home. We could have a Champion by Thanksgiving then and just watch old Christmas movies over the holidays.

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Dec 02, 2007
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Good Points in Defense of the Bowl System
by: Mo

John

Thanks a lot for your submission. You have several good points. I especially like your points about the good side of the BCS. It is true that it has raised the importance of regular season games. Good example tonight as West Virginia had already wrapped up the Big East. In the NFL, the game tonight would have been meaningless, but with the BCS Championship on the line, it meant it a lot. Because they lost, W. Va. is knocked out of the BCS Championship game.

Same thing happened last year to USC when they lost to UCLA in the last game of the year -- opening the door for Florida....

So, I don't disagree. But, I still think a modified playoff format would be better. One of the comments to this page has a specific plan that would work well I think. The page is What do you think of the BCS?.

Dec 04, 2007
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It Will Always Matter
by: Tim

The fact that you could care less basically sums it up. Football in the SEC doesn't start in September - it's all year long, all life long. My son's first words were LSU. Now he's two and can sing the entire fight song.

Go to any bar, restaurant or any social gathering and you'll discover that football is a topic of high priority in say, March just as it is in September.

Football is extremely scrutinized in the South and is without question the hardest region for a coach to prosper. Not only when he has a losing season, but when he loses a single game. A recruited kid from Louisiana that signed with Alabama for instance would probably never speak to his Dad again, if he survived the shotgun blasts on his was to Tuscaloosa and the neighbors would fully understand. Suffice it to say - Football and the football debate does matter! It's not a hobby for SEC fans, it's a way of life.

I don't lose sleep over the Civil War either. That entire debacle wasn't really over slavery. It was the North's jealousy ragging because of the Southern way of life. That jealousy rages every September when kickoffs are made throughout the country and deep down you know the SEC is a more competitive conference.

In the here and now, your Buckeyes did not have to face a Top 10 Team, LSU beat two of them, your Buckeyes only faced 4 Top 25 Teams, LSU faced 6, the only losses came in triple overtime, the week after defeating Florida (and you know what they're capable of) and Arkansas' gimmick offense. It's more competitive. That's the nuts and bolts of it.

You will never admit it, I know. That's cool with me. I get it and I don't blame you. You probably only go to games when there is a winning season and forget about it the remainder of the year.

I encourage you to purchase "Dixieland Delight" by Clay Travis. He does a damn good job of objectively describing SEC football, its competitiveness and its fans. Being an LSU Grad and bleeding purple and gold, I will admit LSU had luck (and voters) on their side this year. But the BCS is flawed. A playoff scenario is the only way to truly crown a champion.

Editor's Note: If you are interested in reading "Dixieland Delight," there's a link to it at SEC Football Traditions.

Dec 04, 2007
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Go Bucks
by: John

Actually, I am not sure Tim understands the question, it was "what do you think of the BCS?". I may have mis-titled my response, but my main point was that the SEC and Big Ten, and the other four majors are really pretty even. There are up and down years. We can fidget with statistics but depending on what you use and your POINT OF VIEW (i.e. from Buckeye Country or the Swamp), you can find stats to support your argument.

With all that said, the BCS cannot get it right FOR EVERYONE, but I don't believe a playoff is the correct answer either. Are their ways we could wicker a playoff into NCAA football? Yep. We could take conference champions of the Big 6 conferences, throw in the top two mid-major champs (as long as they are ranked, if not, the next two top ranked teams from different conferences) and throw them into a post Thanksgiving, 2 - week melee. The two that win their brackets play New Years for the title.

Here's the problem, and the big problem with this year as well. There is a darn good argument that Oklahoma, Georgia, USC, Mizzou and others all have a legitimate claim to a shot at the title. How many are conference champions? The non-champs wouldn't be in the game either way. Want to go out to 16 Teams? You would need to add week three. 32 Teams, now we are at four weeks of playoffs. Les Miles talks a lot about body of work, bottom line is, in a playoff scenario, you only have to qualify for the playoff, whatever the rules. Once qualified, who cares, win or lose.

Football is the best, most violent, chess game ever designed, and those of us who both understand the game and have played it know why it is THE SPORT. We also need to remember these guys are kids who haven't even completed their full physical and mental development yet and adding games is really not fair to them, or their futures.

So, back to my original point, It doesn't matter if the BCS gets it right. In my mind, there is one football team, The Buckeyes (and I bet you SEC guys are the same way with your teams) Having watched every game for over 30 years (there would be more but I am only 39), I will tell you that just like the SEC fans and their teams, the one constant through my years has been Ohio State Football. I do like playing in bowl games, and playing in the BCS title game is extra fun, but I am a Big Ten guy, and my heart is on winning the Big Ten and beating the team up north. That's what matters to me. Not the BCS.

The Greatest competitor ever, Dale Sr. was asked if he thought the speeds were getting too fast, he said: Do you want to race or don't you? I want to race.

I just want football.

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