NCAA Football FanHouse

Mark Richt Campaigned for a Title Bid Without Much Hope

Ryan Ferguson — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, LSU Football, SEC, NCAA FB Coaching

Remember last season when Georgia was ranked fourth, above 2-loss LSU, but were then jumped by the Tigers after LSU beat Tennessee in the SEC Championship game?

That win propelled the Tigers to their second national championship of the 2-aughts, and they became the first team with more than one loss to win a BCS title. At the time, Mark Richt was a ball of title-campaignin' energy, telling each and every reporter he could drag into earshot that Georgia deserved a bid because of their BCS ranking.

As an SEC fan, I always felt Richt's argument was facetious at best. Georgia ended the year playing their best football in recent memory, but to take a 2-loss team who hadn't even won their division over the SEC champion (with one additional win on their record) was never going to fly.

I'm not a huge fan of the BCS, but they got it right last year.
In an interview with Southern Pigskin, Richt had a confession of sorts: he didn't really expect his Bulldogs to receive a title bid after LSU was crowned Southeastern Conference champions.

"I don't really mind it the way it is, I never have. Even last year, I didn't think we got the shaft necessarily. I didn't think we should have been ranked fourth in the BCS going in and then have come out ranked fifth. I thought that was a little rough. I didn't really believe that we were going to make the national championship game. Once LSU beat Tennessee I didn't think there would be much of a chance at all, even with the two losing ahead of us," Richt said in reference to the end of last season. "I was going to lobby for our opportunity to do that and I could see where we had a right to lobby for that. It wasn't way out of the question to lobby for it but in my heart I felt like once LSU won the league...I thought they would jump us."

Richt was also quoted as saying in a separate audio interview that he was campaigning for his players, so they "wouldn't think he wasn't going to try" to get him into the championship game.

The fact is, when you lose two games and fail to win your conference -- much less your division -- your title hopes are dead. LSU proved that an SEC champion will be considered with two losses, but to be fair, it took amazing circumstances for the Bayou Bengals to find their way back to New Orleans. Richt apparently recognized the true nature of his circumstances, but it would have been nice to hear him say that from the get-go rather than send his players and fans on a roller-coaster ride.

Mark Richt Campaigned for a Title Bid Without Much Hope originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jul 2008 08:58:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Beloved Georgia Mascot UGA VI Dead

Brian Grummell — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:42:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC

The University of Georgia's awesome English bulldog UGA VI died Saturday at the age of nine of congestive heart failure.

He is a dog so these things happen from time to time, and Georgia will most certainly have a succession pooch ready in short order. But it's sad news just the same, as UGA is one of the better live mascots in all of sport and a face for the entire Georgia athletics program.

UGA was a fixture "between the hedges" on the Georgia sidelines at football games, taking in his 'Dawgs and offering a few barks when the mood struck. He actually goes down as the winningest UGA in program history, as Georgia football went 87-27 during his tenure. How much of that was due to coach Mark Richt and how much was the good grace of UGA, we'll let you decide.

Regardless we enjoyed writing about him here. There was actually speculation last year might be his last before heading to retirement, but it appears a call to puppy heaven made that decision for his owner, Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler. Our condolences to Seiler and the entire Georgia athletics family.

Interesting trivia: Seiler -- and UGA V -- were prominently featured in the movie "Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil".

Much more coverage can be found at Georgia Sports Blog.

Beloved Georgia Mascot UGA VI Dead originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 28 Jun 2008 21:42:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pissant Football Programs of the World, Unite! And Gouge!

Brian Cook — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:38:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, NCAA FB Scandal, Duke Football

As someone who's advocated for the summary execution of athletic directors who schedule eight home games, three against virtual or actual I-AA teams, and desperately pleaded for any sort of intercession from the NCAA that would stop the constant flow of exploitative non-games, this is my favorite sentence ever:

There is no way to legislate against this kind of escalation.

That's from Duke AD Kevin White, late of Notre Dame, and it's one of the centerpiece quotes in a USA Today story on the rising costs of screwing over fans by scheduling uncompetitive games against tomato cans.

All of us in the ~~cheap~~ slightly less preposterously expensive seats have so much sympathy. Almost as good is an unnamed but "top" athletic director claiming that the prices of non-conference guarantee games are rising at a "fairly alarming rate." Also rising at a fairly alarming rate: non-conference guarantee games that will have halftime scores of 56-0.

"No way to legislate against this kind of escalation." Here's a way to legislate: schedule actual home-and-homes against respectable opponents instead completing the "Tennesee-RANDOM CITY" tour. Here's some more "woe is me" from Georgia's athletic director:

"You talk about coaches salaries skyrocketing," said Georgia athletics director Damon Evans, "now the guarantees are just skyrocketing."

Hey, it's what the market will bear, right? Just like my $120 ticket to see Michigan-Toledo this fall.

Fans everywhere should be tickled pink by this article, as the skyrocketing costs of guarantee games will help encourage power teams to schedule each other or, failing that, interesting mid-level BCS teams. In conclusion, everyone quoted in this article can go to hell.

