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I confirmed Labor Day weekend the OU Sooner program and their fans are stuck in a comfort zone.Originally Posted by theprofessor
So, as you can tell, I never overreact to Oklahoma.
Michigan State was either an overachiever or underachiever, but they found a way to win.
Wisconsin had a step-in coach. They found a way to win.
Arizona is an up and comer, but then there is Boise.
New Year's Day has now become significant again. And not just for four teams.
Louisiana Tech University
Flagship of the University of Louisiana System
Every team can find its own motivation to win. I certainly thought it looked like Tech wanted to be in Dallas, while Illinois was going through the motions. It's usually pretty clear during the game which team(s) want to be there. If you have two interested teams, it makes for a compelling matchup. One typically leads to a lospided game, while having neither team care makes for some very sloppy football. But the fact of the matter is that only three of the games really matter. The others are just a way to fill some down time during the holidays and make the TV stations some money. I'm a proponent of more meaningful football. The College Football Playoff is a step in the right direction. We have three games that matter this year, instead of just one. If we could expand that to an eight-team playoff system, we'd have seven meaningful games. Make it 16, and we'd have 15 games that really mean something in the postseason. That's five times as many as we have this year!
The other problem with the bowl games is teams take off so much time between them. The great coaches typically can get their players to buy into the importance of the game and preparation for it. But some can't, and that's another thing that leads to some blowouts during the bowl season. I think we'd be better served as fans, and the game itself, if there weren't three to four weeks off between games. Give every team a bye week following the conference title games, and then let's start playing football again! You want to make New Year's Day relevant again? Play the national title game then, not 12 days later!
I had a blast attending the Heart of Dallas Bowl, and it was awesome seeing my team defeat a Big Ten team. I also had fun when I went to San Diego. Those are fun experiences as a fan. But on the whole, I'm not a fan of the bowl system, and I never have been. There's a lot that should be changed, for the good of the game. We're making progress, but there's so much more that needs to be done. Hopefully, one day we'll get there.
the bold, the beautiful, theprofessor
We've been there and it's coming back.
Sorry you missed out on the 1970s, perfessor.
Louisiana Tech University
Flagship of the University of Louisiana System
So what will make teams care again? With 75 bowl games, or whatever the number is now, how do you ensure that the players/coaches/administrations really want to be there?
Should the # of games be reduced so each one matters more? Should the payout be set up to cover expenses for the schools with the winner getting all the money beyond travel expenses?
I wish all the teams cared. It is obvious that many bigger schools will check out if they learn they are playing in the Troy-Bilt Bowl in Jonesboro, Arkansas against nlulm.
Illinois cared very much to be there. It was the first bowl game in a couple years and it saved their coaches job.... at least for 4 quarters.
But Arkansas looks like they are going to be hell to deal with next year. That teams looked real good as the season went on. Bielema has the monster linemen in place, I am interested to see them next year.
Illinois' players were absolutely NOT just going through the motions. It is asinine to suggest that they were.
Good old Memorial Gym
Assinine it is.
Let's see...Ole Miss lost, Miss State lost, Alabama lost and Auburn lost. All were ranked in the national Top 3 at one point this year. You think all of those guys didn't want to win their bowl games?
As a guy with several Ole Miss in-laws, I can personally attest to the fact that the Ole Miss clan wanted badly to beat TCU. And it didn't happen. Not even close. And I got news for you: TCU would have beaten Alabama just as badly. (Alabama has one of the worst QB's I've ever seen in a New Year's Day Bowl. Neither he or Bama belonged in the Final Four.) Ole Miss just drew the short straw.
Hopefully these ASS WHIPPINGS --and that's exactly what they were-- will cause reasonable folks to re-evaluate their worship of the SEC. It ain't all that.
And we beat a Big 10 team in a bowl, in fact, we are 3-0 vs. the Big 10, so that proves we belong in the Big 10!
Quick look at the tigger poo board last night suggests that they (for one - not sure about rest of SEC fans) are very happy that SEC teams lost, not so much that their team lost. They (majority not unanimous) don't support their conference as consider them all enemies. is this because of long drawn out rivalries? is it because they never play much OOC? Or is it the LSU psyche?
I got the feeling on here that we are large supporters of our conference teams post season (exception of a couple that have 'dirty' teams) - is it because we know that we need good conference results in bowls to get into the bigger bowls?
LSU fans would eat their own young if they thought it would win football games.
Winning seven BCS championships in a row as a conference creates a certain narrative of dominance; a narrative which many found overblown. For one year, losing 5 of 10 bowl games (so far) [2-5 in the supposedly stronger SECw] suggests a fresh narrative, which likewise could get overblown and over-exaggerated.
The SEC West desperately needs better QB's. Their QB's are weak. LSU, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas A&M and Ole Miss all need better QB's. Dak Prescott of Miss State is the only big time QB in the SEC west.
Not that it is directly related, but it should be pointed out that the SEC West was a combined 28-0 in their OOC games this year. YES! I KNOW, many of those opponents are not exactly top-notch competition, true. And for the most part, the SEC played those games at home. A big advantage. Still....don't be so fast to write-off the SEC.
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