Posted on 12/07/2018 5:21:39 PM PST by dangus
Thank you, dangus, for replying. I think you are right in the sense that conferences and how they are organized are key.
Those who are presently pre-occupied with the current four-team playoff are the ones who don’t quite get it. The most important objective of teams in the Big10 for example is not to win a national championship. It is to beat their greatest conference rival. OSU wants nothing so much as to beat Michigan and conversely. No other goal matters except as a subordinate aim. And other teams have their rivalries, as well. And there are secondary rivalries. It extends beyond football to other sports, mens and womens. And it spans other things, as well. When my children applied to college (from our home in Ann Arbor) several Big 10 schools were in the mix. The SEC, ACC, etc were nowhere to be found. This is not a knock on those conferences. I am merely asserting the rather extraordinary bonds forged between and among these universities.
SEC fans do not understand this. I am not denying that those schools also have bonds and rivalries, perhaps every bit as deep. But for some reason SEC fans, ESPN experts, the C-suite of the NCAA — they all put the four-team playoff above those conference bonds. This is what they do not understand.
I hate the NCAA most of all because they are corrupt, inept, fat, lazy. ESPN is next.
What these knuckleheads do not realize is that the Big10 and Pac12 would do well to drop out of the NCAA altogether, get bigger, span every major market in the US, and call their own shots. They would fare better economically, academically, and in terms of the welfare and happiness of their fans.
Perhaps your conference configuration would be even better. I do not understand why ND would fare better under that arrangement than joining the Big 10, but you are on the right track. The bottom line question is not whether the NCAA should stick with the 4-team structure or go to an 8-team playoff. It is how conferences are going to organize and assert themselves against a totally screwed up NCAA and ESPN. There is too much money involved and too much dysfunction presently for this to continue much longer.
When the Irish come to Athens Georgia next season they will be treated to some southern hospitality and then they will be sent home with the gift of a very large “L”, in cursive no less.
Maybe. Maybe not. Shoud be a good game, in spite of the trash talk. I lived many years in Georgia. One year, the Sunday after the GA/FL game (which GA lost) I had to drive my mother from south GA to Atlanta. The graffiti on almost all the GA cars that passed us was filthy. I have never seen anything like it, and I was embarrassed for my mother, and my state. And it formed a lasting impression in my mind of UGA fans. Take your arrogance elsewhere, please.
Ooooooh! Does that include the Citadel? Then, goodbye Alabama!
You know nothing. They have had two home and home series’ with Bama. In 2019, they play Georgia, Southern Cal, Michigan, Virginia Tech, and Stanford. In 2020, they play Wisconsin, Stanford, Clemson, and Southern Cal. Stanford and USC are every year. In 2022/2023 they have home and home with both Ohio State and Clemson. Enough said. Take your trash talk elsewhere.
I’ve seen more arrogance in Indiana than I ever did in Georgia. Too bad about the trip of embarrassing graffiti you had to take. I was not on that road that day. Don’t judge all UGA fans by the crassness of a few. Don’t judge at all, really.
“To put it simply, they’re the Yankees of college football. And yes, 80 million Catholics outweigh Michigan’s one million graduates or even their share of about 10 million Michiganders.”
AH - HA - HA - HA - HA - HA! You are STILL living in the past!
I am a Catholic who hates Notre Dame.
“Take your trash talk elsewhere.”
AH - HA - HA - HA - HA - HA! Please tell me that you SHALL apologize when Clemson eats ND’s lunch, OK? And, I am not even a Clemson fan!
You Catholics make me laugh and I was raised Catholic! I was forced by my parents to attend a Catholic church until the age of 18. I am laughing at both you and dangus because of your unending but foolish faith in ND! I repeat: They NEVER play anyone of significance!
I disagree.
Florida is the most intensely recruited state in college football.
Not only that, the competition for players inside the state has become more intense.
The University of South Florida, the University of Central Florida, and even Florida Atlantic University are picking off good second tier players that would have normally chosen UF, FSU, or Miami.
If UF, FSU, and Miami ever figure out how to identify, sign, and retain elite head coaches, all three of them will be right back in the Top-15 football programs.
>> If UF, FSU, and Miami ever figure out how to identify, sign, and retain elite head coaches, all three of them will be right back in the Top-15 football programs. <<
Well, yes, if they rebuild their programs around far better head coaches, they could turn their decline around. But the natural advantage they have over UCF is down to simply belonging to a major conference.
And I repeat: they play teams of great significance year in and year out, often have been rated as having the toughest schedule in the country, and even this year, with some opponents struggling, they still had a tougher schedule than did Clemson. Kent State (’17), Furman (’18), Georgia Southern (’18)? Really? And what about Georgia: Samford (’17), Austin Peay (’18), Middle Tennessee (’18)? Really? And then there is the big laugher, ‘Bama scheduling the Citadel! Sure, Notre Dame has had a tough time climbing back up the ladder after a slew of poor coaches since the Lou Holtz era, but they have been climbing, and without the low SAT scores or gray-shirting games played by many of the better teams (not all) in the SEC. No one takes Remedial Reading at Notre Dame. All Freshmen do take Calculus. As for Catholicism, I will leave you to mire in your own prejudices. Merry Christmas.
I didn’t judge. I just experienced.
Michigan who? OH! You mean the Skunkbears! :-)
You need to lighten up! ;-)
LOL! When I first encountered that synonym for wolverine, but first thought was that it must come from Ohio.
LOL! He needs to lighten up because he crushed you!
Dream on! ;-)
You should also lighten up! To be so passionate about a football team/game/sport is sickly! ;-)
I merely look at comparative schedules while you and your cohort stoop to personal destruction. Tsk - tsk - tsk! Sad!
You’re whining about “personal destruction?” BWAHAHAHA!!!! Who needs to lighten up? It was a little satirical trash-talk, Francis.
Here’s a hint: you’re the one who brought religion into it. I just meant it’s a cultural thing that Catholics root for Notre Dame. (Notre Dame isn’t even really Catholic any more.) You’re the one who mentioned your apostasy as if it were relevant to sports. You seem to have an enormous chip on your shoulder.
Now, to get serious about sports for one second: Notre Dame works its butt off trying to keep a tough strength of schedule despite being independent. And any serious observer would have to say they’ve done a great job. If you can’t see that, you’re popping blood vessels have ruined your vision. Their schedule is about as tough as any team not in the SEC, and clearly much tougher than Clemson. (I rank Clemson ahead of Notre Dame because Notre Dame won some close games that should have been blowouts before they found their rhythm.)
They’ve beaten three ranked teams, plus Big 5 conference winners Pittsburgh and Northwestern. The only non-Big 5 conference teams they’ve played, in fact, are Navy and Ball State. Other teams they’ve played include Michigan State, USC, Stanford, Virginia Tech, and Florida State.
If you can’t see that’s a fairly tough schedule, you’re taking the “fanatic” origin of “fan” a little too seriously.
You and Mr. Chips are the ones who made this a ‘competition’ as to who is ‘right’ when there is no ‘right’ when someone holds an opinion.
I promise to apologize to you and Mr. Chips if Notre Dame beats Clemson if and only IF you and Mr. Chips agree to apologize to me if Clemson beats Notre Dame. Are you game for that, trash talker?
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