Pissant Football Programs of the World, Unite! And Gouge! originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 08:38:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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UGA and Other Preseason Top 5s Be Warned: Your Demise Can Come Quickly

Andy Katzer — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, General CFB Insanity

The fact that Georgia is getting lots of love this offseason as a potential BCS contender doesn't impress coach Mark Richt, who was quoted recently saying preseason rankings "[don't] mean jack, because if you lose your first SEC game, preseason doesn't mean nothing anymore." Of course, I'm sure Richt doesn't mind any extra national attention from the media and potential recruits that a top-five ranking brings--although it does hurt the "us against the world" mentality that coaches like to cultivate. It's also much easier to position yourself for a BCS championship starting the year at number five than, say, number 15.

But Richt's right; preseason rankings are pretty much meaningless. And if you need proof browse though the stats at Stassen.com (they keep up with these things). There's goodies like the preseason consensus (of which UGA is currently a member, and though it's early, I'd expect them to stay put).

Even more interesting is the comparison of preseason and final polls. In the last 10 years exactly half of the teams that started as a consensus top-five didn't end the season there. And the fall can be dramatic: 12 teams since 1999 have had double-digit drops from the preseason top 5 to the year's final AP poll, and six of those fell out of the top 25 altogether. Unfortunately, this is a topic I know a little about, as my beloved Tennessee has the distinction of having fallen from preseason top five to unranked twice--in 2002 and 2005--a feat no other team has managed. Yay.

Yet both of those ill-fated Vol teams may hold a key to why Richt is especially squeamish about a high preseason ranking. Two of the conditions that made those Tennessee teams ripe for a fall also apply to this year's UGA squad; namely coming off an impressive bowl rout and playing in the SEC. In both '02 and '05 Tennessee was riding the momentum of big bowl wins over what, in hindsight, weren't very good teams--reminiscent of UGA's Sugar Bowl blowout of Hawaii. Then there's the SEC factor: more teams form the Southeastern Conference have taken a nosedive from the preseason top five than from any other conference (probably because so many get ranked up there to begin with, but still.)

None of this may pertain to Georgia anyway. They've got the talent to go out and run the table. But a word of warning to fans of the Dawgs (and any other highly ranked team): it's a long way to fall.

UGA and Other Preseason Top 5s Be Warned: Your Demise Can Come Quickly originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:45:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Old School: The 1947 Sugar Bowl

Brian Cook — Tue, 13 May 2008 20:33:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, UNC Football, ACC, SEC

"Old School" is the College Football FanHouse's irregular look back at the rich history of college football, usually through the medium of embeddable flash video. Check out the Old School archive for more famous plays and infamous hair.

Old School usually consists highlight clips of relatively recent games, but thanks to the University of Georgia's media archive department the entire 1947 Sugar Bowl is now online and streaming:

That, obviously, is not the entire game. Hoo-boy, those would be some pissed of guys in hats if it was. This is the entire game. If you dig the era when "football" was defiantly pronounced as two words, coaches regarded the forrward pass as deadly poison, and guys like Georgia's Charley Trippi played quarterback, receiver, running back, punt returner, kick returner, linebacker, and punter, this is your jam, man.

Georgia would beat North Carolina 20-10, finishing a perfect 10-0 but losing out on the national title to Notre Dame. Georgia's official site takes a distinctly non-'Bama tack when discussing the potential screwjob, highlighting the team but setting Georgia's two "consensus" national champions apart.

Old School: The 1947 Sugar Bowl originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 13 May 2008 20:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Members Of Congress to Department of Justice: Investigate the BCS

Brian Grummell — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:16:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, BCS, Boise State Football, Hawaii Football

One would think Congress would get the lesson that spending valuable time investigating trivialities like sports is a waste of the public's time. It's not like the public has fully embraced the drawn-out inquest into Barry Bonds and Rogers Clemens, Senator Arlen Specter's crusade against the Patriots, and so on.

But no. Three misguided members of Congress now seek to interfere with college football, all in the name of pandering.

Three members of Congress want the Justice Department to investigate whether the Bowl Championship Series is an illegal enterprise.

Representatives Neil Abercrombie, Democrat of Hawaii; Lynn Westmoreland, Republican of Georgia; and Mike Simpson, Republican of Idaho, introduced a resolution saying the B.C.S. restricts trade because only the largest universities compete in its games. The resolution would require the Justice Department's antitrust division to investigate if the B.C.S. violates federal law.

The measure, if it passes, would put Congress on record as supporting a postseason playoff.

Hawaii? Check. Idaho? Check. Georgia? Check. No pandering going on here! Hilariously stupid quote of the month goes to Hawaii Democrat Neil Abercrombie:

"Who elected these N.C.A.A. people?" Abercrombie said at a news conference Thursday on Capitol Hill while gripping a souvenir University of Hawaii football. "Who are they to decide who competes for the championship?"

