let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

[jhc68]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

Even better... let's call a tie a tie. Or maybe flip a coin. That makes as much sense as the arcane system in play now.

[26mi235]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

As for the comment that Wisconsin is only the 6th best Big Ten team - I beg to differ.
they were 11 points from a perfect season.

So why would Bielema want to leave the "best" team in the Big 10, for the 8/9th best team in the SEC?

Arkansas was supposed to compete for the SEC title this year. That they did not is the reason for hiring a new coach.

People up here think that UW had a notion of what he was worth and it might be that is works at 2.6 and does not work at 3.6. Besides, he showed an inability to win close games


By the way, does anyone else think that counting the scores in overtime as though there are the same as in a game where you generally start 50 yards further down the field is stupid? I think that it should be 1 point for a FG, 2 for a TD, 3 for a TD+1pt PAT, 4 for a TD+2pt PAT.

[jazzcyclist]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

Money?

Exactly! He was only making $2.6 million, which IMO makes him underpaid by at least $1 million, based on what other coaches are making these days.

FBS Coaches' Salaries

[Daisy]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

Money?

[Bruce Kritzler]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

As for the comment that Wisconsin is only the 6th best Big Ten team - I beg to differ.
they were 11 points from a perfect season.

So why would Bielema want to leave the "best" team in the Big 10, for the 8/9th best team in the SEC?

[Marlow]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

she?! ops:

[KevinM]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

In defense of lonewolf (and my own recollection), there was always some 'lesser' bowls floating around, but the one she mentioned were the only 'important' ones.

Well yeah - they still for the most part are the only "important" ones, which is kind of the point.

[Marlow]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

In defense of lonewolf (and my own recollection), there was always some 'lesser' bowls floating around, but the one she mentioned were the only 'important' ones.

[lonewolf]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

Interesting chart. I did not know Sun Bowl started in 1934, two years before Cotton Bowl. In any case, there were only five bowls pre-Gator in 1945 and Capitol One in 1946.. and I don't remember even being aware of any bowls other than the Big 4 until Fiesta in 1971..

[KevinM]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

New Year's Day in Pasadena, Dallas, New Orleans and Miami. Those games have traditions worth saving. ?

Yep. I liked it when there were only four Bowl games. Orange, Sugar, Cotton and Rose, all on Jan 1 and scheduled so you could watch em all.

I agree with the stupidity and meaninglessness of the current structure, but what you describe above was never entirely true:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_college_bowl_games

[lonewolf]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

New Year's Day in Pasadena, Dallas, New Orleans and Miami. Those games have traditions worth saving. ?

Yep. I liked it when there were only four Bowl games. Orange, Sugar, Cotton and Rose, all on Jan 1 and scheduled so you could watch em all.

[26mi235]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

In the coaches poll I have heard that some do not pay that much attention or spend too much effort until the end, and it is only the last poll that matters.

As for the comment that Wisconsin is only the 6th best Big Ten team - I beg to differ. Take out the games that are tied at regulation and there are no 'superior' teams to Wisconsin -- their only regular game loss was to Nebraska by 3 on the road -- followed by a 70-31 game that was for all the marbles.

I think that Bielema's weakness is control at the end of the game (as well as sometimes taking too long to adjust). Of course, losing your only respectable quarterback (which took several weeks to uncover in the first place) is a problem that will likely be a big factor in Pasadena. If Russel Wilson had one more year Wisconsin would possibly be playing instead of Alabama, since even without him they were 11 points from a perfect season.

Also, of all the primary games, I think that the Rose Bowl has the tightest odds. Thus, #1 ND is about a 10 point underdog to #2 while #xxx is only a touchdown underdog to #(6) Stanford. (Hi Marlow )

[Mighty Favog]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

This year's stupidity boils down to a) several top teams being ineligible for the post-season and b) big conferences becoming too big (and their divisions not always evenly balanced). Thus when you go down to the 5th- or 6th-best conference champion, you're pretty far down the list. Whether this is a one-year anomaly or the new normal is anyone's guess.

I have a problem with bowls in general, not necessarily BCS bowls. I think the entire bowl system should be wiped out and replaced with an NCAA playoff. There are so many reasons I believe this, and you don't want to hear all of them, but mostly it comes down to one thing: the money would be handed out like NCAA hoops tourney money, which is partly based on how many sports a school offers. Cutting a track team wouldn't be as appealing anymore.

If I were to create a playoff, I'd make sure the top four ranked conference champions got byes in the first round (to preserve the importance of regular-season wins) and I'd make sure the quarterfinals were played on New Year's Day in Pasadena, Dallas, New Orleans and Miami. Those games have traditions worth saving. The Beef 'O' Brady's Bowl or Famous Idaho Potato Bowl? Well, would YOU notice if they disappeared tomorrow?

[jazzcyclist]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

The most idiotic thing about the BCS is how much weight is given to the coaches poll in determining the BCS rankings. Coaches don't watch enough games to make an informed decision and rankings are extremely political. They over rank themselves and their conference and penalize their traditional rivals with lower rankings. It's the worst poll out there by far.

I agree that their's a conflict of interest in the Coaches' Poll, but that's somewhat mitigated by the fact that the final poll is made public, and coaches have been known to retaliate against other schools when they feel like they were screwed over in the previous year. If I were a coach, I would always vote in the manner that I feel would invite the least amount of retaliation. This year's biggest hack is James Franklin who voted Notre Dame #4 in the final poll, but Bob Stoops and Les Miles are notorious hacks as well. Nick Saban also displayed some hackery last year when he voted Oklahoma State #5 in the final poll. On the flip side, Brian Kelly voted Alabama #1 most of the season until they lost and even then he still didn't vote his Irish #1 until Kansas State and Oregon lost and they were the last team standing. Similarly, in 2009 Chris Petersen voted his team #4 on the final poll despite having an undefeated season.

[Cooter Brown]

Re: let's talk the stupidity that's the BCS

The most idiotic thing about the BCS is how much weight is given to the coaches poll in determining the BCS rankings. Coaches don't watch enough games to make an informed decision and rankings are extremely political. They over rank themselves and their conference and penalize their traditional rivals with lower rankings. It's the worst poll out there by far.