We now return you to your regularly scheduled b****fest...
Posted on 12/04/2005 7:37:12 PM PST by DuckFan4ever
SAN DIEGO (AP) — Spurned by the BCS, the Oregon Ducks had to settle for the next-best thing — a late-December trip to San Diego.
The No. 6 Ducks (10-1), whose only loss was to top-ranked USC, accepted an invitation to play Oklahoma in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 29 after they were passed over for an at-large BCS berth.
"I think 'disappointed' is more the word than 'surprised,' " Oregon coach Mike Bellotti said on a conference call on Sunday.
"I didn't quite understand the Notre Dame deal. But obviously I have not been a student of the BCS," said Bellotti, whose Ducks were passed over for a shot at the national championship game four years ago.
Oregon was No. 5 in the final BCS standings, one spot ahead of Notre Dame. But Notre Dame has an easier shot at a BCS berth, including one stipulation that it be ranked three through six in the final BCS standings.
The Pac-10 had lobbied the BCS, specifically the Fiesta Bowl, on behalf of Oregon, which finished second in the conference to USC.
But Notre Dame and Ohio State, both 9-2, received bids to the Fiesta, which pays between $14 million and $17 million per team. The Holiday Bowl's payout is $2 million per team.
Last year, California was 10-1 but got bumped out of the Rose Bowl by Texas and went to the Holiday Bowl, losing 45-31 to Texas Tech.
As is often the case, the Holiday Bowl gets at least one team that thought it might have had a chance of playing in a bigger — and more lucrative — bowl.
"We couldn't be happier to have the No. 5-ranked team in the country in the BCS polls representing the Pac-10 in the Holiday Bowl," executive director Bruce Binkowski said. "We understand that that is their goal, to play in the BCS. But the system is the system. For us to have the opportunity to get the fifth-ranked team in the country is great. Also, we've never had Oklahoma before. They've had a great second half. We couldn't be happier with the matchup."
Oklahoma (7-4) won five of its last six games.
Oregon will play in the Holiday Bowl for the first time since 2000, when it beat Texas 35-30.
"Overall, we're excited about the Holiday Bowl," Bellotti said. "We had a great experience there the last time, in playing and defeating the University of Texas."
Oregon played Oklahoma last season and will play the Sooners again in 2006.
"I guess this will be a preview," Bellotti said.
Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops said the Ducks have a strong argument to be in a BCS bowl.
"They've had a great year," Stoops said. "They do a great job, 10-1, they only lost to USC. There's no question I could see where that would be difficult for them. But, of all places to go, the Holiday Bowl is an incredible destination."
Stoops has been to two previous Holiday Bowls, as a graduate assistant with Iowa in 1986 and an assistant coach with Kansas State in 1995.
Go Bucks !
Mobilhoma
We now return you to your regularly scheduled b****fest...
I take it everyone but me knows what a BCS is.
ping
That's correct.
Aww... they didn't get into the BCS. Their conference is still gonna get $14 Million, split amongst 10 teams... not bad.
Try being a fan of a non-BCS team, who starts the season with practically NO CHANCE of being national champion, because even if we go 11-0, the pollsters would never vote us #1 or #2.
Still not as bad as being a fan of a BCS team who starts the season with practically no chance of being national champion because they lose too many games :-p
...what it deserves.
Ho, Ho, Ho, Ho,
The BCS must go, go, go.
:)
BCS: Bucks, Cash, Simoleons.... Notre Dame will generate bigger receipts than Oregon will.
However, I don't think Notre Dame should be in a BCS game. IMHO, Notre Dame is always given special treatment by the pollsters and the BCS and will probably get a BCS berth every year that the BCS can get away with it no matter how many loses they have.
You wanna bet????????? ;-)
Your little texas thingy is upside down. ;-)
That longhorn logo looks like it was modeled after the female reproductive organs.
Give 'em hell, eh? :)
Enjoy - I'm outta here :)
How many teams get the opportunity to get rolled by
the Pac-10 two straight years in bowl games? Whatever USC hung on Oklahoma last year, the Ducks are going to top it.
Time for a Long Horn Gore-ing.
It goeth before a fall, we are told :)
And the Rose Bowl will be a Long Horn Barbecue!
"I take it everyone but me knows what a BCS is."
It means Big Commie Suckoffs...
Careful. Midway through the third quarter of the Rose Bowl and you'll wonder what fell on you.
Or Big Conference Screw.
"Once more, the Pac Ten gets ...oh, you can finish the sentence."
Okay, I'll give it a shot.
Once more, the Pac Ten gets WHAT IT DESERVES. Play a Pac Ten sked (Oregon has the #57 GBE strength of sked ranking nationally, behind...Rice, Army, and Ball State?!?!?!), get a Pac Ten bowl!