Never let facts get in the way of a good time folks! Imagine, private - not public like Congress - interests such as the NCAA determining how their own organizations are run? This is apparently scary stuff for the closet fascist the great people of Hawaii have elected. Best of all Abercrombie doesn't appear to realize that "those NCAA people" aren't deciding who competes for college football's championship, nor should they. It's in the hands of the institutions and the conferences themselves.

Exit question: What, no co-signature from any of Alabama's representatives?

Members Of Congress to Department of Justice: Investigate the BCS originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 18 Apr 2008 15:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Matt Stafford Has a Theme Song

Brian Grummell — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, The Word

His career line is fairly pedestrian so far, but when your team's getting championship talk and you play in the SEC, your fans inevitably end up doing oddball things.

The motif: Shaft. As seen at DawgSports - can you dig it?

Who's the white quarterback
Who's a pass machine for the Red and Black?
Staff!
You're damn right!
Who's the man who can beat the Gators
Then hoist a keg at Talladega?
Staff!
Can you dig it?

Who's the cat who won't hand off
When he can put Michael Moore in the running for the Biletnikoff?
Staff!
Right on!

They say this cat Staff is a bad quarter---
Shut your mouth!
I'm talking 'bout Staff.
Then we can dig it!

He's a complicated man to all the haters,
But no one understands him but his coordinator.
Matthew Stafford!

Matt Stafford Has a Theme Song originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Old School: What Can Bulldog Fever Do for Herschel Walker? Little, Evidently

Brian Cook — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:44:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, NCAA FB Video

"Old School" is the College Football FanHouse's irregular look back at the rich history of college football, usually through the medium of embeddable flash video. Check out the Old School archive for more famous plays and infamous hair.

It's 1982 in Georgia, and the most popular things are Herschel Walker, the colors red and black, and porny mustaches. But don't take it from me, take it from this assortment of Herschel Walker, suited dudes, horrifying clown-women, and spaced-out students:

Behold the dignity of fandom!

PORNY MUSTACHE GUY: What does it ["Bulldog Fever"] do for you?
HERSCHEL WALKER: For me? It doesn't do anything.

Woooo!

Old School: What Can Bulldog Fever Do for Herschel Walker? Little, Evidently originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 14:44:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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YouTubesDay: Knowshon Moreno in March

Brian Grummell — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:53:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, NCAA FB Video

Why not?

Nothing too spectacular here, but that's just how Georgia likes it on offense. Toss left, toss right, bounce it outside and easy does it for Georgia's new offensive star. As a redshirt freshman (why in the world did they redshirt him!) Moreno rushed for 1334 yards (5.4 average) and 14 touchdowns.

If past is precedent, the sampling below hints at the encore.

(H/T: Get The Picture)

YouTubesDay: Knowshon Moreno in March originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:53:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is The SAM Linebacker Position Going the Way of the Dodo Bird?

Brian Grummell — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:56:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, The Word

Mercifully this cannot be blamed on the usual bogeymen: global warming and President Bush

"In our league, more and more people are spreading out (on offense), and I think it's happening pretty much around the nation," [Georgia coach Mark] Richt said. "The more (offenses) spread, the less (defenses) play their Sam linebacker. You could play Sam and play a certain team and play maybe 15 snaps or something. And then if you have two Sams who are ready to play, you are splitting time like that."
When offenses spread out their formation, defenses have to replace the Sam linebacker with a defensive back, a player who is expected to be faster and better in pass coverage. With a linebacker in the game against a spread offense, Martinez said, quarterbacks and offensive coordinators know the defense will be playing zone defense, giving the offense an advantage.
"They know a linebacker is not going to play man (coverage)," [Georgia defensive coordinator Willie] Martinez said. "He's going to play zone."

Cry not for the SAM backer, Argentina. We're talking evolution here, not extinction.

From now on, the head coach said, Georgia's strongside linebackers will have to be able to either play defensive end in passing situations or play more than one linebacker spot to ensure themselves playing time.

"You are going to see us more and more where that guy is a jack of all trades," Martinez said. "No doubt, it's a special kind of guy. You want the strength, you want the power, you want the size, but at the same time, you don't want that guy out there in space, trying to defend the spread."

Just the same, the position's changing and wise high school coaches, parents and players will adjust accordingly. This is the trickle-down from the change in the quarterback position at the college level.

Exit question: how long before these changes in the college game manifest themselves on the pro level? The NFL is stuck in its one way of football and has been for the better part of 30 years. Can it continue to resist the changes happening at the college level?

(H/T: Get The Picture)

Is The SAM Linebacker Position Going the Way of the Dodo Bird? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 10 Mar 2008 10:56:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Georgia's Mark Richt Gets Raise - to Fifth Highest Paid SEC Football Coach

Brian Grummell — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:25:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, NCAA FB Coaching, The Word

Georgia has upped the salary of football coach Mark Richt $800,000 to $2.8 million. Here's guessing Georgia's athletic board was willing to pay him much more, but sent a bit of a message with this raise.

Note the coaches ahead of him in pay: Nick Saban, Les Miles, Urban Meyer and Tommy Tuberville. Three of the four have won championships and Tuberville arguably fielded a championship team in 2004.

Now don't get me wrong, Richt is revered around the state right now for making Georgia a consistent top-10 program and few can criticize what he's done. But the pay level is veeeeeeery interesting you gotta admit. I'm no brain surgeon but I think there was a bit of a friendly message sent to Richt here - deliver the goods and we'll pay you like a champion.

His boss, Athletic Director Damon Evans almost admits as much:

"There are some institutions out there that have coaches who have won a national championship, and when you get to that level, that is a different level,'' Evans said.

He'll have that shot this year, with a team expected to be either preseason #1 or #2 in the fall. In the meantime, you can bet he's thrilled with the $2.8 million in cash. He's one of the SEC's true good guys and you won't find many people blinking at this news.

Previously at FanHouse
Recruiting: Mark Richt, Ping Pong Master
Michael Adams' Stupid Playoff Plan is Stupid
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Georgia's Mark Richt Gets Raise - to Fifth Highest Paid SEC Football Coach originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 07 Mar 2008 13:25:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recruiting: Sometimes Sons Say Sorry, Dad

Brian Grummell — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:18:00 EST

Filed under: Clemson Football, Georgia Football, UCLA Football, NCAA FB Recruiting, The Word, Oregon State Football

Few things in life are as heartwarming as a lifelong bond between father and son. Playing catch in the backyard. Going fishing. Hell, getting a little homework help. But then young men eventually grow up and gain independence and make decisions that take them away from their fathers.

Nowhere is that more public than in the recruiting game. Many times a player will stick with his father (see Luke Bellotti playing at Oregon for his father Mike Bellotti or quarterback Cody Hawkins heading to Colorado to play for his old man). But while blood may be thicker than water, sometimes blood doesn't have the pull it should.

Last year, Georgia coach Mark Richt's son Jon Richt pledged to play quarterback for Clemson over his fathers' Dawgs. No doubt a tough decision for a closeknit family like that. The separation continues this year as it is rumored UCLA defensive coordinator DeWayne Walker's son Kevan, a receiver prospect, will not stick with dear old dad at UCLA but instead play for the Oregon State Beavers.

The upshot to all of this is that while recruiting is a competitive, sometimes nasty business, coaches recruiting a fellow coaches' son must tone down his pitch which can only help but improve relations between coaches.

Recruiting: Sometimes Sons Say Sorry, Dad originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Wed, 06 Feb 2008 12:18:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Recruiting: Mark Richt Ping Pong Master

Brian Grummell — Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:32:00 EST

Filed under: Florida Football, Georgia Football, Iowa Football, NCAA FB Recruiting, The Word

One of the more recent trends in college football recruiting has been for coaches to bring groups of players to their homes. Those visits tend to involve leisure (time at the family pool, perhaps), recreation, dinner and time with the coach's family and maybe several assistants and their families.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is a big practitioner of this recruiting method. Others I'm aware of doing so include Florida's Urban Meyer and Georgia's Mark Richt. The goal, perhaps, is for coach and recruits to all get to know each other a little more in a relaxed setting. It also probably helps quiet the alarm bells in concerned parents' heads who would rather their boys be staying out of trouble and in the care of adults than spending a night out on the town.

This also blends well with the more sanitized world of official visits detailed earlier. And so sometimes the most *interesting* stories emanating from formerly lurid trips is talk of a coach's prowess at . . . ping pong.

consider the wildest part of the biggest visit weekend at Georgia this recruiting season. On the night of Dec. 6, some of the nation's top players gathered at the home of Bulldogs coach Mark Richt and played ping-pong. That's right, ping-pong.

"[Richt] is pretty dominant. He didn't lose the entire night," said Bryce Ros, a Kennesaw, Ga., tight end who will officially sign next week to play for a coach who apparently is the best American table tennis player since Forrest Gump.

So there you go. Mark Richt will own you in ping pong. I'm not sure that's a good thing when trying to stroke the 17-year-old ego and encourage him to commit to your school, but it's safe and right in the wheelhouse of a sensible and decent coach and man like Richt.

Previously at FanHouse

Recruiting Tag
NCAA Recruiting Tag

Recruiting: Mark Richt Ping Pong Master originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 05 Feb 2008 14:32:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Georgia Lawmakers Petition NCAA for Playoff

Andy Katzer — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:00:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, BCS, General CFB Insanity, The Word

Hey, you know what college football doesn't have enough of? Government sticking its nose in. But the great state of Georgia is trying to fix all that. The Georgia state House of Representatives recently passed a resolution calling for the NCAA to implement a playoff system in college football. The bill states:

WHEREAS, the greatest disappointment of the 2007 college football season was the dysfunctional system, known as the Bowl Championship Series or BCS, the NCAA has implemented in order to determine a national champion; and

WHEREAS, the teams chosen to play in the various BCS bowl games are selected through mathematical computations, politics, and corporate and television influences that rarely relate to determining the best football team on the field;

The resolution is on its way to the state Senate, where somebody might want to work on the wording; because like the computers or not, mathematical computations used in the BCS rankings are, in fact, directly related to determining the best football team on the field. Also, the irony of politicians complaining about politics in sports is open to second-guessing, eye-rolling, and conjecture.