It would be difficult to design a fair national championship system for football, as there are a couple of hundred college teams, and their schedules vary wildly in terms of strength of schedule. This isn't always their fault. The Texas Tech coach mentioned that they play some of the teams they play because (1) nobody wants to play in Lubbock (Tech's a dangerous team, and Lubbock isn't exactly the vacation capital of the world), and (2) the small teams will take the cash and the whipping. Really good teams avoid each other, as a single loss puts you out of the running. I was impressed that Texas and Ohio State agreed to play, especially that early in the season. As was noted, Penn State, Oregon, Georgia, and several other teams that can play with anybody have one loss, so it's see ya!
Under the current system, teams that have a national following and that are known to have a large contingent of fans that travel to see them play have an automatic advantage. Bowl games are a dicey business. If you don't draw fans and ratings you can lose your shirt. Also, teams from the WAC, etc., may have a great won/loss record, but usually get shown up as pretenders when they play one of the big boys.
A legitimate college playoff system would have to have IMHO around sixteen teams. It's doubtful that a team ranked lower would have a chance of winning a title, but would allow some dark horses into the fray, and give programs legitimately going for national exposure a chance to get seen. The first week's games should be #1 against #16, etc. The games should be at the higher ranked school's home field. After a couple of rounds, the games could go to the bowls, with the championship game rotating between the major bowls. I don't see it happening, because too much money goes to specific programs and individuals now. We can dream, though.
"However, I don't think Notre Dame should be in a BCS game. IMHO, Notre Dame is always given special treatment by the pollsters and the BCS and will probably get a BCS berth every year that the BCS can get away with it no matter how many loses they have."
Coexer and I agree on something, once in a blue moon! Quack quack, who loves ya, baby!?!?!
Amen to everything you said BUMP.
Sadly, as far as the 'not gonna happen' part is concerned.
It probably was judging by the amount of hot women that go to Texas.
A 4-loss team (Fla St) getting a Big Bowl? I'd much rather see #3 Penn State take on Oregon (and keeping a PAC-10 vs Big 10 tradition, even if it is the wrong bowl).
I'd even prefer one of the 8 other solid 2-loss teams: Auburn (#7), Georgia (8), Miami (9), VaTech (12), 'Bama (13), TxTech (15), Louisville (16), or UCLA (17), or even 1-loss TCU (14). Just because the coaches are long-lived we have to watch a mismatch?
Winning a major conference championship is its own reward for a surprise team. They shouldn't take one of the BCS spots as an added bonus.
(Duh, Georgia's already in)
So would I.
I'm not going to watch. I'm against them calling it the 'Holiday' bowl...
Well...if it's not a conspiracy, then why is it like a card game where the six top conferences get three aces, and the non-BCS schools have to beat it.
I feel for you. We were in the same spot last year (Cal) when Texas stole our Rose Bowl spot. I had tickets too, but ended up having to settle on a trip down to San Diego. Go Pac-10!
How will ND generate bigger receipts? The televised audience will be nearly identical, and the price and attendance will be identical no matter which teams go.
Actually, I believe Oregon's last Fiesta Bowl grossed better than ND last Fiesta Bowl....and Oregon Won.
I could be mistaken, but wasn't it all the Cal fans in here last year moaning about the poor bowl they were offered before getting splattered in that sub-par bowl? I think it's wise to see if your team even has what it takes to win the sub-par bowl before complaining.
It was last year, Cal fans were on here crying about being stuck playing lowly Texas Tech before losing to Texas Tech by 14. I don't have a dog in this hunt anyway, I'm a I-AA fan, where we have a playoff system.
That's possibly true, as the landscape is changing. Notre Dame used to be the only team that got national television coverage. In the olden days, the University of Texas was national champions, but Notre Dame was the only team that got highlights shown IN TEXAS! It used to be that maybe fifteen teams got enough television exposure to have national followings. That's not true, anymore. However, colleges tend to be very backwards, and the powers that be are still holding onto the old ways. The Miami Hurricanes, Virginia Tech, and a couple of other schools seem to intrigue the younger crowd more than the old line big schools.
You'll see that happen quite often. When a team ends up playing a second tier bowl, frequently the players don't really want to be there, and it shows. Tech's a pretty tricky school, though. They play an unorthodox offense, and play it well. That makes them a wild card, and if they get rolling, they can ring up the scoreboard like a pinball machine.
And an average attendance of 16 for the regular season. It probably doubles for the playoffs though.
That's big talk coming from someone who's team barely showed up in Norman last year. I live in Pac-10 land and have been watching your ducks. they've showed guts this year -- but they are hardly a dominant team.
Oklahoma has lost 4 games this year . . . to teams with a combined 4 losses. Their SOS is about #2 in the country (don't know what it is after this weekend). the OOC conference teams were 2 Div-I conference champions and UCLA. They were simply robbed at TTech (not by one call but by a horde of bad calls, culminating in the 3 "reviewed" calls on the game "winning" drive). if you are expecting a blowout I think you will be sorely mistaken.
the sad fact is oklahoma has better talent. oregon had the experience, though without clemons the advantage is reduced. it's unfortunate deserving teams get left out of the "big money," and in oregon's case, that this isn't new. that said, please tell your friends, family, and team you're going to "roll" oklahoma. that'll make the outcome that much sweeter for your lowly opponent.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.