As a resident of the state of Georgia, my initial indignation that my tax dollars are being spent on passing such an inane resolution while the state grapples with a water crisis and overcrowded roadways has passed. Now I'm just amused at the thought of this legislation being a part of Georgia's (and not the state's, but UGA's) growing inferiority complex.

Most of the lawmakers working in Atlanta are Georgia Bulldog fans, and they're bitter about the perceived slight of UGA being left out of the BCS championship game. And if you don't think that's what it's about, read this section of the bill:

WHEREAS, one of the goals of every football team going into a new season is to eventually be crowned the national champion and earn the admiration and respect of the whole country;

Poor UGA didn't get to win the 'admiration and respect of the whole country,' they merely got to expose Hawaii for being terrible. Never mind the fact that Georgia wasn't good enough to play in the national title game... let alone win their own conference. A more important resolution could have been passed in the Dawgs' locker room in September or October, because if they had resolved to beat South Carolina and/or Tennessee, the team could have made a legitimate claim at playing for the national title.

Previously on Fanhouse:
Michael Adams' Stupid Playoff Plan Is Stupid

Georgia Lawmakers Petition NCAA for Playoff originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 01 Feb 2008 22:00:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Hawai'i Player: 'Georgia Got Lucky'

Ryan Ferguson — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:16:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, WAC, Hawaii Football

Here's one for the "Oh no he DIH-UNT" file. Former Hawai'i Warrior Lene Amosa says Hawai'i just didn't bring it in their game against Georgia.

As a former player, I'm tired of hearing fans and the media say that we were overmatched by bigger, faster, stronger players.

Georgia players are no different than us; the problem was they came to play and we didn't.

Georgia was dominant, not only because they were good athletes, but because their scheme put them in the best position to win.

If Hawai'i (offense) had done the same and utilized/adjusted their scheme to put themselves in the best position, we would not be in the mess we are in now. Believe me, our budget and facilities have nothing to do with what goes on on the field. It's up to the players, and I know for a fact they are looking forward to Florida.

Georgia got lucky, and I say that from a player's point of view. We gave up big plays, which at the end killed us.

Oh, Lene. Lene, Lene, Lene.

The Sugar Bowl was the only BCS game I've ever watched and thought, "Damn, I hope none of those little skinny guys get hurt." I was literally fearful for the safety of Hawai'i's players. And every time the Warriors' offense took the field, I was reminded of that scene from Jurassic Park. No, not the one where the kid gets blown off the electric fence; the one where they tie a goat up to a post in an effort to lure a velociraptor out of hiding.

The only thing Georgia lucked out on is that none of their players were charged with aggravated assault for what they did to the Rainbow Warriors.

Hawai'i Player: 'Georgia Got Lucky' originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Fri, 25 Jan 2008 17:16:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Michael Adams' Stupid Playoff Plan Is Stupid

Brian Cook — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:07:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, Ohio State Football, Big 10, SEC, BCS

Georgia is this year's pissy "why not us" BCS complainer, and university president Michael Adams isn't going to take it anymore. No matter that Georgia didn't win its conference. Or even its division. The Dawgs have been done wrong, so it's time for a playoff proposal, one that Adams said was "50-50" to pass when he introduced it.

His 50-50 proposal to set up a committee to talk about a playoff -- to talk about a playoff, not actually do anything -- then got shot down by everybody:

"I don't think that there's a desire on the part of the board to do anything other than what the structure currently in place would yield," said Clemson President and board chairman James Barker.

At least four conferences already have weighed in against a playoff, starting with the long-opposing Big Ten and Pacific-10. Presidents and chancellors in the Southeastern convinced Florida's Bernie Machen to abort his own campaign for a playoff last June (Georgia also is in the SEC). Big 12 Commissioner Dan Beebe said his presidents weighed postseason modifications last spring, were united against a playoff and reaffirmed that stance in the wake of Adams' proposal.

At least four conferences, including the one in which Georgia currently resides, are stridently opposed to a playoff. So who's fault is this? The same entity that burned Atlanta to the ground during the civil war: The Big Ten.

Adams:

"What we have now is a system where the Big Ten has the opportunity to most every year get a team into the national championship game that, based on their performance, would not get there through a playoff system," Adams said. "So, they are not dumb people." ...

"We had probably the best regular season ever, with the worst postseason ever," he said. "And it's because so many of these entrenched constituencies have a self-preservation interest here. I just finally said, 'Enough is enough.' "

No, we are not dumb people, which is more than we can say for you, you tool. Two years is not "most every year," and the other time a Big Ten team made the MNC game it won it.

Do you wonder why the Big Ten doesn't seem enthused about your brilliant playoff proposal? Take out a map. Put pins in Los Angeles, Phoenix, Miami, and New Orleans. Then put pins in Columbus, Ann Arbor, State College, and the rest of the cities with Big Ten universities. This is what we in the North call "far away." You want three rounds of playoffs with every game played thousands of miles away from any Big Ten campus, and then you have the audacity to say it's not "helping the country" to say your stupid plan is stupid.

Well, it is.

This is getting pathetic. The last two years, the SEC has gotten a berth in the national championship game despite its champion having one or two losses. They've won that national championship game. And then they've spent the offseason complaining about how unfair everything is. What more do you want?

Michael Adams' Stupid Playoff Plan Is Stupid originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:07:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Pardon Me, Did You Happen to See a Good BCS Bowl Game?

Ryan Ferguson — Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:47:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, LSU Football, Ohio State Football, Oklahoma Football, USC Football, West Virginia Football, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, Big East, Pac 10, SEC, BCS, Bowl Games, NCAA FB Fans, Illinois Football, Hawaii Football

This whole BCS thing has me gritting my teeth again. Some of these bowl outcomes were predetermined before the first snap, but there were a few surprises.

Rose Bowl: USC 49, Illinois 17

That's what you get for your precious Rose Bowl tie-ins, Big 10 and Pac-10 fans. A total sham of a game. The Grandaddy? Not this year.

I know everyone's in love with USC after that dominating performance, but let's not lose sight of the fact that Illinois was probably overrated due to that win over Ohio State. A fact made even more obvious after the Bucks were hammered by LSU in the BCS title game. How great would it have been to see Southern Cal vs. Georgia in this game?

Sugar Bowl: Georgia 41, Hawaii 10

I'm all for giving the little guy a chance, but the Warriors had no business being in this game. Our valued Hawaii readers here at FanHouse have pointed out Hawaii's ascendance under June Jones and that the accomplishments of their football team showcase their rich cultural heritage. True, Hawaii's a powerhouse in the WAC nowadays, and that is something to be proud of... but it is the WAC, not the Pac-10 or SEC.

Regardless, this is the game I enjoyed the least. Why? Because my interest in the outcome of the game diminished as my fear for the physical safety of Hawaii's players grew. We here at FanHouse have the highest respect and appreciation for the island's tradition (how 'bout that Haka!), and we love the underdog. Love him! Warriors fans, you have every right to be proud of your team. But on the flip side, hey... it's college football. Bring it or shut up. Mahalo.

Fiesta Bowl: West Virginia 48, Oklahoma 28

This was a reasonably fun game to watch... for a half. Certainly the overwhelming favorite, Oklahoma, was upset by a surprisingly speedy and effective Mountaineer squad. (Even despite losing head coach Rich Rodriguez to Michigan!) But blowouts do get boring. I didn't see the final quarter. I don't blame this one on the BCS. I think.

Orange Bowl: Kansas 24, Virginia Tech 21

This one surprised me, but then again you're talking about two of the weaker conferences in the country this year squaring off. In terms of glamor and appeal, the Orange Bowl was sorely lacking. It was kind of a close game, I guess. Did anyone watch it? Kansas and Virginia Tech fans don't count.

BCS Title Game: I'll admit it, I grew nervous about this game after Michigan beat the Gators in the Capital One bowl; I actually called for a 1-point win for the Bayou Bengals. LSU clearly had a more talented team going into the game, but would Les Miles be able to get his team razor-focused and ready to play? Turns out I shouldn't have worried. This game was, for all intents and purposes, over after LSU answered the Buckeyes' opening salvo with 31 unanswered points.

The BCS, Playoffs, and +1

So how do you feel about this year's bowl matchups? With the exception of the Rose Bowl, I feel as though the BCS worked more or less as advertised: we got #1 vs. #2 in New Orleans, we had an at-large opponent not named Notre Dame in the Sugar Bowl, and Top 10 matchups involving West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kansas and Virginia Tech.

The problem, of course, is that although it 'worked', the system simply isn't very good, so neither was the final result. Between traditional bowl tie-ins (thanks for nothing, Rose Bowl!), corporate sponsors choosing teams based on their potential ROI rather than how good they might be, bowl politics and a mad-scientist formula which determines how a team is ranked, fans are more often than not robbed of an opportunity to see great postseason matchups.

Don't think I'm clamoring for a playoff. Please: I've studied this mess long enough to understand the business interests at the heart of college football easily trump what Joe Q. Football Fan and his buddies might want. Until we're all willing to stop paying for the product to get what we're asking for -- and trust me on this, none of us are -- we're not going to see a playoff. If anything, the controversy surrounding the BCS sweetens the pot for the suits making money on the whole deal.

Those suits love the current system. Love it. They're making money hand over fist. The universities aren't necessarily making a dime directly from their efforts -- a BCS appearance is often a break-even or lose-money proposition unless you're Notre Dame -- but the corporate sponsors, the bowls, and their supporting communities want it to stay status quo forever.

And it probably will. In all honesty, I don't think we'll ever see a true college football playoff in the fashion of the FCS or the NCAA basketball tournament. I've found it's easier to accept when you just decide to let it go.

It's important to remember that the current bowl system, and the BCS, isn't an entity. You can't call up the BCS on the telephone, or storm into their office building and demand to speak to the guy in charge. This system is a loose collection of hundreds of different entities, all with their own agendas and interests to protect. And it wasn't formed overnight: it took several generations of tweaking and twisting and turning and handshakes to get the "business" to this point. Things don't easily change, and when they do, it's only to make sure that the flow of greenbacks continues in the right direction and at the best rate possible. Do you think these people care about whether the right team is crowned a national champion? Their collective product -- college football's postseason -- is more successful now than it has ever been. You say playoff and they're not even listening. They couldn't care any less because business is great.

What I do think could work, eventually -- not this year, or next year, but maybe five or ten years from now -- is a +1 system. The +1 isn't perfect either, but it nicely fills almost all of the glaring holes left open by the current incarnation of the Bowl Championship Series. A +1 answers the problem of multiple undefeated teams vying for a championship slot, or in the case of the 2007 season, multiple defeated teams who all have reasonable claims to appear in the Big Game. Will someone always be left on the outside looking in? Yes, and that's too bad, but when you're talking about a total of 13, 14, or in the case of two teams under a hypothetical scenario like this one, 15 total games in a season, it's impossible to make everyone happy.

But even a +1 is a long shot.

The biggest problem, of course, is the set of "tradtional" bowl tie-ins. The Rose Bowl, in particular, doesn't want to see the Grandaddy become an "early round" bowl and the fear is that any type of playoff structure will diminish the importance of the event.

A fair concern for the Rose Bowl and the city of Pasadena to have, in my view.

If you'll recall, professional football attempted to run playoffs with a bowl type structure but crowds just weren't showing up for the games. Eventually the league went to a home-team stadium arrangement based on seeds from the regular season, and most of the professional bowls -- with the exception of 'Super' and 'Pro' -- died. Could that happen in college football? Well, if fans are unwilling to travel to a "playoff" bowl game and then turn right back around and fly to where the championship game is being held, then the answer is yes.

For proof, have a look in the stands at the regionals for the NCAA basketball tournament. Lots and lots of empty seats, even for the regional finals.

It's just too frightening a thought for the BCS, and the extended bowl system around it to bear. That's why even a +1 is a long shot and talk of an 8 or 16-team playoff is a complete and utter waste of breath. Isn't going to happen. Doesn't matter how much you like it, it's not good for business. So you're not going to get it. Ever.

One other thing which could help is a change in the method for how teams are selected. The Rose Bowl is once again at the center of the problem: they want a Pac-10 team facing off against a Big 10 team, period, and that's how we got the USC-Illinois debacle this year. If the bowls opened themselves up to bringing in any combination of teams, we'd potentially see better matchups. Of course, the same old dragon head pops up and breathes fire on the whole shebang: bowls don't necessarily want the best matchups, they want the best teams for their corporate sponsors. That's why Clemson made it to the Chik-Fil-A bowl (a travesty that it's no longer called the Peach Bowl, really) over Boston College, an overachieving squad whose fanbase just doesn't give a rip about them. (Did you see their attendance in the ACC Championship game? I'm guessing All-Tel stadium was about 40% full. No lie.)

Again, greenbacks trump good football. That is the bowl system. I don't see a change in this department either, and frankly, I don't really blame the bowls... it's a business, and creating consistently good matchups in this case is potentially bad for business.

So. What do you think? +1? Hellbent for leather on the playoff? Leave things as they are, but change the formula? Or just keep griping about it? Here's to better bowl games next season.

Pardon Me, Did You Happen to See a Good BCS Bowl Game? originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 08 Jan 2008 13:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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US Army All-American Bowl Liveblog (Second Half)

Brian Stouffer — Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:47:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, LSU Football, Notre Dame Football, NCAA FB Recruiting, NCAA FB Media Watch, Arizona Football

In case you missed the first half, I'll quickly recap it for you: "Notre Dame Notre Dame, Brady Quinn Commercial, Notre Dame Notre Dame".

Quickly recapping the commitments, Ryan Williams (RB) picked Virginia Tech, Covaughn Deboskie (RB) picked Cal, Brandon Smith (DB) picked Michigan, Marquis Gray (QB) picked Minnesota, and Gerrell Robinson, traitor of traitors, spurned the Irish to stay in-state at Arizona State.

East leads 20-10 and has looked like the better team out there. Tyrelle Pryor and Marquis Gray look like they have huge potential running that spread option kind of offense. Also, we have had 7 Army commercials and counting.

Once again, the commitments (actually, the NBC announcers are calling them "declarations", in maybe a sidelong way of highlighting how meaningless they can be before signing day) will be in bold, so you can skim for them.

A.J. Harmon, offensive lineman from Georgia, picks... Georgia! A decommit from Clemson, a good catch for Mark Richt. That guy is a hoss.

Dayne Crist hooks up with Michael Floyd for a 56 yard touchdown over the head of a Michigan defender. Quote from NDNation: "that was like watching porn". 17-20, East.

Army Commercial Count: 8

Tyrelle Pryor is re-freaking-diculous. That is all.

Notre Dame WR John Goodman just caught a touchdown pass over Gerrell Robinson. Take that, traitor!

Solomon Cole, DT from Hawaii picks... Arizona! He chooses to escape from the islands and join the mainland.

Tyrelle Pryor has a Buckeye sticker on his helmet, but he showed up to camp wearing a Michigan sweatshirt. This can only mean one thing: he's going to Duke.

Army Commercial Count: 9 and 10.

Over on ABC, WR Deion Walker just committed to Notre Dame. Maybe that's why Robinson picked ASU, because he saw the writing on the wall?

Tyrelle Pryor wins the MVP award. Very obvious call.

Patrick Johnson, CB from Florida picks... LSU! He feels comfortable with Les Miles. Hey, who wouldn't?

Allright, that's all the excitement for today. East is about to win this one 33-17. Looking forward to seeing these kids play in the big leagues. Pryor is going to be a monster at Duke.

US Army All-American Bowl Liveblog (Second Half) originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Sat, 05 Jan 2008 14:47:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yeah, So... That Whole Hawai'i in the BCS Thing Didn't Work Out So Well

Ryan Ferguson — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:33:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, WAC, Bowl Games, Hawaii Football

Like the rest of you, I was intrigued by the the matchup of Hawai'i and Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. What happens when you take one of the SEC's two best teams and match them up against Hawai'i, who rings up pinball scores on offense but doesn't play anyone outside the WAC other than a single marginal BCS conference opponent?

We're just halfway through the 3rd quarter now, but with the score at 31-3 in Georgia's favor, I feel safe in saying that this "experiment" was a failure.

Colt Brennan has been sacked 7 times, hurried 11 times, and knocked down 10 times. He's 17-28 for 131 yards and 2 ~~TDs~~ INTs. The Rainbow Warriors have only a single first down to their credit, and it took most of three quarters to get it. They're -12 in rushing yards, 119 in total yards.

Hawai'i is heavily outmatched, and it's time to face the facts: the Warriors are boys among men on this field. They don't belong here.

THE MY GOD, I ACTUALLY STAYED UP TO WATCH THAT TO THE END UPDATE: Final's 41-10. That game was cruel and unusual punishment for two reasons.

One, it's disturbing to watch humans maul other humans like that without any sane person intervening and calling the game off. College football apparently needs a "mercy" rule because Georgia kept pounding those poor Hawaiians long after they had any defensible reason for doing so. Bad dawgs!

Two, FOX commentators Thom Brennaman and Charles Davis' meandering romps through topics such as Uga's ice bags and bands from Athens (apparently Davis quite dug R.E.M. when he was in high school... not kidding). Fox, if you want to broadcast a blowout, for god's sakes, men, have some serious filler material ready to go!

I can't sign off without expressing my amazement that they actually followed through with their plans to complete a Postgame show in this snoozer. And when the local news finally came on at 1:15AM here in Orlando, they started off with "Sorry you had to wait through that dreadful football game for your evening news... "

Yeah, So... That Whole Hawai'i in the BCS Thing Didn't Work Out So Well originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:33:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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FOX Needs to Rethink Its Bowl Gametimes

Charles Rich — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:31:00 EST

Filed under: Georgia Football, SEC, WAC, BCS, NCAA FB Media Watch, Hawaii Football

I'm sure TV people will explain ad nauseum how starting the game at nearly 8:50 pm Eastern is the way to maximize eyeballs. That somehow the second half beginning at close to 11 pm on the East Coast is not a big deal. There are two problems that immediately come to mind. They took nearly 20 minutes after the half-hour pregame to get around to kickoff. Maybe they jammed in more ads, but they also irritated plenty of people who checked their program guide and at the very least expected a kickoff to start within ten minutes of the 8:30 start time.

The bigger problem is, reality. Georgia and Hawaii was expected to be a blowout. It has been exactly that. It was 24-3 at the half and less than halfway through the 3d quarter Georgia is up 31-3. Safe to say a lot of people called it a night at that point.They can play up the 2007 Fiesta Bowl and Boise St. over Oklahoma classic all they want, but people have to have a reason to keep watching to get to that point.

The rest of the BCS Bowl games are scheduled for 8 pm starts. That means, FOX may actually start the games by 8:30 on the weeknights. Why they couldn't even do that much tonight makes little sense.

FOX Needs to Rethink Its Bowl Gametimes originally appeared on NCAA Football FanHouse on Tue, 01 Jan 2008 23:31:00 EST . Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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